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TX-Zen

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Posts posted by TX-Zen

  1. Not really that at all.

     

    I have a ton of experience with their optics so my perception isn't blinded by the American bias that we do everything better than they do. Another thing that makes the discussion silly is the assumption that because someone like me will argue the pro's of the Russian system that somehow I think it's better than everything else. I don't actually say things like that but it's a common label I get...always by people who have limited experience with the subject or have been told that the US method is universally better. Many times it is, many times it isn't. 

     

    As I said it's really about seeing it for what it is, not what I, you or anyone else wants it to be. 

  2. Warranty issues aside, the always on etched dot is exactly the point of the optic. No matter how you slice it the PK-AS has some usability with or without batteries. Again if an aimpoint battery dies you have nothing to fall back on at all. I'm not sure why that is never considered when people discuss aimpoints but it's a simple fact...no power = no sight at all. Somehow that is not any kind of disadvantage for the aimpoint, but god fordbid PK-AS loses its battery. Then it's a paper weight even though the dot is still usable in daylight, but the aimpoint is ok because it doesn't interfere with the irons when somehow it loses its battery. 

     

    Makes sense, sure...but the military PK-AS sits off to the left and doesn't even block irons. That means ...it doesn't block irons...so nothing happens if it craps out, you can still shoot. It's also QD so if it goes tits up while not blocking the irons you could remove it in seconds, which is also exactly the point of the side rail design. 

     

    Lastly aimpoint is not so far ahead of anyone else these days. PK-A Venezuela and PK01-VS clocked over 1700 hours at maximum brightness. That's about two and a half months continuous use. Aimpoints are famous for lasting years on a single battery, but how long do they last at maximum brightness? Is it still years, or is it months? I haven't tested PK-A Venezuela or VS at moderate power, but I wouldn't be surprised if they also lasted years at lower intensity. 

     

    Truth is most people don't want to hear of any possible advantages for optics like PK-AS, Obzor or Rakurs. In many cases it really doesn't even matter if they actually are better designs, there is always some argument to show why aimpoints are better. I don't argue in absolutes...that somehow one has to be absolutely better than the other. I argue specifics of what each can and can't do. Fact is that certain Russian optics can do things that aimpoints can't, but somehow that never matters because a simple red dot must of course be the best possible choice in an optic. 

     

     

    Z

  3. It may be a good optic, but when it breaks, you've got a not very good paperweight, and nothing else.  Still have the inop PK-AS sitting on a shelf in my workshop; there is no place to send it for service.  And given the price of a new one these days, you are getting very close to Aimpoint money, for which you get a more modern optic backed up by a US company and a service department, plus a battery life measured in years, not hours.

     

    This is always the argument with Aimpoints...cost and warranty work. Truth is Aimpoints almost always cost more than combloc optics and this argument somehow assumes that the Aimpoint and the PK-AS are both red dots....but they aren't the same at all. 

     

    Remember that PK-AS is actually a scope with an objective and an occular and specifically benefits from that design. PK-AS is superior in low light because it actually increases light transmission compared to a plain jane tubular red dot. Try it at dusk sometime and see which of the two has a better view. 

     

    PK-AS is about the same weight as the Aimpoint Pro but has a better field of view especially with both eyes open because the body is very thin and tends to disappear when shooting. Battery life to me is an irrelevant argument... how hard is it to carry spare batteries and change them before a mission? We did that routinely for equipment when I was the service but even if the PK-AS battery died or the circuitry went out the black dot is always on. You'd have to smash the hell out of the PK-AS to break that functionality. What happens if the Aimpoint circuitry goes out? It's dead and completely useless. 

     

    It's true that getting service for PK-AS is next to impossible but what really breaks on them? If you lose illumination you still have the always on black dot...which is the point of the design in the first place. 

     

    Where Aimpoints do very well is with the T-1 and H-1. Because of their size and low weight they are still one of my favorite optics but up until recently they only came in 4MOA versions. If you've ever tried shooting at 300-400m with a 4MOA dot against a smaller target you'd know why that is a PITA. 1.5 or 2MOA dots are much better overall for close or long ranges, 4 MOA is really only suitable for close range which is what it's intended for. Nowadays with the 2MOA versions you have a really great red dot available, but unfortunately at 2 or 2.5 times the price of a PK-AS. 

     

    Personally I would be upset if I had an optic that broke and I had nowhere to send it to but that is a different argument than the inherent technical merits of the design. Aimpoints are not magically better than everything else...they have pro's and con's as well and are actually very different than the PK-AS.  

