Have your shot any “match 5.45”? We’re curious what your results have been with the longer/heavier 5.45 loads. Side note, had some issues with the first video and had to re-upload, this should be okay though! Edit: by now we’re seeing FSB using this type of upgraded AK74 type rifles on Russian held areas. The widespread troops are still using AK74M or the AK12 for the VDV, however mostly slick with no optics.
''however mostly slick with no optics.'' This is very odd to hear. In 90% of pictures or more, not only do the Russians (even DPR) have scopes, but I've seen their rifles fully kitted with flashlights, illuminators etc. It's very rare to find an AK with no scope in my opinion. Maybe broaden your sources or something.. Love your videos, keep it up. i.imgur.com/QpzVnxy.png i.imgur.com/tUO8V8I.png i.imgur.com/PmqgD5n.png i.imgur.com/2isokrl.png i.imgur.com/AdSYZfn.png i.imgur.com/PU6IWOs.png i.imgur.com/JDGs8Yp.png
Waiting for someone to make a reamer that allows .224 bullets to be shot out of 5.45 barrels unswaged. It's already been done with 7.62x39 for steel jacketed bullets (and I'll be building a slow twist DMR type rifle this year with a .308 barrel to try it myself), so why not 5.45? If no one else does it I'll do it. Tired of waiting for someone to try it with all of the wah wah whiners that listen to fuddlore 'reloading impossibility' claims shooting down anyone that dares ask.
Ive been working with reloaded 5.45 brass and Resize 75gr bthp 224 Hornady bullets to .2215 and shoot through a 1:9 twist 16 inch barrel, can reach out to 6 with some consistency but I haven’t been able to take it out further cause finals and being relatively new to reloading
Haven’t shot any “match” loads but my Bulgarian 74 build with original barrel likes hornaday V-max quite a bit. Got lucky back in the day and found a kit that was almost perfect. Beautiful bore. 350 yds is all I have at my range and it seems to do well.
Anything worth watching is covered between 9-Hole Reviews and Forgotten Weapons. It would be a dream come true if Josh and Henry could get their grubby little mitts on every firearm that Ian presents the history and mechanics on.
It's them showing DPR militia (one fighting alongside RU military) and insinuating that those are in fact Russian servicemen. Pretty much everyone does this....
@@borkwoof696 "Popular" is a relative term, almost no country adopted it, and the ammunition selection is very limited. The AKM is certainly popular but the 74 never really got its legs under it.
@@borkwoof696 For reference the H&K G3 was produced in the 8 million range, and the original AK 47 (milled and sheet meal variants combined) was produced in the 100 million range. So perhaps 5 million falls into the "not unpopular" range :P
The only thing that Henry was partially wrong about was that the russian doctrine is not heavy armour focused, but primarily artillery focused. First they destroy everything on the target (or the grid square surrounding it) with a combination of massed and precision artillery, then they throw a few more for good measure and then they roll over what's left with tanks and mech infnatry. That said, a lot, possibly even the most of the heavy lifting on the ground in the war now and back in 2014-15 was/is done by the much less mechanized and armoured DPR and LPR militias, so there might be some adjusting there, but artillery is still key.
At 14:55 you talk about "pixelation" in an EOTech reticle. The technical term is "speckle" and is a caused by diffusing a highly coherent light source so that the wavefronts interfere with themselves. The EOTech diffuses laser light (highly coherent) through a holographic film to generate the image of the reticle. It's really cool to see how the benefit of a transmissive (as opposed to reflective) reticle has noticeable downsides, too!
I went through the neck thing on my precision gun on it's last update. An optic that was perfect in prone was not great to shoot in other positions. When I set it up for shooting positional, prone started to really suck. I ended up using lower rings and ditching a nice mount to reduce the "delta" in my neck angle between multiple positions. Sadly, with something like this AK there is only so much you can do vs a precision gun or even an AR where you have other facets of adjustability. One thing that would be an interesting experiment.. Take one of these uncomfortable-in-prone rifles with the touchy eyebox that is made more for upright shoothing, and shoot it off the handrail with a bag or something more upright (but stable) and see how the score is influenced.
@Matt Fleming I agree with you, I’m not a fanboy for any particular rifle but, its perplexed me that optic heights for the AR in particular have been all over the map in the past 2-decades (outside of NV use), yet people trope “AR ergonomics is best” and complain about there being lack of cheek weld on other platforms. These same folks are now are using 1.93 and higher mounts to be more upright and have more of the stock in contact with there body (vs. over the shoulder) when standing, yet sacrificing the cheek weld in the process, and don’t see the drawbacks........I see benefit in rifles that’s stock comb height isn’t dictated by the rifles operating mechanisms (like the AR’s due to the rear charging handle), so it can be adjusted to suit user preference, BUT as you said it’s not “one size fits all.” I think there is some good learnings to be had from the PRS guys and the innovative stocks they use for more direct “in-line” recoil management, then looking at the best “trade-off-point” for more combat oriented rifles......this is one area I think rifles like the SCAR, ACR, XCR, BREN, etc....got it right, with the ugg-boot shape, and comb adjustability.
