When it comes to Ak"s, I seek no further. This guy is from Eastern Europe, and the accent with an Ak is like icing on a cake. Love his sense of humor too.
Thank you for making this. I was surprised when I heard that claim from someone who uses AKs so often. It makes no mechanical sense to say they don’t hold zero as long as they’re installed properly. I’ve had no issues with side mounted optics.
agreed 100% I recently watched a video of someone claiming they never hold zero I shoot a lot year round ..And have never had a issue using the RS regulate side mount
This myth most certainly comes from people who didn't have properly installed or had badly worn side rails or don't have quality mounts for their side rail...
When I heard the long haired guy say the side rail wasn't accurate. My jaw dropped. Really I expected better from him. But hey, they can both outshoot me! Thanks Rob!
Jerrid Gossett he is not wrong. Look at what happens in slow motion to a stamped receiver. It flexes quite a bit. Not saying the flex doesn’t return back close to zero, but compared to say an AR or an ultimac set up it’s obvious. The problem with ultimac is heat, but my AK has beaten up a primary arms red dot in about 1000 rounds mounted on the side rail.
@@TKO593 Doesn't the front of the AK flex more though..? With the barrel whip & all? The stamped receiver definitely flexes, but at least it has the trunnion support while the barrel is kinda loosey goosey. I could be wrong, but that's how it seems to me. It's pretty cool that your PA is still holding up ;-)
@@TKO593 The flex during firing isn't enough to throw your optics off. Especially when you consider the rear of the sight plank is attached to the rear trunnion and the front is just in front of the center support rivet, gun flexes back to it's original position pretty quickly, it's called elastic deformation. If it was really that big of a deal the barrels of every gun would never be accurate enough, the internal elastic deformation of a pressure vessel is pretty intense.
Night Fury Yeah. The front end flexes WAY more than the rest of the rifle. That's like strapping your kids to the hood of your car instead of in the back seat because the back of the car shakes around a lot in a front end collision. I I'm not doubting that Reid has seen things come loose in his time, but it is pretty much guaranteed that it was either from someone not using loctite and/or torquing their screws properly, or not adjusting equipment to the proper tension, and not a flaw in the design. A good quality side rail mount adjusted to the proper tension will stay very stable.
And to clarify, I don't have anything against an Ultimak rail. They work just fine, but saying you use one instead of a receiver because the receiver flexes is just kind of funny.
There were extensive studies done on side rail - even by USMC at Quantico and they were all conclusive: SIDE RAIL HOLDS ZERO...I'm honestly lost why would someone keep saying that AK side rail isn't holding zero...
@@AkOperatorsUnion Hello Robski...i am looking at new century WASR 10 at local gunshop everything looks good and straight, from rivets to mag fitment even front sight is NOT canted . Question is(would YOU pay $700 for it) and much respect too you from a former active duty U.S. Marine.
I zeroed my Primary Arms 4x on an Arsenal sidemount 5 years ago, left it in varying temperatures - from 90 degrees to 20 degrees, and taken it off dozens of times. It has held zero. Perhaps the detractors do not tighten the side mount clamp? Regardless, people seek out excuses for their poor skills and lack of intelligence. Instead of blaming the equipment they should improve themselves.
It more comes from Century, early Century side rails where of....dubious install, i have infact personaly seen garbage cents from just after the ban have side rails that are not on tight due to whatever backwater garage they had at the time building them. I put the whole side rail myth into the "Possible, but not likely" folder, because the side rail is not integral to the receiver, and thus can possible wiggle free after enough abuse.
Rob thank you for making this video. I really appreciate you and you wife's hard work on these videos I think she does a fantastic job on the video work and the store. I will be ordering more accessories soon including side rail mounts.
So Reid made that video about the AK, BUT I gotta side with Rob on this one. They're both 2 high speed dudes that I trust; they definitely know more than me, but imho I can't see an ultimak (which has it own issues) being better than a RSregulate side rail setup.
I think Reid has just seen a lot of people who didn't have good optic mounts to go on the side rail. I'd file an AK side rail mounted optic not returning to or maintaining zero in the "possible, but not at all likely" folder.
caleb inman yeah bro. Exactly!! Battery powered optics and temperature extremes don’t mix. Ambient temp and gun temp are 2 different hurdles. Another thing people seldom talk about is what Ultimaks do to bare hands. One may not always have gloves in a pinch; Ruskis invented the upper hand guard for a reason. Let’s not go changing shit. Right lol? There’s a reason why the AMD is one of the suckiest AKs to shoot.
