Kodiak Defence WK181C-Z Review: A Reliable & Robust Tactical Rifle

The Kodiak Defence WK181C-Z is a very reliable and robust tactical semi-automatic firearm. It’s chambered in 7.62x39mm with an 18.7″ barrel and comes with a Magpul Zhukov folding stock, a Magpul MOE grip, and a Magpul AK/AKM 5/30 Round PMAG.

The WK181C-Z is a solid rifle and built with high quality materials and excellent machining. I already had high expectations with the WK181C-Z with performance and reliability, and so far it’s met or exceeded those expectations.

Full Disclosure

Kodiak Defence did send me the WK181C-Z for this review. I have no relation with Kodiak Defence, they did not pay me, nor do I make any commission on sales of their firearms. As always, I’m going to do my best to give you my honest opinion.

Specs

Is the Kodiak Defence WK181C-Z Worth It?

At the time of this article, the Kodiak Defence WK181C-Z costs around $1549. This is a very affordable price for a semi-automatic tactical firearm which is non-restricted in Canada.

Check out Kodiak Defence for the latest pricing.

Mostly all Canadian firearm dealers will have the WK181C-Z in their inventory or they would at the least be able to have it shipped in.

Initial Thoughts

My first thought when I held the WK181C-Z was, “This rifle feels solid!”

I really like the look and feel of the WK181C-Z. The M-LOK handguard with full picatinny rail along the top reminds me of the Knights Armament SR-15. Very nice looking rifle!

See It In Action

Kodiak Defence did a great job at making a solid semi-automatic tactical rifle. The Magpul Zhukov folding stock is a nice addition as well and seems fitting with the Magpul AKM magazines.

I can even mount my 4-16x scope on the WK181C-Z for hunting wild-game, such as whitetail deer or black bear. The 7.62x39mm round at 150 yards has an energy of over 1000ft/lbs, which is enough to ethically hunt with. Attach an M-LOK bipod and shorter magazine and it’s good to go.

Is the Kodiak Defence WK181C-Z Gen 2 any good?

As nice as a rifle can feel in the hands and look on display, the important questions is “How well does it function?”. I did have a Failure-To-Feed, but I’m pretty sure that was due to the lack of oil when I first went shooting. As soon as I rechambered a round and fired a few rounds in succession, I had no issues.

I haven’t had any stoppages yet, although I don’t have hundreds of rounds yet fired through this rifle, but I would have expected at least one here or there. But nope! It’s been firing smoothly the whole time.

Muzzle Break / Flash Suppressor

One of the first things I noticed on the WK181C-Z was the multi-ported flash suppressor on the end of the barrel.

I was expecting the standard A2 bird-cage muzzle break, as shown on their website.

The multi-ported muzzle break on the WK181C-Z is rated for AR-10/LR-308 rifles and is made from high quality steel.

The bottom surface of the muzzle break is solid to prevent dust from kicking off the ground when laying down in the prone position.

Barrel

The Kodiak Defence WK181C-Z has a 18.7″ length barrel in order to meet the minimum length requirements in Canada. It also has a twist rate of 1:9.5.

The twist rate of a barrel is how many rotations the round does per number of inches. The smaller the number, the faster the rotation.

So for the Kodiak Defence WK181C-Z, a twist rate of 1:9.5 means that the round will complete 1 rotation every 10 inches. With a barrel length of 18.7″ and the added muzzle break, the round will have completed 2 rotations once exiting the rifle.

M-LOK Handguard

I’m a big fan of the full-length handguard with a picatinny rail along the top, as well as M-LOK attachment points on the sides and bottom.

These M-LOK slots are excellent for attaching accessories such as flashlights, pressure switches, vertical or angle grips, or whatever else you could think of.

The Picatinny rail along the top is great of course for affixing an optic, whether it be an LPVO, Long-Range Scope, or Red Dot + Magnifier combo. I’ve had all of these on the WK181 and they fit with no issues.

Receiver

The machining on the WK181C-Z is phenomenal. A big improvement compared to the Gen 1 models which looked like a big ugly box with an awkward looking pistol grip.

The charging-handle is easy to grab onto and very smooth to pull. It isn’t ambidextrous though.

One of the things we learned in the military was what we called a “bolt check” which is where we would pull the charging handle back slightly to see if there was a round chambered or not.

On the WK181C-Z, pulling the charging handle is very easy for the first inch or two, but then you get a bit of resistance about halfway. I’m not sure if this was designed that way on purpose, but this is great for doing a “bolt-check” without accidentally removing the round completely.

I’m not the biggest fan of the bolt-catch/release and would much prefer a button-style method to catch and release the bolt.

The safety selector is ambidextrous, and on the right side it has a carved out portion. This is ideal for when your right index finger is over the trigger guard and the safety selector is in the Repetition/Fire position, your finger will rest flush against the surface.

Chamber

The Kodiak Defence WK181C-Z is chambered in 7.62x39mm.

Be sure to only use Non-Corrosive ammunition! Kodiak Defence states in their user manual that using corrosive ammunition will void the warranty.

It may be tempting to buy cheap corrosive surplus ammo, but it’s not worth it in the long run. Keep your rifle happy and spend the little bit more for Non-Corrosive ammo.

List of Non-Corrosive 7.62x39mm

• Norinco FMJ
• Sellier & Bellot FMJ
• Federal Power-Shok
• Federal American Eagle
• Winchester Super X
• Remington Core-Lokt
• Hornady Black

I’ve specifically used Sellier & Bellot FMJ and Federal American Eagle ammunition so far, and the WK181C-Z has been shooting flawlessly.

Zhukov Folding Stock

The Magpul Zhukov folding stock just looks awesome and it goes really well with the Magpul AKM magazines.

There’s a slot on the bottom for a piece of 1.25″ webbing to run through or you can use the QD point toward the top of the stock.

The horizontal indent along the middle of the Zhukov folding stock allows for an AK cheek riser to be added, but it’s not included and has to be purchased separately.

The included Magpul Zhukov folding stock has a 5-position length of pull adjustability. On the typical AR-15 adjustable stock I would have mine set around the medium length, but on the Zhukov folding stock I pretty much have it set on the fixed-length or one notch back at most.

The rubber bumper pad is comfortable as well and I felt very little recoil.

Standard Trigger (5.5 – 7.5 lbs)

There isn’t anything wrong about the trigger, it’s just not fantastic. The trigger is something I think Kodiak Defence could have changed to make an already amazing rifle just a little bit better.

The WK181C-Z is such an well-functioning firearm already that listing the trigger as a “Con” is really nit-picking if I’m honest. But if you install an AR-10 trigger from Trigger Tech, then this rifle would go from a 9 to a 10.

The stock trigger of the WK181C-Z has a pull weight of 5.5 – 7.5 pounds. There isn’t really any creep I’ve found either. It’s just resistance until the required weight of pull is met in order to release the shot.

Would I recommend buying the Kodiak Defence WK181C-Z?

Yes, I would highly recommend anyone looking to purchase a tactical rifle in Canada to buy the Kodiak Defence WK181C-Z. It’s affordable, it’s extremely reliable, and just an all-around fantastic rifle for what you get off the shelf.

I’ve seen other tactical rifles in Canada that either have reliability issues or they cost around $3000!

As someone who loves to shoot with the boys and has weapons handling training in the military, I know you’ll be happy with the WK181C-Z, and your wallet will be happy too.

Thanks for reading this review of the Kodiak Defence WK181C-Z. I hope it’s been informative and helpful to you before making a decision on which rifle to purchase.

The views expressed in the article are the personal views of myself and do not necessarily represent the views of the Department of National Defence.