I'm into experimenting with Russian optics and so decided to take a chance on the Rakurs as a replacement for my PK-AS, it will probably go on my S12 as an experiment to see if it's a suitable optic for it. I ordered it a couple weeks ago expecting a 3-4 week back order (based on Kalinka's website), but to my surprise they had it at my door in just 4 days.


$379 at Kalinka. Not the most popular place recently but personally I've always had extremely good results with them.
http://www.kalinkaoptics.com/rifle-scopes/red-dot/rakurs-a-new-military-extreme-collimating-dual-black-green-german-post-tactical-combat-sight-ak-akm-rifle-scope.html


First impressions are very good, the unit is solid and seems to be constructed in the tough and durable classic Russian optic fashion which is a big reason I am such a fan of them in general. The scope is non magnified but like the PK-AS does have eye relief that you have to accomodate for, the reticule appears to have no parallax but you can't always see it unless you're lined up to the optic properly. In practice its a non issue because your shooting stance will naturally tend to put your eye where it needs to be; but I feel like it's worth mentioning for those interested in getting a scope like this...I don't consider it a design flaw, just something you have to make a mild adjustment for. Russian optics are often quirky in one way or another and it didn't surprise me the Rakurs was similar to the PK-AS with this trait. The eye piece also has an adjustment to focus the reticule which is a handy feature.

I had to adjust the clamp before I could mount it to any of my rifles, out of the box it was extremely tight and the lever would only close 3/4 even when not mounted. It took all of 5 minutes to get it adjusted to my SGL31 and from there it fit all my other side rails perfectly with the exception of the S12 (which required some amount of force to get it locked when mounted). Since this is intended for the S12 I am happy with the tight fit, it's not uncommon for my PK-AS to come off the rail or pop the elevation shaft out of the rear of the PK-AS body because of how punishing the S12 recoil is. I think the Rakurs will hold up fine but I'm thinking height over bore is probably going to make shooting clays difficult just like it was with the PK-AS. My intent is to zero it for slugs at 100m and then figure out what the Rakurs can do for clays.

Haven't been to the range yet but it looks like it will be extremely easy to zero. Elevation and windage is marked U-D and L-R; while I like the variety of funky adjustment tools that Russian scopes often have, in this case a screw driver is all that is needed. My only real complaint about the PK-AS is how difficult it can be to zero, but the Rakurs has followed the trend that later Russian optics have been on and has really simple controls to get it dialed in.



Russian marked 1P76 version without diopter




Reticule
This is indeed a tritium illuminated reticule but because of the eye relief it's hard to get a decent picture of it. It's green and has a ghostly feel to it, I like it alot. No on/off, no batteries and nothing to worry about.




On the S12






SLR105




PK-AS-S and Rakurs, here you can see the relative difference in height





Semi top view, it was hard to get a good photo showing the height over the receiver. It does block the irons.







Overall it's safe to say out of the box I think I have a good scope, but hopefully I can get to the range soon to get it dialed in properly for a final opinion.




Z

There's a lot going on with that Saiga-12 that I'm not familiar with.  Maybe you could start a thread about that weapon?

It was a fun project but took a year to scrounge all the parts and get it put together. I'm not even going to mention the cost either

The stock is a Russian SVDS folder, basically its the same stock as the modern SVDS Dragunov rifle but adapted experimentally to fit an AK. It uses the standard 5.5mm rear trunnion but needs a special S12 front latch before it can lock folded. There is an Izhmash S12 magwell installed along with the special mag that it takes. You can modify US made mags to fit but I haven't bothered. The PG is also Izhmash made for the S12. Rear sight block is the Dinzag gas tube mod where he welds the rear sight leaf assembly to your original sight block and modifies a gas tube to fit the gas block. The gas tube does not disassemble without moving the gas block forward but that doesn't really matter because you can clean it just fine if you remove the puck from the gas block. Lower HG is secured by Dinzags HG retainer. The barrel has been shortened to 18.5" at the end of the permanently attached brake and the front site tower is also the Russian version for the S12.

Pretty simple to execute it just took a loooooooooong time to get all the parts in hand.


Z

SWEET GUNS DUDE...

Good review and a nice acquisition.  The Rakurs looks a little bigger on a rifle than I expected (tough to judge size on Kalinka's website), but it's still very nice nonetheless.  I'm wondering if Kalinka's Rakurs were built for export since the windage and elevation lettering (U-D, L-R) isn't in Cyrillic as it is in others I have seen.  Like most other Russian optics, it looks Tonka-tuff, should serve you well.

That's one hell of a project.  Great results.

so the sight is a little to the left over the top of the rifle right?

I'm very jealous of your S12, sir.

You got a good set up keep us posted when you sight it in at the range

So....whats that little cap that looks like a removable LED bulb under the R-L adjustment knob? Any possibility of it being a replaceable tritium element?

Doesn't appear to have any obvious factory defects... I hope it holds zero!

Where/when did you buy your PK-AS?  I might go that route from either Tantal or Eastwave.  However, when I tried locating one several years ago, they were both out of stock with no estimate when they could get more.

I bought mine a number of years ago, I've actually had 3 or 4 over the years but decided to keep one when I noticed the prices going up. As far as I know they are discontinued so the only place to find them seems to be the EE from private sellers.






It does appear to the tritium insert, I can't see any other obvious function for it. I'm thinking if you undid the two screws holding it in place the unit might come out, but am not totally sure.


Z

it looks huge next to the pk. what's the weight difference?

According to the specs, the Rakurz is 1.5 pounds and the PK is 8 ounces, but the Rakurz doesn't actually feel twice as heavy. or feel heavy at all.







Z

After nearly a straight year of using the Rakurs on the S12 and a few rifles I have to say that I am more impressed than ever with it. I now have both the civilian A1 version with adjustable diopter and the 1P76 Russian marked version, both have continued to impress me as dependable and functional optics. Over 1000 rounds of high and low brass through the S12 with it mounted and not a single problem...I've zeroed for 100 yards with slugs and in all this time the zero is still good and I can do well enough on clays with birdshot, better than I used to with PK-AS actually. It's really been a fantastic optic.  

This has become my favorite 'red dot' optic by far, even more so than the PK-AS. I am really happy with Rakurs and recommend it highly for anyone wanting an effective optic for their AK.




Z

Great pictures for a change and great Optics.