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Posted: 12/8/2021 9:22:54 PM EDT
This is going to be my review thread of the PSA 103, the KUSA 103 and the Izzy Saiga 103 rifles side by side and part by part. I'll throw in comparisons with Bulgarian 74s and AK74M pattern rifles where appropriate, as well as the AK101 Saiga since my collection spans a few different import years and we might or might not see something interesting. Years ago I wrote a simple primer about the major differences in AK74 pattern rifles, however THE definitive source on AK74 rifles is Tantal's Avtomats-In-Action website. Doug and Ekie and a number of other contributers wrote the best damn guide to the AK74 you can find, period
First impression out of the box? Fucking A, they did it right. There are differences, but overall...wow. It's really close to the Saiga converted to 103 clone Update: It took a long weekend of editing photos and all day today to do the write up, but here we are ready to compare the two main US made AK103 type rifles with the closest thing we can get to the actual Russian AK103 rifle, which is a Russian SGL21 manufactured at the legendary Izhmash factory in Ishevsk Russia, and then imported by Arsenal USA It's important to note that an SGL series rifle as well as Saiga sporters converted to AK74M or AK100 series rifles have a significant amount of the work done here in the USA after importation. They definitely have the Russian pedigree by virtue of having been built there but there are variations in how they are converted and sometimes with what parts are used to complete the build. Things like receiver dimples, bullet guides, trigger guards, pistol grip plates and selector markings can vary widely. Additionally, in Russia things change and evolve and there are different import eras where we saw different details on the various rifles coming in. It's really not possible to build a 100% clone correct rifle without going to a high end custom builder and often spending years scouring for specific parts, so keep that in mind as you read this comparison A second consideration is that while I am including the PSA AK103 in this comparison it is only for visual reference and for the sake of completeness, and because it's a well made AK. Despite the marketing term used by PSA, the PSA AK103 is not actually an AK100 series pattern rifle. It's more closely an early to mid 80s Bulgarian AK74 pattern rifle chambered in 7.62x39 that has more in common with an AKM than an AK100 series rifle. While it looks similar it's not what can be technically considered an AK103. That's not to say PSA is putting out bullshit rifles, in fact it's a really nicely made rifle and the FN barrel they use is throwing down some really nice groups, some of the best I've ever seen in an AK in fact. In my personal opinion the PSA 103 is the most practical 7.62 rifle on the market based on build quality, price and particularly accuracy (at least when suppressed). It's a functional shooter and has earned my respect, so don't take my not an AK103 comment as not liking the rifle. I love it and I'm not even a 7.62x39 guy. I'm OG die hard 5.45 and will remain that way, but a good rifle is a good rifle and both PSA and KUSA seem to be doing them right However, despite all the great things about the PSA, since we are on a technical forum and discussing ultra specific technical details about a specific Russian rifle called the AK103, it has to be clarified that it is not an actual AK103 pattern rifle. What we do want to do though is include it as part of the side by side comparison with the KUSA AK103 and the Russian 103 so that we can all learn something and help the AK market keep moving forward. We're at a remarkable and unprecented time in the US AK market right now with both of these available. Many of us have been waiting close to 20 years for legit quality 100% US made AKs to be here, and here we are at last with not one but two solid options. FWIW I don't think these rifles need to compete with each other either. They are similar yes but doing two different things and there is a market for both IMO I made this thread for all of us to contribute to so please feel free to add content, ask questions or correct me where I am wrong. The one thing I DO NOT want to see is bitching about who made what part out of what material and what is better, or harping and nitpicking on bullshit. Reliability and durability will all shake out as time goes on and this post is not to define who's best and who sucks, its simply to show technical details of what is and what is not an AK103 component. Please don't let this thread turn into a shitshow or pissing match about who's better, including the almighty Izhmash. There's enough of that childish crap on other forums right now as it is and a lot of haters of both companies. Keep it civil and on topic please Having said that, let's have some fun and get down to details KUSA out of the box with included Korean mag Side by side with the Izhmash AK103 conversion And with the PSA and ultra cool banana clip, as well as an AK74M clone on the left and an AK101 clone on the right I've broken the various components of the rifles down into sections for direct comparison. I will also say I am not the greatest AK expert by any stretch and I'm sure I've mistated details here and there. Don't be afraid to call those out. I'm always up for learning, and I write these kinds of posts so that we as a community can keep on getting better and better Lastly, I'm a collector but I'm also a shooter, and I shoot my collectibles. If you can't handle a dirty collectible AK103 clone you should probably head back on over to the AR side Also, in before trashcan gun |
