Go w/ 12". IMO, there's no point of the 7" except if you want a flamethrower or are doing a Strike Back clone...
This is the conclusion I arrived at, thanks. Now to catch one in stock.
No longer on the interwebs and something I've mentioned before here and elsewhere was Jim Fuller, formerly of Rifle Dynamics, talking about in an old YouTube video of a malfunction with a 7 or 8" Draco AK where it hangfired or misfired into his truck's bed while facing towards his cab when he was disassembling to troubleshoot on his tailgate. Thinking he ruined things in the cab and potentially the engine bay, he was bracing for the worst. But the round (believe 7.62x39) just went through his truck's bed and dented the rear cab body... Since at that time a big part of his client base was private military contracts in the Middle East (both big US troop and contractor presence in Iraq and Afghanistan), that's why RD didn't sell any 7.62x39 AKs shorter than 10.5" and recommended 5.45x39 if folks wanting shorter -- due to reduced diameter he mentioned his belief that it would penetrate deeper.
Have always found it an interesting anecdote, and a big part if folks wanting super short, why it might be worth looking in to pistol caliber carbines or .300 BLK that's optimized for 8-9" barrels IIRC.
