PSA AK's

[RC3]

I love psa as many people here do (Thanks guy for introducing them to me and making me waste TONS of money on stuff I dont need), but since they released their ak's a few months ago, I have been hesitant. Most us ak's seem like they are crap but psa has always been great. Anyone have experience with them?

[Ronald_55]

@TGO David might chime in

[Smith]

They are not your average American made AK. I've had them since they first came out years ago and they are good to go. I'd take a PSA long before a Century or any other American AK, especially an I.O. which I'd never buy. However, I'd still take an import first and the new Romanians are better and cheaper..

 

 

[RC3]

17 minutes ago, Smith said:

They are not your average American made AK. I've had them since they first came out years ago and they are good to go. I'd take a PSA long before a Century or any other American AK, especially an I.O. which I'd never buy. However, I'd still take an import first and the new Romanians are better and cheaper..

 

 

I dunno man, for $499 thats a hard price to beat.

[Smith]

1 hour ago, RC3 said:

I dunno man, for $499 thats a hard price to beat.

Eh, that's blem model pricing. 

[monkeylizard]

I have yet to find any actual blemishes on PSA blem AR lowers. I wonder if their AKs are the same.

[hipower]

1 hour ago, monkeylizard said:

I have yet to find any actual blemishes on PSA blem AR lowers. I wonder if their AKs are the same.

Same here. Bought blem lowers, uppers, and complete guns from PSA. No discernable flaws in any of them.

[felinesNfreedom]

I've got one of the Blem AK's. I am having issues with the scope mount on the side of the receiver. The scope mount does not line up over the center of the barrel. I've contacted PSA about this multiple times and sent them pictures last week and they emailed me this week wanting me to send the gun to them for them to look at the issue. The gun itself is really nice with fit and finish wise. Watch the AK operator unions review of the gun if you want more details.

[Smith]

1 hour ago, XxthejuicexX said:

I've got one of the Blem AK's. I am having issues with the scope mount on the side of the receiver. The scope mount does not line up over the center of the barrel. I've contacted PSA about this multiple times and sent them pictures last week and they emailed me this week wanting me to send the gun to them for them to look at the issue. The gun itself is really nice with fit and finish wise. Watch the AK operator unions review of the gun if you want more details.

That's fairly common with all side mounts. Reason I always used the TWS system, Ultimak, or SLR

Edited October 27, 2017 by Smith

[felinesNfreedom]

3 minutes ago, Smith said:

25 minutes ago, XxthejuicexX said:

I've got one of the Blem AK's. I am having issues with the scope mount on the side of the receiver. The scope mount does not line up over the center of the barrel. I've contacted PSA about this multiple times and sent them pictures last week and they emailed me this week wanting me to send the gun to them for them to look at the issue. The gun itself is really nice with fit and finish wise. Watch the AK operator unions review of the gun if you want more details.

That's fairly common with all side mounts. Season if always used the TWS system, Ultimak, or SLR

Yeah, I have heard that. I tried three different mounts. I guess my next step is using the Gen 3 TWS dust cover.

[Dolomite_supafly]

6 hours ago, XxthejuicexX said:

I've got one of the Blem AK's. I am having issues with the scope mount on the side of the receiver. The scope mount does not line up over the center of the barrel. I've contacted PSA about this multiple times and sent them pictures last week and they emailed me this week wanting me to send the gun to them for them to look at the issue. The gun itself is really nice with fit and finish wise. Watch the AK operator unions review of the gun if you want more details.

The problem is the mount, not the gun. I have tried a lot of the cheaper mount a and they have issues like you describe. 

Buy a RSO mount and forget about it  

[btq96r]

11 hours ago, monkeylizard said:

I have yet to find any actual blemishes on PSA blem AR lowers. I wonder if their AKs are the same.

 

9 hours ago, hipower said:

Same here. Bought blem lowers, uppers, and complete guns from PSA. No discernable flaws in any of them.

A "blem" from PSA is about or less than the first knick or bump at the range handling a new gun.  Ridiculously good deals when you get them as I'm sure many of us have.

[Oh Shoot]

9 hours ago, XxthejuicexX said:

I've got one of the Blem AK's. I am having issues with the scope mount on the side of the receiver. The scope mount does not line up over the center of the barrel. I've contacted PSA about this multiple times and sent them pictures last week and they emailed me this week wanting me to send the gun to them for them to look at the issue.

That's really a function of the mount, not the base. There's really only one way to put a standard AK base on the rifle, I'm surprised PSA would even consider taking it back in for that.

 

9 hours ago, Smith said:

That's fairly common with all side mounts. Reason I always used the TWS system, Ultimak, or SLR

Yep, have UTG mounts on two WASRs, center of mount rail a bit short of top dead center of both. Scopes zero fine, though.

- OS

 

Edited October 28, 2017 by Oh Shoot

[RC3]

I'll pick one up hopefully before the end of the year if I have any extra funds. Wish they had a 74 instead of the 47.

[lock n' load]

I've been kinda curious about the PSA KS47 rifle. It's a possible alternative to the CMMG Mutant. Anyone ever shot one of these? Are they reliable and accurate?

[felinesNfreedom]

On 10/27/2017 at 7:30 PM, Dolomite_supafly said:

The problem is the mount, not the gun. I have tried a lot of the cheaper mount a and they have issues like you describe. 

Buy a RSO mount and forget about it  

I must be missing the RSO mount, don't know that one. I've tried the Midwest mount with both the built in scope rings and just the rail. I've also used the cheaper UTG pro and it was the same way.