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Reserved: Receiver, top cover, selector, rivets
Rivets on the KUSA are nicely done, including the trigger guard and rear trunnion. The receiver dimples are different than the Saiga sporter but there were a few variations we saw over the years so this is something that is important to collectors but you almost have to pic a specific year or production period and get your high end builder like Ted Marshall to get the dimples right. I don't expect KUSA to make these clone correct due to all the variations out there but they are tastefully done and they avoided anything blatantly incorrect. Both PSA and KUSA did the military Y stamp on the left side of the receiver which is a nice touch. Civilian Saiga sporters are typically not pressed with the Y stamp because they will never be FA and don't need the extra reinforcement there, so most of the time you will not see Russian clones with the actual Y stamp. Kudos to KUSA and PSA for including it Somewhat sadly there are no cyrillic selector markings and no middle notch for fully automatic. To be honest I'm a little surprised due to the attention to detail on so many other FA parts of the rifle. I won't say it's disappointing but I would have liked to see it included because KUSA has done such a good job on so many other details. However, for all I know there may be even a title 1 regulation requiring the weapon to be marked in English by the builder. Even Saigas and SGLs come in with English markings and we have to go to a few select builders to get cyrillic markings, and even then they each do them differently Also to be fair if you were to commission a Ted Marshall clone correct build you'd be 5 or 6 times the price of the KUSA and have to wait a considerable amount of time, so I can't be too bitchy about every little detail. It's really just not possible on a mostly massed produced rifle. It would be pretty epic if they worked with Childers to get AK100 series receivers done because he has earned a great reputation for highly accurate clone detail receivers, but I have no idea if he can meet the kind of volume KUSA is probably going to do. 74U LLC was a red hot and nearly perfect clone receiver manufacturer for a while but as is unfortunately too often the case they got too famous too fast, got too back logged and imploded. It's a fairly common occurence for clone type specialists unfortunately Receiver dimples, right side rivets: PSA top KUSA middle Izzy 103 bottom Selector Levers: PSA top KUSA middle Russian 103 bottom PSA top KUSA middle Izhmash 103 bottom Here again KUSA has a FA selector which is a nice touch Also of note the PSA has an enhanced style selector lever which is not clone correct but is incredibly practical. Additionally, more and more Russians are using enhanced selectors on their rifles and most of the newest upgrades like the Izhmash AK74M3 package and AK12/15 have some form of enhanced selector as a standard component now Scope Rail: PSA top KUSA middle Izzy 103 bottom The side rail is the money maker for me personally on an AK and something I'm extremely interested in. I like the side rail so much I actually made an entire website devoted to the side rail and the optics that go on them The PSA is using the older and perfectly functional AKS74N side rail while the modern Russian 103 and the KUSA are using the 74M/100 series rail. Again there is no functional difference, the changes ended up being focused on simpler production more than an increase in capability or correcting for a deficiency. You can say what you like about Russian optics and the side rail system but it works and has for over 50 years. It's not the only way to mount optics by any means but it was first and hasn't changed for a reason Check out my site if you want to know more about how the rails work and what fits what Mag release dimples: Izhmash 103 left KUSA middle PSA right I can't really say I'm an expert on these but I'll add photos of my 74M, two 105s and my 101 for comparison if I see differences Trigger guard rivets: Izzy left, KUSA middle, PSA right It looks like KUSA used the correct rivet plates that have a B shape from this angle PSA on the left, you can see they used those archaic and outdated square rivet plates. So 1980s :facepalm: Top Covers: PSA top KUSA middle Izhmash 103 bottom Recoil spring: Russian 103 left KUSA middle PSA right PSA top KUSA middle Izzy bottom PSA left KUSA middle Izhmash 103 right PSA left KUSA middle Izzy right |
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This is going to be good. Nice to see we are getting some new quality stuff, and it's also nice to start seeing good informative threads again.
