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Had a chance to take the Vepr out twice already and as promised here is my range report. First impression is - FIREBALL! Second impression - very manageable recoil. I shot her bench rest at 100 yards. I rested the rifle on the receiver and not the handguard. 10 round SGM mags and five round originals were used. I did have a problem with one of the original Molot magazines where the follower got jammed midways and would not feed the rounds - problem fixed with minor filing at home. Zero problems with the 10rd SGM mags. Not sure why they get such bad reputation. To measure the groups consistently and more realistically I used 5 shots for each group. Ammo used was: Russian 147gr, Hungarian YT Heavy ball (182gr I think), 7N1, MFS 174 gr. I did NOT let the barrel to cool down both times. Here are the results:
Russian 147gr: 3-5 shot group average - 3.8 inches
Hungarian YT: 6-5 shot group average - 3.63 inches
7N1: 5-5 shot group - 3.64 inches
MFS 174gr 3-5 shot group: 3.75 inches.
I was really surprised with the Russian LB ammo as all the reviews say HB shoot better than LB ammo. The very first ammo I fired from the Vepr was the Russian LB and 5 shots grouped 1.5 inches. Most of the groups were fouled by one or two flyers using surplus ammo, otherwise results would have been much better. I still want to measure groups fired with commercial Heavy ball - Winchester, PPU, Hornady, S&B etc... I will post the results when I end up doing that. If you want an affordable rifle that shoots this caliber with better accuracy, then get a PU sniper rifle. Mine had an average consistent group of 2 inches using Russian 147gr and MOA-sub MOA with Winchester HB. It's funny that my 91/30 shoots so good because the barrel is actually really rusted and pitted. LOTS of fun at the rage, with relatively little recoil with the VEPR. Again, unless you are a combat fighter operator, who would need this for CQB purpose, this rifle is a range toy for me. If you do end up using this for combat purpose, it will consistently shoot fist sized groups (~3-4") at 100 yards, which means if you are aiming at center mass, it will shred to pieces the following: heart, subclavian arteries, L/R lungs, inferior/superior venae cavae, aorta <--- all lethal. If I want to hunt the small California mule deer with this cartridge, I will surely use my PU sniper. More results to come when I find commercial ammo. Overall impression: this is not a bench rest rifle. This is a practical and reliable rifle that will shoot consistent fist sized targets at 100 yards - better accuracy than your average AK.
Attached are pictures of one of my PU sniper and thickness of the VEPR barrel.
Russian 147gr: 3-5 shot group average - 3.8 inches
Hungarian YT: 6-5 shot group average - 3.63 inches
7N1: 5-5 shot group - 3.64 inches
MFS 174gr 3-5 shot group: 3.75 inches.
I was really surprised with the Russian LB ammo as all the reviews say HB shoot better than LB ammo. The very first ammo I fired from the Vepr was the Russian LB and 5 shots grouped 1.5 inches. Most of the groups were fouled by one or two flyers using surplus ammo, otherwise results would have been much better. I still want to measure groups fired with commercial Heavy ball - Winchester, PPU, Hornady, S&B etc... I will post the results when I end up doing that. If you want an affordable rifle that shoots this caliber with better accuracy, then get a PU sniper rifle. Mine had an average consistent group of 2 inches using Russian 147gr and MOA-sub MOA with Winchester HB. It's funny that my 91/30 shoots so good because the barrel is actually really rusted and pitted. LOTS of fun at the rage, with relatively little recoil with the VEPR. Again, unless you are a combat fighter operator, who would need this for CQB purpose, this rifle is a range toy for me. If you do end up using this for combat purpose, it will consistently shoot fist sized groups (~3-4") at 100 yards, which means if you are aiming at center mass, it will shred to pieces the following: heart, subclavian arteries, L/R lungs, inferior/superior venae cavae, aorta <--- all lethal. If I want to hunt the small California mule deer with this cartridge, I will surely use my PU sniper. More results to come when I find commercial ammo. Overall impression: this is not a bench rest rifle. This is a practical and reliable rifle that will shoot consistent fist sized targets at 100 yards - better accuracy than your average AK.
Attached are pictures of one of my PU sniper and thickness of the VEPR barrel.
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