Optics for old school AKs

[Zarrin]

This is a matter I have battled with ever since I bought my G&G GKM.

 

I am a bit of a ‘nyet rifle is fine’ kinda guy when it comes to this topic – I generally think Aks look best in the bare bones configuration – especially if we are talking with wooden furniture.

 

My first AK was a CM028S and the next was a home build on an AK47 G&P receiver set – both 47 configurations, the first S config with the under folding stock and the second full stock. Being 47 variants neither had side mounts and I was always happy to run them bare as an old AK should be  

 

Anyway, we got burgled a few years back and they took off with my G&P base home build, my L96 and all my pistols – still hurts, the AK and L96 were almost certainly both ‘one of a kind’ as I had heavily customised them over the years. At the time I didn’t have too much time on my hands and wasn’t really in the position to build a new AK so with the insurance pay-out I just bought the GKM.

 

Being an AKM it does have a rail mount so this is where I first started playing with the idea of mounting something on there – but I find it is quite difficult to find anything that looks really fitting.

However when it comes down to it, look and feel aside.. I find an optic of sorts really does make skirmishing more enjoyable, target acquisition is always easier... Irons, while cool and all, can feel a bit cumbersome.

 

So I do like the idea of a Kobra, a PK-A or PK-AS – all Russian AK appropriate optics... I first came across all three in Battlefield 3 and the Kobra was certainly my go to optic in BF3 and 4, looks pretty awesome.

 

As far as I know there are no PK-AS replicas out there.

 

There are a couple of PK-A clones out there around the 80 quid mark and I may one day take a punt on one.

 

I would love to get a Kobra, however the only clone out there again is around 80 quid, but from what I have read and heard it is pretty crappy, very brittle material, the clamp breaks, generally low quality and doesn’t hold zero – no thanks.

 

So the question is what looks good on an old school AK?

 

My current go to is the C-more reflex site – The C-more has been my favourite RDS for a few years now, I first saw it in Die hard 4 on a UMP and thought it looked awesome, and it is one of those pieces which looks great on pretty much any gun IMO.  It also happens to look a little like a Kobra and I’ve been complimented a couple times by players for my AK Kobra loadout – score! Unfortunately I don't have any pics with it on the AK but there is one below on one of my M4s: 

  

 

I also have this 2x RDS… it looks aright on the AK, though I wish it wasn’t covered in RIS:

 

I spotted this 3x44 RDS the other day which I may pick up – It looks kind of utilitarian and ever so slightly soviet; might be an okay stand in for a PK-A type thing:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3X44-Green-Red-Dot-Sight-Scope-Tactical-Optics-Rifle-Scope-Fit-11-20mm-rail/312754783868?var=611480794982

 

I also thought an Aimpoint CompM4 clone might look okay – though they are kind of rare these days, not many on ebay for sure, will have to check AE.

 

I’ve tried so many RDS (the ones I have anyway.. probably 15 or so) – and a majority of them just look kinda crappy on the old style AKM.

 

All that said and done, I did actually swap out my irons to RPK so I'm able to dial in windage and have a pretty good bare bones setup.

 

What do you tend to run on the older AKs.. or do you go the ‘nyet rifle is fine’ route?

[Adolf Hamster]

I do have one of the pk-a clones and whilst internally its just a simple cheap red dot, externally it really looks the part.

I would defo reccommend one.

 

The other option is a very simple tube, i'm running a pinty red dot on my e&l and used to on the jg and it doesnt looks half bad either.

[GAMBLE]

@mzjango 👋

Sorry to hear about the situation a few years back, they’ll get their karma one day! 😵

 

I have my fair share of AK’s from different makes and upgrades that came with them! Have 2 more to get and done! 🔫

I don’t run any optics at all, as I’m capable of aiming and shooting.... plus helps saves 💷 for other accessories! 😜

There are 3 things I use for all of them, with the exception of my Carbine versions:

1. AK slings.

2. Blue tape for mags.

3. AK bayonet.

Thats my policy for Older AK’s!!!!
🔫💪😎👍

💷GAMBLE💷

[Zarrin]

13 hours ago, Adolf Hamster said:

I do have one of the pk-a clones and whilst internally its just a simple cheap red dot, externally it really looks the part.

I would defo reccommend one.

 

The other option is a very simple tube, i'm running a pinty red dot on my e&l and used to on the jg and it doesnt looks half bad either.

 

Yeah simplicity / utilitarian / basic tubular design is what I feel is right..

 

Those PK-A clones look really interesting, some of them even have the old fashioned finishing on them with the almost bubbly grey marbled thing going - which I gotta say looks awesome!

