Are there any variants of the 7.62x54R AK variants with a milled receiver for sale in the US? I'd like to find a 7.62x54R rifle that's more accurate than a baseline stamped receiver PSL, but less expensive than an SVD. Thoughts?
I've been looking for the same. Pretty much wanting to add a milled receiver and heavy barrel to my PSL, but haven't pulled up anything to date.
waffen werks makes one: Waffen Werks AK 54 R Dragunov Carbine Edit: I reread, you were looking for milled receiver. Not sure about any one making one of those.
Meh. So many of these Eastern European weapons for sale commercially here aren't really purpose-built, they're all intermediate lengths and don't really have a specific purpose in mind. It's like the people selling them couldn't make up their mind, when they should work towards replicating an accurized PSL or true SVD variant, manufactured with accuracy in mind. A milled receiver would be a start. That, and the various gas-system changes that I believe make the SVD so much more accurate, yes? I don't know the system well enough, but I know they are more accurate than the PSL rifles.
I know someone that did a weld up of a PSL kit used a a chunk of steel and milled out the inner and top rails then tig welded the trunnion to it to make one. Another build a guy just used angle iron and flat bar and tig welded the sheet metal rails in and hand cut and filed the upper rail to fit. Looked Slick with the recessed axis pins but also really heavy. The Flat Bar/Drill Rod Skeletal receiver was a trip, Also strong and light not sure if he ever cut the sheet metal to fill in the holes. Was cool to see every working part. I will see if I can locate the photos they may be on my old desk top it was a couple years ago.
They are what they are. The SVDs accuracy I believe stems mostly from its short stroke piston (think FAL, SKS, SVT), not the milled receiver, although I'm sure that the receiver helps somewhat. The PSL has a typical AK long stroke piston. Following discussions on other boards, the most accurate of the bunch is the Chinese NDM-86 in 7.62x54r. PSLs really aren't a bad rifle though, even with the stamped receiver. The recent ones with the US made receivers have had some issues, but by and large the 100% Cugir built examples are the most reliable. Its just a big AK afterall. My own Cugir rifle is capable of 1.5" to 2" 5-shot groups at 100 yards using good surplus ammo like 1986 Czech and the stock scope, and although they are limited to lightball ammunition because of a lack of a gas valve, so is a Garand. It is on par with my Greek SAR-8. Your choices in a 7.62x54r rifle are unfortunately limited to 2 to 3 moa out of a $500 to $600 rifle (the PSL) or 1 to 2 moa out of a $3,500+ rifle (SVD, NDM, etc). There is no real in between, other than a Tigr but that isn't much less. The PSL is plagued by vertical stringing when shooting rapid fire. That's its biggest flaw. There are some really good reviews out there of converted Saiga .308s smoking all other military semi autos including M1As, SVDs, etc. That might be an option for you. Keith
Hi people! The above quote is right on. There basically are no milled reciever PSLs out there. Excluding one someone cobbled together from a doner milled reciever AK, but I personally don't know of one. If you have a PSL and a Milled AK... and a few days in a machine shop? I have a perfect shooting (well...as close to perfect as they get) PSL in my closet. I wonder what a reciever swap would do?
Uhh... I don't think that would work. Isn't the PSL receiver a lot longer to accommodate the larger round?
Hmmm... you are correct sir. I have not sat with my AK next to my PSL until just now. A milled reciever will not be the correct length. ...good call.
One thing to consider, the PSL receiver is stamped, but the trunnion is milled, therefor the bolt lockup occurs in a milled component. Keith