@@ericschumacher5189 Absolutely spot on. I do think it comes down to intended use. Someone kicking doors will have different needs than someone doing overwatch with an SPR type rifle. Instructors and youtube personalities all have different backgrounds. Many are vets but fought/trained different wars. I think the lesson here is to be flexible. Have some spare optics with mounts laying around. Set up your LPVO to be a precision style setup and i'd do red dots on a little higher plane. You can force both into either role but use your equiptment's advantages. Practice at different ranges, in different positions, in different conditions, while employing a variety of rifles. It's nice to have the fastest splits up close.. it's also nice to destroy a PRS course of fire.. but i'd rather be "competent" in both than a pro in either.
the cheek riser makes all the difference, im taller and a lot 'sights' i put on my AK before it id have to adjust my cheek and a lot of times it would be uncomfortable to shoot a lot . riser ftw
@@ShizawnSanders Maybe in Rob's case he ran into a bad lot i.e inconsistent quality control etc. But judging by how this 500 yard shoot went, it doesn't look that bad.
As with the original video, I was speechless when I saw the results Looking into it further though, I'm still impressed by what a properly modernised AK can bring to the table. Oxide was right: simply modernising the AK74 via a wide project or even going as far as to procure a huge order of aftermarket furniture for the AK would've been a smarter choice. Sure right now a lot of general grunts are running their AK74s and AK12s slick but a base platform with good accessory mounting features is always important to remain relevant. Still, end of the day, sometimes what the people at the top want is what they get. I wonder if we were to see similar or better results with an AK of similar setup in 5.56 with Zenitco hardware run this course with higher grain ammo. Or perhaps a re-run of the Niner in its MKII config in those conditions?
My son has the same bake-lite mag from CAI 74 but converted for 5.56 back in the day. And for those of us who cannot obtain, or afford, zentico, I love the good old Archangel stock with adjustable cheek weld.
I know they’ve done multiple AK platforms and AR platforms but I’d love to see a block2 upper to go along with the m4 upper video to see if/comparison to the standard m4
@@blackcloudr1130 Right, I meant they've already shown us that they went out and recorded that gun on the range. Your request is already in the process of being answered.
I have a SLR 106 set up almost identically to that. Only difference is im running a PK-AS on the zenit dust cover for the full eastern block vibe. One of my favorite setups. The ALG is a great trigger. No peening of the carrier tail from the hammer thankfully. Great video. Shows a modernized old warhorse can still be very viable.
Nice review! These are most of the upgrades that should be done to bring the AK into the 21st century! Thanks for all your hard work! Happy Motha's Day!!!
Great content as always. Could you do a similar video of modernized ak104? I bet it would dominate up to 300m but it would interesting to see what a professional shooter like you guys can do with it at longer ranges, wind would definately be a problem but still it would be interesting to see (at least for me). I have one (saiga) but I currently have access only to shooting range with max shooting distance of 200 meters.
You don't need a Zenitco PT-1 stock to fix the cheekweld with an optic. There are AK -> AR-15 stock adapters that are readily available and snap into the rear trunnion. These raise the stock level to be much more comfortable with an optic, and you can use any AR-15 stock+riser you want with them, giving you a ton of options. They are extremely well made in very durable. I've seen some Russian guys with them in photos and videos, and they're pretty popular in the US too.
They're well aware of this considering their own AK setups but I'm under the impression that the context they're referring to is strictly under the principles of a modernised AK with locally sourced aftermarket parts in Russia. Or at least that's what came to the top of their head
My favorite people to warch on UA-cam. what a channel guys, very well done as always. I like seeing two professional guys have an academic discussion and leave most of stupid memes and bro culture aside.
One thing worth noting is that for most people your vision will be measurably better if your eye is centred in the eye socket (your head upright as if you were walking and looking straight ahead) so the chin weld has that advantage.
Beside from the Russian MOD's SSO, the FSB's special forces has a lot of funding compared to their army and Rosguard counterparts, you can see regional FSB officers from somewhere like Ingushetia with better equipment than a GRU special forces serviceman.
Late to the video.. but I absolutely recommend m4 stock adapters on an AK. Great and relatively inexpensive way to solve the cheek weld issue. And from my experience with them they are very solid if they are installed properly.
I think it was partially a reupload and previously they had a different optic? I was just asking myself that same question and I definitely remember a lot of this.
Hey henry is this spam im prety sure this is spam? But also dont want to miss out on a friggin givaway iv got some empty mlok slots that need some slate black love
The accuracy stigma that follows AK platform rifles has a lot to do with the ammo quality. It doesn't matter if you have a 1 MOA rifle, if your ammo is garbage (let's be honest comblock surplus is) then you're going to be disappointed.
but the only problem I have, is a lot of the images and footages of poorly equipped "Russian" troops are actually DPR or LPR militia. I dont understand why at this point people are still confusing them with the actual Russian forces...on the other hand, the chechen infantry have much better gear and mostly field customized AKs with various attachments and optics, they too do not represent the general Russian forces.
Great video, but later in the video, discussing how well (or rather not well) russian soldiers are armed, you have shown some DPR and LNR militia, using older equipment, that's not really correct since DPR and LNR armed forces are not part of AFRF. And comparing FSB to regular soldiers isn't correct too. Though, yeah, having those AK-12s without optics looks strange. Thanks for not making it emotional or biased, I'm tired of that bs all around.
All those cellphone vids are DNR and LPR soldiers AND Chechens.. Russian soldier are prohibited to bring cellphones. ..and btw.. theyre winning ..Ukraine will be a landlocked country .
@@Michael_Veritas Bias or lack of full dataset. Remember that those guys have not fought alongside Russians, and information in US is becoming more and more wanky with time. Ak-12 looks to me much more like a proof-of-concept kind of a thing than anything permanent or standard and footage from Mariupol clearly shows that Russian army (not DPR nor LPR) do use much more optical devices than first batch of info on Ukraine conflict insinuated.
