• SUBSCRIBE
Athlon Outdoors Supersite
Tactical Life Website
Ballistic Website
Personal Defense World Website
Skillsetmag Website
  • Guns
    • Handguns
      • Semi-Automatic Handguns
      • Revolvers
    • AR Pistols
    • AR Rifles
    • Rifles
      • Semi-Automatic Rifles
      • Lever Action
      • Bolt Action
    • Shotguns
    • Airguns
    • Custom Guns
      • Handgun Build
      • Rifle Build
      • Shotgun Build
    • Specialty Guns
  • Parts
    • Handgun Parts
    • Rifle Parts
  • Accessories
    • Optics & Sights
    • Lasers & Lights
    • Suppressors
    • Holsters
    • Slings
    • Shooting Rests
    • Targets
    • Maintenance & Tools
  • Ammo
    • Handgun Ammo
      • 9mm
      • 10mm
    • Rifle Ammo
      • .223
    • Shotgun Ammo
      • 12 Gauge
    • Rimfire Ammo
    • Reloading
  • Gear
    • Apparel
    • Ears & Eyes
      • Ears
      • Eyes
        • Thermal Vision
        • Night Vision
    • Storage
    • Tactical Gear
      • Body Armor
    • Knives
      • Fixed Blade
      • Folding Knives
      • Tactical Knives
    • Less Lethal
    • Flashlights
    • Electronics
  • Lifestyle
    • Concealed Carry
    • Personal Defense
      • Self-Defense
      • Hand to Hand Combat
    • Home Defense
    • Sport Shooting
      • Hunting
      • Competition Shooting
    • Precision Shooting/Long Range Shooting
    • Training
      • Shooting 101
    • Survival
      • First Aid
    • Tactical & LE
    • Pop Culture
      • People
      • Rides
      • History
      • Military Lifestyle
  • News
    • New Products & Industry News
    • Gun Facts & Laws
    • Police News
    • Military News
    • Politics
  • VIDEOS
No Result
View All Result
Athlon Outdoors
  • Guns
    • Handguns
      • Semi-Automatic Handguns
      • Revolvers
    • AR Pistols
    • AR Rifles
    • Rifles
      • Semi-Automatic Rifles
      • Lever Action
      • Bolt Action
    • Shotguns
    • Airguns
    • Custom Guns
      • Handgun Build
      • Rifle Build
      • Shotgun Build
    • Specialty Guns
  • Parts
    • Handgun Parts
    • Rifle Parts
  • Accessories
    • Optics & Sights
    • Lasers & Lights
    • Suppressors
    • Holsters
    • Slings
    • Shooting Rests
    • Targets
    • Maintenance & Tools
  • Ammo
    • Handgun Ammo
      • 9mm
      • 10mm
    • Rifle Ammo
      • .223
    • Shotgun Ammo
      • 12 Gauge
    • Rimfire Ammo
    • Reloading
  • Gear
    • Apparel
    • Ears & Eyes
      • Ears
      • Eyes
        • Thermal Vision
        • Night Vision
    • Storage
    • Tactical Gear
      • Body Armor
    • Knives
      • Fixed Blade
      • Folding Knives
      • Tactical Knives
    • Less Lethal
    • Flashlights
    • Electronics
  • Lifestyle
    • Concealed Carry
    • Personal Defense
      • Self-Defense
      • Hand to Hand Combat
    • Home Defense
    • Sport Shooting
      • Hunting
      • Competition Shooting
    • Precision Shooting/Long Range Shooting
    • Training
      • Shooting 101
    • Survival
      • First Aid
    • Tactical & LE
    • Pop Culture
      • People
      • Rides
      • History
      • Military Lifestyle
  • News
    • New Products & Industry News
    • Gun Facts & Laws
    • Police News
    • Military News
    • Politics
  • VIDEOS
No Result
View All Result
Athlon Outdoors Super Site
No Result
View All Result
  • TL
  • PDW
  • BM
  • Skillset
 
ENTER TO WIN: FREE GUN FRIDAY ft. Browning, Caldwell & Black Hills!

CENTURY’S DRACO AK

ShareTweetPin
Michael HumphriesbyMichael Humphries
March 1, 2011
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

The Draco pistol in 7.62x39mm provides U.S. shooters with an opportunity to own a firearm inspired by the ubiquitous AKS-74U Kalashnikov PDW. It combines rifle-cartridge power within an ultra-compact package.

The submachine gun has a long and storied history. Beginning in the trenches of World War I with the revolutionary German MP18 to the famed Thompson “Tommygun” of World War II to the high-tech MP5 seen in the hands of SpecOps forces around the world today, the “subgun” has played a pivotal part in practically all combat the world has seen for the last 100 years.

century-arms-pdw-draco Note the lack of a stock or the means of attaching one, as well as the AKM-style black synthetic pistol grip.

