Rick_a 13 Posted January 5, 2009 Report Share Posted January 5, 2009 This is also posted on AR15 dot com. I've owned this sexy bitch for several months and finally took it to a range. I initially sighted it in at 25 yards. The elevation was perfect and it just needed a bit of windage tweekage. I was surprised at the coarseness of the adjustments on the Belarus made 2-6x24 scope...it's definitely designed with minute-of-man in mind and is no target scope. A rimfire shooter next to me with a nice looking bolt gun in a machine rest with about 10 wind vanes set up down range kinda scoffed at my rifle, saying, "isn't that supposed to be some kinda sniper rifle?"..."does it shoot like a sniper rifle?"..."I know someone who had one, we could never get it sighted in." It does attract a lot of attention, which is ok, but distracting when trying to shoot for groups. The rifle shot pretty well. It was basically clover-leafing most of my shots at 25 yards, and the recoil was very soft. Ammunition used was Russian 7n1. Felt recoil was comparable to your typical 7.62x39 AK. A shooter with a Springfield M1 Garand was a couple spots down and we traded rifles for a bit. I fired a clip out of his (I just wanted to say "clip" and be correct) and he fired a magazine out of mine. I've never fired one before and I liked it. With the clang of the clip ejecting there's no question that you're empty. I liked the sights...a very familiar sight picture if you've spent time with military aperture sights. He had one of the only stoppages of the day with my rifle, a FTE. Despite this, he mentioned that he might have to start saving for one of his own. I did have one magazine related stoppage later due to the rim of one cartridge jumping over another. The followers on a couple mags were still a little sticky and probably could use a bit more cleaning. I figure the round jumped back in recoil due to a sluggish follower. These were the only issues in about 150 rounds. Ejection was very energetic with a very erratic pattern. Notice the spent casing being tossed far far away. Empties were also beat up like I've never seen before, showing dents and dings on the mouths, necks, and sides. Moving to 100 yards my first shots were pretty much all over the place. I settled down and concentrated and got a good group with the last five shots out of the mag. This was the best group of the day. The target is visible here on the left side of the pic. The three shots measured 0.441" and five were 1.203". I've done very little bench shooting so the weak link here was the shooter. The slightest adjustment of my position really affected the point of impact. Even with the cheek piece I still only had a good jaw weld, which made consistency tough. Ignoring all the chatter behind me, keeping my head down and just shooting away netted the best results. Additionally, the rubber eye cup smacking the shooting glasses made follow-through pretty much impossible. I squinted every shot. If I could've shot prone I'm sure I could have done better. My best ten shot group ran about 2.5"...again, with me being the principal cause of any inaccuracy. I didn't notice any shift due to barrel temp...only with adjustments in my shooting position. One issue was my elbow shifting slightly with every shot, disturbing my natural point of aim. Despite all the quirks I really love this rifle. It is easily the funnest to shoot out of everything I own. I can't wait to take her out to longer ranges and shooting it prone to see what it'll do. My father-in-law had his Ruger .270 out, and save for a couple crappy ten shot groups this easily out shot it. I let him fire a mag out of it which proved so. He thought it was a nice rifle but told me it'd take him some time to get used to it. For a crudely assembled thin barreled rifle with a crappy little scope on a flexy receiver mount and a shitty trigger shooting surplus military grade ammo it does pretty damn well. The 6.5lb, gritty, two stage trigger feels ok at first but I will definitely be cleaning it up or replacing it before the next time out. My wife shot a pretty respectable 10-shot group @100, which was odd as she's not a fan of rifle shooting and this was only her second time shooting any rifle. It was a weird day for her, though, as she's normally an incredible pistol shot and only did so so with hers. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TR Young 175 Posted January 5, 2009 Report Share Posted January 5, 2009 Very good range report, and that's one great looking rifle! I think it's always cool to be able to trade weapons with other shooters, too. That adds a whole other dimension to a trip to the range. It allows you and other shooters to get to taste some other flavors to see if you like them or not. Good stuff! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SGT Saiga 1 Posted January 5, 2009 Report Share Posted January 5, 2009 Good Day to you, Sir, Perfect time for me to read your very detailed range report on your PSL, since I just came home from my local gun store and was seriously considering a purchase. I just have one question, is your PSL imported by Century Arms? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rick_a 13 Posted January 5, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2009 Some shooters turn their noses up at the firearms I own. I'm a fan of anything that works well, and especially military style firearms. It's not very often I come across people willing to share, so that was cool. The guy also had an Auto-Ordnance M1 Carbine but said that his ammo was bad. The rifle is one of the current Century imports. