Slovenian Maker Akila Shows EVA-Tac Straight-Pull Rifle at Serbian Hunting Expo

The Firearm Blog's Vladimir Onokoy examines the EVA-Tac, a modular straight-pull bolt-action rifle that Slovenian company Akila premiered at the LORIST hunting exhibition in Serbia.

Key points

• The company: Akila spent eight years making precision chassis for rifles such as the Remington 700 and Tikka T3 before launching its own guns. Its engineering team came from Austrian sniper rifle maker Ritter & Stark, which filed for insolvency in 2018.
• Calibers and barrels: Short-action options include .308 Win and .223 Rem, and long-action options include .338 Lapua Magnum and .300 PRC. Two screws on the right of the receiver clamp the barrel, a swap took under a minute at the show, and standard Remington 700 barrels fit.
• Bolt: The six-part bolt uses three locking lugs that engage the barrel extension, comes apart without tools and is built so it cannot be reassembled the wrong way.
• Magazines and stock: Depending on caliber, the modular magwell takes AR-10 PMAGs, Magpul single-stack AICS magazines or Accuracy International AX magazines. The stock mounts on AR-15 buffer tube threads, folds to either side and comes with or without a built-in monopod.
• Price: Announced prices run from 4,500 to 6,000 euros depending on configuration, and there is no US distributor yet.

Quick take

Onokoy calls the EVA-Tac "a well-thought-out rifle" and says Akila has a chance in a crowded market, citing its customer service and his view that trusted relationships matter more than marketing budgets in Europe.

Read the full story at The Firearm Blog.