Larue AK Irondot discontinued?

A while ago I ordered a Larue Tactical Irondot for my AK. I ended up canceling my order. It was backordered for a month with no end in sight. I've been trying to find this sight now with the hopes of trying again now that some of the pressure and the panic has died down. But I can't find it from any of the normal vendors I go through, like Midway. Larue's site doesn't seem to list it anymore, and I was wondering if the AK Irondot was discontinued, and if so, why? It certainly seemed to be a big seller. If not, who still has them?

 

It was discontinued. Apparently, Burris made some design changes to the site around which the Irondot was built. Continued production would've required a redesign of the Irondot.

 

The only change made to the Burris sight that would affect the mount is the <1mm rubber grommet plate that aids in waterproofing. This would change the clearance required of the upper "protector" portion of the mount.

LaRue hasn't come out and said it, but from what I've seen there are two issues that make the AK Irondot a tough project:

- Variations from rifle to rifle make the fit very unpredictable. Some folks have used this setup with success, while others complianed that the sight was loose no matter what they tried.

- The mount itself blocks the Burris' light sensor from receiving omni-directional light. As a result, the low-light performance is pretty bad.

 

This may help with contact...

Trying to help. Here's a direct link with contact info: http://stores.homestead.com/Laruetactical/Service.bok

 

Hmm. So what are the choices out there for optics that will fit on an Ultimak and take sustained use for about $200?

I have about $300 to upgrade the optics on my AK. I've never been completely satisfied with the results I've achieved with the siderail mount so I am exploring other options. I don't have $400+ for an Aimpoint.

 

I'd save up a hundred and go with the Kobra. No experience with the ultimak, Kalashnikov and company stayed away from a gas tube mount so I figured I would too.

 

I'm really annoyed that the Irondots haven't been put back into production. I'm building a SBR AK, and that would be the perfect optic for it. I don't have a side rail installed (and those scopes are bulky anyway), and I can't use an Ultimak because I have a cut down gas tube. I planned to use an Irondot from the start of the project, but they had stopped making them when I went to buy one. I'd love to find a source for just a single one somewhere to buy...

 

Already have a Kobra and before that a PK-AS-V. Both are decent but not exceptional. I like the Aimpoint/Ultimak but can't afford the Aimpoint. If I can find a decent ~$200 Western optic that can take the heat and shock of the Ultimak, that would be super.

 

What is not to like about the side mounted Kobra? Why do you or anyone else want to put a red dot out there on the gas tube? I have never understood why guys want to do that. Is it just for looks or a fad or what? I guess it stems from the fact that I think the sidewall of the receiver is much more solid than a braced up gas tube, and that the side mounted optic is closer to the eye, and makes the weapon balance better. You know if you have your side mount adjusted properly and know how to use it you can come back to zero very nicely. I love my Kobra, and second to that I go with iron sights.

 

Ian- have you looked into the TWS/Krebs/Beryl type rails?

Mike

 

As to why go with the gas tube rail, one really good reason: it is low. Nothing else can get as low, except maybe the Beryl style rail. Despite what you may think, it is rock solid, too. The one disadvantage it has is weight, you need a lightweight optic unless you don't mind the noseheavy feel you can get.

I tried a bunch of options, ended up with an aimpoint micro on the ultimak. Perfection.

Mike

 

Many have contacted Larue RE: the irondot and all have gotten the same response "We're working on it."

 

Firstly, the Kobra sits lower than the PK-AS-V, but it still high enough to ideally need a cheek rest, which would then probably sit too high to use iron sights. Secondly, I was never able to get my Kobra zeroed to my liking. I ran out of windage adjustment shooting about 3 MOA to the left at 100 yards. Either the siderail on mine is installed incorrectly, or the receiver is torqued by Century's barely literate monkeys. Third, the only Western optic I've seen with optics comparable to the Kobra is the $40 Walmart special I put on my paintball gun. Lastly, the Kobra with its mount is gargantuan. Complaining about weight or bulk of optics when you rock a Kobra is like bragging about the size of your 1991 backpack cell phone. Good job buddy!

