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Posted: 3/24/2020 4:12:35 PM EDT
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When the Chinese virus situation finally resolves itself Since I have a good amount of 7.62x54r ammo set aside (For me anyway) I have decided I would like to buy a semi auto rifle chambered for this round The rifle would need to have readily available magazines Unfortunately I don’t have a lot of knowledge in this area Right now, I am looking at the Romanian PSL that Atlantic Firearms With a 2k price limit, HELPFUL suggestions or ideas welcome |
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Find a VEPR instead. From what I understand, the PSL essentially uses an AK action rather than a Dragunov action. If you’re going to use an AK action anyway, go ahead and get a real Russian action and barrel built from the ground up by the people that know how. For $2k, you should be able to score one on Gunbroker. Downside is the mags. I’m not sure if the VEPR’s in 54r use proprietary mags or can use PSL magazines. |
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( FPK, PSL) are different from VEPR's and are not interchangeable with VEPR. FPK, PSL's are not importable anymore, no more parts kits, magazine, etc........ So if you want a reasonable priced 7.62x54R the PSL, FPK is not the way to go, limited parts, very high priced magazines $50-75 each when you can find them, limited availability, $1500-$2000 priced per rig, limited scope mounting options. VEPR's are limited to 10 rounds per magazine, if I am not mistaken. But rifles and magazines are available. If you want to know more about FPK, PSL's drop me a message I have one now, it is not for sale, but I can tell you the good and bad about them, I don't want to highjack your thread. 10MMGuy |
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PSL's and FPK's (Same thing I always thought) are also limited to 10 round mags (at least I've never seen a larger capacity). They are fun to be able to shoot 7.62x54r in a semi, and if you have enough ammo sitting around to make the rifle worth it, then I'd buy one, but make sure it works. I've owned 3 over the years, still own two and have fun shooting them since I stocked up on ammo when it was cheap. If I was buying one now, I would go with the VEPR as others have posted though, since it's a newly built rifle and not one that was put together from a parts kit. |
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Official Site Nickname, given by NorCal - "Smack"
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Originally Posted By 10MMGuy: ( FPK, PSL) are different from VEPR's and are not interchangeable with VEPR. FPK, PSL's are not importable anymore, no more parts kits, magazine, etc........ So if you want a reasonable priced 7.62x54R the PSL, FPK is not the way to go, limited parts, very high priced magazines $50-75 each when you can find them, limited availability, $1500-$2000 priced per rig, limited scope mounting options. VEPR's are limited to 10 rounds per magazine, if I am not mistaken. But rifles and magazines are available. If you want to know more about FPK, PSL's drop me a message I have one now, it is not for sale, but I can tell you the good and bad about them, I don't want to highjack your thread. 10MMGuy I’d love to hear your thoughts as well since I’ve never owned one. Also, I understand that the VEPR and PSL are not interchangeable as far as parts go. What I was trying to say is that (from what I have read and seen) the PSL does not actually use the SVD action as some assume and instead uses a larger/heavier AK action. So you aren’t getting a Romanian SVD when you buy a PSL, you are just buying a Romanian AK upsized to 7.62x54r. So if you are buying an AK in 54r, might as well buy one built in Russia, by Russian AK builders, with Russian parts rather than a PSL which is a mishmash of American and Romanian parts cobbled together by Century. But I am open to being corrected if I am wrong about that. |
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Op, I have a FPK put together by TN Guns, in Knox, TN. I have had it for over 10 years, bought it for $325.00, it came with one magazine. It was a surplus build, numbers match. I later bought 2 of the military magazine pouches holding 4 mags each for $50 with four magazines each pouch. I wish I had bought a few more at that price. The rifle is fun to shoot, low recoil, big caliber fun gun in every way. It gathers a crowd every time. It is a great surplus ammo blaster. It easy to shoot cheap using old surplus. I have fed it a large assortment of ammo, Lupau, S&B, Wolf, Fiochie, Yugo mil surplus, Russian mil, Romanian mil. Winchester White box, and the gun didn't even like any of it accuracy wise. 1.5 MOA at best, 2.0-2.5 average. Even reloads have only averaged 1.5 to 1.75 at 100 yards, using match components. I have spent a fair amount of time and effort trying different things to squeeze the most out of this gun, I haven't given up, but it is not my only project gun right now, so it will get rotated back up front at a later date. The rifle is built just like an AK47 or AK74, just a longer piston rod, and a longer action, or frame. The rear of the action or tennion is longer and heavier to take the recoil. Otherwise it would beat itself to death. I have put a Red Star Arms 2 stage trigger in it set at 4.5 pounds first, 3.5 pounds second stage at the break. Black Horse Arsenal Dragunov stock and forearm set. Texas Weapon Systems gen2 Dogleg scope mount with peep sight. Romanian Surplus 4x 6 LOP Dragunov recticle/range finder. It did have a 