Got my SGL21-66

[gpwasr10]

Finnaly got her... it's a magnificent weapon to boot! Very happy with it.

AND while I was there I spotted a Biakal Makarov in 9x18mm (KBI Import) with the adjustable rear sight AND Holster with extra mag for the kingly ransom of $149.00 Looks to be hardly fired at best. How could I say no? So it was a Russian Afternoon.

Pics to come...

[ATAK, Inc.]

Awesome Russian score!!!

[mriddick]

That's quite a deal on the mak.

[Alpha_Omega33]

congratulations on the new weaponry!

[gpwasr10]

Pics and initial impressions…


So here are my acquisitions for “GP’s Big Fat Ass Russian Thursday”… They make a cute couple, no? Funny thing here is that had my rifle not been delivered as late as it was, I would have never seen the Mak. As it was traded in the day before, the weapon did not make it 24 hours when I saw it and snapped it up. Anyways, on to the SGL and my impressions…


Out of all the AKs I’ve personally owned (GPWASR10, AMD-65, Yugo M-70) this one BY FAR exhibits the finest fit and finish. Everything lines up nicely and the action seems butter smooth. The Arsenal 2 Stage trigger that shipped with this rifle breaks super clean and has a very nice reset. The finish seems to be of the “Gun Kote” variety and is applied pretty well for this type of rifle. It has a number of AK-103 features like the AK-74 style break, extended mag release lever, 90 deg gas block, AK-74 style front sight and the accessory lug (For mounting a grenade launcher as I understand it, it looks like the old [pre ‘74] Bayo lug to me ).


Some of the markings including the Triangle in Arrow we are all familiar with, markings seem subdued and done tastefully. The rifle comes, of course, with a Com-Bloc optics rail.


A little American ingenuity in the form of a Midwest Industries Quad Rail and it seems to be VERY stable and are numbered for gear positioning. The upper rail is milled down the middle for front sight viewing, problem is that I cannot mount rail protectors on the upper rail as doing so will block the front sight. However I don’t foresee that as really being a problem.


The components are all new manufacture and it shows. Attention to detail on the internals is nice, with includes a installed bullet feed ramp and the bottom of the chamber looks like it is also a little throated. It will be interesting to see if this feature improves HP /SP feeding. I guess it’s a little like the Russian version of the “M-4 Style Feed Ramps” and another carried over feature of the AK-103.


The piston is different than what I am used to as it does not exhibit the normal grooves in the piston head; as I understand it this is another AK-103 feature. I don’t know what the advantages really are; other then it might be a little easier to clean. It also is firmly set into the carrier (i.e. no piston wobble) which seems unusual as all other AK’s I have handled have a little wobble.



Bolt seems to be of non-standard dimensions. The shaft is smaller than what I am used to. However, it seems VERY well made and fits nicely to the carrier.

So far so good, I am very pleased with the weapon and am really looking forward to shooting up some targets with it.

NOW, the MaK..





I mean, it was completely spotless when I stripped it earlier. I wiped it down and took the pics. The only thing it did not come with I the little Tool they used to come with. Other than that this is my first Mak ever, and I have always wanted one, but on the back burner. My waiting paid off in spades I’d say.

[Cap45]

bad ass GP.. bad ass..........

[gpwasr10]

bad ass GP.. bad ass..........

Thank you my good man.

[El Laton Caliente]

Nice. I got to handle an Arsenal converted Saiga at Saleens when I picked up the AR receivers. They are very well done.

[gpwasr10]

Nice. I got to handle an Arsenal converted Saiga at Saleens when I picked up the AR receivers. They are very well done.

How did those PSA recievers look? They pretty quality units?

[El Laton Caliente]

The receivers were nice. They have a rough parkerized like finish, but the machining and polishing is very good. No burrs or mill marks at all. I won't know more until I get one together.

[mrkalashnikov]

Nice pics, welcome to the Club.

[gpwasr10]

The receivers were nice. They have a rough parkerized like finish, but the machining and polishing is very good. No burrs or mill marks at all. I won't know more until I get one together.

Let me know for sure, I might wanna put a "Milspec-as-possible" M-4gery as my next project.

[gpwasr10]

Nice pics, welcome to the Club.

Thanks man! Having a real Russian AK Is something I have always wanted.

[hazmat]

Nice looking rifle you got there, dude. Does it take standard mags or the specially made Surefire types?

Is it just me or does there appear to be some rust in the breach area there?

[NewbieAKguy]

VERY nice rifle there GP. I might have to put at Arsenal at the head of my 1st AK list . Also, agreed about it looking like rust in the chamber.

[AK-J]

Nice rifle!

It looks like it might be some either packing grease or laquer in the chamber. Rust would be more red, IMO.

[hazmat]

103.


The piston is different than what I am used to as it does not exhibit the normal grooves in the piston head; as I understand it this is another AK-103 feature. I don’t know what the advantages really are; other then it might be a little easier to clean. It also is firmly set into the carrier (i.e. no piston wobble) which seems unusual as all other AK’s I have handled have a little wobble.




Bolt seems to be of non-standard dimensions. The shaft is smaller than what I am used to. However, it seems VERY well made and fits nicely to the carrier.

Couple of things about the new Russian AKs. They no longer pin stuff in place like they used to. It's now 'puch-pressed' instead. That's the little divot you see where the rivet used to be. I'd be willing to bet you see the same thing on the front gas block and the front site. I built a 1987 dated Izzy AK 74 last year that came with a cut-up barrel. Removing the barrel parts from the stubs was interesting since there were no pins, just those divots from the punch press operation.

As for the bolt, I noticed the same thing on the S 308 I used to have. My S12 has the same thing. Little tiny spindle compared to the beefy one on the AKM. Same design on the '74 bolt. It would not surpise me if the new model 100-series rifles from Izmash had this same design feature. The firing pin should also be spring loaded.

[gpwasr10]

VERY nice rifle there GP. I might have to put at Arsenal at the head of my 1st AK list . Also, agreed about it looking like rust in the chamber.

I noticed that after posting the pics last night, so I went back downstairs and took a rag and stuffed it the chamber with the .30 cal brush and whatever it was wiped right off onto the rag, looked like grease or old oil. The chamber ooked like this after...



It's a chrome chamber and bore so I'd be shocked had it actually been rust... Maybe it was just the industrial Russian air? LOL

And I appreciate the rifle comments... but what about that Makarov?!? LOL

[NewbieAKguy]

Good to know. Nice pistol, if it floats ur boat! Just doesn't float mine, lol. It is a nice score I admit. Makarovs/Tokarevs aren't my thing pistol-wise is all

[gpwasr10]

Couple of things about the new Russian AKs. They no longer pin stuff in place like they used to. It's now 'puch-pressed' instead. That's the little divot you see where the rivet used to be. I'd be willing to bet you see the same thing on the front gas block and the front site. I built a 1987 dated Izzy AK 74 last year that came with a cut-up barrel. Removing the barrel parts from the stubs was interesting since there were no pins, just those divots from the punch press operation.

As for the bolt, I noticed the same thing on the S 308 I used to have. My S12 has the same thing. Little tiny spindle compared to the beefy one on the AKM. Same design on the '74 bolt. It would not surpise me if the new model 100-series rifles from Izmash had this same design feature. The firing pin should also be spring loaded.

Nope, they look pinned, but I still cannot see how the piston is attached to the bolt. Also, the firing pin is free floating, like a standard AKM. I was figuring that the small bolt stem was a ak-74 thing that got carried across the line.