Mini Draco: Detailed Overview

The Mini Draco, developed by Century Arms, is a Romanian-made AK pistol with a mini barrel that fires at a pull on the trigger. Its design is based on the modification of the Ak-47 rifle design. The Mini-Draco, chambered in 7.62x39mm, is a fantastic but very specialized pistol. It is best used as a stationary personal defense weapon that targets close ranges. It is approximately 18 inches long and is moderately compact amongst other pistols chambered in larger calibers, commonly referred to as “rifle” calibers. It is compatible with all standard AK-47 magazines.

This handgun is equipped with a Midwest Industries rail explicitly designed for the Mini Draco. The rail has what appears to be "heat-transfer" circular divots (although they could be for show) and four rails positioned around each assembly plane. Installation was reasonably straightforward, and the rail assembly has proven superior to what has become known as the original "hot-dog" wooden foregrip that comes stock on the rifle upon purchase.

Before we go any further, the Mini Draco is built in the Cugir Arms Factory, known for its WASR series rifles, which are a near replica of the Russian AKM. It is 17.5 inches in length and weighs 5.6 pounds without a magazine. Despite the Mini Draco's size, the receiver is the same size as a full-size regular AK.

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Essential Information About The Mini Draco's Build Quality

The Mini Draco is attractive and well-made. The rivets are in good condition; they are flush with the receiver surface. The sheet metal has no folds or bends. There are no machining marks on any of the parts' outer surfaces, and the interior parts/surfaces look to be in fine condition. There are no burrs on the magazine well or any of the other sheet metal edges. The safety selector is exceptionally tight and difficult to remove without applying some elbow grease; it is the tightest discovered on an AK. But, hey, any problem that a bench vise and a hammer can solve isn't a problem.

Here are some essential features to look out for on the Mini Draco:

1. Receiver

Except for the modified rear trunnion and gas piston, the receiver internals are conventional for an AK of Romanian design. The bolt carrier, bolt assembly, and recoil spring assembly are all identical to those found on a standard-length AK rifle. The gas piston rod has been removed to compensate for the short gas tube, leaving only the piston rod head. The head was designed to be severed from the piston rod and fitted directly to the bolt carrier. The head is a separate machined element that is not cut from the piston rod.

2. Triggers

Century Arms typically employs US-made Tapco triggers in their AK rifles, partly because they are better than stock, but primarily for 922(r) parts compliance. Because the trigger on this Mini Draco does not read Tapco, it appears to be a Romanian "government" trigger. It's still pretty good for a stock trigger. It had a 5.1-pound draw weight on average and a clean break.

3. The Muzzle

The muzzle device is not the standard slant brake found on an AKM rifle. It is a compensator of the same general design, just like the government-issue one found on an AR-15, but with a different thread and three notches at the base. The notches hold it to the muzzle through the spring-loaded retaining plunger on the front sight. The direction of the muzzle explosion is determined by the notch you use.

4. Sight Blocks

The rear sight block appears to be the same as those seen on standard-sized AK rifles, but everything forward of the receiver is unique. That's to be expected from such a little AK version. The barrel and gas tube are naturally shorter; however, to compensate for the lack of space up front, the front sight and gas block have been integrated into one piece. Because it is longer (from fore to aft), many AK front-sight windage adjusters will not operate with it.

5. Handguard

Because the Mini Draco is a pistol, it does not come with a stock; therefore, the only included furniture is a polymer pistol grip and the front handguard. The handguard is made of blond plywood and has a beautiful, industrial-looking finish.

6. Recoil Buffer

A hard polymer device called the recoil buffer is positioned in front of the rear trunnion to cushion the impact of the bolt carrier during cycling. The most significant function, however, is to prevent the bolt carrier/gas piston from overstroking. The recoil buffer appears to be from a 3D printer, and there is a rough tad around the edges. A piece of hard rubber would have probably lasted longer. Before the bolt carrier can be removed from the receiver, the recoil buffer must be pulled out (it is not attached).

The Mini Draco's Field Performance

In terms of performance, the Mini Draco will not be able to replicate or replace a rifle. For starters, it will only be effective at close ranges—say, 50 yards. The Mini Draco is more shootable than one might imagine.

It has a lot going against it in terms of accuracy. The barrel is just 7.5 inches long, not much longer than a competition-length pistol with a 5.31-inch barrel, such as the Glock G34. Despite these constraints, the Mini Draco proved more accurate than expected. They averaged 4.74-inch five-shot groups at 50 yards for the five different loads tested.

Night sights, a red-dot optic, and any stability, such as a sling or pistol brace, would also significantly increase accuracy. These modifications would turn it into an accurate small AK.

Why You Should Own A Mini Draco

1. Durable finish for long-lasting use

2. Enhanced trigger group

3. Threaded barrel to attach your desired muzzle device

4. 30 round us palm magazine

5. Standard style AK sights for full-size models

6. Premium hardwood handguards

Specifications Summary

Caliber: 7.62x39mm

Action: Gas Piston, Semi-Auto

Capacity: 30+1

Barrel Length: 7.75″

Overall Length: 17.5″

Material: Stamped Steel

Finish: Matte Black

Wrapping Up

The Mini Draco is a very entertaining gun to shoo t, and there aren't many drawbacks to the "fun gun." Range time doesn't come much better than this—the 7.5-inch barrel makes it loud and throws flames like a vintage WWII flamethrower. If you're looking for an excellent reason to buy one, please do. If you enjoy AKs and want to have some fun, the Mini Draco is hard to beat. It's small and loud and only approximately a pound heavier than a Desert Eagle.

The Mini Draco is available at Founders Tactical and thousands of other firearms. We also carry ammunition, optics, apparel, parts, gear, and more! Founders Tactical also price matches and offers financing, which sets us apart from other sellers. Call or email us today with product questions or requests.