@@LikePhoenixFromAshes hey guys thanks for commenting. I’ll admit I was smack talking a little and this was also originally aired a month ago (filmed ever farther back) which is why the talks seem dated. That said we plan on updating the conversation later with the speedway and honestly I’ve had convos with a few of our Russian friends to gather more modernized AK74 pictures for the updated take.
Well fellas, to tell you the truth, 400 metres, moving target, iron sights was a standard exercise for a conscript in Soviet Army. 🤷♂️ It was called "corse of shouting number one " from the the " shouting instruction"
25:00 Well, there's a lot of variation among "Russian" forces in the theater. - Check the Chechen forces and you'll see mostly modernized AKs with optics. - FSB, SSO, and other Spetsnaz units are wreaking havoc with thermals. - Russian Army regulars? mostly sleek AK-74Ms. - VDV guys (the ones jumping out of the chopper) are running 74Ms and AK-12s, and are issued optics at a rate of 3 per squad, choose not to run them. After all, they are paratroopers and every ounce counts. - Donetsk and Lugansk *militia* (which are the bulk of the forces we've seen) are using anything they can source, from 74s to freaking Mosins. Claiming that the Russians are not using modern setups and optics is missing half of the picture
He specifically didn't say they're not using them. He implied that the media presentation has been made to suggest that they were ubiquitous, which is evidently not the case.
@@andersjjensen then the issue is in the choice of which media presentations to watch. Many media presentations showcase spec ops. They are very much running modernized platforms with optics. But watch any videos of regular troops exercises and they are running the very same setup they do in the field
It may be a few decades, if ever, that we actually see wide adoption of optics or red dots become standard for general infantry. I mean on my ship we had M4A1s and only 1 single rifle had a red dot. All the rest were iron sights. It's the same thing with suppressors. I mean you think militaries would be pushing wide adoption of suppressors, given obvious benefits of increased situational awareness and hearing protection for troops, especially in CQC environments, and yet we're only now seeing that possible happen with the new M5 carbine coming out, assuming one day it actually goes standard issue
In Denmark every single rifle and carbine armed soldier got optics when we switched from the G3 to a Canadian AR clone in the mid to late 90s. Integral suppressors would be a nice touch on next gen rifles though...
I just got and broke in a brand new 13" IWI 5.45 Galil Ace. Fantastic gun, and probably the best way to get into a modern 5.45 without having to mod the crap out of it.
@@borkwoof696 yeah, I'm surprised at the reviews I've seen about the AK12. My only other 5.45 is a Vepr, and so far the Galil is just as high quality in a different modem way
@@trunkmonkey56 the ACE is pretty successful in second and third world countries in Latin American and Asian countries that previously used AKs. It’s pretty funny to think that Colombia and Chile have a more advanced rifle than Russia. Allegedly some ACEs are even serving in Ukraine atm.
I think we were all thinking of the AK-12 Video where they talked about optics in Ukraine. I'll have to watch it and see if it's a different conversation EDIT okay nevermind this is very familiar already, I think it is a reupload
I said it before and I'll repeat it again - despite all the rhetoric about making the Russian army professional (both in terms of skills and in terms of staffing method), it's still the same Soviet army full of conscripts and NCOs who gained their experience not from the training, but "intuitively" - from participating in armed conflicts. So the doctrine, as it's been mentioned, hasn't changed and nobody's expecting a lot besides the suppressive fire from those infantrymen. So even if some units received optics for small arms, it's probably just kept in storage because "dumb soldiers are going to break or sell it". And that footage from the exercises showing fully equipped soldiers is a part of the ancient Russian tradition of "pokazúha", показуха (incorrectly called "maskirovka" - "camouflage" by some Westerners who don't speak Russian) - it's a term for bragging with fakes, putting up a show to convince an audience that everything is going better than ever.
@@sciloj, practically as well. This is a part of our psychology. Variations exist, but the militaries has always had an increased tendency to show off.
I find the talk of the cheekweld kinda funny because I'm doing a piggyback rds on a scope. A 45° wont work for me, and I dont like them anyways. Up close I can do the heads up 'chin weld' through the rds, and at distance I settle in on the scope because, you know, precision and shit.
That handguard doesn't as much "relieve pressure" as it stabilizes the barrel and makes it flex less during firing. If you look at how Walther WA2000 does it, it works along similar lines. All these accessories are well and good, but for a line soldier who lives and dies mostly by enemy artillery strike or air strike, they don't make all that much different. If enemy only has small arms, then the accessories may make some difference. But if you screw up TACTICALLY, enemy will skewer you even with a basic AKM from 1956. Infantry soldier very rarely uses his rifle for a precision single fire. Such instances are exceedingly rare with most engagements being within 200m, and soldiers use burst fire in most cases to compensate for range estimation error that's a common thing on a battlefield. In fact that's why AKs have the "P" position. Simply aim centre mass. You guys are treating it as a precision tool of single fire. It isn't one, and was never meant to be one. Rifle is a tool. It needs to be able to do a job. No more than that. And it does the job.
I'm devastated. I just found out that what I had been seeing in the media might not be an accurate picture of Russian readiness. Tell me it ain't so! Thank you for the excellent video and the very clear explanations of things that I am interested in but know very little of. That montage near the end was spot-on.
Are you shure? Forest of Belorussia are full of litle green men whit a bit beter kit than most. Just waiting for "friends" from other camp on the Polish side.
