Today I had the chance to take the VEPR for a short test ride.  This is just the initial test but so far I am quite impressed and I can't wait to mount some descent glass on it and drag it to the 500 yard range.

I hope you enjoy this first peek (for me anyway) at the VEPR 7.62X54R rifle.

WPA 7.62x54R VEPR Rifle

Jeff Z

Thanks for the review.

Nice review, would really like to see some long range shots to really get an idea what's it's capable of.

Thanks have been wanting this rifle for some time now.Nice to see real people with real results.Possibly a 300,500 yard test would be great to see.
Thanks for sharing

My pleasure guys, thanks.  Proper glass and 500 yards will be in order in the next 30 days or so.  I need to find some ammo it likes too.  The cheap, white box, Russian 149 ( or 148) grain stuff was performing pretty well inside of 200 yards.

Jeff Z

The only thing holding me back from purchasing a 7.62x54R Vepr has been the lack of ammo that's both Accurate and Affordable. I still have more interest in the .308 VEPR long barrel.

Get the Russian surplus stuff on stripper clips from the 1940s. Laugh, but it's the best shooting 7.62x54R I've ever shot.

Really?  What kind of accuracy have you gotten with it, and out of what rifle?

I have heard the same thing about the old machine gun ammo being accurate in the VEPR.  I have yet to try it myself but will report back when I do.  Cheap ammo and the word "accurate" together make me smile. :-)

Jeff Z

Double stacked mags and a shit ton of different kinds of ammo to choose from.



 

Good job.

What kind of ammo was in that white box?  Just said Russian.. that could be many things.

Really interested in these rifles, but   need to know how they shoot the cheap surplus stuff.  Not looking to spend a fortune on ammo just to get it to shoot 2moa or something.

Since it seems these are coming in with 16" barrels too, making it a nice replacement for the Waffen Works AK54R.

Shot one recently. I really like it. A lot. Didn't do any accuracy testing. Just "minute of clay pigeon at 100yd" I was using Bulgarian silvertip.
After getting the sights adjusted, I was hitting the clays pretty consistantly.

I pick mine up tomorrow

where did you get the mount?

thanks

You guys are making my wallet cringe.

Hi, DS! Have to say don't pay attention to my English - it's not my original. Have some experience with Vepr 54R (around 800 or so rounds with different ammo, usually Russian/Bulgarian surplus $0.20/r).
Nice gun, well made, need some FCG polishing job and you got nice pretty accurate rifle. Fun to shoot. Has heavy recoil, that's why I'm in the process of putting the muzzle brake on it (I got really good groups improvements with Mosin91/30 with AK-74 style muzzle brake: 300y, iron sights, yugo brass cased 182 gr ammo = 3.5''/4'' group). So, back to the Vepr - this gun designed for steel case ammo, even sniper's round designed for the SVD is metal cased. I fired with different brass and results are: Chinese  148gr - accuracy is so-so comparable with metal cased surplus, but casing rim a little bit smaller, and as result problems with extracting; Bulgarian 182 gr - pretty accurate, but problems with feeding - approx-ly 20% got jammed in the battery entrance (see picture); Yugo 182 gr - I love this ammo, very accurate, but very corrosive (have to clean the gun right after shooting at the range, although not necessary - main components are chrome lined), but see results (picture) - speaks for itself! Nothing wrong to feed this gun with copper washed surplus ammo - very slightly corrosive, no FTF/FTE at all (I use ammo made in1974/76) - cheap and fun to shoot. If you gonna by it you won't regret! Need to say, this gun very sensitive for the front point of handling, which changes groups greatly. I saw many guys keep that guns under the lower hand guard - very wrong!!! You never get good groups in this manner. Take a look at the picture on (the left) forum user "luquidmetal" (1 post above yours) - that guy shooting SVD keep his left hand under the mag - in this kind of handling you'll get best results. It's all about harmonics of this rifle. Regarding accuracy - it's not super accurate just because of very heavy bolt carrier (the less weight ratio between bolt carrier and bolt itself the more semi auto rifle is accurate). RPK  platform guns (read Vepr) got biggest ratio (heaviest bolt carrier) among semi autos.  Another "con"  about ammo - if you gonna reloading for the Vepr, don't waste time and brass. It's coming out dented (picture). I don't do reloading at all (yet), but on my opinion brass coming out from Vepr (or other AK platform rifles) too dented to be reloaded.   P.S I just recognized that I don't know how to attach pictures to my post. Anybody please give me detailed explanation - I'm 54 years old and not so good with typing and comps.

Seems the 7.62x54R version gets all the love. Bigger is better right?

Is there a reason the 7.62x39 version gets no love? Is it because you all have standard AKs in that caliber? I'm asking because I have yet to buy an AK of any sort but managed to procure a decent amount of 7.62x39 ammo and might just skip a standard AK in favor of a VEPR.

There are a few guys out there that have produced some very nice Tabuk-ish rifles using a 7.62x39 Vepr as the base rifle.  They look great and tempt me to do the same.  Excellent rifles.





 

I'll be in the office this AM and I'll upload a pic of the white box and headstamp of the ammo I was shooting.  I hope that helps.  I am just beginning a long term test on this rifle and as I get the opportunity to gather additional data I will share it here.

Jeff Z

Thanks for the info Always good to read about someones experience with a rifle in detail!

Very true and the whole reason I now have the Harris bipod of my .308 Vepr mounted to the receiver and not the handguard today.  Any pressure on the barrel influences barrel harmonics and therefore accuracy.  Every little bit helps in the accuracy department.



 

If you get the Vepr Super Hunter  (comes in 7.62x54R) it has a full length stock so you can put your support support hand wherever you want

]Quoted:[/span]
Seems the 7.62x54R version gets all the love. Bigger is better right?

Is there a reason the 7.62x39 version gets no love? Is it because you all have standard AKs in that caliber? I'm asking because I have yet to buy an AK of any sort but managed to procure a decent amount of 7.62x39 ammo and might just skip a standard AK in favor of a VEPR.[/quote]

It.s all about ballistic. 7,62X39 bullet drops 6-8" at 200y, and 7.62X54r - ZERO! I'd prefer more accurate cartridge with flatter trajectory. I sold my Arsenal SGL 7.62X39 to buy Vepr 7.62X54R 23" BBL.

I dug out a box of the white "Russian" ammo yesterday afternoon.  I'll shoot a few pics and upload today.  I am also curious about all the green "Tuna Can" ammo I have been seeing lately.  I will shoot a pic of that and upload for your expert analysis at the same time :-)

Jeff Z

Whoops!  I made a mistake and put the pics of the Russian ammo in the wrong thread.  It is here:

http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_6_2/373709_New_Video___POF_P308_and_DPMS_AP4_vs_Watermelon_and_Concrete_Blocks.html

Sorry for being an internet nOOb sometimes. :-(

Jeff

First range trip with my new VEPR gave me much better than expected results. I used two different cartridges: new commercial WOLF and Bulgarian surplus silver tip. The silver tip actually grouped tighter than the new stuff... impressed i am

I will be mounting the new scope (8X PSO) and heading back out this weekend - pic's and range report will follow...

I really like this rifle

Please keep me (us) posted with range results.

Thanks!

Jeff Z