     

     

     

     

    Z

    • Like 1
  4. http://russianoptics.net/PK-AS.html

     

    The black dot is etched into the glass and is always on, unless the illumination is on in which case it's red. The large oval is always black regardless of the illumination setting. 

    IMO the offset version is the best for the reasons you've stated, and I have never seen any version of PK-AS that is yellowish, though at the extreme edges it is distorted somewhat. I have never seen this to be an issue during shooting personally, but there are always a number of detractors of combloc optics that like to point out any kind of perceived flaw. Truth is many Western shooters have no idea how this optic works and can't put the effort into understanding it, but if you take some time with it you may see that it's a very effective optic. 
     

     

     

     

    Z

  5. The TWS gen 2 has a notched rear sight that is built into the mount that inserts where the rear sight leaf used to be. It's actually about the same size the original rear sight. The AKARS also has a notched sight but it's so wide that the only thing I can see it being good for is CQB. It's as wide as the front sight ears.

     

    AKARS

    AKARS_Irons.JPG

     

     

     

     

     

    Z

    • Like 1
  6. How are those old cheap gen1 nv optics? Good enough to hunt hogs at night from about 30 yards in?

     

    Actually 1PN58 is good to 400-500 yards or farther with the right lighting. I have tracked hogs at 600 yards with my Gen 1 1PN34 under a decent moon, 1PN34 is gen 1, 1PN58 is gen 1+ with an upgraded image intensifier.

    Outstanding as usual smile.png great looking IZZY!! ,I am starting AKS build next week Bulgy kit and Soviet side folder, getting Rakurs or PK-01v, so with RD on ,it wont fold, right?

     

    No, definitely will not fold with an optic mounted.

    Looking at the barrels, it looks like there is a bit of a difference in the milling (take a look at the "sleeves" in front and behind the FSB and GB). Where did you source the barrel for your '88 Izzy?

     

     

    I used a surplus Bulgarian, there are milling differences between those and the modern 74M barrel of the SGL

  7. Remember the mounting system is designed as a complex built to work together...the clamp, the rail and the way the optics are designed to mount was all done at the same time. The side rail has changed over the years but for the longest time now I can't see a difference in the clamping mechanism.

     

    It seems odd to have such a honkin huge optic on there, but it was actually designed specifically for those large NV optics. Later as collimators and magnified optics become more popular the optics were much smaller, but the rail was originally designed for night vision.

     

     

     

    Z

    • Like 1
  8. Due to an insane work schedule this year I haven't had time to do much of anything AK related and haven't been posting much, but a couple weeks ago I was able to dedicate a morning to a couple of rifles that came back from Piece of History Firearms.

     

    Inspired by AR15.com member Stizout in his thread here, last September I decided to get off my ass and send my 1988 Izhmash kit to Mario at PoHF. I'd had the kit for a long time but waffled for a over a year to build it or not. Eventually the plum furniture was irresistible, and after seeing the work that Mario did for Stiz I made up my mind.

    At the same time I sent in my main SGL31-44 to get the last details for a 74M clone and another SGL31 destined to be an AK105. Still waiting on the stamp for the 105 but will post pics when it arrives.

     

    Since Mario was going to do the work I went ahead and bought a 74U LLC AKS-74 receiver. The wait time was about three months before they shipped to him but I think it was very much worth it, the receiver quality and details are well regarded by professional collectors. After getting this rifle back I can't even describe how happy I am with it and how glad I am I went with 74U LLC. I never knew I had such a thing for plum even though I've always liked it, but after handling the Izzy and seeing the quality of the build I'm very impressed. Mario does great work but I haven't had him build a kit from scratch, to say I'm impressed is an understatement. Fit and finish is amazing, the action is smooth and the parts all go back together easily. It's like butter to strip and put together.

     

     

    Enjoy:

     

    1988IzzyAKS74_Left01.jpg

    1988IzzyAKS74_LeftFront.jpg

    1988IzzyAKS74_Brake01.jpg

    FSB_GB_Dimples_88Izzy.jpg

    1988IzzyAKS74_Serial.jpg

    1988IzzyAKS74_FolderHinge.jpg

    1988IzzyAKS74_Right01.jpg

    1988IzzyAKS74_HGs_Right.jpg

    1988IzzyAKS74_Selector.jpg

    1988IzzyAKS74_FolderHinge02.jpg

     

    With 1P29

    1P29_1988IzzyAKS74_Front02.jpg

     

    1PN58

    1PN58_1988IzzyAKS74_Front.jpg

     

    Mario originally did the conversion on this but I decided I wanted to go all the way and get the dimples done this time, something he wasn't offering when the SGL was first converted.

