Edit:

Updated with newer red dots and collimators, also clarified some details on the PK01 series.

(Also keep in mind this isn't every single combloc red dot manufactured, but it is the majority of them I believe)




Traditional tube style red dots:

PK-A
Grey model with lower mount (my personal favorite of the PKA family)



PK-A
Black model with high mount


PK-A
Weaver



PK02/PK23
Mine was marked PK02 but the common name is PK23. Has a flickering red dot that is easy to acquire and naturally draws your eye to it.
(In RS Regulate's 30mm tube mount, good stuff)




PK01 Series

The PK01 series is extensive and covers probably 8-10 models, maybe more. I'm still in the process of trying to nail all these down, I think I have 4 or 5 more to go (not counting the newest ones from BelOMO that we can't get). The hard part is knowing exactly how similar they are in construction...some of them clearly are in the same family, others just carry the ubiquitous PK01 designation. I'm still researching.

(Sorry, no pics for some of these, I don't have them in hand yet but they are on my list)  


PK01 styles
Left to right VS, VM, V and Vi


PK01AA
http://www.eastwave.ca/products/scopes/pk01aa.html


Venezuelan PK-A






Venezuelan PK-A with older PK-A



PK01BT
http://www.eastwave.ca/products/scopes/pk01bb.html


PK01 from Eastwave's site, this one seems to be similar to the PK01 series that we're seeing lately (The PK01-Vi) but has some kind of automatic light sensor


PK01Vi
The body is marked PK01Vi but this seems to most commonly be called PK01VA or PK01VE or sometimes just PK01-V. A fair amount of confusion exists on it's designation... at different time periods and different vendors have used various names for it from what I have been told by Tantal. For simplicities sake I think I'm going to stick with what is written on the scope body and dispense with the designations that may or may not be based on mount types.

PK01Vi with the high mount (spacer above locking clamp)


With spacer removed




PK01-V
Is extremely low and will cowitness with rear sight on 1
Uncharacteristically for BelOMO optics it uses AAA batteries





PK01-VM






Super rare PK01-VS
Also extremely low and will cowitness on 1






Kobra EKP-1S-03M
This is not a collimator or a traditional red dot, however it has a proven reputation for toughness and is well regarded by Russian troops in Chechnya. There are a number of versions, this one is 03M. Currently produced by Axion, Kobra has had somewhat of a checkered past manufacturing-wise.






Collimater type optics:


Generally speaking the collimator optics are really non magnified scopes as opposed to tube style optics with dots. They tend to have a higher quality lense, less of a tube like field of view and gather more light for a brighter image than typical red dots. Latest versions like Obzor and Rakurs do not use batteries and are tritium illimunated, plus have some form of always on reticule like an regular scope would.


PK-AS
I believe this is sometimes called the S version and is generally what I think most of us are familiar with
Has an always on black oval and dot and uses batteries to illuminate the dot for low light shooting


PK-AS-V
Higher and center over the bore


PK-AS-W
Weaver





Rakurs
Has an always on German Post Reticule and uses tritium for low light shooting. 1P76 has entered service with Russian FSB units.


Russian marked 1P76 version without diopter


Rakurs-PM picatinny version



With PN16K nigh vision


Reticule
This is indeed a tritium illuminated reticule but because of the eye relief it's hard to get a decent picture of it. It's green and has a ghostly feel to it, I like it alot. No on/off, no batteries and nothing to worry about.



On the S12


SLR105



PK-AS-S and Rakurs, here you can see the relative difference in height




Semi top view, it was hard to get a good photo showing the height over the receiver. It does block the irons.




Obzor
Uses always on daylight reticule via the light sensors on the top and bottom and also tritium for low light shooting. Has a brightness filter to darken the FOV and make the reticule stand out more clearly.



Bottom and top light sensors for daylight reticule



Elevation and windage


Filter on/off (to reduce glare and bring out the contrast of the reticle better)


Daylight reticule
Tritium is similar…no triangle in the middle and the overall size is smaller, it fits in the empty space around the triangle. Tough to get a pic but hopefully you get the idea


Rakurs and Obzor


NIT-A
Always on German post reticule using light sensor technology like Obzor (it actually is the forerunner of Obzor). Also has filter switch like Obzor for better reticule clarity
Tritium illuminated but most likely will be too old to use or deactivated.

SLG31







With Obzor and Rakurs


NIT-A reticule


Shooting position from the bench



NIT light sensors



On the S12














More pics including magnified:
http//:russianoptics.net

Z

nice, hurry up and buy the others too so we can have a complete review. I'm not an enabler.....really

Nice write-up.

I hate you and your 30 Optics that I want, though.  

Why are most of the optics mounted so high?

Excellent post, perhaps we can get this tacked somewhere?

Is it possible to get a cheek weld with any of those or are they all sitting pretty high?

Some of them are intended for use with ballistic helmets that have faceshields. Otherwise as far as I can tell it's more for CQB where higher seems to be more natural in a dynamic environment.

