Are side rails on the AKM a 'thing' or not?

[motorcarman]

I have completed almost a dozen AKs over a few years and I just bought a parts kit with NEW COMPONENTS.(not demilled surplus)

ROMANIAN WASR-10 AK-47 7.62x39 VIRGIN PARTS KIT

Explore the reliability and power of the Romanian WASR-10 AK-47 chambered in 7.62x39. This iconic firearm combines Romanian craftsmanship with the renowned AK-47 design, delivering a dependable and powerful shooting experience. Elevate your collection with the Romanian WASR-10, a classic and...

centerfiresystems.com

I decided to turn it into an EAST GERMAN clone so I got most of the parts that are different. (EG marked receiver, 800 meter leaf and rear sight block, 'pebble' buttstock, grip and handguards)

The kit comes with a left side rail type part and I have never seen one on the AKM in real life.
I have no real use for it and if I mounted it I would need to research on mounting it. (fasteners and location etc.)

People that mount scopes on the AK must be optimists. I have dozens of rifles that benefit from glass optics but I don't think of my AKs as long range shooters.

Does anyone actually use these mounts?

 

[rotor]

Yes, they are used and great.

 

[craigntx]

Only to achieve importation. They should all be removed and the gun refinished. At least on guns intended to keep

 

[Coyote9]

I have completed almost a dozen AKs over a few years and I just bought a parts kit with NEW COMPONENTS.(not demilled surplus)

ROMANIAN WASR-10 AK-47 7.62x39 VIRGIN PARTS KIT

Explore the reliability and power of the Romanian WASR-10 AK-47 chambered in 7.62x39. This iconic firearm combines Romanian craftsmanship with the renowned AK-47 design, delivering a dependable and powerful shooting experience. Elevate your collection with the Romanian WASR-10, a classic and...

centerfiresystems.com

I decided to turn it into an EAST GERMAN clone so I got most of the parts that are different. (EG marked receiver, 800 meter leaf and rear sight block, 'pebble' buttstock, grip and handguards)

The kit comes with a left side rail type part and I have never seen one on the AKM in real life.
I have no real use for it and if I mounted it I would need to research on mounting it. (fasteners and location etc.)

People that mount scopes on the AK must be optimists. I have dozens of rifles that benefit from glass optics but I don't think of my AKs as long range shooters.

Does anyone actually use these mounts?

I had a Russian clone AK-74 with a rail, found a soviet trilux and a russian tritium reflex sight that both fit and held zero well when re-attached.. really miss that toy but prices soared and I sold it The aftermarket trilux sights go for 3-350 with integral mount
!I have seen video this week of Ukranians with the tritium sight installed.

 

[Maverick44]

I'm by no means well versed in the history of the various AKs, but from what I understand, most East German AKMs made in the 60s and 70s did not have a rail.

As for using a scope, they actually do have a benefit. It's not so much tighter groups as it is being able to shoot at longer ranges faster, and being able to better identify targets. The stock iron sights on most AKs aren't exactly the best sights for shooting out to 300m. I had an LVPO on my Yugo at one time, but decided it added too much weight for my liking so I swapped it out with a much lighter RDS. That's a really good set up for an AK in my opinion.

 

[A1Oni]

AK side rails are a wonderful way to attach optics and they hold zero if installed correctly, east german AK optics are very expensive though but any combloc optic will look right.

 

[majormadmax]

The first Soviet AKMN/AKML (AKM with a night sight) came out in 1966, but they didn't become common until see on AK-74s during the Afghan War (theirs, not ours!). They were not overly well designed and didn't hold zero well, but they did the trick ("If the minimums weren't good enough, they wouldn't be the minimums!"). Some used RPG scopes were used as they functioned as well as the rifle ones.

The DDR mounted NSP-2 NV scopes on their MPi-KMs starting back in the late 60s and early 70s, so it would be period correct.

I always loved the pebble stocks of the East German MPi-KMs, post some pics when built!

 

[Sam7sf]

Build it without. Be authentic to the build. That’s my vote.

 

[Sam7sf]

You can push that round out to 400 yards all day with irons and red dots and hit a body sized target.

 

[BeatTheTunaUp]

I have a Saiga S308 with a Venezuelan pk-a.
The side mount came on the Saiga and it's nice to have a red dot, but I vote with Sam7sf, leave it off if you're building a clone.

 

[GreatMrPoo]

I have a circle 10 polish akm that was brought back from afghan that I had rebuilt. I put a side rail on mine to use a pk01.

 

[majormadmax]

 

[motorcarman]

I bought the E German buttstock. It is a hollow plastic part and I have a spare buttplate with the cleaning kit 'trap-door'.

Schedule 20 PVC 3/4" is a good fit for the clean-kit steel tube so I fitted one in the East German unit.

 

[motorcarman]

I finally got around to finishing the EG clone.

All the 922r parts required and I just need to load,feed,fire etc.

 

[Eli]

Here I am, minding my own business on a Tuesday morning, and because of this thread I see this: https://centerfiresystems.com/product/wasr-10-ak-47-7.62x39-parts-kit-with-romanian-populated-barrel
That is probably the best value in the AK world right now!

Eli

 

[motorcarman]

I got the cheap one ($399)

ROMANIAN WASR-10 AK-47 7.62x39 VIRGIN PARTS KIT

Explore the reliability and power of the Romanian WASR-10 AK-47 chambered in 7.62x39. This iconic firearm combines Romanian craftsmanship with the renowned AK-47 design, delivering a dependable and powerful shooting experience. Elevate your collection with the Romanian WASR-10, a classic and...

centerfiresystems.com

and made the EG clone from those parts.

I don't have a problem with populating a barrel.
I can set 'headspace' so I have no issues.

I bought a Hungarian AMD65 kit with "Barrel Already Populated" and it was the worst sight alignment I have ever seen. The front sight is OBVIOUSLY canted to the left!!!!!!!
I have not tried to sight it in at distance, but I did move the front sight post over as far as I could.

Please let me do my own aligning!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[motorcarman]

I did NOT install the rail. I have never seen one IN PERSON and I don't have 'attachments'.
I would need to hold the AK in my hands and see how it works before I fitted one to any of mine. (maybe someday?)

 

[motorcarman]

I see the mount points at the ends of the rail (one buttstock rivet, obviously LONGER) and I see that an additional mount hole needs to be drilled/riveted at the magwell.

There are 'reliefs' in the back of the rail for CENTER SUPPORT and SAFETY LEVER (I think) but what is the center hole purpose?

I guess there are other side rail patterns for the UNDERFOLDER or SIDEFOLDER?

 

[Sam7sf]

I finally got around to finishing the EG clone.

All the 922r parts required and I just need to load,feed,fire etc.

View attachment 304228 View attachment 304229

Looks great! Good job. Now...where’s your adidas pants, shoes and shirt?

 

[Eli]

I see the mount points at the ends of the rail (one buttstock rivet, obviously LONGER) and I see that an additional mount hole needs to be drilled/riveted at the magwell.

There are 'reliefs' in the back of the rail for CENTER SUPPORT and SAFETY LEVER (I think) but what is the center hole purpose?

I guess there are other side rail patterns for the UNDERFOLDER or SIDEFOLDER?

View attachment 304349

They're semi-specific for use with AKM or AK-74 rear trunnions, the forward trunnion rivet is the same as the rear rail rivet and the AK-74 has a wider spacing on the trunnion. The notches are to clear the hammer and trigger pins.
I don't know of a rail for an underfolder.

Eli