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Posted: 10/30/2009 6:28:36 PM EDT
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Ok gentlemen, I thought it would be a great resource to have a range report thread with pictures of the rifle, targets shot, ammo used, and how the rifle functions.
This way we can have an idea of some different rifles performance, and maybe get a general impression as to function and accuracy. Of course, I have nothing to share at the moment except my infamous dirt videos  , but I promise to contribute soon.
The more details the better, but just a general report like: "Fired 300 rounds of Wolf MC through my WASR-10, zero malfunctions. Groups were in the 1.5"-2" area at 50 yards." Then at least of picture of the rifle being used. Maybe if this thread takes off we can get a sticky so those considering a new purchase can see reports without starting a new thread each time. ETA Changed the title. |
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Armory USA (Interarms) Polish Tantal, TGI AK74, and Elk River built Bulgarian kit AK74
Shot surplus 5.45 for 3 days with no cleaning at all (also had them mounted on the front of ATVs while we drove around, and shot in light rain/mist on the 2nd day). Went up there with well over 3K, and came back with only a couple hundred rounds. Cleaned them on the 3rd day, there was superficial rust on the bolt carrier and gas tube which scrubbed off easily. Not a single malfunction in any of the weapons. Pics of the targets would be worthless b/c they'd all be shredded b/c this focused on tactics and communication. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sk_AgUDsBUs |
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Quoted:
Armory USA (Interarms) Polish Tantal, TGI AK74, and Elk River built Bulgarian kit AK74 Shot surplus 5.45 for 3 days with no cleaning at all (also had them mounted on the front of ATVs while we drove around, and shot in light rain/mist on the 2nd day). Went up there with well over 3K, and came back with only a couple hundred rounds. Cleaned them on the 3rd day, there was superficial rust on the bolt carrier and gas tube which scrubbed off easily. Not a single malfunction in any of the weapons. Pics of the targets would be worthless b/c they'd all be shredded b/c this focused on tactics and communication. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sk_AgUDsBUs Thanks, looks like you guys had fun! Any still photos of the guns to post up? Descriptions of the guns would be cool too, optics if any, brands, features, etc. You went up with 3k and shot most of it up between 3 rifles, so 8-900 rounds a piece in a 3 day period? Is that accurate? |
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We probably had more than 3K, so roughly 1K per rifle.
My tantal with Aimpoint Micro H-1, TWS dogleg, GG&G 1inch flashlight mount, XS big dot front, and surefire 6P before I changed to fixed stock: 
Probably has 7000 rounds through it with no malfunctions. The TGI AK47 was fresh out of the box from aimsurplus, and was hitting man-sized silhouettes at 470 yards with the untouched factory sights (7/10 hits on paper). The Elk River built bulgarian pics will probably be posted later, but it had a surefire 6P in Viking Tac mount on an ultimak (optics soon to come) and XS big dots. |
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I went on the trip w/ kujo. Here's my rifle
Elk River Build bulgy kit romy folding stock xs big dot sights vtac light mount G2 flashlight One mag related issue where the last 2 rounds of the mag wouldn't get stripped off. No malfunctions of any kind though. 
ETA TGI built bulgy (only real picture I have, as it's not my gun) 
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Didn't have much time but set 5 gallon milk jugs and two 1 liter soda bottles up at 75yds, Golden Bear 123gr FMJ freehand no rest, Chinese steel 30 mag, fist 7 shots direct hits. No malfunctions thru 50rds and this gun is much more accurate than i ever thought it would be rite out of the box.This was with a new Arsenal SGL21-62.
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11/08/09
ARSENAL/SAIGA SGL21-62 - fired 100 rnds of WOLF 124 GR. FMJ. zero malfunction. consistently hit 6"x8" metal target @ 100m (I'd say 80/100rnds hit target, the 20 misses were shooter's error) 
ARSENAL/SAIGA SGL21-71 - fired 100 rnds of WOLF 124 GR. FMJ. zero malfunction. consistently hit 6"x8" metal target @ 100m (I'd say 85/100rnds hit target, the 15 misses were shooter's error) 
NOTE: I tweaked the sight a little bit; out of the box, both rifles shoot a little low and a little to the left. EDIT: I shot both rifles free-stand. I also noticed that both rifles have more recoil than my WASR-10  .