[felinesNfreedom]

On 10/27/2017 at 10:20 PM, Oh Shoot said:

That's really a function of the mount, not the base. There's really only one way to put a standard AK base on the rifle, I'm surprised PSA would even consider taking it back in for that.

 

Yep, have UTG mounts on two WASRs, center of mount rail a bit short of top dead center of both. Scopes zero fine, though.

- OS

 

The UTG was way off on my gun too. You guys have me questioning my decision to ask them about a warranty issue but I am just surprised the rails can be so far off.

[felinesNfreedom]

On 10/28/2017 at 12:48 AM, RC3 said:

I'll pick one up hopefully before the end of the year if I have any extra funds. Wish they had a 74 instead of the 47.

I really wish they would release the 74. I would order one immediately, been on my wish list for about 8 years now.

[Oh Shoot]

3 hours ago, XxthejuicexX said:

The UTG was way off on my gun too. You guys have me questioning my decision to ask them about a warranty issue but I am just surprised the rails can be so far off.

If you think about it, a misplacement on the rail base on the rifle could only affect the height of the actual mount over the receiver, it's already as flush to the receiver as it can get, so couldn't affect the left/right centering of the mount over the receiver. That's up to the mount construction itself, and seems both the original UTG and the pro version are slightly short of top dead center on all AKs.

- OS

Edited October 30, 2017 by Oh Shoot

[Smith]

If you think about it, a misplacement on the rail base on the rifle could only affect the height of the actual mount over the receiver, it's already as flush to the receiver as it can get, so couldn't affect the left/right centering of the mount over the receiver. That's up to the mount construction itself, and seems both the original UTG and the pro version are slightly short of top dead center on all AKs.
- OS

Actually no. Receiver flex, receivers within spec but slightly off all make a difference. I've never had heights issues, but several country varieties I've had windage issues. I'd have to set optics all the way right or left to get on target. AK receivers are so loose that you can have a solid functioning AK with a crooked receiver and never notice till you put a side mount on and look down the receiver.

You can also run into the issue of canted front trunions that actually throw you left or right (consistently) depending on the barrel push. This will also create a similar issue.

[felinesNfreedom]

7 minutes ago, Smith said:

Actually no. Receiver flex, receivers within spec but slightly off all make a difference. I've never had heights issues, but several country varieties I've had windage issues. I'd have to set optics all the way right or left to get on target. AK receivers are so loose that you can have a solid functioning AK with a crooked receiver and never notice till you put a side mount on and look down the receiver.

You can also run into the issue of canted front trunions that actually throw you left or right (consistently) depending on the barrel push. This will also create a similar issue.
 

I think I could make the mounts work but like you it would probably have to set it all the way to the left. I bet the mount would set the optic 3/8 of an inch or so over to the right of the center of the rifle. 

[RC3]

6 hours ago, XxthejuicexX said:

I really wish they would release the 74. I would order one immediately, been on my wish list for about 8 years now.

I have a 74, but if they release one, I will get both. I hate how they list 74 mags and its always 0

[Oh Shoot]

57 minutes ago, Smith said:

Actually no. Receiver flex, receivers within spec but slightly off all make a difference. I've never had heights issues, but several country varieties I've had windage issues. I'd have to set optics all the way right or left to get on target. AK receivers are so loose that you can have a solid functioning AK with a crooked receiver and never notice till you put a side mount on and look down the receiver.

You can also run into the issue of canted front trunions that actually throw you left or right (consistently) depending on the barrel push. This will also create a similar issue.
 

Well, whatever.

But as I said, none of these are due to to the riveted base itself. Assuming the piece is standard size and shape, all that can be done with it is to rivet it to the side of the receiver. It could be placed too high or low on the receiver I suppose, which could only affect height of whatever mount you use. But it just can't affect centering of the mount over the receiver, that's all on whatever rail mount you use.

 

- OS

Edited October 31, 2017 by Oh Shoot

[Oh Shoot]

So yeah, I guess the PSA receiver itself cold be wonky somehow.

But since I have two UTG mounts that don't center on two different WASRs made in different years, and if you read comments on the UTG mounts on webstores which also mention the problem,  you'll find that the centering fault is almost certainly in them.

The UTG mounts also aren't consistent as to gap that slips over the mount base either as the two I have don't fit either WASR in same way, and the one I took off one of them to put on my PSA AK I would have had to modify, as was too tight. Which all suggests that maybe both the sight bases on the rifles and the UTG mount both vary a skosh from one to the other. But again, the non-centered position over the receiver seems consistent, and that has to be due to the UTG mounts.

- OS

Edited October 31, 2017 by Oh Shoot

[Smith]

13 hours ago, Oh Shoot said:

Well, whatever.

But as I said, none of these are due to to the riveted base itself. Assuming the piece is standard size and shape, all that can be done with it is to rivet it to the side of the receiver. It could be placed too high or low on the receiver I suppose, which could only affect height of whatever mount you use. But it just can't affect centering of the mount over the receiver, that's all on whatever rail mount you use.

 

- OS

Ok, but no it's not. Cross bracing push, rivet deflection, wavy 1.0 mm receiver wall, front trunion issues, the base rail groove itself not machined cleanly all get magnified with the mount. Cheap mounts can have the same issue if the rail and mount aren't straight to begin with. That is probably what you are seeing, but it is and was common to have to offset Russion optics to towards one side or the other to compensate.