However, the submachine gun is just as rife with weaknesses as it is with strengths. Foremost is its chambering. By the nature of the design, submachine guns are chambered for pistol cartridges, more often than not either 9×18, 9x19mm or .45 Auto (although there are chamberings that range from the .32 ACP to the 7.62x25mm). While these pistol cartridges make such firearms easier to control under fully automatic fire, it also makes their range and penetrative power quite limited when compared with a rifle.

century-arms-pdw-draco-bNote the dustcover/safety lever behind the charging handle and the paddle-style magazine release forward of the triggerguard.

In fact, this very weakness was the motivation behind the development of the “assault rifle,” first widely issued as the German StG44 Sturmgewehr. Combining the magazine capacity and rate of fire of a submachine gun with the relative range and power of a rifle, this 7.92x33mm-chambered rifle revolutionized military small arms design. And, by combining compactness and ease of handling with voluminous power, set the stage for a move away from the submachine gun and the eventual rise of the PDW in military circles.

Didn't find what you were looking for?

MOST POPULAR

13 Best Snub-Nose Revolvers for Concealed Carry [2023]

13 Best Snub-Nose Revolvers for Concealed Carry [2023]

Taurus Home Defender revolver in .410.

KA-BOOM: Here Comes the Taurus Judge Home Defender!

300 Blackout vs 308, rifles, ammunition

300 Blackout vs 308 Win: Which Round Reigns Supreme in AR-15s?

Police Sidearms, police duty pistols, Handguns, America's Largest Police Departments 2018

Police Sidearms: Handguns of America’s 10 Largest Departments

TRENDING

KAHR ARMS PM9193 Pistol

wilson combat, wilson combat 1911, wilson combat concealed carry, concealed carry, wilson combat pistols, wilson combat guns

5 Wilson Combat 1911 Defenders

Favored Target for Gun Control in New York.

Rep. Maloney Pushes More Gun Control in New York in Hail Mary Attempt

Stag PXC-9 Pistol-Caliber AR-Style Carbine

Stag Arms Launches PXC-9 Series Pistol Caliber Carbine

BROWSE BY BRAND

Skillset-Logo_yellow-153x47png
Ballistic_LOGO-217x47
CH-Logo_blue-153x47
T-L-SS-stack life-47x140
PDW_CCH_LOGO-300x101
PDW-2022-Sidebyside-logo 160x30-blk
GOW LOGO x101
AF_LOGO-184x47

SPOTLIGHT

New Graphene finish.

The Taurus GX4 Micro-Compact is Now Available in Graphene

Back in 2021, Taurus released the GX4 micro-compact pistol, and it was a welcome addition to the company’s lineage (below)....

RELATED POSTS

The Vortex Bantam HD 6.5x32 Youth Binocular.

Vortex Bantam HD 6.5×32 Youth Binocular Gets Youth into the Hunt

...

The Pedersoli Howdah.

The Pedersoli Howdah: Recreating the Howdah’s Legacy

...

The Swampfox Warhorse 1-6x FFP LPVO.

The Swampfox Warhorse 1-6x FFP LPVO Riflescope

...

Load More

TRENDING

Real World Survivor, RealWorldSurvivor.com, survival content, ballistic

Real World Survivor Is Now Part of BallisticMag.com’s Survival Content

Some of you might be wondering what happened to RealWorldSurvivor.com. Well, effective February 2021, Real World Survivor is now part...

Bradley Cooper as Chris Kyle in American Sniper.

Reel Shooters: The Best Movie Snipers & a Few of the Worst

Fans of action and war movies would be forgiven for thinking that trained snipers carry their rifles disassembled in an...

13 Best Snub-Nose Revolvers for Concealed Carry [2023]

13 Best Snub-Nose Revolvers for Concealed Carry [2023]

Compact, ultra-reliable and ever-ready for close-range self-defense!

10 .22 Pocket Pistols for Last-Ditch Self-Defense.

Best .22 Pistols for Self-Defense [2023]

When it comes to concealed carry, the clear defensive options are typically .380 ACP, 9mm, .45 ACP, 10mm, etc. However,...

MOST POPULAR

The Mossberg MC2sc semi-auto pistol.

12 Best Micro-Compact Handguns for Concealed Carry [2022]

A thick veil of fog stood forever in front of me as I cruised down the highway at 6:30 in...

Police Sidearms, police duty pistols, Handguns, America's Largest Police Departments 2018

Police Sidearms: Handguns of America’s 10 Largest Departments

Law enforcement in the United States is in constant evolution and that includes various police sidearms. These days, law enforcement...