@@ljubomirculibrk4097 lol.. those little green men are not allowed to bring cellphones and post stuff or else . But i saw a footage of Russian troops (not the DPR or LPR) from pro Russian civilians in the east.. HOLY SH11T! BAD ASSES !! Even the Chechens are fking badass
25:47 will people stop showing DPR/LPR militia when talking specifically about RU military? Please? I mean we all know why people like doing that but it's pretty cheap at this point
Could we please get a run with the Galil Ace? It competes directly with AK-12 and Zenitco upgrade packages for military contract of countries running AK's looking to modernise. It would be interesting to see how it compares to the Russian options.
@@BobSaint they did it on their old course in 7.62x39 with different optics. It performed well, but probably would have done better in 5.45 as is less effected by the wind. What I want to see is a 5.45 version running the same ammo in the same conditions with the same or similar optics side by side with the AK-12 and this tricked out Alpha AK
Concerning mag, a friend and I couldn't ID, let alone shoot, a torso sized steel plate at 400 yards that was gray, half obscured by grass as it was in front of a large fallen tree that was brown and gray looking through a 4x optic and 6x optic. It was barely observable with a 10x optic.
How come I hear so many people complain that the NGSW xm5 is too heavy, but we are all fine with an AK that comes in at 10.8lbs? It's not even a 7.62 ak, but a 5.45.
![🥇 SAKO TRG42 [🇫🇮Arctic Sniper] to 1,000yds: Practical Accuracy](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/kl7lAyYlznw/mqdefault.jpg)
![🥇 SAKO TRG42 [🇫🇮Arctic Sniper] to 1,000yds: Practical Accuracy](/img/tr.png)
![M16A2 to 500yds: Practical Accuracy ...was Eugene Stoner wrong? [ USMC experiences in Iraq ]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/sqOiTXmi1QU/mqdefault.jpg)
![🥇 AK105 [Russian Spetsnaz - Spec Ops Rifle] to 650yds: Practical Accuracy](/img/n.gif)
Have your shot any “match 5.45”? We’re curious what your results have been with the longer/heavier 5.45 loads.
Side note, had some issues with the first video and had to re-upload, this should be okay though!
Edit: by now we’re seeing FSB using this type of upgraded AK74 type rifles on Russian held areas. The widespread troops are still using AK74M or the AK12 for the VDV, however mostly slick with no optics.
''however mostly slick with no optics.''
This is very odd to hear. In 90% of pictures or more, not only do the Russians (even DPR) have scopes, but I've seen their rifles fully kitted with flashlights, illuminators etc. It's very rare to find an AK with no scope in my opinion. Maybe broaden your sources or something.. Love your videos, keep it up.
i.imgur.com/QpzVnxy.png
i.imgur.com/tUO8V8I.png
i.imgur.com/PmqgD5n.png
i.imgur.com/2isokrl.png
i.imgur.com/AdSYZfn.png
i.imgur.com/PU6IWOs.png
i.imgur.com/JDGs8Yp.png
Waiting for someone to make a reamer that allows .224 bullets to be shot out of 5.45 barrels unswaged. It's already been done with 7.62x39 for steel jacketed bullets (and I'll be building a slow twist DMR type rifle this year with a .308 barrel to try it myself), so why not 5.45? If no one else does it I'll do it. Tired of waiting for someone to try it with all of the wah wah whiners that listen to fuddlore 'reloading impossibility' claims shooting down anyone that dares ask.
Ive been working with reloaded 5.45 brass and Resize 75gr bthp 224 Hornady bullets to .2215 and shoot through a 1:9 twist 16 inch barrel, can reach out to 6 with some consistency but I haven’t been able to take it out further cause finals and being relatively new to reloading
I've had match accuracy results from that same silver bear 5.45 ammo coming from an M&P sport 5R chambered in 5.45x39.
Haven’t shot any “match” loads but my Bulgarian 74 build with original barrel likes hornaday V-max quite a bit. Got lucky back in the day and found a kit that was almost perfect. Beautiful bore. 350 yds is all I have at my range and it seems to do well.
This is definitely one of, if not "the", best firearm channels on youtube. Thanks for the great work and information guys.
Anything worth watching is covered between 9-Hole Reviews and Forgotten Weapons. It would be a dream come true if Josh and Henry could get their grubby little mitts on every firearm that Ian presents the history and mechanics on.
Totally agree
@@andersjjensen if you add c&rsenal to that list than you really have all the amazing channels.
Agreed.
Y’all need to stop sleeping on Klayco 47. He has the best AK content on the platform and he competes
2:30 - "just high over his left shoulder"
So it's confirmed, you've been shooting these targets in the back the whole time.
It ain't a war crime if you win 🤣
It's the safest way to do it
I believe that is standard Russian doctrine.
@@ALovelyBunchOfDragonballz Well the targets aren't running away so it's just an ambush and not shooting a fleeing enemy.
@@skirata3144 legally you can shoot a fleeing enemy.
Nice to see the spotter footage being stabilised on all targets. I love how clear it is, good job guys! Really nice shooting too, and a great rifle.
Stabilized.
I thought I was going insane, I was so sure I had already seen this. The catfish comparison and edit afterwards are still pure gold.
Me too! What was it? I'm confused!
It's them showing DPR militia (one fighting alongside RU military) and insinuating that those are in fact Russian servicemen. Pretty much everyone does this....
Henry walks up to the range in Russian camo with a modernized 74.
Everyone else at the range: 👀
Edit: Man that is a nice gun and run guys.
"Wait, no real Russian troops would have an AK this good!"
yes...*no russian*
Remember... No Russian
@@chitoryu12 even their AK-12s are not equipped with optics lmao.
it's ak-74 not aks-74
I go back and forth on keeping my 74 looking 1980s or modernizing it, 74's are so underrated
Are they, though? 74s are one of the most popular assault rifles on the planet
I say modernize it, but modernize it properly. That means the expensive, 'press fit' rails like the Zenico, or a more available equivilent.