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mstranglr 9 Posted January 6, 2009 Report Share Posted January 6, 2009 I love my PSL. Dont bother messing around with that horendous trigger, get a new one. I have the 2-stage RSA trigger in mine - perfectly adjusted to 3.5# and it made all the difference in the world. Also take apart those mags and clean them up good, you may also have to smooth out rough spots that the follower may hang-up on on the inside of the mag body. You are using the good ammo. I only get excellent results with 7n1 and 7n14 if you can find it. The Polish light ball shoots just OK, but everything else (I mean everything!) shoots all over the place out of my PSL. IMO, this is the only drawback of the PSL system - if you dont use this hard to find ammo, the system is not very accurate at all. Your observation about the comblock optics is right on - they were not made for "sniper" accuracy and the rifle is far more accurate than the optics will allow it to be. I shot one with a 3-9X40 scope mounted to it with 1/4 MOA adjustments and it was extremely accurate and had better eye relief. These rifles were not developed for the western style sniper system of highly accurized bolt guns, drag bags, spotters, range cards, hand loaded bullets, and ballistic calculators. Russian snipers were more combatant than sharpshooter. They are required to fight their way through a war zone to a position and take the long shot - all with the same rifle, and the SVD / PSL system reflects this by having both the attributes of a semi-auto combat rifle and the size and cartridge capable of a long-range kill. The scopes were made to quickly gauge range, windage, and bullet drop using the recticle, rather than mess with scope adjustments and complex calculations. Where it may take a western sniper several minutes to set up and take a shot, the russians want to do it in a few seconds. Our military seems to have realized a need for this type of shooter by utilizing the "Designated Marksman" and bringing back the M14. If you come across the good ammo, buy as much as you can. Remember not to shoot heavy ball in a PSL as this will wear it out very quickly. Enjoy your new toy. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TR Young 175 Posted January 6, 2009 Report Share Posted January 6, 2009 Some shooters turn their noses up at the firearms I own.... Yeah, well.... you know what they say if they can't take a joke... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
matt 0 Posted January 6, 2009 Report Share Posted January 6, 2009 Nice rifle, I love mine. I like the recoil pad. I've had pretty good luck with the Hungarian silver tip light ball and wolf 148gr, and the Wolf Gold Match 150gr. You can also load or re-load your own or have someone with a press load for you, that way you can have consistency at fairly reasonable price. The scopes are actually good quality for the price, they take time to get used to but when you do you'll see quite an improvement in your shooting. There's some info on the web about range finding, using the windage chevrons to compensate for the scope offset at given distance etc. Also the posp scopes are really advantageous if you hunt. Anyway they are awesome rifles. Good choice. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
IndyArms 10,186 Posted January 6, 2009 Report Share Posted January 6, 2009 I will add a couple points here... First off... I can squeeze less than an inch group at 100 yards with wolf ammo. the KEY is to let the barrel cool ALL THE WAY IN BETWEEN SHOTS!!! It took me over 45 minutes to shoot *ONE* group!!! Cold barrel shots every time... EXACTLY where they were supposed to be... as you shoot, the barrel heats, and your POI will change... I loaded one round in the chamber at a time... no magazine... just keep that in mind. Yes the 7N1 ammo is "the good stuff" but there are many others you can use that are just about as accurate, and depending on HOW you shoot, you will never know the difference... Also... LOSE the bipod! Try shooting off some sandbags, or leather shooting bags... ( again, a much more stable rest without the mag in the way...) It will give you a MUCH MORE STABLE REST... that will also help your accuracy!!! These are just a few tips to try to see what the rifle is capable of... I LOVE my PSL... it is totally factory... were I to swap out triggers... I could probably get better than inch groups... but for a rifle of its quality... that is MORE than good enough for me!!! Good luck with yours, I am sure you can get it better than you have so far!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
IndyArms 10,186 Posted January 6, 2009 Report Share Posted January 6, 2009 P.S. I wanted to add a few thoughts as well... I usually wind up taking the rubber eyepiece off the scope... I find it hinders my shooting more than it helps... especially since I wear glasses... I would say it was made for shooting it without glasses, and that way its probably not as irritating... Also... I have shot reloads out of mine... they are not much more accurate than the wolf black box... however... I wanted a round that I can use to HUNT with... and let me tell you... The PSL uses just about THE BEST combination of weight and punch with the X54 ammo... a bit more powerful than a .308, not quite so as a 30-06... SO I had some soft points loaded for pig hunting... They shot WELL... BUT... the brass, being so much softer than the steel, was so mangled after shooting, you really couldnt reload them again and not worry about them being worthy... I dunno... maybe they'd work... would I trust them for perfection.. no... Again... try it off some shooting bags, and not the bipod... without the magazine... and let the barrel COMPLETELY cool between shots... I think you will be VERY pleased with your results... I think you should get SUB MOA groups with it if you take your time!! I really do... from the groups you have posted so far... you dont have much to go, and those two things alone will help a LOT... Also... the more you shoot it and get used to the 2 stage trigger the better you will shoot with it as well... They