    74M_Left01.jpg

    1988IzzyAKS74-1P29_AK74M-1P78_Left.jpg

     

     

    Comparison of FSB and GB dimples

    FSB_GB_Dimples_74M_88Izzy.jpg

     

     

    1P58 and 1PN34

    1PN58_1PN34_Left.JPG

    1PN58_Serial.JPG

     

     

     

     

    Z

    • Like 3
  9. In the US the common term for the 7.62x39 calibrated reticule is Simonov. The POSP 4x24V is manufactured in Belarus as a civilian grade optic with an AK mount, I'm not sure why they would have manufactured them with the wrong mount and calibrated for a round that we can't get in the US, or that presumably isn't in use anywhere outside Russia, especially when the VSS has it's own PSO built by NPZ.

     

    I will not argue with you, the grid as shown in your photo is counted under the ballistics of the cartridge 9 * 39 VSS ( PSO 1-1/1M2-1)

    exactly the usual same as the grid sight PSO-1 works correctly only on the SVD

     

    attachicon.gif87171736.jpg

     

    No argument here either, but it's also considered common knowledge that the POSP 4x24V is calibrated for 7.62x39. I think it's reasonable to assume they would have might have used the simpler 400m range finder of the VSS, but I still can't see why they would calibrate the optic for 9x39 then market it to be used on 7.62 rifles.

     

    POSP 4x24V

    4x24POSPReticuleSimonov.JPG

     

    PSO-1

    4x24PSO-1Reticule.JPG

  10. According to a couple of Russians I know, yes they did for a time.

     

    DragunovPolyPSO1LeftFront.JPG

     

     

    In the US the common term for the 7.62x39 calibrated reticule is Simonov. The POSP 4x24V is manufactured in Belarus as a civilian grade optic with an AK mount, I'm not sure why they would have manufactured them with the wrong mount and calibrated for a round that we can't get in the US, or that presumably isn't in use anywhere outside Russia, especially when the VSS has it's own PSO built by NPZ.

    • Like 1
  11. Nice shooting :beer:

     

    The Romanian PSL scope (LPS/TIP2) is probably the least expensive way to get a magnified optic for an AK. For some reason they are dirt cheap even though they are really high quality military issue scopes...made by IOR/Valdada IIRC.

    A simple swap to an MTK83 base and you'll be GTG. I did that for my SLR105 and it works well enough. It will be a tad higher than a POSP but it doesn't take much to get used to it IMO

     

    LPS-TIP2_SLR105Left.JPG

    • Like 1
  12. It will be reasonably close but you will need to shoot with it to get a feel for what it's going to do. There are many more ammo choices for the 556 than 545 and since the ZFK calibration is for 53gr 7N6 at about 3000fps any 556 that is heavier and slower will not match the ZFK.

     

    In my experience it is often simpler and faster to just use the top chevron and know your hold overs for various distances, or to use a longer range zero so that you don't have to fiddle with anything while shooting.

     

     

    Z

  13. I had a bit of free time so I reworked part of the concepts page on russianoptics.net. I took a few more pics and elaborated on how the various clamping mechanisms work for SVD's and AK rifles. I still have a bit more to do but thought you guys might enjoy.



    Happy New Year guys






    The AK Side Rail - How It Works


    Something to note is that since about 1954 the AK actually has had a factory designed method to mount optics - the side rail plate. While not standard issue on every AK it has been effective on the specialized rifles it was added to, and was eventually adopted as standard issue around 1992 in the AK74M series. Considering the AK was first deployed about 1947 you can look back and see that for about 60 of it's 65 year history in Russia the AK has had an effective way to mount optics when the mission required their use. Also of note is that during the past 20 years the ability to use optics has actually been standard right from the factory. Coincidentally you may have noticed that's about the same time frame that optics began to become more and more popular in the West as well.



    Another thing to consider is that the side rail design is not an accident, it was designed for a specific purpose and it has proven itself effective for half a century or more in Russian and former Soviet service. Many countries have used the same or similar side rail mounts as a standard way to mount optics; and of course the SVD Dragunov has used it's original optic and side rail for over 40 continuous years with only minor changes during that time.



