Report: WASR w/ PK-AS Optics

[ZombiesAhead]

I've never been too happy with my Century WASR-10GP (7.62X39 Romanian AK-type-thing). Mostly, the iron sights were garbage and I couldn't tell if I was a horrible shot or if it was just grouping like crap. I was able to hit a torso-sized target at 100 yards standing and pretty much called it quits on doing any better. Never fired a rifle besides .22LR and wasn't sure what kind of proficiency to expect.

Recently, I added a PK-AS red dot sight from Tantal (highly recommended)

Went to the indoor 50 yard range and found it grouping withing 1"-2" sitting, supporting the rifle simply on the bench using the mag. I probably could have done better with a real bench-rest.

Ammo was 123 grain Remington UMC brass as opposed to the steel case 125 grain Wolf Mil-Surp I usually shoot.

The PK-AS sight is AMAZING. This is a great package for about $550 all together including rifle, optics, and 14 surplus 30 round mags.

Here's a question - I zeroed the sight with the elevation setting at "0" but I was shooting at 50 yards. How do the 7.62 ballistics affect elevation changes at closer/farther than the 50 yard targets I was shooting at?

EDIT: Picture courtesy of Tantal - not my rifle - mine is UGLY - but that is the PK-AS sight I am raving about

 

[1 old 0311]

Love mine. It ain't as pretty as my Arsenal, but works just as well.

 

[benEzra]

Here's a question - I zeroed the sight with the elevation setting at "0" but I was shooting at 50 yards. How do the 7.62 ballistics affect elevation changes at closer/farther than the 50 yard targets I was shooting at?

I'm not sure what the sight height is for yours, but my Kobra is 3.8 inches vertically from the center of the bore to the center of the lens. Sighted dead-on at 50 yards puts it 2 inches high at 100 yards and very close to dead on at 200 yards (0.6 inch low, actually).

Go here:

http://www.eskimo.com/~jbm/calculations/traj/traj.html

And plug in your sight height (measure from the center of the bore to the center of the lens), and the following data depending on the bullets you are shooting:

Ballistic Coefficients (for Wolf ammo, others similar)
122 grn fmj .2573
122 grn HP .2607
154 grn Sp .3302

Bullet weight: 122, 123, 154, whatever you were shooting

Bullet diameter: .311

Velocity: 2350 fps (for 122-123 grain loads) or 2000 fps (for 154-gr loads)

Zero the wind, set the range increment to 5 yards, the maximum range to 300 and the zero range to 50. Hit calculate, and it should tell you everything you need to know.

BTW, I had exactly the same experience as you with my AK (SAR-1). I shoot it MUCH better with the optic, and it's much more fun to shoot as well.

 

[strat81]

Go to a gun show (or look online) and get a 5 or 10 round mag. It makes shooting off a bag MUCH easier.

Does the UMC ammo use .310 bullets or .308? Undersized bullets hurt accuracy.

 

[MAX100]

Looks like a nice red dot sight. I agree a red dot sight is a must on an AK.

You can make your WASR 10 pretty just refinish it and add a better forend and stock.

Pic of WSR 10: Receiver refinished with Gun-Kote and barrel with 1000 degree heat resistant paint.

 

[benEzra]

Went to the indoor 50 yard range and found it grouping withing 1"-2" sitting, supporting the rifle simply on the bench using the mag. I probably could have done better with a real bench-rest.

AK's are tricky to benchrest, because if you place the bag very far forward, the rifle tends to jump off the rest, throwing your shots inconsistently. The cause is the pronounced barrel bending moment caused by the cantilevered gas block and large-bore gas piston setup.

About 30 seconds into this video, check out the slow-motion view of an AK being fired. Note that the barrel bends down sharply enough to bounce the cleaning rod away from the barrel with each shot (the camera is not quite fast enough to catch the full motion); that vibration will also make the rifle jump off a rest if you have a rest under the barrel.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6BpI3xD6h0

(Stop watching that video before it gets to the rigged shooting test; the guy they picked to demonstrate the AK's alleged "inherent inaccuracy" couldn't hit a barn from the inside with the door closed. Aaargh.)

The best way to benchrest an AK is to put the support as far back as possible, preferably under the receiver rather than the barrel; I've even positioned a rest and bag behind the magazine, under the trigger guard, with decent results. But putting a rest/bag under the foregrip will be an exercise in inconsistency and frustration.

In light of that, using the magazine as a monopod actually works OK. You might want to put something under the mag to keep it from sliding, or from denting the table.

I like the Hungarian 20-round magazines for all-around target shooting, FWIW. Here's my SAR-1 with a 20-rounder:

 

[MechAg94]

I have shot AK's off my full rest a number of times. I guess I'll try it with a single point rest.