ARE kinda gritty... but you will get the "feel" of YOURS... you will learn how far to take it just before the break... hold it there and aim, and fire! It will not be so bad after a bit... Mine isnt! LOL My PSL is my favorite rifle... I actually have two... although only one is "my baby"... LOL Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rick_a 13 Posted January 7, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2009 Thanks for the tips and experiences. Considering the common horror stories on the net of these rifles only being capable of shooting 3-5" groups @100 yards I was pretty pleased as is. I may also get some Czech or Bulgarian light ball, as the Wolf is a little too pricey for me. I'll continue to shoot with the rubber eye cup and magazine, as well as shooting rapid fire groups (in this case I was firing a shot every few seconds), as I believe this best represents what the rifle is intended for (and the way I shoot with the most consistency). As mentioned this was the the last five rounds out of a magazine fired in this fashion so I don't believe barrel heat was much of a factor. Another thing I noticed is that the first hand-racked round out of each magazine was a big flier. The trigger I believe could make a big difference, as the pull is pretty stiff and has way too much over-travel. This was only my 4th time shooting off a bench, so I'm sure there's room for improvement there as well. I may try front and rear rests in the future. INDY, I agree with you completely on it being a great combination of weight and power. It's actually lighter than my 16" AR15 Dissy with a compact scope. I definitely want to learn how to make the most of this scope at different ranges. Seems that'll be the toughest task of all. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
kyhelo 5 Posted January 7, 2009 Report Share Posted January 7, 2009 Hey Indyarms and Rick a, Did you guys have any trouble getting the scope mount on the rail of your PSL? The one that came with mine will not fit at all, it's like the rail is about 1/16 to 3/32 too wide. However, I have a 'Paratrooper' model and the mount fits it perfectly. It almost seems that the wrong rail was installed on the longer PSL. Could I perhaps have gotten an incorrect scope/mount combo. The longer PSL was purchased as a package with scope, mount, and several mags. Thanks. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rick_a 13 Posted January 7, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 7, 2009 Have you tried adjusting the locking clamp? There's full instructions here. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
kyhelo 5 Posted January 7, 2009 Report Share Posted January 7, 2009 Have you tried adjusting the locking clamp? There's full instructions here. Yes, it's not that part. The solid part of the frame/mount itself is not wide enough to slide onto the rail. I was reading the descriptions about mounts on the Kalinka site and it appears that there is a difference between AK variant mounts and rails and those for SVD/PSL types. Just for the heck of it, I took a mount and scope off a SAR1 and it would fit on the short PSL, but not the long barrel PSL. Thanks. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
IndyArms 10,186 Posted January 7, 2009 Report Share Posted January 7, 2009 I had a problem with one of the rails on something... dont recall what now... but it had a burr on it... like it was knocked around... and that burr had to be filed off... once I did that, the optic fit just fine... before I filed it down... there was NO way to get it to fit! I just used marker to mark the mating surfaces, and where he marker was scuffed I checked closer... Dunno if THAT will help ya... but give that a shot... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Saigaczech 9 Posted January 8, 2009 Report Share Posted January 8, 2009 Yeah, PSL is a fun gun an just looks damn sexy. Ok, I can't afford a Tigr so this is the best I can do. I got a Kalinka 8x POSP scope for it, very nice so far. I used to have one of the Tennessee Guns kit builts but sold it of years ago, just got the PSL-C within the past year or so. The Cugir built gun has much nicer wood and the spring loaded recoil pad actually work now ( the TG build was stuck). Mine also has a bayonet mount and all the extras (except the dreaded third pin hole for FA capable guns). Need to try out that can of 7N1 one of these days. BTW, has anyone tried the Norma loaded 7.62x54R ammo? It is very pricey but Norma has a good rep. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rick_a 13 Posted January 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 I did some trigger work on it yesterday. The entire FCG was the crudest I've seen. It looks like it was all whittled into shape with grinders. I polished the engagement surfaces, cut a couple coils off the disconnector spring to lighten the 2nd stage, and polished the trigger where the spring rides atop it. That smoothed it out nicely; the 2nd stage is now nice and light, but it still breaks at 5.5lbs. I'm not brave enough to mod the engagement angles...I may do so if I find a knowledgeable guide for doing so. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
AgentLQ 3 Posted January 16, 2009 Report Share Posted January 16, 2009 Some fucking gun store around here is selling a fucking PSL as a Draganov. Still covered in cosmo with Styrofoam in the barrel somehow... At least its only 850... PSL price... but.... ITS NOT A DRAGANOV!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OMFG Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rick_a 13 Posted January 17, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2009 When I was looking for mine guys were trying to sell TN gun builds as 'Dragunov Snipers' for $1100-$1300 at a local gunshow. The only rifle under $1000 was a Cugir Romania marked rifle that looked like it was a re-built military issue rifle for $800 with no accessories. The furniture showed some serious battle wear. One vendor had a sign not to touch his rare precious sniper rifle. He got pissed and yelled at me when I tried to negotiate a lower price. I guess he musta got burned on it himself Quote Link to post Share on other sites
