Palmetto State Armory has introduced the new Sabre WBP 5.56 AK rifle, chambered in 5.56 × 45 mm and incorporating a range of components manufactured by Polish company WBP Rogów. The rifle features, among other things, a 16-inch cold hammer-forged barrel, a Soviet Arms handguard, an ALG trigger and a folding B5 Systems stock.
The Sabre WBP 5.56 AK remains an evolution of the Kalashnikov system, whose basic design dates back to the late 1940s. Over the following decades, the platform was adapted to new cartridges, materials, manufacturing methods and modern accessories. The new PSA model retains the characteristic AK layout while combining it with new components and mounting interfaces.
WBP supplied the rifle with the bolt, bolt carrier, front trunnion / barrel support, rear sight assembly, handguard retainer, receiver cover, recoil spring assembly and safety selector. The bolt, bolt carrier and front trunnion were manufactured using forging.
The rifle is equipped with a 16-inch, or approximately 406 mm, PSA-manufactured barrel. It is made of chrome-moly-vanadium steel using the cold hammer forging process. The bore is chrome-lined, while the exterior surface is protected with a phosphate finish. The barrel has a 1:7 twist rate, meaning one rotation per 7 inches. The muzzle is threaded 1/2×28 and is factory-fitted with a Sabre Plan B Flash Hider. The device functions as a flash hider while also allowing the attachment of a compatible suppressor using the Plan B system. The muzzle device is finished in Raw Heat Treat.
The core of the design is a stamped steel receiver with reinforcing ribs. Its assembly with the other components includes, among other things, swell-neck rivets, featuring a characteristic expanded section beneath the head.
A side mounting rail for optics is located on the left side of the receiver. The rifle also retains its mechanical sights, including a WBP-manufactured rear sight assembly. The front of the rifle features an 11.5-inch Soviet Arms handguard with an M-LOK interface. It is complemented by a Soviet Arms Railed Gas Tube with a top mounting rail, providing additional space for attaching accessories. Trigger operation is handled by an ALG AKT Enhanced Trigger with a Lightning Bow trigger shoe coated with a DLC finish.
The rifle uses a B5 AK P-Grip pistol grip and a B5 4.5MM Folding AK Stock. The Sabre WBP 5.56 AK is supplied with one 30-round WBP magazine chambered for 5.56 × 45 mm ammunition. No cleaning rod is included with the rifle. The handguard and Soviet Arms Railed Gas Tube are finished in Burnt Bronze, while the receiver and barrel feature a Moss Green finish. Combined with the B5 Systems stock and grip in RAL 8000, they create a distinctive three-color configuration.
The Sabre WBP 5.56 AK is another example of the development of the Kalashnikov system nearly eight decades after its basic design was developed. The new model is currently available on the U.S. market. So far, there is no confirmed information regarding its availability in Poland or other European Union countries.
Photos: Palmetto State Armory