My brother rocks an Aimpoint on an Ultimak. It does add a little forward weight, but its negligible compared to the other advantages of the system; namely that it co-witnesses irons while easily achieving and maintaining a proper zero, that it has better optics than the Com Bloc stuff, and much better battery life.

My problem is that I can't afford the Aimpoint. If I can find a $200 Western optic that can take the heat held by the Ultimak and the shock of general use, that would be ideal.

 

I know it's been a few months but have you checked out the S.P.O.T. Scope or the VOrtex red dots? About the same price ($150-$200, shop around) and the SPOT I have is decent enough. The Arfcom guys did a torture test on it and it will hold up to shock (read: they chucked a rifle 20 feet into the air while the optic was mounted). I haven't read much on heat resistance but are you really going to be shooting enough volume to even begin to get worried about that? (Unless you have a receiver that is more fun than the one I have, then maybe high volume fire is a concern.) My SPOT is not on my AK unfortunately as I am still deciding on mounting. SO it rests atop my SKS at the moment. Looks kinda funny really, I should post pics

 

There is a new option that gets you a lower 1/3rd co-witness using a Aimpoint. BSW

 

Haven't seen that mount yet. I've seen an Aimpoint specific side mount being developed between a member of an AK board and Kalinka. All the prototypes sold quickly and some didn't cowitness quite right, most likely due to uneven mounting rails on varying AK's.

 

Check out the Primary Arms Gen 7 Microdot. They sell it as a package with the Ultimak rail for less than your target price. So far mine has held up well, and I really like the setup, nice lower third co-witness.

The Aimpoint Micro is the way to go if you don't mind spending as much on the red dot than you did on the rifle

 

to each their own I guess... If I was going to put an Aimpoint on there I would definitely use that new mount BSW is showing on here. That looks pretty good.
Any of you guys that have a Kobra or know someone who does, but still like to get on here and knock the only red dot that Kalashnikov himself has personally endorsed, I want you to try something before you knock it. Take that sucker into your house with low lights, and bring the rifle up with your head vertical (ensuring that the rifle is empty first of course). Utilize your both eyes open aiming as you scan the room. The Kobra allows phenomenal both eyes open aiming (Bindon concept) the sight itself literally disappears and all you see is a red dot instantly on anything you look at. I think its a real advantage of the sight over other setups, also the fact that you can shoot moa groups out to 200 meters with one. As for Kobra size and weight, you gotta be kidding me right? Like my Kobra weighs about 6 ounces I think.

 

Who makes that rail, BSW?

That does look really good.

Mike

 

Looks more like lower 1/4 or 1/5 to me, I suspect with this mount only the real Aim point need apply as moderately priced stuff usually doesn't do well that close to the borders, I was pleasantly surprised to find the $80 Barska M16 Electrosight worked great with a lower 1/4 co-witness on my AR with the flip up BUIS.

I too would like to see more info about this mount.

 

I got mine from Kalinka:

http://www.kalinkaoptics.com/mounts/ak-vepr-saiga-romak-1-2-slr/pk-01v-aimpoint-to-ak-saiga-vepr-centered-side-mount-w-30-mm-heavy-duty-ring-tim-heffron-special-limited-edition-v-3-0.html

The only downside is you have to pull the mount to clean the rifle. BSW

 

Or to clear a major stoppage. AKs can and do jam, and anything that precludes removing the top cover needs to be seriously debated on a fighting rifle.

 

Oh, you can't get the topcover off without pulling it? Hmm.

I'm less than impressed with the ability of the siderail to hold zero, though that might be a function of which mount and which rail you have...there's a LOT of variability in critical dimensions on eastern bloc stuff.

Still, looks interesting.

Mike