Let's melt some HG's!!!! |
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I hope that these guys knock it out of the park. We need some $1200~ rifles in the market. The import prices are turning ak’s into niche rifles. I hope the same for PSA as well, although I must admit, I’d rather a KUSA logo on my rifle than the PSA logo. Snobbery and what have you.
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Does the KUSA 103 take zenitco handgaurds easily or do they also require fitting like everything else?
Anyone know? |
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If this thread turns out half as good as I think, I will set the archive toggle to keep this thread out of the archives.
If I do set the toggle I will say so in a post. Good luck OP. |
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Quoted: This is going to be my review thread of the PSA 103, View Quote You have an SLR-107 by chance for PSA vs Bulgarian? |
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Quoted: Americans can't make a good AK. Billet bolts suck and/or unsafe. Should have bought a WASR. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Americans can't make a good AK. Billet bolts suck and/or unsafe. Should have bought a WASR. Shots fired! Lol. My KP-9 has been pretty flawless so far, but I tend to share your opinion. These latest generation units appear to break from that mold however, so let’s see how this plays out my friend! Quoted: Does the KUSA 103 take zenitco handgaurds easily or do they also require fitting like everything else? Anyone know? Fun piece of gun forum lore: TX-Zen is short for his legal name “TX-Zenitco”, so I’m hoping he will take lots of pictures with the unit all decked out in railed goodness! |
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Is the KR103 even using the camming pin? The exterior head looks really small.
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Excited to see this, I hope these American companies can figure it out and get us solid aks…. then SVDs and man I will be dropping some money... Good to see these companies rolling forward with these.
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Quoted: Shots fired! Lol. My KP-9 has been pretty flawless so far, but I tend to share your opinion. These latest generation units appear to break from that mold however, so let’s see how this plays out my friend! Fun piece of gun forum lore: TX-Zen is short for his legal name “TX-Zenitco”, so I’m hoping he will take lots of pictures with the unit all decked out in railed goodness! View Quote Id just like to know if the rails fit decently or not. I didnt know the lore behind his name now I feel stupid. |
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Admitting you have a problem is the first step to recovery.
(Just kidding, awesome job) |
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Quoted: Is the KR103 even using the camming pin? The exterior head looks really small. View Quote Quoted: from what I have seen so far, the answer is yes View Quote Yes. The KR-103 uses the bump rivet to initiate bolt cam. At least that's the case on the fixed stock model. |
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Quoted: You have an SLR-107 by chance for PSA vs Bulgarian? View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes |
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Quoted: Fun piece of gun forum lore: TX-Zen is short for his legal name "TX-Zenitco", so I'm hoping he will take lots of pictures with the unit all decked out in railed goodness! View Quote Not even remotely true, however I did order a set of ZenitCo furnture to get some photos with. Ultimately this KUSA will be an AK104 clone down the road. I'm just not a fan of 7.62 but I don't have a 104 in the stable so why not |
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Quoted: Not even remotely true, however I did order a set of ZenitCo furnture to get some photos with. Ultimately this KUSA will be an AK104 clone down the road. I'm just not a fan of 7.62 but I don't have a 104 in the stable so why not View Quote They are going to drop a 104 as well, might be less costly to just grab that one. On to the technical: with the buttplates did you notice a materials difference between the KUSA and the saiga? There are some reports that the KUSA plate is plastic looking but still is attracted to a magnet, so I’m curious what you found. Hats off to you shooting iron sights in your 50’s… I’m about half a decade younger and can’t hit shit even with optics, so you’re doing incredible for a person of your advanced age group. Kudos on a great write up. |
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Nice batch of detailed photos.
Any indication of MIM parts? MIM doesn't seem to be used for anything bigger than maybe a 1911 grip safety but it might work well for AK sight parts, maybe stock hinge bits. And maybe the recoil spring receiver catch? |
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I said I wasn't going to get another AK but I would definitely get a KR-103.
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Nicely done Zen.