@@borkwoof696 "Popular" is a relative term, almost no country adopted it, and the ammunition selection is very limited. The AKM is certainly popular but the 74 never really got its legs under it.
@@Aztal ca. 5 million units produced seems pretty popular to me
@@borkwoof696 For reference the H&K G3 was produced in the 8 million range, and the original AK 47 (milled and sheet meal variants combined) was produced in the 100 million range. So perhaps 5 million falls into the "not unpopular" range :P
Damn that was quick, never seen you guys clear that course that fast.
speedrun without timer
The only thing that Henry was partially wrong about was that the russian doctrine is not heavy armour focused, but primarily artillery focused.
First they destroy everything on the target (or the grid square surrounding it) with a combination of massed and precision artillery, then they throw a few more for good measure and then they roll over what's left with tanks and mech infnatry.
That said, a lot, possibly even the most of the heavy lifting on the ground in the war now and back in 2014-15 was/is done by the much less mechanized and armoured DPR and LPR militias, so there might be some adjusting there, but artillery is still key.
100% correct sir!
At 14:55 you talk about "pixelation" in an EOTech reticle. The technical term is "speckle" and is a caused by diffusing a highly coherent light source so that the wavefronts interfere with themselves. The EOTech diffuses laser light (highly coherent) through a holographic film to generate the image of the reticle. It's really cool to see how the benefit of a transmissive (as opposed to reflective) reticle has noticeable downsides, too!
Smooth Ak run. This is clearly the best run any Ak has had on the channel.
2nd best.
@@joeo2533 what is the best?
@@Laz7481 the ak105 that cleared the 500 yd course.
I went through the neck thing on my precision gun on it's last update. An optic that was perfect in prone was not great to shoot in other positions. When I set it up for shooting positional, prone started to really suck. I ended up using lower rings and ditching a nice mount to reduce the "delta" in my neck angle between multiple positions. Sadly, with something like this AK there is only so much you can do vs a precision gun or even an AR where you have other facets of adjustability.
One thing that would be an interesting experiment.. Take one of these uncomfortable-in-prone rifles with the touchy eyebox that is made more for upright shoothing, and shoot it off the handrail with a bag or something more upright (but stable) and see how the score is influenced.
@Matt Fleming I agree with you, I’m not a fanboy for any particular rifle but, its perplexed me that optic heights for the AR in particular have been all over the map in the past 2-decades (outside of NV use), yet people trope “AR ergonomics is best” and complain about there being lack of cheek weld on other platforms. These same folks are now are using 1.93 and higher mounts to be more upright and have more of the stock in contact with there body (vs. over the shoulder) when standing, yet sacrificing the cheek weld in the process, and don’t see the drawbacks........I see benefit in rifles that’s stock comb height isn’t dictated by the rifles operating mechanisms (like the AR’s due to the rear charging handle), so it can be adjusted to suit user preference, BUT as you said it’s not “one size fits all.” I think there is some good learnings to be had from the PRS guys and the innovative stocks they use for more direct “in-line” recoil management, then looking at the best “trade-off-point” for more combat oriented rifles......this is one area I think rifles like the SCAR, ACR, XCR, BREN, etc....got it right, with the ugg-boot shape, and comb adjustability.
@@ericschumacher5189 Absolutely spot on.
I do think it comes down to intended use. Someone kicking doors will have different needs than someone doing overwatch with an SPR type rifle. Instructors and youtube personalities all have different backgrounds. Many are vets but fought/trained different wars.
I think the lesson here is to be flexible. Have some spare optics with mounts laying around. Set up your LPVO to be a precision style setup and i'd do red dots on a little higher plane. You can force both into either role but use your equiptment's advantages. Practice at different ranges, in different positions, in different conditions, while employing a variety of rifles. It's nice to have the fastest splits up close.. it's also nice to destroy a PRS course of fire.. but i'd rather be "competent" in both than a pro in either.
I really like the Zhukov stock with cheek riser on my AKs.
Great video as always!
the cheek riser makes all the difference, im taller and a lot 'sights' i put on my AK before it id have to adjust my cheek and a lot of times it would be uncomfortable to shoot a lot . riser ftw
Zhukov stock don't get the recoil of GP25.
Excellent content especially the analysis Henry and Josh! Bravo
Those silver bear 65 gr rounds are pretty decent! Nice run btw!
From what I remember from AK operators Union they are shit.
@@ShizawnSanders Maybe in Rob's case he ran into a bad lot i.e inconsistent quality control etc. But judging by how this 500 yard shoot went, it doesn't look that bad.
@@ShizawnSanders most of their stuff is especially 223, but I've had better luck with that loading , a couple of rifles really liked it(both SARs)
@@bmsk0076 I'm thinking that's just more of a great shooter then good ammo.
I've had them run well through an AR in 5.45. I keep a lot to this day.
As with the original video, I was speechless when I saw the results
Looking into it further though, I'm still impressed by what a properly modernised AK can bring to the table. Oxide was right: simply modernising the AK74 via a wide project or even going as far as to procure a huge order of aftermarket furniture for the AK would've been a smarter choice. Sure right now a lot of general grunts are running their AK74s and AK12s slick but a base platform with good accessory mounting features is always important to remain relevant. Still, end of the day, sometimes what the people at the top want is what they get.