Reid doesn't want you to come to class w/ anything other than a complete stock built AR by a brand he approves. He wants 0 mods on the rifles in class, says he will check. But he recommends the Ultimak on the AK because side rail mounts don't work...
He just tries too hard. He sees others come up with theories and I think he wants to make his own philosophies and theories...only problem is the junk he makes up is so easily debunked.
Just watching this guy shoot and talk is somehow very calming and entertaining at the same time. During my time in service and then afterwards in a contractor mode, I had had numerous occasions to use the AK family weapons platforms and had never had a problem with them in a mechanical sense. Yes there were times that shitty ammo caused some aw-shit moments, but those were cleared quickly. I have had to have a pacer/defibrillator combo install in my left chest a few years ago, but since I normally shoot long guns "righty" I don't think I'll have a problem when I pick up another AK. If all else fails I can always go with an AR-10 with the buffer assembly. It has been nice to make it to 60, but it has put a damper on my shooting. Subscribed and reviewing all your videos you have put out and looking forward to future ones.
Great CAMERA WORK AND EDITING on this one guys! We have come to expect this level of quality, but do not take it for granted. Great job Ula getting target in focus while Rob was shooting it and great INSET showing actual hits on target. Very nice job folks.
Bulgarian Arsenal SAM7SF-84R Bulgarian Arsenal SLR 104FR Molot VEPR FM-AK74-21 Molot VEPR FM-AK47-21 All 1.25-1.5 MOA @ 100 yards w/ Arsenal SM-13V side mounted Steiner M332 w/ caliber matched reticles & Hornady Steel Match, Silver Bear & Tula ammo. “GET SOME!” Thanks Rob for the informative, real world use video!
You nailed this drama in more than one way, Sir. One, blaming a software problem on the hardware is bullshit, and Two, that was some very fine casual marksmanship. Also.....Help! I've got the AK fever pretty bad. Just sold off my beloved Mossberg 590 to buy the SDS Lynx 12. It's pretty sad when even one's shotgun has to be an AK!
When I install the scope rail, I put the muzzle on the ground or something solid and press on the back of the rail with my thumb when I lock down the lever. This assures that the rail is all the way seated forward. Never an issue with zero when I use this method. The biggest issue is a improperly adjusted mount sliding around under recoil so get them on the rail tight. By the way, the Century rail is an improvement over the traditional rail. Yes, Century does occasionally do something right.
Thanks Dr. AK for the excellent work as always!! We would not know half the data about AK's without you Rob!!! Thank you for your service to our country and all your hard work and dedication!! Best AK channel ever, Hope you had a great Thanksgiving and God bless you brother!!👍✊🇺🇸🇺🇸
Thanks for putting in the work with these test been looking for a Side Rail for my M74. You guys have consistently been putting out excellent AK content for years! Thanks again!
best place for ak info! As soon as i brought my ak home, youtube lead me here and i'll not go anywhere else for the definitive AK say so... thanks Robski!
Reid may just have been dealing with some people who hadn't installed theirs correctly and had bad results. He's just going from what he's seeing. Which is why I trust Rob. He sees more than all of us, so I'll take his word on basically everything AK related.
Ok, so I really admire both Reid and Rob and really appreciate their service to my country. My recommendation is that Rob take a rifle class from Reid with cameras rolling and both of them make a video together taking about this subject... Deal...? Deal... Make it happen!
If there is really any kind of noticeable POI shift, the real question is what is causing it. Is the receiver heating up from long shot strings? Is it simply wear-and-tear on the interface between the side rail and mount? Is it a failure to return-to-zero from unmounting and remounting the optic? Is the side rail mount loosening from recoil? Is it improperly mounting it in the first place? I for one figured that there'd be some kind of POI shift from mounting and unmounting the optic, simply because of the tolerances of the side rail and mount interfaces. The AK is not meant to be and is not built to be a precision instrument, anyway. That being said, the accuracy looked perfectly acceptable and the POI shift looked pretty negligible even at 300 yards with bargain bin ammunition. So, for folks worrying about side-mounted optics for your AK, *don't.* Trust your local AKOU rep. The proof is in the pudding. ;]
The whole "Aks are not precise" thing is nonsense when it comes to side rails. if you look at how they are designed its so as the optic locks in the same spot every time. No less precise than a 1913 rail.
