ak red dot

[rtodd1586]

I am looking for some pros and cons for placement of a red dot on my AK47.
Currently I have a quick release side mount picatinny rail with a red dot on it. My question is whats the benefit if any of replacing the front handgaurd and moving the red dot there.
Thanks in advance.

 

[Jimbob2.0]

I cant think of any, except if you have a folding stock. For guns such as the SLR106,7,5 series the rail mount gets in the way and you have to remove the quick release for folded operation. Even this could have been avoided with a suitable indent molded in the stock.

The AK side rail is one of the best optics mounts ever devised, I would keep it and get a more traditional optic.

http://kalinkaoptics.com/

 

[l730dc]

You wont have to take the side rail off the take the reciever cover off.. which u might already not have to do

Edit.. im not sure if I made sense when I said that. With the side mount rail sometimes it gets in the way of the dust cover coming off.. but with a rail where your handguard is.. that wouldnt be an issue (but it might already not be an issue because I dont know what your working with)

 

[Jimbob2.0]

You wont have to take the side rail off the take the reciever cover off.. which u might already not have to do

But thats no big deal, and most you can remove the reciever cover with scope in place. If its a quality side rail and mount, it will go back in close enough (for AK standards) to zero.

 

[l730dc]

Hey whats that supposed to mean.. "good enough for ak standards"

 

[l730dc]

Rtodd.. what kind of red dot do u have.. how much do they costs.. and how has it been for you (completely unrelated to your question.. I am selfishly asking for myself)

 

[AlpineDude67]

I'm no expert on this, but I did look at this same issue a little bit and decided I didn't want the forward red dot, although I gather that some people like them.

My thinking was the following: (1) The side mount was put where it is for a reason - because the side of the receiver is going to take the least abuse/flex while the gun is in operation - so that means a good side mount should be a more stable platform for the optic. That also means less stress on the components in the optic, important particularly if you aren't buying an Aimpoint or other heavy-duyt optic that is designed to take a serious beating. (2) if you are running a small, micro dot, that is just a long way from your eye, and if you are running a full size, you are putting a non-trivial amount of weight out over the barrel and unbalancing the gun a little bit, which seems undesirable to me.

Anyway, that is my reasonably uninformed opinion. Maybe somebody else can come on here and tell me I am full of it?

 

[Jimbob2.0]

Hey whats that supposed to mean.. "good enough for ak standards"

I mean that the AK isnt exactly a precision bench gun so even if there is a tiny variation it will hardly be noticable given the guns inherent accuracy limitations and probably more importantly the limitations on the accuracy of most commercial/surplus ammo. Love em, have many and have been shooting high and low grade models for well over a decade.

 

[l730dc]

I mean that the AK isnt exactly a precision bench gun so even if there is a tiny variation it will hardly be noticable given the guns inherent accuracy limitations and probably more importantly the limitations on the accuracy of most commercial/surplus ammo. Love em, have many and have been shooting high and low grade models for well over a decade.

I knew what u meant.. lol

 

[AlpineDude67]

Rtodd.. what kind of red dot do u have.. how much do they costs.. and how has it been for you (completely unrelated to your question.. I am selfishly asking for myself)

Here is a quick and dirty answer:

Cheap red-dot, under $100, a lot of people like the Bushnell TRS-25 microdot.

Mid-Range - Vortex Strikefire is popular, around $150

Military Grade - Aimpoint, EoTech - $400+ These do the same thing the cheaper ones do, but they are far better built, more durable, less likely to fail in an emergency situation, etc.

These definitely aren't the only ones out there and some people will say you have to get X or Y, or Z is a piece of crap. It gets a little bit like Ford vs. Chevy. Undoubtedly, somebody will say even this simple, incomplete summary sucks because ____.

Go to YouTube and get more detailed info. or search the forums - there is a lot of info. out there. Nutnfancy has a lot of video reviews on various red dots, and that is one place to start looking.

 

[rtodd1586]

Rtodd.. what kind of red dot do u have.. how much do they costs.. and how has it been for you (completely unrelated to your question.. I am selfishly asking for myself)

Its the bushnell TRS-25. I love it so far. I have had it on for about 1000 rds and it holds ZERO nicely. ( for an ak lol)

Im not looking for sub MOA accuracy I know that this isnt the rifle for that. This is my SHTF rifle and was just looking for sound bites on placement. I like where it is now. Its fast on target and easy to see

I am going to upgrade to a eotech soon though.

 

[AlpineDude67]

Its the bushnell TRS-25. I love it so far. I have had it on for about 1000 rds and it holds ZERO nicely. ( for an ak lol)

Im not looking for sub MOA accuracy I know that this isnt the rifle for that. This is my SHTF rifle and was just looking for sound bites on placement. I like where it is now. Its fast on target and easy to see

I am going to upgrade to a eotech soon though.

I have been thinking about the Bushnell TRS-25 on a VEPR 12 (shotgun). Seems like it would be perfect, if it could survive. I don't own a TRS-25 right now, what do you think of yours in terms of build-quality? Think it could it survive riding on a similar rail above a shotgun, or am I crazy to think it would last more than 100 rounds?

 

[rtodd1586]

With the price of the TRS-25, I say try it out. Personally I have never used a red dot on a shotgun, or any optic for that matter There are 10000000 reviews on YouTube about it though. It looks like it would be up to the task.

 

[AlpineDude67]

With the price of the TRS-25, I say try it out. Personally I have never used a red dot on a shotgun, or any optic for that matter There are 10000000 reviews on YouTube about it though. It looks like it would be up to the task.

Yeah. An optic on a shotgun is new territory for me as well. But the VEPR 12 is not exactly a trap gun.

 

[l730dc]

What do they call the ones you dont look threw? Its more like a single piece of "glass" . Like the burris fastfire.. I feel like that would be a faster shot.. what are the plusses and minuses (and what are they called)


**sorry for thread jacking and being a optic noob**

 

[rtodd1586]

I guess depending on what you want to do the the shotgun depends on the optic. For $100 try it out and if you dont like it.
Sell it or put it on a lower recoil firearm?
For me the only attachments I have on a HD shotgun is a light and a sling.

 

[rtodd1586]

Fastfire is nice, I know a few people who have it on their plinksters ( .22, .223, .17) its very fast on target. Dont think I would put it on a high cal. Rifle or shotgun. But Im no expect on it.

 

[l730dc]

I dont like that it doesnt adjust with a knob.. but I like that style because I feel like it can aquire target fast.. but I dont know what they're called.. and I dont know if they are prone to glare or something else I dont know about..

 

[TheBulge]

What do they call the ones you dont look threw? Its more like a single piece of "glass" . Like the burris fastfire.. I feel like that would be a faster shot.. what are the plusses and minuses (and what are they called)


**sorry for thread jacking and being a optic noob**

Its a Reflex sight.
You still look through it.
Pro's
They are very small and light. Some like the Trijicon RMR are very durable.
Con's
Small glass gives you less field of view. The dots tend to wash out if you are in a dark area and are looking into a very bright area. Some are adjustable to overcome this.

 

[l730dc]

Its a Reflex sight.
You still look through it.
Pro's
They are very small and light. Some like the Trijicon RMR are very durable.
Con's
Small glass gives you less field of view. The dots tend to wash out if you are in a dark area and are looking into a very bright area. Some are adjustable to overcome this.

Ive seen some that are closed in.. it "seems" like the open style would give you a better view.. but ive only peered down less than a handful of optics (all shitty quality scopes)