I wonder if we were to see similar or better results with an AK of similar setup in 5.56 with Zenitco hardware run this course with higher grain ammo. Or perhaps a re-run of the Niner in its MKII config in those conditions?
the stabilized footage was very needed, thanks :)
Sneaking to the range on Mother's Day with my wasr3 while I let my wife and kids sleep in, and then this? Hell yeah
Man, this range is so better from the viewers point, no we clearly see every impact you do. Thanks a lot, guys!
My son has the same bake-lite mag from CAI 74 but converted for 5.56 back in the day. And for those of us who cannot obtain, or afford, zentico, I love the good old Archangel stock with adjustable cheek weld.
Mother's Day AK-74 video? A surprise for sure, but a welcome one!
edit: oh this seems to be a repost
I know they’ve done multiple AK platforms and AR platforms but I’d love to see a block2 upper to go along with the m4 upper video to see if/comparison to the standard m4
They've recorded block 2 footage; it was mentioned in the scar L video.
Yes but there wasn’t a specific video on it I would love to see what it can do in comparison to the m4 or alpha AK
@@blackcloudr1130 Right, I meant they've already shown us that they went out and recorded that gun on the range. Your request is already in the process of being answered.
@@Talynen o Ok I got you now lol
Thanks
Just discovered your channel immediately subscribed, very professional very informative thank you.
Omg, I love this content.., please keep bringing this amazing info.
I have a SLR 106 set up almost identically to that. Only difference is im running a PK-AS on the zenit dust cover for the full eastern block vibe. One of my favorite setups. The ALG is a great trigger. No peening of the carrier tail from the hammer thankfully. Great video. Shows a modernized old warhorse can still be very viable.
Nice review! These are most of the upgrades that should be done to bring the AK into the 21st century! Thanks for all your hard work! Happy Motha's Day!!!
Great content as always. Could you do a similar video of modernized ak104? I bet it would dominate up to 300m but it would interesting to see what a professional shooter like you guys can do with it at longer ranges, wind would definately be a problem but still it would be interesting to see (at least for me). I have one (saiga) but I currently have access only to shooting range with max shooting distance of 200 meters.
Thanks for also showing the range in meters
Us folks in not America appreciates it😂🤙🏼
Just tell yourself meters and yards are the same. Problem solved.
You don't need a Zenitco PT-1 stock to fix the cheekweld with an optic. There are AK -> AR-15 stock adapters that are readily available and snap into the rear trunnion. These raise the stock level to be much more comfortable with an optic, and you can use any AR-15 stock+riser you want with them, giving you a ton of options. They are extremely well made in very durable. I've seen some Russian guys with them in photos and videos, and they're pretty popular in the US too.
They're well aware of this considering their own AK setups but I'm under the impression that the context they're referring to is strictly under the principles of a modernised AK with locally sourced aftermarket parts in Russia. Or at least that's what came to the top of their head
@@ReapingRose115 Aware, perhaps. Mentioned, no.
Great review
My favorite people to warch on UA-cam. what a channel guys, very well done as always. I like seeing two professional guys have an academic discussion and leave most of stupid memes and bro culture aside.
One thing worth noting is that for most people your vision will be measurably better if your eye is centred in the eye socket (your head upright as if you were walking and looking straight ahead) so the chin weld has that advantage.
so badass the SG550 in the background
greeting from switzerland
Beside from the Russian MOD's SSO, the FSB's special forces has a lot of funding compared to their army and Rosguard counterparts, you can see regional FSB officers from somewhere like Ingushetia with better equipment than a GRU special forces serviceman.
Excellent video, fellas. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
Y'all just keep getting better
Late to the video.. but I absolutely recommend m4 stock adapters on an AK. Great and relatively inexpensive way to solve the cheek weld issue. And from my experience with them they are very solid if they are installed properly.
You should see their AK Niner videos, they're not unfamiliar with the concept, just this particular configuration was possibly to test the waters
Great video and great shooting as always. Maybe a deep dive into the mount would be cool!
I like how well you can see each shot travel.
Love to see a video using a single red dot using the chest, head, hat method
Nice job Henly.
Great run and nice rifle! I remember another day when Josh was rocking those shorts.
It's talked about in hushed whispers and nods.
Fantastic quality as always fellas! Keep it up
Is this a reupload? If so, what was added/taken out of the original?
Nyet, upload is fine
I think it was partially a reupload and previously they had a different optic? I was just asking myself that same question and I definitely remember a lot of this.
Nothing has changed in the content.
I'm getting major Deja Vu
I’ve seen this too?
I love channel. I love AK. Minute of man all you need!
Many thanks for the upload look forward to the speed run upload (maybe with a heavier grain bullet and eotech/3 times magnifier please ) cheers 👍
You give me hope for the potential accuracy of my firearms.
Great shooting and breakdown love these videos
Stellar episode guys!
Hey henry is this spam im prety sure this is spam? But also dont want to miss out on a friggin givaway iv got some empty mlok slots that need some slate black love
The Nomex flight gloves and Jungle boots with a Gorka is a classic look
Beautiful run!
The accuracy stigma that follows AK platform rifles has a lot to do with the ammo quality. It doesn't matter if you have a 1 MOA rifle, if your ammo is garbage (let's be honest comblock surplus is) then you're going to be disappointed.
^ This
ALL OF THIS
Yup
Good audio. Very nice.
wow that was impressive, the shooter and the rifle.
Did NOT expect that result shooting -
but the only problem I have, is a lot of the images and footages of poorly equipped "Russian" troops are actually DPR or LPR militia. I dont understand why at this point people are still confusing them with the actual Russian forces...on the other hand, the chechen infantry have much better gear and mostly field customized AKs with various attachments and optics, they too do not represent the general Russian forces.
