Arsenal Firearms Strike One

Lore & Background

The Strike One uses the AF-Speedlock locking mechanism, where a Y-shaped part locks the barrel and bolt during recoil, then drops to release the barrel halfway through the cycle. The barrel stops while the bolt continues rearward to eject and load, then the locking fork reengages and both move forward together. This straight-line barrel motion is claimed to improve accuracy compared to tilting-barrel designs.

The pistol has a bore axis height of 12 mm, lower than several other service pistols chambered in 9×19mm Parabellum, such as the Caracal F (18 mm), Glock 17 (20 mm), Tanfoglio Force (30 mm), Heckler & Koch USP Compact (32 mm), Beretta 92 (34 mm), and Beretta Px4 Compact (34 mm).

The Strike One is rated for +P+ ammunition and is specifically set up to fire Russian 9×19mm rounds 7N21 and 7N31, which are close to .357 SIG in performance. A .38 Super version was being considered due to that cartridge's popularity in Italy, where civilian ownership of military/police calibers is restricted. A fully automatic version and a longer-barreled version (300 mm) have been offered.

Reader's Guide

The Strike One's significance lies in its AF-Speedlock mechanism, which avoids the tilting barrel common in Browning-type pistols, potentially offering a lower bore axis and improved accuracy. Its 12 mm bore axis height is among the lowest for service pistols of its era. The pistol was designed to handle high-pressure ammunition, including Russian 7N21 and 7N31 loads, and was offered in multiple calibers. Despite not being adopted as the standard service pistol of the Russian Federation, it saw use by Spetsnaz troops. The design later evolved through partnerships and rebranding: in 2016, Arsenal Firearms partnered with Salient Arms International and PRIME Ammunition to form Prime Manufacturing Group, producing a redesigned US-market version called the Stryk. Subsequent variants included the Stryk-A (same dimensions as the Strike One) and the compact Stryk-B, later manufactured by Swiss company RUAG in Germany and Hungary. In 2018, due to a potential trademark dispute, the US subsidiary was rebranded as Archon Firearms, and the Stryk-B became the Archon Type B on the American market. These later models featured Glock-compatible sights, fiber optic front sight, upgraded ergonomics, a redesigned flat-faced trigger, and a different slide profile.

Did You Know?

• The Strike One is known in Russia as the «Стриж» ("Strizh", meaning Swift bird).
• Its AF-Speedlock mechanism uses a Y-shaped part that locks the barrel and bolt, then drops to release the barrel during recoil.
• The bore axis height is 12 mm, lower than the Glock 17 (20 mm) and Beretta 92 (34 mm).
• A .38 Super version was considered due to Italian laws restricting civilian ownership of military/police calibers.