1985runner 1 Posted April 2, 2012 Report Share Posted April 2, 2012 (edited) What optic would you recommend on your 7.62x39 Saiga that is going to be used primarily for a SHTF situation and self defense? I'm trying to decide between a PK-A, Kobra, and POPS. I want to use the side rail. Also, i live in a suburban town between the inner-city and rural towns, if that helps at all. I would prefer to use a Russian optic since it's a Russian rifle. Edited April 2, 2012 by 1985runner Quote Link to post Share on other sites
1985runner 1 Posted April 2, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 2, 2012 Also would you recommend using a reflex sight? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
G O B 3,516 Posted April 2, 2012 Report Share Posted April 2, 2012 The best optic for SHTF is iron sights,If you want glass use the QD mounts. When SHTF the glass gets too dirty to be useful! (Really not being a wise ass - iron sights are the only thing that is as durable as the gun). 4 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cpltk2 6 Posted April 3, 2012 Report Share Posted April 3, 2012 for SHTF purposes, I'd get a higher quality bulgarian rear iron sight. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Zambidis 90 Posted April 3, 2012 Report Share Posted April 3, 2012 What optic would you recommend on your 7.62x39 Saiga that is going to be used primarily for a SHTF situation and self defense Honestly I would go with an aimpoint, or an ACOG if I wanted something with magnification. For a rifle that is mostly a two hundred yard or less gun an aimpoint will do nicely. An aimpoint will live through much more than most people will throw at it. would prefer to use a Russian optic since it's a Russian rifle. If this gun is really for self defense then I suggest doing away with idiosyncratic limitations like that and basing your decision on what works best. 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
preparehandbook 326 Posted April 3, 2012 Report Share Posted April 3, 2012 A well trained eyeball is the most important part. Practice enough to point shoot at anything short range, for SHTF you should be able to snap a fast, accurate shot off at close targets. Get a nice red dot or similar optic for mid range. Get a decent, durable 4-10 power scope for the long range stuff, an AK is not a sniper rifle, but with a good scope hits on man sized targets can be accomplished at surprising ranges. Kosovo saw quite a lot of long shots being taken with garden variety AKs wearing unimpressive scopes. AKs have that nifty QD side mount for a reason. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
irishsandman 17 Posted April 3, 2012 Report Share Posted April 3, 2012 I have the POSP 4x24 on mine. People are saying, just use iron sights. Which I did, for a long time. What they AREN'T saying, is that when you use the Russian POSP you don't lose your iron sights. it's an off-set scope, it sits to the right of the irons. you may lost your periphreal vision to a degree, but not total loss of irons. Um, it WOULD suck if you're a lefty, I imagine. barring that though, you should be GTG with a POSP. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dayofruin 425 Posted April 3, 2012 Report Share Posted April 3, 2012 Irons. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TigerMoses 31 Posted April 3, 2012 Report Share Posted April 3, 2012 If it has really hit the fan, will you have batteries? Get some rechargeables and a SOLAR charger now, before SHTF, then get a laser, you got the dot on the target, bullet hits the target, don't even need to bring up to face! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
1985runner 1 Posted April 3, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2012 If I relocate to a rural area where 200+ yard shots will be taken normally a POSP sounds like it would be my best choice. What Specific ACOG / reddot scope would you recommend? Could you post a link, I don't want to spend more than $250. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dayofruin 425 Posted April 3, 2012 Report Share Posted April 3, 2012 (edited) If you're planning on moving to the country with every other urban dweller, and picking off zombies at 200 yards from atop your windmill, a surplus scope would be fine. You're not going to touch an ACOG for $250. Lol! This has got to be a joke. Are you by chance stocking up on ammo for a perfect SHTF rifle in perhaps 6.8SPC? Lol! Because it's made for the military... For close quarters to long range sniping over 200 yards. Edited April 3, 2012 by dayofruin Quote Link to post Share on other sites
thebuns1 4,323 Posted April 4, 2012 Report Share Posted April 4, 2012 (edited) you'll be lucky to find anew ACOG for under 800. most will be used though. and most red dots wont have much magnification, if any. just depend on if you want a higher magnification for extended range, or a more rapid target aquisition optic. all the ones you listed would perform well in SHTF, so long as you dont try to use them beyond their intended purposes. Edited April 4, 2012 by Captain Hero Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jbanzai 113 Posted April 4, 2012 Report Share Posted April 4, 2012 So a POSP is a no go for lefties? Good to know before I found that out the hard way. I have the tech sights for my AK and SKS and they are great. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RobRez 1,895 Posted April 4, 2012 Report Share Posted April 4, 2012 Gotta say the Iron sights! In any urban setting, 100 yards is pretty far, and you probably aren't seeking out an engagement! You can most likely use irons for the max effective distance of your rifle, and have no batteries to fail (where ya getting more? Changing them while defending yourself?), or glass to break. If someone pops out 25 yards from you do you really want to have to use optics? You are better off with irons and maintaining your peripheral vision. Generally in a SHTF scenario you would be doing your best to be invisible, and have no need to shoot at any long distance. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