Because most info on the war comes from western propaganda outlets
Great video, but later in the video, discussing how well (or rather not well) russian soldiers are armed, you have shown some DPR and LNR militia, using older equipment, that's not really correct since DPR and LNR armed forces are not part of AFRF. And comparing FSB to regular soldiers isn't correct too. Though, yeah, having those AK-12s without optics looks strange. Thanks for not making it emotional or biased, I'm tired of that bs all around.
All those cellphone vids are DNR and LPR soldiers AND Chechens.. Russian soldier are prohibited to bring cellphones. ..and btw.. theyre winning ..Ukraine will be a landlocked country .
I'm glad someone else pointed that out.
I love both guys but his bias was definitely showing at end.
@@Michael_Veritas Bias or lack of full dataset. Remember that those guys have not fought alongside Russians, and information in US is becoming more and more wanky with time. Ak-12 looks to me much more like a proof-of-concept kind of a thing than anything permanent or standard and footage from Mariupol clearly shows that Russian army (not DPR nor LPR) do use much more optical devices than first batch of info on Ukraine conflict insinuated.
@@LikePhoenixFromAshes hey guys thanks for commenting. I’ll admit I was smack talking a little and this was also originally aired a month ago (filmed ever farther back) which is why the talks seem dated. That said we plan on updating the conversation later with the speedway and honestly I’ve had convos with a few of our Russian friends to gather more modernized AK74 pictures for the updated take.
Some version of this loadout is what everyone one the internet wants and is willing to pay through the nose for.
Yep Zenitco rails are HIGH!! Saw a B33 top covers rail sell for 1250.
Well fellas, to tell you the truth, 400 metres, moving target, iron sights was a standard exercise for a conscript in Soviet Army. 🤷♂️ It was called "corse of shouting number one " from the the " shouting instruction"
Commenting to support the algorithm
That's realy nice. The Algorithm is worried about the recent Layoffs.
Can not wait for the Speedway run!
The only suspense of the Speedway run will be, 'Just HOW fast?'
Isn’t this an old video
Keep it up Mr. Chan!!!
That's battle accuracy there, wow!
The obzor if you can find one is an awesome optic.
25:00 Well, there's a lot of variation among "Russian" forces in the theater.
- Check the Chechen forces and you'll see mostly modernized AKs with optics.
- FSB, SSO, and other Spetsnaz units are wreaking havoc with thermals.
- Russian Army regulars? mostly sleek AK-74Ms.
- VDV guys (the ones jumping out of the chopper) are running 74Ms and AK-12s, and are issued optics at a rate of 3 per squad, choose not to run them. After all, they are paratroopers and every ounce counts.
- Donetsk and Lugansk *militia* (which are the bulk of the forces we've seen) are using anything they can source, from 74s to freaking Mosins.
Claiming that the Russians are not using modern setups and optics is missing half of the picture
He specifically didn't say they're not using them. He implied that the media presentation has been made to suggest that they were ubiquitous, which is evidently not the case.
@@andersjjensen then the issue is in the choice of which media presentations to watch. Many media presentations showcase spec ops. They are very much running modernized platforms with optics.
But watch any videos of regular troops exercises and they are running the very same setup they do in the field
Počinje da mi se svidja kalibar 5,45*39. Zaista impresivno, mali odskok, odlična preciznost čak i za ovako kratku cev...
That’s some impressive shooting! 🤙🏻
Thats why I like the Archangel stock.
It may be a few decades, if ever, that we actually see wide adoption of optics or red dots become standard for general infantry. I mean on my ship we had M4A1s and only 1 single rifle had a red dot. All the rest were iron sights. It's the same thing with suppressors. I mean you think militaries would be pushing wide adoption of suppressors, given obvious benefits of increased situational awareness and hearing protection for troops, especially in CQC environments, and yet we're only now seeing that possible happen with the new M5 carbine coming out, assuming one day it actually goes standard issue
In Denmark every single rifle and carbine armed soldier got optics when we switched from the G3 to a Canadian AR clone in the mid to late 90s. Integral suppressors would be a nice touch on next gen rifles though...
Love to see you guys do a review of the MCX 6.8 SPEAR, the NGSW battle rifle that is replacing the M4
The ammunition situation is not optimal. Yes. Very well said without going into detail about just how bad it is.
I just got and broke in a brand new 13" IWI 5.45 Galil Ace. Fantastic gun, and probably the best way to get into a modern 5.45 without having to mod the crap out of it.
Shits all over the AK-12, also.
@@borkwoof696 yeah, I'm surprised at the reviews I've seen about the AK12. My only other 5.45 is a Vepr, and so far the Galil is just as high quality in a different modem way
@@trunkmonkey56 the ACE is pretty successful in second and third world countries in Latin American and Asian countries that previously used AKs. It’s pretty funny to think that Colombia and Chile have a more advanced rifle than Russia. Allegedly some ACEs are even serving in Ukraine atm.
During the final target you can actually see the round trailing till it hits wow
Good vid.
I’ve always said the Ak platform is hella accurate and that’s why I own one.
wasn't this uploaded previously?
No, that was the AK 9er.
@@chemistryofquestionablequa6252 pretty sure it wasnt, this was like 4 weeks ago. maybe youtube took it down or something idk
I think we were all thinking of the AK-12 Video where they talked about optics in Ukraine. I'll have to watch it and see if it's a different conversation
EDIT okay nevermind this is very familiar already, I think it is a reupload
I think maybe Henry meant to upload the speedway video?
