quick question about PSL

[Guest]

ok so PSL is not a Dragunov. this much i know is true.
i read mixed reviews about the PSL that i am not sure i can take completely seriously. just asking any PSL owners, is the finish total crap? does it have a pie tin MOA @ 200? if you had a chance to buy it again would you and do you have to hand fit magazines to the rifle?
any info appreciated.

[VegasND]

I had one and sold it. Remember it's a Century product; they build rifles to sell cheap and fast. If you can hand pick yours do so. If you keep in mind what you're buying you probably won't be disappointed. If you're expecting a sniper rifle you're looking at the wrong product.

[Datamancer]

ok so PSL is not a Dragunov. this much i know is true.
i read mixed reviews about the PSL that i am not sure i can take completely seriously. just asking any PSL owners, is the finish total crap? does it have a pie tin MOA @ 200? if you had a chance to buy it again would you and do you have to hand fit magazines to the rifle?
any info appreciated.

I don't own one, but have been considering buying this rifle for quite a while so I've read up on it quite a bit (for whatever that's actually worth).

Yeah, the PSL is basically a long, stretched-out, stamped-metal AK while the "true" Dragunov is based on the SKS action and has a milled receiver. One thing to realize is that aside from its "sniper" association, it is not made to be a super-accurate sniper rifle, but actually a "Designated Marksman Rifle" which is a fancy way of saying "slightly more accurate than the standard-issue infantry rifle".
All that being said, I still love the PSLs. I've heard they can have a lot of the same flaws as AKs like loose buttstocks, sloppy tolerances, etc, but I'm sure with a little bit of tweaking, you can get it nice and solid. Due to the inevitable inconsistencies in any stamped-metal component, there will always be the potential for the rifle having its own "quirks" like certain mags fitting better than others, etc.
-~D~-

[pyro3k2]

ok so PSL is not a Dragunov. this much i know is true.
i read mixed reviews about the PSL that i am not sure i can take completely seriously. just asking any PSL owners, is the finish total crap? does it have a pie tin MOA @ 200? if you had a chance to buy it again would you and do you have to hand fit magazines to the rifle?
any info appreciated.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qluUkOXwzfI&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktaH0kdKV80&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxVKUmTjZpY&feature=related

Mags only need to be modified if you are using SVD mags if you are using easy to find and cheap PSL mags then you don't need any mod's

[Nitroman]

OK...to start with it's a big AK, so don't expect Swiss-watch fit, finish, or precision from this critter. Mine is very accurate out to 300-yds (1.75"), but I havent tried it at any longer distances. The pencil-thin barrel tends to "heat-flex" if you shoot in rapid succession, which knocks the accuracy all to heck. Red Star Arms has a nice adjustable fire-control group that really tightens up the action (I highly recommend it). Stocks (both polymer and wood) are available at reasonable prices. I like mine a lot. It looks cool, and with a little tinkering it is virtually problem free. Now, if I can only get it to stop bashing the brass on recoil.

Rich

[Ckrash2k3]

So, where can I get one? Either in California or shipped to California.

[Robidouxs]

Atlantic Firearms is you best bet. Contact them in their vendor forum on this site and they will give you a discount.

[Jayruta]

I have hit the 780 meter steel target with mine at Pala Outdoor range. I'm not that great at doping the wind but I can hit the steel 2/10 times with my PSL. Not super accurate but accurate enough to get the job done.

[captbilly]

How can it be accurate if heat flex knocks the accuracy to heck?

OK...to start with it's a big AK, so don't expect Swiss-watch fit, finish, or precision from this critter. Mine is very accurate out to 300-yds (1.75"), but I havent tried it at any longer distances. The pencil-thin barrel tends to "heat-flex" if you shoot in rapid succession, which knocks the accuracy all to heck. Red Star Arms has a nice adjustable fire-control group that really tightens up the action (I highly recommend it). Stocks (both polymer and wood) are available at reasonable prices. I like mine a lot. It looks cool, and with a little tinkering it is virtually problem free. Now, if I can only get it to stop bashing the brass on recoil.

Rich

I think I know what you mean but I am not sure. I suspect that most people would consider a rifle that shoots all over the place as it warms up, to be not very accurate. So are you saying that you can consistently hit inside 1.75" at 300 yards on a cold barrel shot? If so that is an incredibly accurate rifle matched only by the very best sniper and target rifles made anywhere. That would amount to 0.58 MOA which is outstanding accuracy for any rifle.

[Agustav]

Most people that bad mouth PSL don't own one...

First of all, the rifle I own came from Century Arms, but I don't think they build the rifle. My receiver have Cugir arsenal mark on it, and Made in Romania stamped on it.

I've own my PSL for about 3 years now, and it's a very fun and easy rifle to shoot! The accuracy is about 1.5-2 MOA on my PSL. This is accomplished with a 8X POSP scope. I do handload for the rifle. With Hornady 175gr .312 HPBT, I can clean up the grouping a little and hit 600 yard target at ASR about 50% of the time. However, the barrel does heat up quite quickly. So, the accuracy suffer after a long string of fire (more then 2 mags or 20 rounds).

The only problem I encounter while owning my rifle is that the tip of the bullets don't raise high enough to get stripped into the chamber. I solve this by stretch the mag spring and file the mag feed ramp a little. Now, my gun works 100% of the time.

Now I just need to find a way to prevent my brass from getting beat up to hell...

[ZX-10R]

I love my PSL. Great groupings from 100yrds...Whole center shot out of bulls. I shoot at SLOSA in San Luis Obispo and can hit all gongs with no problems and all silhouettes with no issues either. Farthest gongs are toughest but that is 400yrds out and are small gongs. If it were a person they would be hit. MOA ranges from 1-2 at 100yrds and at 150 yrs 1.5-3 MOA. If you walked up to me and asked to trade a M700 in a JAE stock I would walk away...The PSL is not a precision rifle it is a DMR so 1-3 MOA is great considering a Springfield M14 will get the same results according to a recent review of the springfield. That is in line with the PSL. it is used to lay down heavy fire at long distances.

If any of you ever want to try a good example of a PSL you can always check with me to see if I will be at SLOSA and I will give you a few rounds to shoot and try it out.

Yeah people who do not own one usually just talk based on hearsay.

I have Harris bipod attached to handguards and a Kalinka 8x scope that is an improvement over the 4x which is not a bad scope to begin with.

Good luck and get one...They are cheap. If you can get one made in Romania not one of the US builds. You can find more info on the PSL at AK Files forum.

[DSA_FAL]

I have one and for what it is it shoots very well, 5 rounds MOA at 100 yards. It's accuracy depends on the ammo you put into it, don't expect great results with the spam can ammo. I shoot the Yugoslav stuff to great result. There's also differences in the quality of when and where it was made. The recent production Romanian guns are better than the US assembled or earlier production. (I have an '09 Romanian psl and it's finish is good.)

[pyro3k2]

Maybe a little off topic but what about the Yugo M76?

[Quinc]

Atlantic Firearms is you best bet. Contact them in their vendor forum on this site and they will give you a discount.

Cheapest I have found it is at Centerfire (not ca legal) and

http://shop.peachstateguns.com/product.sc?productId=679&categoryId=158

[cannon]

Have one and it's a blast. If it disappeared I'd go get another one.