PSO and PSOP scopes

I have always really liked the look of a PSO or PSOP scope on an ak but i have a couple question sto ask before i install the rail.

How good is the scope really?
Do they sit too high to be of much use?
Are they offset to one side?
Which ones are calibrated for 7.62x39 and a 16" barrel?
Are there any to stay away from?
Do the optics hold a zero after being removed and reinstalled?

My application would be a Romanian g kit i built. I know ak's arnt accurate but neither are my eyes and some magnification helps. Most of the time i plan to run the ak with a aimpoint micro on the ultimak handguard but for longer distances a scope may be nice.

Books have been written on Russian optics, so here is a short primer based on my observations and scope ownership.

1.Optic quality. Very good to excellent depending on manufacturer. Basically the overall quality of Russian issued optics is quite good for their purpose. You won't find the high quality of a $800.00 Zeiss scope but it will be better than most mid range optics in the US market. They provide bright image at dusk/dawn and low light along with a good field of view. Most now have an illuminated reticle

2.Depends on what you are use to. The height allows the dust covers to be removed from the rifle if you use the standard side mount on most AK variants. I find the height comfortable for me. And you may want to add a cheek pad to get a good cheek weld if the stock doesn't provide that. It's a personal preference.

3.They are slightly off set from the center of the bore, as the British L1A1 SUIT sight. You will have to zero for that slight difference. There are Weaver style mounts that will place the scope over the center of the bore. But these mounts will use the standard Weaver scope base and not an unitized body (you'll have two separate parts-scope and then mount-which may cause problems with zero retention).

4.The calibration is with caliber and distance, barrel length is irrelevant. The scope ranging reticle for 7.62X39 ranges out to 400 meters. I call this the "snicker reticle" because it looks like someone snickering. Yea, I'm weird that way.

http://www.kalinkaoptics.com/graph/images/sighting_devices/posp_pso/posp_4x24_400m_4_150.gif

Reticle for 7.62X54R and 5.45X39 are usually ranged to 1000 meters. This is also called the Draganov reticle.

http://www.kalinkaoptics.com/graph/images/sighting_devices/posp_pso/1000m_new_150.jpg

The scopes are now coming in with US Mil Dot reticle and the new AK Vertical reticle. The range finding reticles take a bit to get used to but are very effective.

5.The side mount will hold zero when the scope is removed and are very rugged. There is a method to adjusting the scope's lever clamping system to make it secure and retain zero. In fact the later US made optics and dot sights are beginning to adopt the Russian lever system; which says a lot about the reliability. The lever system has been in military service for decades.

Any to stay away from? That is fairly subjective. The Russian scopes I've run into (made for military use) are rugged and 'trooper proof' as much as you can make such things. Of course I know people who could break an anvil.

The sighting in process of Russian scopes is a bit different that US/Western Europe optics. Check Kalinka's site, they have the manuals for the scopes in a downloadable PDF format. Download it and read it to help get the procedures in mind before you order. The processes are compatible across all the Russian equipment. You can send Tantal questions and he will answer. There are some FAQs on the site that will answer almost all your questions.

Some sources:
Kalinka Optics (http://www.kalinkaoptics.com/SearchResult.aspx?CategoryID=56)

Tantal's Optics (http://tantal.kalashnikov.guns.ru/bstmounts.html)

Optics Planet - Importer of all kinds of optics (http://www.opticsplanet.com/)

I have no ties the the above, but have used them for research, etc. When deciding on a side mount rail, check the types on Tantal's site. There are several types and you need to match the side plate with the proper scope/mount. Tantal's site is the definitive source of information on all things Russian.

Books have been written on Russian optics, so here is a short primer based on my observations and scope ownership.

1.Optic quality. Very good to excellent depending on manufacturer. Basically the overall quality of Russian issued optics is quite good for their purpose. You won't find the high quality of a $800.00 Zeiss scope but it will be better than most mid range optics in the US market. They provide bright image at dusk/dawn and low light along with a good field of view. Most now have an illuminated reticle

2.Depends on what you are use to. The height allows the dust covers to be removed from the rifle if you use the standard side mount on most AK variants. I find the height comfortable for me. And you may want to add a cheek pad to get a good cheek weld if the stock doesn't provide that. It's a personal preference.

3.They are slightly off set from the center of the bore, as the British L1A1 SUIT sight. You will have to zero for that slight difference. There are Weaver style mounts that will place the scope over the center of the bore. But these mounts will use the standard Weaver scope base and not an unitized body (you'll have two separate parts-scope and then mount-which may cause problems with zero retention).

4.The calibration is with caliber and distance, barrel length is irrelevant. The scope ranging reticle for 7.62X39 ranges out to 400 meters. I call this the "snicker reticle" because it looks like someone snickering. Yea, I'm weird that way.

http://www.kalinkaoptics.com/graph/images/sighting_devices/posp_pso/posp_4x24_400m_4_150.gif

Reticle for 7.62X54R and 5.45X39 are usually ranged to 1000 meters. This is also called the Draganov reticle.

http://www.kalinkaoptics.com/graph/images/sighting_devices/posp_pso/1000m_new_150.jpg

The scopes are now coming in with US Mil Dot reticle and the new AK Vertical reticle. The range finding reticles take a bit to get used to but are very effective.

5.The side mount will hold zero when the scope is removed and are very rugged. There is a method to adjusting the scope's lever clamping system to make it secure and retain zero. In fact the later US made optics and dot sights are beginning to adopt the Russian lever system; which says a lot about the reliability. The lever system has been in military service for decades.

Any to stay away from? That is fairly subjective. The Russian scopes I've run into (made for military use) are rugged and 'trooper proof' as much as you can make such things. Of course I know people who could break an anvil.

The sighting in process of Russian scopes is a bit different that US/Western Europe optics. Check Kalinka's site, they have the manuals for the scopes in a downloadable PDF format. Download it and read it to help get the procedures in mind before you order. The processes are compatible across all the Russian equipment. You can send Tantal questions and he will answer. There are some FAQs on the site that will answer almost all your questions.

Some sources:
Kalinka Optics (http://www.kalinkaoptics.com/SearchResult.aspx?CategoryID=56)

Tantal's Optics (http://tantal.kalashnikov.guns.ru/bstmounts.html)

Optics Planet - Importer of all kinds of optics (http://www.opticsplanet.com/)

I have no ties the the above, but have used them for research, etc. When deciding on a side mount rail, check the types on Tantal's site. There are several types and you need to match the side plate with the proper scope/mount. Tantal's site is the definitive source of information on all things Russian.
Thanks for the info, good stuff.