Grouping my AK-47

[JCooperfan1911]

This morning I went to the desert dump to shoot my Arsenal Bulgaria 7.62x39mm milled receiver SAM7 semi-automatic sporting and not-so-sporting gas-operate magazine-fed centerfire rifle.



I tried a new ammo today, Barnaul 123 gr. Lacquered FMJs after it getting rave reviews from Rob Ski over at AK operators union. It put 4 rounds into 1/2” at 25 yards with one flier. Additional groups were all well under an inch. This AK can keep even bulk Tulammo at 4 MOA so I am envisioning this Barnaul holds excellent promise and is only a little pricier. Of course, it along with all steel cased stuff has been banned yet remains abundant and will be imported for a few more years.

This AK continues to impress and its a fan favorite to be sure. I got to the range pre-dawn and was able to observe the muzzle flash from the AK-74 brake I’ve installed, as well as to do some low light shooting with the attached Surefire light. This is my favorite rifle and I’d grab it anytime, day or night,

-JCF

 

[Mullo98]

Barnul is good stuff to feed AKs. Got a ton from a spam can I got from academy a few ago. Still have a handful of bundles of it.

 

[trackskippy]

Of all the "older" (I really havent shot any of the newer stuff, bought a ton of it back when it was $75/1000 in the late 90's and still have a bunch) 7.62x39 Ive shot, the old Barnaul 125 grain SP's were the most accurate and consistent. The second, of all things, was a lot of the Wolf 154 grain SP's. Both would usually shoot right around 6" or so at 200 yards from prone using the irons.

Barnauls FMJ's always shot well too.

Wolf was usually the most inconsistent of the lot. Some lots shot OK, others were crap. I pulled a number of bullets from all the rounds I had and the only one with a jacketed base, was the Barnaul SP's. Their bullets looked a lot like a SGK.

Most of the others had your typical FMJBT profile, with a rolled crimp base. And from looking at the base, it was pretty apparent why the Wolf were so inconsistent. Some of the bullets had a nice, clean, rolled crimp base, while others had ugly, lead smears around or across the crimp. This was across the different bullet types they made too. The "HP's" were a joke. They are not the "match" type bullet you might think, and they certainly are not hunting HP's.

The base of the bullet is the critical part of its construction, and a messed up base, is bad for accuracy. Thats why I think the jacketed base Barnaul SP's shoot so well.

I believe the "Bear" branded ammo was in fact Barnaul. When it showed up, the Barnaul seemed to completely disappear back in the early 2000's. I really dont rember seeing it past that either, but I really wasnt looking either. Is it back now?

I had a couple of AK's with the 74 type brakes on them. Took them off all but one gun, and that only because it was permanently attached due to a 14" barrel. Compared to the other type brakes you see, those brakes do make a slightly noticeable difference in felt recoil, especially when shooting quickly, but I found the flash annoying and distracting in lower light.

Personally, Id rather have a flash suppressor on the gun. 7.62x39 is not by any means a kicker, and the brakes really arent necessary. The slant brakes are a joke as far as the semi guns go, and questionable with the FA's. Thats where the 74 type breaks shine, and the real ones also suppress the flash as well. The ones we see were/are more or less just a "get around" for the flash suppressor bans of the past.

 

[Ignition Override]

Sport Utility Rifles such as yours are always fun to shoot.

With a red dot, you might approach "groups" achieved in many ARs in 7.62x39.

Even Rob Ski's VZ-58 in 7.62x39 ..... not bad for a Fat Bullet (vs. 5.56)..... had a single group of 1.6 MOA, at 300 yards.
Youtube.

 

[JCooperfan1911]

Of all the "older" (I really havent shot any of the newer stuff, bought a ton of it back when it was $75/1000 in the late 90's and still have a bunch) 7.62x39 Ive shot, the old Barnaul 125 grain SP's were the most accurate and consistent. The second, of all things, was a lot of the Wolf 154 grain SP's. Both would usually shoot right around 6" or so at 200 yards from prone using the irons.

Barnauls FMJ's always shot well too.

Wolf was usually the most inconsistent of the lot. Some lots shot OK, others were crap. I pulled a number of bullets from all the rounds I had and the only one with a jacketed base, was the Barnaul SP's. Their bullets looked a lot like a SGK.

Most of the others had your typical FMJBT profile, with a rolled crimp base. And from looking at the base, it was pretty apparent why the Wolf were so inconsistent. Some of the bullets had a nice, clean, rolled crimp base, while others had ugly, lead smears around or across the crimp. This was across the different bullet types they made too. The "HP's" were a joke. They are not the "match" type bullet you might think, and they certainly are not hunting HP's.

The base of the bullet is the critical part of its construction, and a messed up base, is bad for accuracy. Thats why I think the jacketed base Barnaul SP's shoot so well.

I believe the "Bear" branded ammo was in fact Barnaul. When it showed up, the Barnaul seemed to completely disappear back in the early 2000's. I really dont rember seeing it past that either, but I really wasnt looking either. Is it back now?

I had a couple of AK's with the 74 type brakes on them. Took them off all but one gun, and that only because it was permanently attached due to a 14" barrel. Compared to the other type brakes you see, those brakes do make a slightly noticeable difference in felt recoil, especially when shooting quickly, but I found the flash annoying and distracting in lower light.

Personally, Id rather have a flash suppressor on the gun. 7.62x39 is not by any means a kicker, and the brakes really arent necessary. The slant brakes are a joke as far as the semi guns go, and questionable with the FA's. Thats where the 74 type breaks shine, and the real ones also suppress the flash as well. The ones we see were/are more or less just a "get around" for the flash suppressor bans of the past.

You’re probably right, I just thought it looked cool.

It’s a real one, though. Chrome lined and with a huge expansion chamber that the cheap American copies lack. This one is imported Bulgarian made. It does tame the flash decently and together with the milled receiver, recoil is tamed nicely. I don’t think there’s a such thing as a gun that kicks too little lol.

 

[C.R.]

Geez Im going to have to shoot my AK sometime , Ive had it since clinton was prez and its never been shot , it's still brand new ! it has the butt ugly plastic thumbhole stock in it , she needs wooden furnature like your AK has . thats a nice looking gun there.

 

[Mullo98]

I never had much issue with flash with M70AB2. The muzzle break is a generic suger scoop slante break.