 

11 hours ago, GAMBLE said:

@mzjango 👋

Sorry to hear about the situation a few years back, they’ll get their karma one day! 😵

 

 

Yeah it all sucked pretty hard, one of the most annoying (and a little funny) things of it all was when the insurance company rang me up and asked how is it that I owned machine guns and demanded to see my firearms license!

I remember in my initial report with the inventory list of stolen items explaining in clear bullet points what the RIFs were, all the surrounding context as well as UKARA, VCRA etc. Looks like no one read it.. instead they just call me in a panic over why a half middle eastern dude has so many guns including an AK47 🤣

 

11 hours ago, GAMBLE said:

 

Thats my policy for Older AK’s!!!!
🔫💪😎👍

 

Yeah I respect that mate - honestly deep down that is the way I feel too 😎.

 

And actually if you are able to get a good barrel/hop unit/rubber combo and get that accuracy and shot consistency up, Irons can work. I would recommend to anyone running a bare AK to replace the rear irons with an RPK sight with the adjustable windage dial.

 

I do have others which I like to run bare.. M16A2, M16VN and I like the MP5A3 with torch grip bare too, however there are a few RDS which go quite nicely on it.

[E21A]

There’s an easy solution here, buy a “tactical” AK to put optics on! 
 

 

[Zarrin]

39 minutes ago, E21A said:

There’s an easy solution here, buy a “tactical” AK to put optics on! 

 

Maybe one day, when i become less of a snob 😛

[Adolf Hamster]

2 hours ago, mzjango said:

 

Yeah simplicity / utilitarian / basic tubular design is what feel is right..

 

Those PK-A clones look really interesting, some of them even have the old fashioned finishing on them with the almost bubbly grey marbled thing going - which I gotta say looks awesome!

 

 

 

Thats the exact one, its basically just hammerite but it does look nice

[Zarrin]

9 minutes ago, Adolf Hamster said:

 

 

Thats the exact one, its basically just hammerite but it does look nice

 

Oh yeah, the fence post stuff.. yeah I suppose it is the same kinda finish.

[Adolf Hamster]

3 hours ago, mzjango said:

 

Oh yeah, the fence post stuff.. yeah I suppose it is the same kinda finish.

 

If it works it works.

 

Only problem with the pk-a is you gotta watch your bore offset if firing round left handed cover.

[Zarrin]

3 hours ago, Adolf Hamster said:

 

If it works it works.

 

Only problem with the pk-a is you gotta watch your bore offset if firing round left handed cover.

 

Right so I had this with my PSO-1 which lines up with the bore of my SVD, though if I attach it to the AKM it is off centre, I assume this series of sights was definitely designed with the SVD in mind.

 

Having said that, there are many older sniper rifles which had optics off to the side; I think the Mosin Nagant was like that - odd thing that; it would mean it was only completely accurate out to whatever range you zeroed it at.

 

I suppose for the purposes of airsoft, you could just zero the PK-A to around 30-40 metres and it would serve you just fine in most scenarios.

[Adolf Hamster]

Zeroing isnt the problem, airsoft range is nowhere near enough to put it beyond the "minute of bad guy" required to get a hit.

 

The problem is leaning out of cover to the left, seeing the target in the dot, then planting a round straight into the barricade because its still behind it.

[Zarrin]

15 minutes ago, Adolf Hamster said:

Zeroing isnt the problem, airsoft range is nowhere near enough to put it beyond the "minute of bad guy" required to get a hit.

 

The problem is leaning out of cover to the left, seeing the target in the dot, then planting a round straight into the barricade because its still behind it.

 

Yeah i see your point, similar to having an optic mounted high on something like a carry handle and hitting rounds into your horizontal cover line; I'm pretty sure I've done this with my M733 😖

[Adolf Hamster]

19 minutes ago, mzjango said:

 

Yeah i see your point, similar to having an optic mounted high on something like a carry handle and hitting rounds into your horizontal cover line; I'm pretty sure I've done this with my M733 😖

 

Yep, except the pk-a has double the directions to catch you out lol.

[Zarrin]

11 minutes ago, Adolf Hamster said:

 

Yep, except the pk-a has double the directions to catch you out lol.

 

hmmm, yeah good point.. it's the kind of thing you wouldn't really even think about until it happens to you 😝

[Adolf Hamster]

11 minutes ago, mzjango said:

 

hmmm, yeah good point.. it's the kind of thing you wouldn't really even think about until it happens to you 😝

 

Yep, it wasnt something that even entered my head until i managed to get smacked in the face by my own rounds:P