atakacorp 147 Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 (edited) Hi, I am waiting for my PSL to arrive What you guys , think about , taking lower hand guard and file some wood off to make some space between barrel and the handguard ? I heard that will improve accuracy. P.S. it's beautiful. Do numbers on mags mach with the rifle?.Rick, have u name her? Edited January 30, 2009 by atakacorp Quote Link to post Share on other sites
6x6pinz 4 Posted January 30, 2009 Report Share Posted January 30, 2009 I picked up my PSL this past Monday. I am taking it out this weekend to see how it does. It would be helpfull if someone had a link to the "how to use the scope" threads/information. I have the rifle all cleaned up and ready just need time. JGsales had the bulgarian ammo for it so I picked up some to try. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rick_a 13 Posted January 31, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2009 What you guys , think about , taking lower hand guard and file some wood off to make some space between barrel and the handguard ? I heard that will improve accuracy. Several people have reported an improvement with that mod. I'd wait and see if it's necessary first. Mark the inside of the handguard with a dry erase marker and install. Wherever the marker is worn take a little wood off. I've heard that re-crowning the barrel could help, too. I haven't bothered with either. I'll be happy with mine once it has a nice ~3lb trigger. P.S. it's beautiful. Do numbers on mags mach with the rifle?.Rick, have u name her? Thanks. I only had one matching mag that was rusty. I refinished it and it had a couple other numbers under there. Oh well. I haven't named any of my firearms, though I do tend to get attached to the firearms that work well for me It would be helpfull if someone had a link to the "how to use the scope" threads/information. Scope Instructions PDF Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Thor's Hammer 33 Posted February 3, 2009 Report Share Posted February 3, 2009 I would suggest grabbing a 4pack of mags while they are still out there and affordable. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
KINGFISH 0 Posted February 3, 2009 Report Share Posted February 3, 2009 I would suggest grabbing a 4pack of mags while they are still out there and affordable. Anybody know where I can find some of 4-mag pouches??? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Thor's Hammer 33 Posted February 3, 2009 Report Share Posted February 3, 2009 I think Centerfire has the pouches alone. You should be able to find some on Gunbroker as well. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
us_dragunov 11 Posted February 3, 2009 Report Share Posted February 3, 2009 Congrats on the rifle! One of mine has the RSA trigger group in it and it is VERY NICE...I highly recommend it. My others are stock, but ALL of them are shooters. I like the scopes too, but they do get a bit of getting used to. I also like shooting with the rubber eye piece. It gives me the right amount of eye relief and helps with my light sensitive eyes in bright sunlight. If you want a newer scope you may want to look at some of IOR's current offerings. Also check several different kinds of ammo as it seems each rifle has its own favorite. Thanks for sharing! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rick_a 13 Posted February 10, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 10, 2009 I'll try a Tapco G2 trigger first. I don't need all that RSA fanciness; a lighter pull would suffice. An IOR M2 Super would be perfect for these rifles. They are however, a bit too expensive for my budget, they no longer make the excellent sidemount and they are no longer available with the dragunov reticle. There's a Russian PSO 3-9x24 that I like and may upgrade to later, but it's a rare one and probably wouldn't work a whole lot better (though the extra magnification would be nice). I finally took a look at the serial # on this thing the other day and it's a '78. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
whatmanual 44 Posted February 11, 2009 Report Share Posted February 11, 2009 (edited) One of the few things that prevent me from buying one of these PSL 54C (or any PSL) is the scope. I'm a lefty and the scope when mounted is left of center. I'd like essentially the same scope...but something that is positioned on the centerline that will clear the irons I "suppose" I could do the normal picatinny side rail and find a picatinny scope version....but its really a tough call. Not really the same thing to me. I like the reticle they have and want to get a lit reticle too. Oh well. Food for thought. Nice round though. ~S Edited February 11, 2009 by whatmanual Quote Link to post Share on other sites
us_dragunov 11 Posted February 11, 2009 Report Share Posted February 11, 2009 Well...you can always get the side-mount with the rail like you said and get a new IOR scope to top it off. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rick_a 13 Posted February 13, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2009 (edited) There's also these POSP's for Weaver mounts. The IOR Scope Mount IOR Valdada 6x tactical POSP Variable scope with Dragunov reticle POSP Fixed mag scope with mil-dot Kalinka has a side mount that's affordable though not nearly as nice, but they're currently sold out. Edited February 13, 2009 by Rick_a Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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