Kalinka Optics, Eastwave Products, or elsewhere?

[jimdigriz 580]

The price is about the same at both places, but the actual product looks slightly different. It appears that the POSP from Eastwave is grey, while the one from Kalinka is black. All in all, I prefer the black, but that may be outweighed by other considerations, namely, whether people have had trouble dealing with one or other of the vendors.

 

Also, the reticle appears slightly different on each, and I'm curious why that is, given that these are supposedly the same item.

 

 

Edited December 29, 2009 by Jim Digriz

[kresk 10,063]

Kalinka has had some bad feedback regarding customer service. I've gotten several items from East Wave and been very happy. The color of the reticle depends on which color light bulb you choose (red, yellow, or green.) If it's unlit or not a lighted reticle it appears black. The range finder on one has a line on top and the other does not--that's the only difference.

[jimdigriz 580]

The range finder on one has a line on top and the other does not--that's the only difference.

 

It appears to me that there are more differences in the reticle, namely that the one from Kalinka has more aiming lines to the right and left of the chevron, and that the point of the chevron itself is on the same level as those little lines, whereas the other reticle has the chevron slightly elevated over the little lines. If I hadn't heard such bad reports about Kalinka, it would not be a contest...

[nalioth 405]

Doug Ford (he runs the Avtomats in Action website) is the top dog in this field.

 

He's a Fort Worth resident and has had zero complaints in the years and years he's been in business.

[jimdigriz 580]

Doug Ford (he runs the Avtomats in Action website) is the top dog in this field.

 

He's a Fort Worth resident and has had zero complaints in the years and years he's been in business.

 

Thanks.

 

I take it that his "PSO" is the same as what is called POSP elsewhere? (They look the same to me, but just making sure).

[IndyArms 10,186]

I have bought NUMEROUS items from Eastwave... They take about two weeks to arrive via post, all brown wrapped paper with twine and lots of cryllic markings straight from Belarus!!

 

All of the products have been excellent... I have NEVER NEEDED their customer service...

 

[sudaevpps43 31]

Doug Ford (he runs the Avtomats in Action website) is the top dog in this field.

 

He's a Fort Worth resident and has had zero complaints in the years and years he's been in business.

 

Thanks.

 

I take it that his "PSO" is the same as what is called POSP elsewhere? (They look the same to me, but just making sure).

 

I believe the PSO and POSP are separate lines of scopes, though overall still very similar. From what I have seen PSO scopes seem to be available in fixed magnification only, while POSP scopes are available with either fixed or variable magnification. Also, the PSO scopes seem to come in magnification ranges of 2.5X to 6X, while POSP scopes seem to come in somewhat higher magnification ranges, usually at least 4X, and up to 8X on fixed magnifcation versions, or up to 12X on variable magnification versions. I have also heard that most of the PSO scopes available in the U.S. are made in Russia by a company called NPZ based in Novosibirsk, but most of the POSP scopes available in the U.S. are actually not Russian made, but rather are ones made by a company called BelOMO based in Minsk in Belarus (allegedly this is because for some reason Russia does not like to export their POSP scopes while Belarus doesn't have any problem with exporting theirs).

 

Also, allegedly scopes made in Belarus can be either grey or black in color, but Russian made military scopes are made with a gray finish only, and so if a POSP scope is grey it means it could have been made in either Russia or Belarus, but if it is black it supposedly means it was definitely made in Belarus not Russia (not 100% sure about this though, it's just what I've heard).

 

In any case if you get a PSO or POSP scope just make sure you get it in the correct rail type for your firearm, as PSO and POSP scopes are made in both AK-rail and SKS/SVD-rail versions. Also, if you where glasses you might want to get a D version of a PSO or POSP scope instead of the regular version (the D versions have a diopter lens in the eyepiece, so the focus can be adjusted for individual eyesight).

[Death_Delirium 7]

I have bought stuff from both places. I have heard a lot of bad things about Kalinka's customer service, but I had a great experience with them. I accidentally ordered an SKS mount for my AK, so I emailed them and they replied to me right away and said to send it back and they would send me the one I needed. I sent it back and and got the correct mount back pretty quickly, maybe I got lucky with their customer service. I have also ordered from Eastwave and did not have any problems with them, they seem to have pretty good customer service. I had a question and emailed them and they replied within a day.