After watching some of it, it seems like you're right.
While we're talking about steel case ammo, any chance of featuring a rifle in 6.5 Grendel?
AK content finally
I said it before and I'll repeat it again - despite all the rhetoric about making the Russian army professional (both in terms of skills and in terms of staffing method), it's still the same Soviet army full of conscripts and NCOs who gained their experience not from the training, but "intuitively" - from participating in armed conflicts. So the doctrine, as it's been mentioned, hasn't changed and nobody's expecting a lot besides the suppressive fire from those infantrymen. So even if some units received optics for small arms, it's probably just kept in storage because "dumb soldiers are going to break or sell it".
And that footage from the exercises showing fully equipped soldiers is a part of the ancient Russian tradition of "pokazúha", показуха (incorrectly called "maskirovka" - "camouflage" by some Westerners who don't speak Russian) - it's a term for bragging with fakes, putting up a show to convince an audience that everything is going better than ever.
"Показуха" is just a slang term for pretense, not some mythical tradition or whatever.
@@sciarpecyril well, there's nothing magical about it, but it's so widespread and ridiculous that it could be seen as cultural feature or tradition.
@@sciloj, mythical, not magical. But whatever.
Pretense is universal for all mankind, regardless of country or nation.
@@sciarpecyril formally - yes, practically - no. The degree of it matters. Dismissing such difference is a fallacy.
@@sciloj, practically as well. This is a part of our psychology. Variations exist, but the militaries has always had an increased tendency to show off.
Mr. Henry, I am here under direction of Mr. G Thumb. He referred me here for "benefitable advice of something big and new for me". ..
Good! I made about 10 shots to get my target at 500 meters - 3 impacts
I find the talk of the cheekweld kinda funny because I'm doing a piggyback rds on a scope. A 45° wont work for me, and I dont like them anyways.
Up close I can do the heads up 'chin weld' through the rds, and at distance I settle in on the scope because, you know, precision and shit.
AHH a nice day out of vault just to get some fresh air.
That handguard doesn't as much "relieve pressure" as it stabilizes the barrel and makes it flex less during firing. If you look at how Walther WA2000 does it, it works along similar lines.
All these accessories are well and good, but for a line soldier who lives and dies mostly by enemy artillery strike or air strike, they don't make all that much different. If enemy only has small arms, then the accessories may make some difference. But if you screw up TACTICALLY, enemy will skewer you even with a basic AKM from 1956.
Infantry soldier very rarely uses his rifle for a precision single fire. Such instances are exceedingly rare with most engagements being within 200m, and soldiers use burst fire in most cases to compensate for range estimation error that's a common thing on a battlefield. In fact that's why AKs have the "P" position. Simply aim centre mass. You guys are treating it as a precision tool of single fire. It isn't one, and was never meant to be one.
Rifle is a tool. It needs to be able to do a job. No more than that. And it does the job.
Exactly, well said.
Shooting bursts at someone 200m away who's behind cover and made himself the size of a stamp isn't gonna cut it
I'm devastated. I just found out that what I had been seeing in the media might not be an accurate picture of Russian readiness. Tell me it ain't so! Thank you for the excellent video and the very clear explanations of things that I am interested in but know very little of. That montage near the end was spot-on.
Are you shure?
Forest of Belorussia are full of litle green men whit a bit beter kit than most.
Just waiting for "friends" from other camp on the Polish side.
@@ljubomirculibrk4097 lol.. those little green men are not allowed to bring cellphones and post stuff or else . But i saw a footage of Russian troops (not the DPR or LPR) from pro Russian civilians in the east.. HOLY SH11T! BAD ASSES !! Even the Chechens are fking badass
Another great video you two were and when is the speed run for this one !
Have you guys thought about doing the Robinson Armament XCR?
I thought they only shoot adopted service rifles for the Practical Accuracy vids?
@@juncho1977 nope, they did one on "a hunting rifle" and they also recently did one on the WWSD rifle.
@@forrest225 Yup, I stand corrected. Forgot about those.
Tell Cousin I need that Sig sitting on the piano.
25:47 will people stop showing DPR/LPR militia when talking specifically about RU military? Please? I mean we all know why people like doing that but it's pretty cheap at this point
They have to pay their Uktaine tax. If they can't disparage the Russian Army in anyway shape or form, it will be unpopular with UA-cam.
With all the rifles you guys reviewed have you done the SVT 40? If not I think that would be a great review video
God what a beautiful weapon. I dream of owning one.
Could we please get a run with the Galil Ace? It competes directly with AK-12 and Zenitco upgrade packages for military contract of countries running AK's looking to modernise. It would be interesting to see how it compares to the Russian options.
They already did it.
@@BobSaint they did it on their old course in 7.62x39 with different optics. It performed well, but probably would have done better in 5.45 as is less effected by the wind.
What I want to see is a 5.45 version running the same ammo in the same conditions with the same or similar optics side by side with the AK-12 and this tricked out Alpha AK
Concerning mag, a friend and I couldn't ID, let alone shoot, a torso sized steel plate at 400 yards that was gray, half obscured by grass as it was in front of a large fallen tree that was brown and gray looking through a 4x optic and 6x optic. It was barely observable with a 10x optic.
Arsenal recently issued a massive recall for the SLR-104FR. Better check your serial numbers
How come I hear so many people complain that the NGSW xm5 is too heavy, but we are all fine with an AK that comes in at 10.8lbs? It's not even a 7.62 ak, but a 5.45.
Who said this wasn't too heavy?
do Springfield Hellion, please.
Happy Motherland Day!