So very proud of Rob. He's about to be the first man to walk the Victoria Secret runway show for their new camouflage line. The little boy born in Poland never dreamed that when he came to America he'd be living such a dream
Great info as usual from the AKOU. most civilians simply do not understand the concept of "battle zero" or "combat accuracy" . with the AK side-mount you are not shooting for gold medals, you are shooting for a enemy-sized target, as long as you can hit the vital zone on center mass than you have a perfectly accurate setup. And can we please get a T-shirt that says "Just shut up Rob and do your job!" ?
ive heard the same bs myself and replied i respectfully disagreed with them. my rifles will not fit in my safe with scopes so i take them off and have NEVER had an issue with zero even with my ARs.
This was a very useful assessment of the AK side rail system! I have heard the rumors before and now my confidence in this optic mount system has turned favorable. Thank You!
I have a WASR 10 and really have not had any issues with the side mount rail mounted red dot ever performing or going back to zero. But I always wondered about this potential so thanks for your efforts Rob it is much appreciated.
Excellent video! I have a cheapo wimpo Was-10 with a side rail mounted Holosun red dot. I only shoot at 100yds but, consistently shoot 3 in groups. Give me a break before you trash talk my skills. I'm old and wear glasses! The rail system works for me. Keep making these excellent videos bro! Be Safe!
Does anyone else rewatch these videos for the wholesome CYKA BLYAT ASMR? I'm so glad I found this channel. Not only are they incredibly knowledgeable, but Rob Ski has such awesome energy.
You mean the dipshit who only allows factory, completely unmodified firearms in his classes? He lost all credibility with me when he posted that video, and I unsubbed from his channel.
@@9mmARman he is the kind of guy I would have loved to have had as a history teacher, but I would not take a firearms class from him...not even for free.
@@9mmARman you're easily offended by stuff on the internet and willing to drop all the credibility he has over a class rule??? The dude has actually been to war, teaches thousands both in history and in firearms, does a free RU-vid channel in his spare time but he's no longer credible because he doesn't want to deal with bubba'ed up cheap ak and ars???.... you can't see why someone in the business of teaching those classes would tell people not to bring modified or home builds to a class? His explanation made perfect sense to me... there's always that ONE guy who brought his own creation that doesn't work and holds up everyone else's time....i completely get it. Your build might be great but you know that the next 5 guys fucked theirs up in some way....
I've seen a few of his bids and he seems respectable. I can see the logic behind a class like that if it's intended to teach new shooters the basics, I will admit that I use my rifle in competition and jumped straight to a red dot and tricking it out, would love to revisit the irons and just learn the rifle how kalashnikov intended it. But I wouldn't pay big money for a class like that, to be honest. As for the aide rail well I use a belomo pka Venezuela on my wasr, it's seen competition use, 2 flights 7 or 8 matches, lots of disassembly and still holds minute of man, I've never tried grouping but I'm able to ring steel at 200m consistently. Fwiw the system has been around for a while so it probably would have been abandoned if it didn't hold zero
Great video as always. I used to have a WASR 10 and loved that rifle. Bought it used 10 years ago for $400 and that rifle was my favorite-- even over my much higher priced AR types I had. But living in CA I got tired of using a fin grip and muzzle brake so I sold it to somebody who could use it as it should be used in Free America. But I still have my Saiga with Trijicon MRO mounted on RS Regulate rail. Works great for me.
2 AK's ( 7.62 / 5.45) both with RS-Regulate mounts and Aimpoint Pro's . Never had any problem with the Aimpoints or , the RS Regulate not returning to zero . I would suggest ( to those new to the AK ) RS REG is THE way to go , no matter what optic . Rob is right , don't believe otherwise.
very glad Rob has covered this. These types of claims kept me away from using my side rail. I suppose another somewhat important piece of this is buying one that isn't a complete POS as well.
I've never had a problem with any my rifles not returning to 0 Thanks rob for finally putting this conversation to rest as always awesome video from your central Florida chapter
Sounds like some YT personality went off the rails-ha?????? When I first put a side rail mounted optic on my AK I did virtually the same thing Rob did but was at 50 yards. Did POA/POI shift ???? Can't say for sure but my groups did (don't know the effect of human error etc.???). HOWEVER, they didn't move much. This video confirms the results I got. Yes shots shifted, but not in any amount that would effect "combat accuracy" and there's no way of telling if the shifts happened due to human error, environmental effects, etc. At the end of the day, this video should serve proof positive that there is no impact on combat accuracy out to 305 yards when mounting an optic on an AK side rail. Thanks as always Rob!!!!!