I was trained by Uncle Sam with the nose to the charging handle M16 sight picture with a very low cheekweld, but I can say after using these optics over the years I personally don't think they're high at all, actually quite comfortable and I shoot just fine with them. They do take a little getting used to at first but it generally doesn't take long.



Chinweld is a more realistic description but as I mentioned above it really doesn't take long to get used to. Using the RS Regulate mount that I show with the PK23 (Horse's mount) puts the optic extremely low, most Western shooters like it from the feedback I have seen.


Z

Excellent as always TX.  Should get a sticky in the optics section so it does not disappear into the archives as often happens with our reviews.

Interesting thought...I just 'reported' myself, maybe they'll have mercy and sticky this like you suggested



Z

I hope you get PK01AA soon and do a review on it. I've been interested in picking one up. Seems like it should sit fairly low and be a comfortable optic for cheek weld.

As always, excellent pics and review!

I second making this a tacked thread.



 

I have a PK-01V that takes the 2 AAA batteries and is centered directly over the reciever top-cover. It allows to cowitness the iron sights. Very similar to an aimpoint comp m2 but cheaper made. Out of all the Russian sights, it is the most ergonomically useable (you don't have to have a "chin weld" like on a Kobra)

Very nice scope selection.

Cool post! I have a PK-AS and love it. BTW where did you get the fall colored camo jacket? I really like that.

That sounds like something I'd be interested in.  Can you post a link to where you found it?

Well, its about damn time you posted an Optics Reference Guide.

If you have any information about what Russian units use which particular optics, it would be a nice addition to what you already have.
Is Kalinka Optics the main source for these optics?

Thanks for the write up

Eastwave optics about 3 years ago.

PK 01 30mm mount with an Aimpoint ML3. Sits very low, co-witnesses with the irons.

awesome pics.great job!

I have been admiring the SL12.........Damn!

Added NIT-A pics

thank you for posting this.

Excellent stuff as always Zen. Your posts always make me jealous.

Just to stir the pot a little, which one is your personal favorite as far as comfort/utility are concerned?

As always, an amazing and informative writeup. Thank you.

Overall it's still the Rakurs, at least as far as practicality goes. Obzor is might be able to take over though...it's really neat and the more I use it the more I like it.

I have a soft spot for the plane old PK-A and over the years I've gotten a lot of miles out of the PK-AS which had been my favorite for a long time before Rakurs.




Thanks!


Z

Nice post. i didnt realize they had so many different red dots. thanks for the info

Awesome collection of optics. Which ones do you feel are the best overall? I do like the newer PK01V type only because you can also use the mount itself with a standard Aimpoint.

I FINALLY found this thread.  I've been hunting it again for a while...

I've fretted for some time on chaning from the Ultimak/PA or T1 set up as I've struggled with all that forward weight.

Today I fretted on the Rakurs and the Ozbor.  I went Rakurs over PK-AS or Ozbor because the Rakurs is over the bore and uses no batteries.  I like PK-AS as it works without batteries...but it's offset a bit and I didn't know how I'd like it.  I love the look of the Ozbor and Liquid Metal recommended it...but it seems to sit nearly an inch higher.

Something tells me I'll own more than one....

There's really no way to avoid owning just one IMO

Obzor is a good choice too, LM recommended it years ago and I should have bought one back then but was tied up on other projects. I really like mine now that I have it.

Rakurs is still the best overall to me...but Obzor is closing the gap really quick because of the interesting and easy to acquire reticule



A few new ones added

PK01-V



PK01-VM






Z

Hey Zen, I think you should consider trying to write an article for the next G&A Book of the AK. Similar to Doug Ford's series on night optics.

That just popped into my head the other day. These optics are readily available, but aside from what you post about them, there doesn't seem to be a whole huge wealth of knowldege out there.

Shame on you TX...why didn't you tell me the PK-AA was available.  

Did you get it from Eastwave?  The VM is new to me.  Looks like the VS but different.  Of course, I am going to need some in depth reviews please!

I didn't say anything because I didn't know they were here myself... and when the offer was made there was only one other which was already paid for. I believe one of our friends from TOS made the deal happen with our favorite crack dealer.

I did ask and confirmed there will be a couple more coming, FWIW I made sure you were next on the list.




Z

Regarding the Rakurs, how do you replace the tritium illumination after it fades out?

I think Rakurs would be relatively 'field' replaceable, I'm pretty sure this is the cartridge with the white sealant here on the bottom:




Obzor I'm not sure about yet. Could be this round plate with 2 screws:



Or this square plate


Then again there's another square plate on the bottom with 4 screws, and then 4 other screws that secure something to something. It really is like a UFO

I know McNee229 from theakforum.net was able to fabricate a replacement cartridge and obtain the tritium vial for my 1P29 to get it relit which is really cool.

He has considerable skill, it might be possible to have these relit at some point.

few photos and video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTv0ixX3gYM&list=UUQ48wx-RTZd8CiKdVBIhNTQ&index=4&feature=plcp

http://talks.guns.ru/forummessage/100/590781-5.html