Brandon Herrera, The AK-50 Saga

It was eight years ago when Brandon Herrera first teased the idea of the AK-50, and since that day, he has released approximately 50 video updates. You might ask if this really qualifies as a saga. Well, if we mean “saga” in terms of a long story involving achievements of epic and heroic proportions, then you bet! That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

If you’ve been in the firearms community for more than 3 minutes and haven’t spent the entire time under a rock, chances are you know of Brandon Herrera, affectionately, “The AK Guy.” You’re also aware of his exploits, which are many. Brandon has brought us good wholesome entertainment, including AR vs AK Guy, Gun Meme Review, Cursed Gun Images, and the Darwin Awards. While some of you will question my definition of “wholesome”, DON’T JUDGE ME!

With his recent campaign for Texas' 23rd Congressional District, Brandon demonstrated that, aside from a healthy appreciation for shenanigans, he can get down to business. It is no surprise that he has become such an accomplished creator, with over 3.5 million subscribers to, what is arguably, one of the most popular gun channels on YouTube.

What is the AK-50?

For the uninitiated, the AK-50 is based on the iconic AK-47 rifle designed by Mikhail Kalashnikov, however, here in America, we tend to go big or go home, and don’t they say everything's bigger in Texas? True to this philosophy, Brandon designed and manufactured the AK-50 to chamber the .50 BMG. Why? Because he felt like it.

While it is tempting to think of this endeavor as simply “scaling up” the AK platform, it really doesn’t work that way. I’m not going to explain it here, especially when Brandon himself has done such a great job demonstrating this over the last eight years on his YouTube channel. I highly recommend you go check out his content and subscribe.

How similar is the AK-50 to the AK-47?

While the AK-50 was designed to be fed via a Barrett .50 Caliber magazine, the rifle does, in fact, have quite a bit in common with its “little brother.” For example, they are both long-stroke gas-operated rotating bolt rifles with identical bolts and carriers. They are also built using stamped receivers and riveted front and rear trunnions. They even share the same pistol grip and fire control group parts as well as a spring-loaded muzzle device detent at the business end.

How was this all achieved?

The AK-50 is a product of Brandon Herrera’s blood, sweat, and tears, however, over eight tireless years, he has worked with several gunsmiths and machine shops, pulling strings while hiding behind cinder block walls to test fire this beast from relative safety. I’ve watched him celebrate his victories and announce his failures, but have never seen him relent in his effort. After proving the concept, Brandon brought in industry giants, Titans Of CNC, a Texas-based global leader in manufacturing, to machine all the parts exactly as needed to bring the AK-50 to life!

What’s next for the AK-50?

While little is known about the future of the AK-50, I did speak to Brandon and he was gracious enough to allow me to share some info with TFB readers here for the first time publicly. Brandon explained that "we're actually seeing 1.2 MOA groups out of it, which is even better than some competitors building 50 BMG rifles for a while now." Indeed, this would be impressive for a production rifle built by a seasoned manufacturer, making Brandon’s first completed version of the AK-50 a remarkable achievement. He attributes this impressive accuracy to the AK-50's "static barrel design and perfectly lapped lugs."

With achievement in mind, it is worth mentioning that the AK-50 has garnered enough attention to appear in the latest update of “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III.” Talk about arriving in style! Of course, they didn’t ask Brandon’s permission, but he’s taking it in stride, flattering as it is. I have been told to keep an eye out for additional AK-50 sightings on some of the most popular YouTube gun channels. See the image below for a comparison of the game's model and the real thing!