Good to see all the details. Got one of the PSA 103s primarily to support their efforts to build AKs in the USA. Yeah, I read they are not an exact copy, before purchase. Not something I worry about. |
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great thread,
now I'm debating a KR103 or PSA 103 to go with my SGL-21 |
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Quoted: Nice batch of detailed photos. Any indication of MIM parts? MIM doesn't seem to be used for anything bigger than maybe a 1911 grip safety but it might work well for AK sight parts, maybe stock hinge bits. And maybe the recoil spring receiver catch? View Quote The butt plate is definitely metal as well. I spent some time with a screw driver gouging the side of it hitting one edge with a small hammer. It turns silver and has that gritty feel when steel scratches metal |
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Quoted: Nicely done Zen. Good to see all the details. Got one of the PSA 103s primarily to support their efforts to build AKs in the USA. Yeah, I read they are not an exact copy, before purchase. Not something I worry about. View Quote Same here. I don't need any of these 7.62 rifles and wouldn't be sad if I sold the Izzy either, but I wanted to help out both companies. Dang we've been waiting a long time for this |
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Excellent write up TX-Zen. Much more informative than TFB or whatever blog.
Sucks to hear the Zenitco hand guard won’t fit the KUSA’s handguard retainer without a dremel. Whenever I get my rifle back, I’m going to put some more rounds down range suppressed before investing in a Zenitco system. Edited to add: I think we can’t spite or denigrate PSA for not being completely AK-103 spec. It’s still a Bulgarian AKM at its core, which is a good thing not a bad one. The FN barrel is a huge plus as well. I will see what sort of groups I get with my KR-103 side folder which possesses a CHF barrel. |
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@TX-Zen
Thanks for the awesome thread and taking the time to take pictures of how they fit with zenitco rails. Really appreciate it. |
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Epic review Tex,
Your analysis pushed me over the edge in getting a KUSA 103. I am relatively new to the 7.62 by 39 world, I currently have a WASR 10, WPB Fox and now a KUSA 103. I meticulously looked over the rifle components in the same order as your review and saw pretty much the same things you noted. I wish they used a different coating for the bolt carrier, whatever KUSA used either dried badly or it wasn't thick enough to obscure the tool marks on the carrier. I really like the slab-sided KUSA mag that came with the weapon. And while I had seen it in your review, I was surprised at how thin the bolt stem was. Other than the surface of the carrier, the fit and finish on every other part of the weapon was unblemished. When I picked up the rifle at my FFL, I did notice that the pistol grip screw had backed off a bit (in transit?), and other than the rear sight slider, the weapon was virtually bone dry. I love the muzzle device on this weapon. It was perfectly timed and had zero wobble. Getting the dust cover on and off is a total bitch with this weapon. The tolerance on the dust cover with this weapon is tight. I tried out 5 other mag types with the weapon (Magpul, Circle 10, European steel, US Palm, and some german market AC unity), only the AC unity mags were tight, requiring a bit of extra effort for that metal rear tang to "click" in on seating. RTG had a box of 20 AC Unity German Market AK47 mags for $99. Apparently, these 30-rounds mags are a no-no in Germany now so they are selling them cheap. Putting together a post like you did is no easy task. Thanks for educating a rube like myself :) |
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Quoted: Nice batch of detailed photos. Any indication of MIM parts? MIM doesn't seem to be used for anything bigger than maybe a 1911 grip safety but it might work well for AK sight parts, maybe stock hinge bits. And maybe the recoil spring receiver catch? View Quote My SLR 107 is close enough to scratch the AK-103 itch for me, even though it is basically an AKM with an AK-100 appearance package like the PSA; but from the pictures the only thing that looks MIM to me is the recoil spring assembly base. It has those circular mold ejection marks on it like the MIM triggers on the new Colt revolvers. I am holding out for a K-USA AK-74M clone because I need a full size 5.45 rifle. All but one of my AKs are 7.62, and I haven't been able to SBR the SLR-104 UR yet. Depending on how long they take to get their AK-74M to market I may end up with a 103 anyway. FWIW the Zenitco stuff requiring some fitting isn't an issue for me. I kind of expect it to require some fitting because of the minor differences across AKs. Can anyone confirm that the K-USA slab sided AK-103 mags these rifles ship with have steel lips and lugs? I assume they would with the company's attention to detail. |
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Thanks for taking the time to write all that up! Doing the lords work.
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Quoted: Good morning. Any updates and/or range report for us? View Quote Also tinkering with the SAG Mk3 chassis which is pretty neat, but a chore to get installed |
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