Hi Rob, Excellent demo. We're all of the mounts from the same company. RS Regulate makes great products, they do the job, stay out of the way, and don't weigh you down. Nice looking on the Vepr and nice hits with the 1 power Cyclops! Thanks for posting.
@5:05 A 1 MOA 3 shot group at 100 meters from kneeling, without magnification, quick fire, and with shitty com bloc 5.45 ammo. Great job! And the Vepr is a great rifle. Glad I snagged one when they were still available. Regarding the side rails retaining zero, it does seem there was a consistent small drop in elevation for all 3 rifles, at both 100 and 300.
Rob,,,You Sir are The Man,,,thank you for another educational video,. I take my scope and mount off of my AK when I store it. When I go to the gun range I put it on and it hits very accurately. Thank you again
The problem with some AK rails is the left handed screw that holds the rail tight. Mine was walking on each shot. Ironically enough my screw was too tight. You should tension the screw so that the arm just starts to get tight right before it locks over. I have one of the cheap UTG rails in aluminum. I had to use a screwdriver to bend the aluminum back and after I got the screw right it has held zero ever since.
I've done this with a rail on my ak and just like all three in this video the impact did slightly shift. Roughly a 1.5-2 MOA change but that is still satisfactory for practical use.
lol I just purchased another Zenit B-13 last night. Side rails are idiot proof. I’m sure Ultimak is fine for red dots, but I’d rather use something that is more plug in and play, and won’t expose my optic to heat. I’m also not buying a rifle if I can’t put a magnified optic on it. The truth is that pretty much any optic mount will eventually work itself loose after you shoot enough.
Nice shooting Rob! I don't have side rail so mounted 2X pistol scope "Scout" style on my io. Yeah, io. IO with Hungarian recoil assembly and spring. I first read about that solution from "Round Guy" and tried it before I found your IO reviews. A buffer is now unnecessary and I've logged over 2600 rounds with no failures. Rivets and trunnions look good. Since my optic is mounted to a Midwest Industries forend bolted to the barrel, CEP doubles from 2" to 4" @ 100yds because it wanders as barrel warms. Pig hunting shots in thickets below 50yds anyway. Since I use it as pig gun with 5 shot magazine, it's ok for my needs. All time spent learning about AK and variants was fun and no waste. When I ran across your site I found Nirvana. Next AK will be built AKOU way! It'll be have a side rail. LOL! Thanks Rob
You can hit the target, me not so much! LOL Great job Rob really enjoy your videos. Thanks for all the hard work you do for us. Makes me want to get to the range even more. I need to check on the C39v2 slide you had. I got the older one made by Century Arms that you have to use allen key to take off.
Very cool video. That Vepr really puts them in there especially with that 1x cyclops. I was proud of the ole' beat up Wasr too. Looks like you diid quite a bit of work this day, thanks for the effort.
Perfectly worded! Good shooting also. 1 power at 300 with a breeze . Good job ! Thanks for doing this vid! I was wondering how good the side rail base and mounts work.
Make sure you snug down your screws and Loctite them. Make sure you tune the rail mount adjustment nut as tight as possible so it barely slides on and locks tightly. And you will be GTG
It does take more attention to properly set up a side rail mount in terms of getting all the adjustments perfect and many people don't appreciate this and it results in the believe that the mount its self is fundamentally flawed.
Ive been wanting to add a 74 for quite awhile, ive been hesitant with ammo availability/cost, magazine reliability, and finding a rifle in the wasr price range with wasr reliability. If anyone with 74 experience, not internet, but actual hands on experience can recommend something, im all ears.
@@backyardboosters9128 I bought my wasr 2 about 10 years ago for about 325 dollars. It's never failed and is absolutely a joy to shoot. Probably my best gun purchase for the price ever.
I have the same setup on NPAP with 1-6x PA scope and RS regulate mount. I noticed the last time I used it that it slide on the side rail, but I blamed myself not the rail. I tightened it down one turn and it was good to go. You need to make sure your gear is tightened properly.
All I needed to see is the title of the video and I KNEW exactly what this video was in response to. (And I like that guy too). Eager to watch this, Rob. :-)
