Good cheek weld with AK sidemount?

[rugerdude]

I'm looking into running a red dot on my AK and I like the idea of using the side-mount so that I can keep my fore end looking the same. It's also probably the cheapest mount, and is quick detach in case I want to run iron sights again.

I've seen lots of pictures online of the mounts, but never really any of people shouldering the rifle.

Basically what I would like to know is; do the low profile side mounts sit low enough that a good cheek weld can be attained? I'm not looking to be able to use my irons, or co-witness my sights with the red dot.

Thanks!

 

[WardenWolf]

It depends on the stock you have. I use a Dragunov-type stock with mine and it works well. The traditional AK stocks should also be fine.

 

[rugerdude]

I have the standard tapco synthetic stock.

 

[wnycollector]

I like the BP-02 mount made in Belarus. It is centered of the bore, low profile and it does not loose zero when removed for cleaning. Kalinka Optics or ebay for them.

 

[benEzra]

Basically what I would like to know is; do the low profile side mounts sit low enough that a good cheek weld can be attained? I'm not looking to be able to use my irons, or co-witness my sights with the red dot.

Depends on the optic. If the optic is a Kobra, the answer is "no", not without adding a cheek piece to the stock. With the standard stock, you get more of a "chin weld", and with a wire folder, you don't get a weld, you just float your head. As I recall, the POSP sits pretty high as well.

If you think about it, the AK stock was designed for a cheek weld at the height of the iron sights, so if you raise your eye 2" above the irons, you raise your cheek off the stock by the same amount. I shoot a Kobra, and the height is my one big gripe about that setup (no cheek weld and no cowitness).

There are aftermarket stocks out there that raise the cheek piece (someone mentioned the Dragunov style stock, which I think does that), or you could go with a low-mounted optic on an Ultimak forward rail, which IMO is the better solution.

 

[Cal-gun Fan]

If you have a Saiga, the KV-4 scope mount is great, just get low rings.

 

[rugerdude]

okay, it looks like ultimak is the way to go then, as I demand to have that nice cheek weld with my standard stock.

 

[AK103K]

The Ultimak is the way to go. With the right optic, you get basically the same cheek weld as you do with the irons, since you can cowitness the dot to the irons.

I think youll also find the gun shoots a lot more naturally with the optic mounted forward.

 

[Ringer]

I just happened to post this pic in a "cat" thread so had it handy. Here is a "low mount" with a 30mm tube red dot with low ring. As you can see it's way up there. No chance of a cheek weld. It's also slightly off center.

 

[fatcat4620]

I have a redot on a cheap mount I got from dealextreme and it works great with a WASR stock.

 

[henschman]

Check out this thread: http://www.okshooters.com/showthread.php?115687-Co-witnessing...not-just-for-AR-s-anymore!

 

[mshootnit]

Depends on the optic. If the optic is a Kobra, the answer is "no", not without adding a cheek piece to the stock. With the standard stock, you get more of a "chin weld", and with a wire folder, you don't get a weld, you just float your head. As I recall, the POSP sits pretty high as well.

My Kobra's aiming dot is exactly 1.5 inches above the dust cover and I obtain a full cheek weld with my Ace sidefolder adjusted up. The KOBRA is lower than a red dot mounted on a BP-02 or similar mount. An aimpoint on a TWS rail would be a little lower, as would a PK01-V or american sight on a PK-01-V mount.
I like the side mount as well, it is made to be quick detach so its easily out of the way for disassembly, and allows you to go from irons to whatever you want in a matter of seconds. You are only limited by what you want to carry in your gear.

I still would like to see a good lightweight skeletonized steel side mount with a rail as low as possible. The russian BP-02 is made of some funky soft metal, and the rail sits un-necessarily high on three pedestals. As for magnification your real limiting factor is the bell of the scope and whether it is going to hit the rear sight. There are several mounts that let you get low with an American scope and low or medium rings. You may have to get the scope as low as possible because you can run into elevation limits when trying to zero the scope. I feel that the market does lack a good western side mount for the rifle. The Russians are using a top rail on the dust cover and a custom cover that fastens down with a hook (or hooks) on the back of the receiver. On top of that they are running an Eotech or very close clone.
What would be awesome would be if someone would design a side mounted ACOG type optic with very low height and proper eye relief. EDIT: sometimes my posts are laced with crap.

 

[AK103K]

The problem with the Kobras, other than the height, is they are right in your face, and are not natural to shoot with.

There really is no other mount like the Ultimak, that allows you to use a basically "stock" gun, that can be shouldered and shot, as it was meant to be used, and will allow cowitnessing of the dot to the factory iron sights.

Nothing to hang up on your gear or clothes, nothing to interfere with working or cleaning the gun, nothing to interfere with your shooting the gun.

If you know of something that will do that or better, please let me know, Id like to try it out.

 

[henschman]

There really is no other mount like the Ultimak, that allows you to use a basically "stock" gun, that can be shouldered and shot, as it was meant to be used, and will allow cowitnessing of the dot to the factory iron sights. [...]

If you know of something that will do that or better, please let me know, Id like to try it out.

See the link I posted in reply #11.

 

[mshootnit]

AK103K I agree with your post , but would like to add that I can shoot very naturally with a KOBRA because of how I am built and how I hold the rifle. I would like to also add that the KOBRA leaves some things to be desired. The lense is heavily tinted. It is an outstanding both-eyes-open optic in good light however, built like a tank, lightweight, and parallax free. These things combined make it pretty decent and nothing to sniff at. However I do like the new one in the link posted above. I think and Aimpoint could be superior if mounted right.

 

[AK103K]

henschman,

That is interesting, but ...theres always a but.

For me, its still a side mount, and still will want to hang up on your web gear, get in the way of your side folder, has to be removed for cleaning, and puts the optic back in the way of your peripheral vision.

but would like to add that I can shoot very naturally with a KOBRA because of how I am built and how I hold the rifle.

If it works for you, thats really all that matters. For me, I like the guns basically stock, with just the forward mounted optics, which allow the gun to mounted and shot, just like one with iron sights only.

Im not knocking the quality or robustness of the Kobras, like most things Russian, they are rugged and over built. I just find them to be lacking in their size and mounting.