1985runner 1 Posted April 4, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 4, 2012 I'm honestly new to guns i'm 18 and my 7.62 saiga is my first gun purchase, i had no idea that ACOG scopes cost that much, sorry. lol Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RobRez 1,895 Posted April 4, 2012 Report Share Posted April 4, 2012 Is your forum name to mean you drive a 1985 4runner? I love mine, and it is easy to make it "Gun-friendly". Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dayofruin 425 Posted April 4, 2012 Report Share Posted April 4, 2012 Welcome to the forum and to the wonderful world of firearms. I wasn't trying to be a dick. That post about going to a rural area and such just reminded me so much of a video I watched, I thought you were kidding. If you can find some friends that have optics that you can try out, that's the best way to see if it's gonna work for you. An affordable red dot that I got to try out, and really liked, is the vortex sparc. You can get one online for under $200. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RobRez 1,895 Posted April 4, 2012 Report Share Posted April 4, 2012 ^^^ He wasn't TRYING to be a dick......it just comes Naturally. OH SNAP!! Hahaha! I am totally kidding....just a sample of the humor you can expect around here. Welcome to the forum new friend. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dayofruin 425 Posted April 4, 2012 Report Share Posted April 4, 2012 ^^^ He wasn't TRYING to be a dick......it just comes Naturally. OH SNAP!! Hahaha! I am totally kidding....just a sample of the humor you can expect around here. Welcome to the forum new friend. Haha! Noticing a lot of new people. Some not so savory though... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cpltk2 6 Posted April 4, 2012 Report Share Posted April 4, 2012 (edited) I think I get it.... I think more of what you are looking for is a red-dot like a aimpoint M3 cantilever mount with a swing to side magnifier for longer range and close range. Thats more AR-15 stuff. If you are new to guns, practice using iron sights and at 25/50/100 meters. You will get to learn how much you suck at shooting and how inaccurate your saiga is...then you will realize how trying to shoot a target 200m with your saiga is not worth taking. Get good irons, practice and learn your rifle...who knows, maybe you'll learn that your front sight is canted to the left and you'll have to beat it with a hammer to get it to shoot straight...starting off with a optic when you are new to rifles is a bad idea. Irons first then you will realize in what direction you want to go with optics. Haha! Noticing a lot of new people. Some not so savory though... LOL, that would be me...joined since 2008 and just barely hit 51 posts woot! Edited April 4, 2012 by cpltk2 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jimmy21 18 Posted April 4, 2012 Report Share Posted April 4, 2012 depends what your wanting to do with a shtf scenerio. Hunt deer? ward off looters? All out zombie massacre? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
preparehandbook 326 Posted April 4, 2012 Report Share Posted April 4, 2012 depends what your wanting to do with a shtf scenerio. Hunt deer? ward off looters? All out zombie massacre? The writing on the wall says it will be human VS squirrel. The war is coming, and it will be nuts! 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
shades_of_grey 1,092 Posted April 4, 2012 Report Share Posted April 4, 2012 depends what your wanting to do with a shtf scenerio. Hunt deer? ward off looters? All out zombie massacre? The writing on the wall says it will be human VS squirrel. The war is coming, and it will be nuts! Tree-ratpocalypse? Finally, a practical use for one of these: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
cpltk2 6 Posted April 4, 2012 Report Share Posted April 4, 2012 The writing on the wall says it will be human VS squirrel. The war is coming, and it will be nuts! LOL Quote Link to post Share on other sites
preparehandbook 326 Posted April 4, 2012 Report Share Posted April 4, 2012 Tree rat is such a hurtful term. We prefer to go by arboreal-fur-folk Of course we reserve the right to call each other tree rat while being incredibly butt-hurt if someone else does. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
HBrebel 5 Posted April 4, 2012 Report Share Posted April 4, 2012 Tech-sights? 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
pjj342 632 Posted April 4, 2012 Report Share Posted April 4, 2012 (edited) I like having the shtf optic option myself. I keep a scope on a side mount in my pack, within pretty easy reach. This is by no means my go-to sight. Its meant for a long shot that I would have time to set up. If i dont have time to slide the mount on, its irons all the way. I figure you need to deal with the immediate threats first, then if time presents itself, slap it on and go sniping. A military quality, quick aquisition, almost bulletproof sight is the only optic that would be my primary over my irons. Since I will never spend the money it takes to own one, Irons it is. Edited April 4, 2012 by Boomsick42 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Zambidis 90 Posted April 7, 2012 Report Share Posted April 7, 2012 If it has really hit the fan, will you have batteries? The battery life, if I leave it on constantly, is 5 years for my T1. I do have a few spare batteries. If it has hit the fan so bad that in the next 20+ years that I can't find a battery, I guess I'll ditch the aimpoint at that point. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fastmelodic 9 Posted April 7, 2012 Report Share Posted April 7, 2012 (edited) I've been looking for a while at getting a PK-01V. I'm still messing with the idea and probably will for a while until I finally decide to say "screw it, I'm buying it", but it looks like it takes 2 AAA batteries, has 150ish hrs of battery life, and you can co-witness. Anyone have any experience with these? I figure if I have something battery powered and SHTF, at least it uses AAAs and not some tiny little watch battery. Edited April 7, 2012 by fastmelodic Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lone Eagle 839 Posted April 8, 2012 Report Share Posted April 8, 2012 I simply slapped a Millett 5MOA red dot on mine and let it ride. I also have a 4x32 scope on another QD mount if I need it. I'm in the suburbs, and irons work, but red dot/reflex makes for a faster acquisition. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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