4x16 scope on it earlier but my .22LR scope died so it got moved to it. It also has recoil buffer installed to help take some of the shock out of it. So I have spent more time and money trying to get the most out of this rifle to shoot better, but I haven't found the prize yet. CONS - It strings groups in the vertical when hot. It has a thin long pencil barrel. No way to mount a bi-pod. It is a thick heavy girl to carry. The original stock was too short, cheek weld sucked, wood laminate was ugly as sin. Accuracy needed a lot to be desired. PROS - But, all in all it has been a good gun, fun to shoot, and everybody that shoots it is amazed that it doesn't kick much. It shoots to Minute of Man accuracy, to about 600 yards, the rifle was designed to be a DMR not a sniper rifle. So it is able to do what it was designed to do. It was built on the RPK style frame, just lengthened for the 7.62x54R cartridge. So it has 7.62 NATO(.308 Winchester) to 30-06 power in a 10 round magazine fed rifle. Plus it does have a last round hold open when empty. It is one of only AK style weapons systems (to my knowledge) that has it. If I was looking for a 7.62x54R blaster today, I would take a very hard look at a VEPR. If I was wanting a cool factor gun that everybody wants to shoot and handle, and that is not getting any cheaper to buy then buy a poor mans Dragunov (PSL or FPK). If you are wanting the ultimate cool, fun, 7.62x54R, save your money and get a Chinese NDM76 Tiger, or SVD Dragunov. Have fun, figure out what you want out of the gun and/or weapon system, and shop around for the best valve for your buck $$$. Edit - thanks for the information and update "AenemaBay"-I didn't know that parts are again available for import. During the Obama years imports were banned. That is why I thought it was still in effect. |
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I have an FPK and after some minor repair (bought used) its a great rifle now. As previously mentioned its a soft recoiling 54r DMR type rifle that is fun to hammer steel with. FYI the FPK/PSL rifle are designed for and limited to light ball ammo only 147gr and anything heavier than 150gr should not be fired through it. Also the stock is really short so a extension or recoil pad maybe needed for a consistant cheek weld. All in a still a quality no- frills option with the usually mediocre Romanian fit and finish. The VEPR 54r is also another great option. It too is a AK based DMR rifle but the quality, fit and finish of the Russian VEPR are superior to the PSL/FPK plus it can shoot the heavier grain ammo. The only drawback of the VEPR is that they are banned from import and the single stack mags. That being said both are great rifles it just comes down to price, availablity and which style of rifle you prefer. I enjoy shooting each of these rifles equally. |
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I got a PSL from AIM when they were first coming in and super cheap. I got the full kit with a bunch of cheap extra mags and everything. Fun gun to shoot, and reliable. However those were the only two positives. It's long, heavy, and inaccurate. More than five rounds in a row and it started to string like crazy, making the already bad accuracy even worse. I tried about every commercial and common surplus load out there and none of them were "good". Triggers, scopes, nothing really helped. I think I paid $500 for mine and it was worth it at that price since it was just a glorified blaster. $1000+ is 100% not worth it, and as others have said I would look somewhere else like VEPR which is a much better gun though I have only shot one and never owned one. |
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I knew when I bought my PSL 12 years ago it wasn't a tack driver but it is a fun gun to shoot. At 200 yards I can hit a paper plate with all 10 rounds. It might not be dead center but I'm happy with what it does. Still better accuracy and hits harder than an AK47. |
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I really like my PSL it's a kit gun but it shoots lights out with decent 150grn ammo (1.5moa maybe a smidge less if the stars align). They're not all that common i've never seen one at the range besides mine. Common things to point out like everyone else mags are pricey, limited scope capabilities, you're stuck to light ball ammo only in a PSL unless you run a KNS piston which i've been thinking about adding to mine after watching rob over at AKOU run one with heavy ball ammo laying out super tight groups and running suppressed. The Vepr is basically the same damn thing just a thicker receiver, limited scope options, mags aren't that cheap either last time i looked they were roughly $50 for the same capacity as a PSL, Vepr's can shoot light and heavy ball out the gate unlike a PSL so that's the main advantage is being able to shoot the nice heavy ball match stuff. To me i'd pick the PSL every time just because it's such a cool gun. It gets the job done and looks cool doing it. I'd say that's another factor for the PSL is the coolness factor. I can't tell you about how much of a head turner it is at the range half the time and people generally want to check it out and talk about it. I think its cool i know some people don't want to be bothered but i don't mind talking to people about it especially when i've had a couple guys that were out of the military from Iraq / afghanistan come up and talk to me about their experience of being on the receiving end of one. I'd like at some point in my lifetime get an SVD but a man can dream. |
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