    In contrast to what many believe, the Soviets and Russians continually improved equipment and gear over many decades of service, either to make things easier or cheaper to manufacture on a large scale or to improve performance and reliability. It is interesting to note that of all the things the Soviets and Russians could have chosen to do when it came to an optical solution, they elected to keep the same system in place relatively unchanged, while at the same time continually improving other systems as required. This does not mean the side rail is the perfect solution or the final answer in optics, but it should be an indication that it does work and has been battle proven in numerous conflicts.


    The side mount is designed to be removed and returned without the optic losing zero and in practice if the tension is adjusted properly they will do just that and perform as expected. There are a number of clamping mechanisms for how this is accomplished but they generally work the same. They are designed to be slid on from the rear of the receiver, pushed forward and secured by the locking lever... none are designed to slide on from the front of the rail and be pushed towards the back of the receiver. The reason is because under recoil side rail mounts tend to walk forward to the front of the rifle, not backward. By design there is a stop mechanism in the clamping part of the mount...on the SVD mount it's a small bump type rivet near the front and on the AK style clamp it's built into the rear of the mount itself.

    Mounting types:

    We commonly refer to optics mounts as either AK or SVD type mounts but there are actually many more than that, and they are different based on manufacturer. In reality most Russian optics carry a universal AK/SVD mount as do most BelOMO optics outside the POSP series. This means that most any optic produced by either company can be fitted to SVD's or AK's using a suitable side rail. (Note that many variations exist between different countries and the rails they manufactured, in this case I am specifically referring to Russian/Belarusian designs)


    When the term AK mount vs SVD mount comes into play it is usually when talking about the BelOMO POSP series, or the actual PSO-1 Dragunov optic that NPZ produced for the SVD.


    One thing to note is that all optics mounts are designed to slide on the rail from the rear of the receiver and are pushed toward the front and then locked into place with the throw lever.

    None of them are designed to slide on from the front.

    This is because optics tend to walk forward under recoil and an optic slid on the front will eventually lose zero and possibly fall off. This happens because each mount is designed with a stopping rivet or the back of the mount that runs into part of the rail and keeps it from moving forward. When slid on from the front these parts do not connect and there is nothing to prevent the optic from moving forward if the tension from the lever loosens. It is possible to slide SVD mount optics onto AK's rails from the front but it is pure luck if nothing happens to the mount or the zero when being used this way.




    Clamping mechanisms simplified

    There are really four main types to understand:


    1: The original SVD mount (locking lever on top, lever throws and locks forward)

    The stop pin to prevent the optic from walking forward is on the front of the mount

    DragunovPolyPSO1LeftClose.JPG

    SVDMount_UniversalMount_StopPinsLABEL.JP



    SVD mounts will not fit AK rails because the stop pin prevents it from seating on the rail. (Note that the Romanian PSL is an AK pattern rifle but uses an SVD style rail)




    2: The SVD style universal mount (locking lever on top, lever throws and locks rearward)

    The stop pin to prevent the optic from walking forward is on the rear of the mount

    1P63Obzor_SGL31-44_LeftClose.JPG

    UniversalMounts.JPG




    3: The original NPZ and BelOMO style universal AK+SVD mount (lever on the bottom)


    NPZ:

    Rakurs-A1_Rakurs.JPG


    80's era NSPU night vision scope

    NSPU-1PN34_AKSU.JPG


    Note that the Universal mount fits AK's and SVD's

    NDM86_1P29.JPG




    Axion Kobra, BelOMO is the original designer of the mount

    Kobra_EKP-8-02_Kobra_EKP_1S_03M_Left.JPG


    4: The civilian MTK-83 AK mount (lever on the bottom)

    BelOMO makes this mount as well as the one above

    bp02.JPG


    RS Regulate has a US made version of the MTK-83

    PK02-HorseMount-Left-SGL31Close.JPG


    The primary difference between these types is how far forward they will seat on a rail. Remember that SVD optics sit at the front of the longer SVD rail but AK optics sit centered over the shorter AK rail.

    With experience you will notice that the clamp pivot mechanism is intended to sit in the center cutout of any given side rail. By that I mean the optic must slide forward on the rail until the clamp can freely open or close and it can't do that if it's not in the correct spot on the rail, which is the center cutout.

    By looking at where the clamp pivot mechanism is at you can get a pretty quick idea of what rail it was meant for because of how far or close to the back of the rail it will end up.


    NOTE

    To further clarify not all optics use a stop pin. Many of the universal SVD mounts have the stop pin but 'regular' AK mounts actually use the back of the clamping mechanism to prevent the optic from sliding forward. You can see some are pins and some are the mount itself.