U.S. Secret Service adopts Glock G47

FIRST LOOK: Glock Just Very Quietly Unveiled the New Glock 47 Pistol

Tuesday afternoon we broke news that the U.S. Customs and Border Protection selected three Glock 9mm pistols as its new standard...

All the best new handguns seen at SHOT Show 2023.

21 Best New Handguns [2023]

The NSSF SHOT Show is the premier event to get your hands on new gear. It gives us a first...

VIDEO SERIES: AT THE READY | SEASON 2

MORE VIDEOS

Walker's Disrupter earbuds.

Walker’s Disrupter Earbuds Tested: Comfortable All-Day Protection

The Vortex Bantam HD 6.5x32 Youth Binocular.

Vortex Bantam HD 6.5×32 Youth Binocular Gets Youth into the Hunt

HANDGUNS

New Graphene finish.

The Taurus GX4 Micro-Compact is Now Available in Graphene

The Pedersoli Howdah.

The Pedersoli Howdah: Recreating the Howdah’s Legacy

The SK Customs Morelos.

SK Customs Morelos 1911 Heralds Generalissimo Jose Morelos

The Tisas Model 1911A1 Aviator

Tisas 1911A1 Aviator: Bringing Back the ‘Feel’ of the Original

The Sig Sauer P226 Zev.

The Sig Sauer P226 Zev Reviewed: Is It the Best P226 Ever?

The Girsan High Power Negotiator.

The Girsan Negotiator Series Gets a High Power Addition in 9mm

RIFLES - click to see all

The limited edition RISE Armament Topo Watchman rifle.

UPDATED: New RISE Armament Topo Watchman Limited-Edition

The MDC “Trench Art” Classic AK-47 Rifle.

MDC “Trench Art” Classic AK-47 is Back with Limited Availability

Davidson's Ruger American Predator

Ready to Pounce: Ruger American Predator From Davidson’s

The Exclusive HKMR762A1 from Davidson's.

Davidson’s HK MR762A1 in 7.62mm Brings Exclusive Battle Rifle

AMMO - click to see all

Ammo Storage, Survival Ammo, long term ammo storage, Prepper

Best Methods for Long-Term Ammo Storage

6 .410 Ammo Options for Home and Personal Defense.

.410 Ammo for Home Defense [2023]

.44 Magnum dirty harry

Your Guide to the .44 Magnum Cartridge

The Escort PS Youth 20-gauge shotgun.

The Escort PS Youth Shotgun is Now Available in .410 Bore

The 2022 Athlon Outdoors Rendezvous event.

Rendezvous Roundup: Guns & Gear at Athlon’s Signature Event

fbi ammo testing protocol

Understanding FBI Ammo Testing Standards

Magazines Available Now! Subscribe today for Home Delivery!
FREE NEWSLETTERS! Subscribe!
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • TERMS OF USE
  • CORPORATE
  • ADVERTISE
  • EDIT DESK
No Result
View All Result
  • Guns
    • Handguns
      • Semi-Automatic Handguns
      • Revolvers
    • AR Pistols
    • AR Rifles
    • Rifles
      • Semi-Automatic Rifles
      • Lever Action
      • Bolt Action
    • Shotguns
    • Airguns
    • Custom Guns
      • Handgun Build
      • Rifle Build
      • Shotgun Build
    • Specialty Guns
  • Parts
    • Handgun Parts
    • Rifle Parts
  • Accessories
    • Optics & Sights
    • Lasers & Lights
    • Suppressors
    • Holsters
    • Slings
    • Shooting Rests
    • Targets
    • Maintenance & Tools
  • Ammo
    • Handgun Ammo
      • 9mm
      • 10mm
    • Rifle Ammo
      • .223
    • Shotgun Ammo
      • 12 Gauge
    • Rimfire Ammo
    • Reloading
  • Gear
    • Apparel
    • Ears & Eyes
      • Ears
      • Eyes
    • Storage
    • Tactical Gear
      • Body Armor
    • Knives
      • Fixed Blade
      • Folding Knives
      • Tactical Knives
    • Less Lethal
    • Flashlights
    • Electronics
  • Lifestyle
    • Concealed Carry
    • Personal Defense
      • Self-Defense
      • Hand to Hand Combat
    • Home Defense
    • Sport Shooting
      • Hunting
      • Competition Shooting
    • Precision Shooting/Long Range Shooting
    • Training
      • Shooting 101
    • Survival
      • First Aid
    • Tactical & LE
    • Pop Culture
      • People
      • Rides
      • History
      • Military Lifestyle
  • News
    • New Products & Industry News
    • Gun Facts & Laws
    • Police News
    • Military News
    • Politics
  • VIDEOS

© 2023 Athlon Outdoors - Premium Firearm product and industry news, reviews and magazines" .