When it comes to the RCP (rifle caliber pistol), there might be some out there who weren’t paying attention ten to fifteen years ago. After the expiration of the Clinton “assault weapons” ban, makers of ARs and AKs hit the throttle and Americans started buying those rifles like never before. Many seem to forget that prior to 1994, there were only a handful of companies making some version of the AR in the US and essentially all AK-style rifles were imported.
In an effort to offer the US consumer new and different products, rifle caliber pistols, built on AR and AK actions were offered. However, the reception was rather tepid. These guns were unique, but most saw little benefit to them.
Enter Alex Bosco, a military veteran with a passion to develop a device to aid a disabled veteran friend in holding and controlling an AR-style pistol. Alex had the idea for a pistol stabilizing brace back in 2012 and came up with a prototype in his garage. Of course, as they say, the rest is history. A rollercoaster ride of history to be sure, but history nonetheless.
Thanks to Bosco’s efforts at SB Tactical, not only have stabilizing braces been widely accepted by the masses, the number in circulation and in use by Americans is easily north of 10 million. Good old American ingenuity has caused an explosion of styles and designs, not just for ARs and AKs, but also numerous other rifle caliber and pistol caliber platforms. Consider the brand new “Nub Sub” from Keltec with its factory-installed brace.
OCCAM Defense Solutions’ ODS-1775 Pistol
Several years ago, I got my hands on an ODS-1775 rifle. The gun is masterfully assembled and arguably one of, if not the highest quality American-made AKM rifle available. The natural progression was to test out their ODS-1775 pistol version and it just so happened that I had the perfect opportunity.
Last week we, SOTGU, hosted a private pistol and rifle training program. During the program, an instructor will regularly step in and not just demonstrate, but partner with each student for certain drills that require two shooters. Knowing that I wanted to review the Occam pistol, I brought it to the range with me along with plenty of anticipation.
However, before we get into the live fire discussion, let’s take a moment to consider the ODS-1775 pistol and what it’s all about.
First, the ODS-1775 rifles and pistols are custom-built to order and the buyer can specify certain options and upgrades. The action is a true Kalashnikov AKM style chambering the 7.62x39mm cartridge built on a mil-spec receiver. The pistol barrel is 10.5 inches and it is surrounded by a MERC free-float aluminum handguard with heat shields. On my pistol, there is an Aklys Defense “Shorty Brake” threaded onto the 5/8×24 TPI muzzle. The shorty brake is also a suppressor adapter and this ODS pistol has their adjustable gas block system to accommodate a can.
As all dedicated AK shooters know, mounting optics onto the dust cover is a no-go. OCCAM Defense long ago fixed that issue with the MERC rail system which sits back over the trunnion and allows for a rock-solid optic platform.
The top of the MERC is M1913 Picatinny rail and M-LOK mounting points are found left, right and bottom. Of the unique options are the hardwood rail covers made of Walnut and fixed to the M-LOK slots. Onto the upper rail they mounted the OCCAM ODS-PH2 fully adjustable iron sights. The front sight uses standard AR posts so you can insert other options, such as Tritium, if you like. The rear sight has multiple apertures and is adjustable for windage.
At the rear of the receiver is a Pic rail mount which allows the end user to mount any brace of their choosing or to add a “Razor” strut and “Tailhook” stabilizing brace combination available from OCCAM. The strut and tailhook are all-aluminum construction and rock-solid. The brace set up folds to the left side of the pistol and the gun can be fired while it’s folded. This is a good time to mention that there are QD sockets on the MERC handguard and the Razor strut.
This is also a good time to note that, with recent events, depending on where you live and whether or not you’re a member of certain gun rights organizations, you can now choose to swap the brace for a folding stock. A reading of the judge’s ruling looks like GOA members should be clear to convert a pistol to an SBR, but this is not, of course, legal advice and you should consult a good firearms attorney before doing anything that might put you on the ATF’s radar.
As far as functionality, the ODS-1775 pistol is a true AKM with only three controls; charging handle, ambi magazine release and paddle safety. The trigger is a “G3” flat version. The mag well accepts all standard 7.62x39mm AKM magazines. The trunnion, bolt, and carrier are forged Trinity parts. To grip the gun, they used a hand-stippled US Palm AK pistol grip.
Range Time
For my range/training session, I packed out an ammo can filled with both steel-cased and brass 7.62x39mm fodder. To feed the gun I grabbed a couple of new XTech Tactical steel-reinforce polymer mags as well as some steel 30 rounds and a 40 round “party starter” for the RPK.
Word to the wise, as soon as you place your order for an ODS-1775 pistol, put in another order from your favorite ammo distributor for a full 1000 round case of ammunition. You’re going to need it. Like the old potato chip commercial said, “once you pop, you can’t stop.” Once you start shooting your OCCAM pistol, you aren’t going to want to stop either.
Prior to departing for the range, I pulled out the bolt/carrier and lubed it up well. Removing the dust cover and pulling out the bolt/carrier and recoil spring assembly takes all of ten seconds. That is one of the genius aspects of the AKM design, an Army private can strip and clean their rifle easily with no special tools needed.
For a day and a half, I used the ODS-1775 pistol for demonstrations and then while running numerous partner drills with a truly dedicated student of the gun. By the time we called it, there were at least 300 once-fired 7.62x39mm cases on the range. The pistol ran with steel and polymer magazines without fail.
Yes, steel-cased ammunition, particularly when fired from a short barrel tends to be a bit “flashy.” We took some photos on an overcast day and you can witness the flash for yourself here. A natural add-on for the pistol would be a dedicated suppressor and OCCAM offers those fas well. It should go without saying, but I’ll say it anyway, Rifle Caliber Pistols are a perfect platform for cans.
While the pistol weighs in right at around seven pounds, the balance was near perfect. Maneuvering around barricades and cover was not an issue. To make a long story short, the gun was a pleasure to shoot. As hinted at, it’s just too much fun to stop. Also, while it might be enjoyable to shoot the ODS pistol from a static position, you really don’t appreciate how well it is built and how well it shoots until you are running drills; moving and shooting, bounding from cover to cover, running cover drills for other shooters, etc.
Are these cheap guns? Nope. At $2000, not by a long shot. These are custom-built tools that you’ll be handing down to your kids and grandkids. If you are looking to treat yourself to the finest of firearms, give them a look.
Paul G. Markel is a combat decorated United States Marine veteran. He is also the founder of Student of the Gun University and has been teaching Small Arms & Tactics to military personnel, police officers, and citizens for over three decades.