Archived Posts » 59,789,155
First Impressions: Vector RPK74
9/24/2008 4:17:14 PM
Picked it up the other day. Lets start the list....no, have not done a range test on it yet, that will be coming soon.
Fit an finish very good. Front lower handguard wobbles slightly, swapping to a plum lower anyway, so we'll see if I can tighten that up.
Condition of the wood is exceptional. I did notice tht the rear sling swivel holes were stripped out...either that or the screws are just too small. ALready fixed that with larger screws.
Spring for cleaning kit in the stock is missing.
COndition is dirty...mostly packing residue and dust. No big deal....
Rear sight functions great without the gritty-ness of the Yugo RPK rear sights.
No, the NDS receiver does not have the mag dimples, but there are spacing plates inside to prevent mag wobble. I tried only 1 mag and it fit very tight...almost too tight. Will check all others including steel ones to see if the mag well needs a slight tweak with a file.
The NDS receiver is nice and beefy...that's why I got it. Will most likely be my only '74 (yeah, right)...and I wanted a beefy reciever like the Yugo M72's.
The shepard's hook looks to be about 1/4 inch too far forward, when I clean it will try to re-adjust it.
Cleaning rod is present, and the metal finish looks to be a black gun coat. Haven't hit it with Hoppes No 9 yet, but hoping it is more durable than the current crop of Arsenal guns.
Only real complaint is no scope mount on the left side.....knew this going into it. I will need to engage a good 'smith to have one put on.
I highly recommend if you can lay your hands on one to get it...or get the parts kit and reciever from Gun SUpply and build one up.
Range test and accuracy results with Wolf 60 gr FMJ and HP, Golden Tiger 59 grn FMJ, Barnaul 60 grn FMJ, and Bulgy wasp 52grn. to follow soon!
Fit an finish very good. Front lower handguard wobbles slightly, swapping to a plum lower anyway, so we'll see if I can tighten that up.
Condition of the wood is exceptional. I did notice tht the rear sling swivel holes were stripped out...either that or the screws are just too small. ALready fixed that with larger screws.
Spring for cleaning kit in the stock is missing.
COndition is dirty...mostly packing residue and dust. No big deal....
Rear sight functions great without the gritty-ness of the Yugo RPK rear sights.
No, the NDS receiver does not have the mag dimples, but there are spacing plates inside to prevent mag wobble. I tried only 1 mag and it fit very tight...almost too tight. Will check all others including steel ones to see if the mag well needs a slight tweak with a file.
The NDS receiver is nice and beefy...that's why I got it. Will most likely be my only '74 (yeah, right)...and I wanted a beefy reciever like the Yugo M72's.
The shepard's hook looks to be about 1/4 inch too far forward, when I clean it will try to re-adjust it.
Cleaning rod is present, and the metal finish looks to be a black gun coat. Haven't hit it with Hoppes No 9 yet, but hoping it is more durable than the current crop of Arsenal guns.
Only real complaint is no scope mount on the left side.....knew this going into it. I will need to engage a good 'smith to have one put on.
I highly recommend if you can lay your hands on one to get it...or get the parts kit and reciever from Gun SUpply and build one up.
Range test and accuracy results with Wolf 60 gr FMJ and HP, Golden Tiger 59 grn FMJ, Barnaul 60 grn FMJ, and Bulgy wasp 52grn. to follow soon!
9/24/2008 5:04:05 PM
Thanks for the review. Don't worry about that NDS-8 receiver not having dimples, factory RPK-74s never had them to start with 
.
.10/24/2008 6:46:05 AM
Took the '74 to the range with my SLR107CR. '74 shot very well.....was using Barnaul 60 grn FMJ. My bad on not trying to adjust the sites BEFORE I got to the range. I noticed the front site was sitting really low...sure enough it needed to be raised. I snapped the end off my front site tool right off (you know, the combo tool with the windage pusher) Gun Coat they put on had it frozen.
The drunk monkeys at Vector had the buttplate on flipped around...so I did not have the cleaning kit with the front site tool that looks like a screw driver.
Windage was also off...and I nicked the gun coat finish nicely trying to adjust it.
It was a function test day....I plan to go back and try all the other ammo I have for accuracy testing. It ran like a swiss watch....y'all got one yet? Why not????
The drunk monkeys at Vector had the buttplate on flipped around...so I did not have the cleaning kit with the front site tool that looks like a screw driver.
Windage was also off...and I nicked the gun coat finish nicely trying to adjust it.
It was a function test day....I plan to go back and try all the other ammo I have for accuracy testing. It ran like a swiss watch....y'all got one yet? Why not????
10/24/2008 9:08:06 PM
"....y'all got one yet? "
Me & a buddy each purchased one early last year when Vector was still in business. Mine never jammed & always worked with any magazine and all different kinds of ammo. But, it shot consistently low no matter what ammunition was used & no matter what the sight setting was. Sold it to someone who didn't care about the issue.
My friend's had such a tight magwell it wouldn't function with anything but it's original bakelite 45 rounder. He sold it to me & I resolved the problem with Mr. Dremel. While it is fun to bump fire, am wondering why I got such a relatively heavy weapon to fire the little 5.45mm. Especially since I already have a SAR-2 & MKII.
Me & a buddy each purchased one early last year when Vector was still in business. Mine never jammed & always worked with any magazine and all different kinds of ammo. But, it shot consistently low no matter what ammunition was used & no matter what the sight setting was. Sold it to someone who didn't care about the issue.
My friend's had such a tight magwell it wouldn't function with anything but it's original bakelite 45 rounder. He sold it to me & I resolved the problem with Mr. Dremel. While it is fun to bump fire, am wondering why I got such a relatively heavy weapon to fire the little 5.45mm. Especially since I already have a SAR-2 & MKII.