    SVDMounts-AK-UniversalLABEL.JPG




    Examples of side rail mounts using various clamps:


    Top Left: BelOMO MTK-83 AK mount (this is what we typically refer to as the AK mount)

    Top Right: NPZ universal AK/SVD mount

    AK_Siderails_BP02_NPZ_Molot_KV04-02.JPG

    Bottom Left: Molot AK mount (similar to MTK-83)

    Bottom Right: K-VAR AK mount (variation on SVD/universal type mount)




    SVD mount top and middle, MTK-83 AK mount bottom:

    4x24ComparisonLeft.JPG


    BelOMO Universal mount (Axion Kobra is similar):

    PK01_Series.jpg


    PK01-V and some of the newer BelOMO optics do not have a stop pin or flat edge on the back of the mount to keep them from sliding forward. When mounting they have to be lined up with a center cutout on the AK rail by hand or they will keep sliding forward and come right off from the front. Instead of a stop pin to prevent them from moving forward instead the mechanism is actually in the throw lever itself, when lined up with the center part of the AK rail it acts as a cam when locked and prevents the optic from moving forward.



    Variety of AK specific mounts. Note that Obzor, PK-A and PK-AS use the universal style of SVD mount adapted for AK rails:

    Z-RedDots.JPG




    Zeiss ZFK also uses a variation of the SVD mount:

    ZeissZFK4x25_SLR105LamLeftClose.JPG




    PSO and POSP optics can swap between SVD mounts, SVD universal style mounts and the MTK-83 mount. Simply remove the four brass screws on the side and the two on top inside and swap mounts. There are two pins that the mount is seated on and often a type of glue to help keep everything secure. A little light tapping with a rubber mallet will break the seal and allow the base to be removed. Sometimes the pins come loose, my experience is that the optic will function correctly without them.


    Example of the original SVD clamp and the SVD style universal.

    SVDMount_UniversalMount.JPG

    MTK-83 on top, SVD original on bottom

    PO1.5-4.5x16_PO3-9x24_Left.JPG


    Example of Romanian LPS/TIP2 that has had the SVD base swapped with the MTK-83

    LPS-TIP2_SLR105Left.JPG


    Normally the LPS uses an SVD mount

    LPS4x24.jpg

    • Like 3
  14. You'll notice the biggest difference at longer ranges and higher rates of fire. For plinking at the bench there probably isn't a whole lot of noticeable difference without the 74 brake but that doesn't mean it's not highly effective when used as intended...controlled automatic fire at 300-400m.

     

    I also notice a difference when shooting unsupported and on the move with the 74 brake, and I find it much easier to shoot quickly when I put a 74 brake on my AKSU compared to the standard cone booster. Shot groups are noticeably better at higher rates of fire too.

     

    So for typical purposes that most of use our rifles the lack of a 74 brake probably doesn't matter a whole lot, but it does when you step off the bench and start shooting under dynamic conditions.

     

     

    AKSU is a whole different animal with the 74 brake

    AKSU_Stormwerkz_KonusMRD.JPG

     

     

     

    Z

    • Like 3
  15. +1 for Rakurs, mine has stayed zeroed for 1500 rounds of mixed high and low brass, slugs and 3"

     

    The eye relief can be sensitive at first but it's really nothing more than familiarity, with practice it's second nature.

     

     

    Rakurs_Reticule.JPG

     

    N-S12-Clays04.JPG

  16. I think the closer to your eye the better generally speaking. The scope body will have a tendency to disappear the closer it gets to you and your field of view is less cluttered IMO. With the dot way out front like on an ultimak I find the scope body of a typical micro dot like a T-1 can interfere with the FOV.

     

    For me this is a personal preference issue, I don't recall seeing any definite advantage to the dot being closer or farther, or rather maybe better to say having the dot farther out isn't doing anything extra that closer in isn't already doing.

     

     

     

    Z

    • Like 1
  17. You'll need the AK mount version of any POSP that you buy (locking lever on the bottom). There is nothing wrong with using the 1000m Dragunov version but the chevrons are calibrated for 54R and not x39. Not a big deal if you know your hold hold overs or use a 300m zero.

     

    The main thing is the mount has to be correct or it either won't fit or will end up putting the scope too far back to use comfortably.

     

    You want the AK mount shown on the bottom of these three

     

    4x24ComparisonLeft.JPG

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