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Quoted:
11/08/09 ARSENAL/SAIGA SGL21-62 - fired 100 rnds of WOLF 124 GR. FMJ. zero malfunction. consistently hit 6"x8" metal target @ 100m (I'd say 80/100rnds hit target, the 20 misses were shooter's error) <a href="http://img194.imageshack.us/i/img2358x.jpg/" target="_blank">http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/7900/img2358x.jpg</a> ARSENAL/SAIGA SGL21-71 - fired 100 rnds of WOLF 124 GR. FMJ. zero malfunction. consistently hit 6"x8" metal target @ 100m (I'd say 85/100rnds hit target, the 15 misses were shooter's error) <a href="http://img132.imageshack.us/i/img2369hf.jpg/" target="_blank">http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/6817/img2369hf.jpg</a> NOTE: I tweaked the sight a little bit; out of the box, both rifles shoot a little low and a little to the left. EDIT: I shot both rifles free-stand. I also noticed that both rifles have more recoil than my WASR-10 .Good report. Did you shoot your WASR next to them with the same ammo? |
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it's not just me, my dad also felt that the SGLs have more recoil than the WASR
The explanation might be the weight difference. The WASR has laminated furniture, and the SGL has polymer. Less mass in the gun equals more felt recoil. The SGL is listed at 7.15 pounds or 7 pounds 2.5 ounces. The WASR is listed at 7.5 pounds, or 7 pounds 8 ounces. This is about a 5% difference if the published weights are correct –– which they often are not. If you have both and an accurate scale, you could verify these figures. |
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Quoted:
The explanation might be the weight difference. The WASR has laminated furniture, and the SGL has polymer. Less mass in the gun equals more felt recoil. The SGL is listed at 7.15 pounds or 7 pounds 2.5 ounces. The WASR is listed at 7.5 pounds, or 7 pounds 8 ounces. This is about a 5% difference if the published weights are correct –– which they often are not. If you have both and an accurate scale, you could verify these figures. CAPTA, i think you are right i measured both of them and here's the result WASR-10 = 7.550 lb SGL21-62 = 7.175 lb edit: both are w/o mags |
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SGL-21-61 Range Report
Shipping: I picked up my KVAR $499 special SGL21-61 from my local dealer today. The gun came in a white "Arsenal" type box with no holes punctured in the box. This was a good sign since my SLR-107FR came with the charging handle hanging out of a hole. The charging handle was covered with a red plastic cover and the entire rifle was inside a really thick clear plastic bag. The entire white box was then shipped inside another cardboard box. Much better packing, so good on Arsenal or KVAR. On opening the first thing I looked at was the FSB and it was dead straight. The overall finish was very nice. A test target was included and it was dead on target. Front sight post was also centered. So, happy with the appereance and shipping I headed out to the range. Range: I brought 200 rounds of black box Wolf 122gr. ammo for the range session 100 rounds of HP and 100 FMJ. I also brought a Romanian mag, a new steel Bulgy mag and a Bulgy waffle mag to test for mag well fit along with the 5 round mag that came with the rifle. The Romanian mag barely wiggled in the mag well, but functioned fine. The new steel Bulgy mag was perfect for fit, tight with no wiggle and it functioned fine. The Bulgy waffle mag was very tight to lock up. Side fit in the mag well was fine, but the lock up in the rear was tight. I tried a second waffle and it was the same. Removal of both waffles was not difficult. They functioned perfectly as expected. I set up two cardboard IPSC targets on the range for initial sight in. One at 25yrds and one at 50yrds. I was expecting good results after looking at the test target and the rifle did not fail. Right out of the box the first 5 rounds went right to POA/ POI and grouped into a tight 1" cluster on my target spotter. If anything they may have been a tad low, but I did not move the sights off the battle sight setting. At 50 yards the rifle again shot right to the target spotter and a nice 1.5" group. I then walked a target out to 100yards and shot another 10 rounds into the orange spotter and got a nice maybe 4" group. Acceptable accuracy for a standard AK-47. My rest was not very good due to shooting diagonally across the range to get 100yds and better accuracy may be obtained in the future. But it again shot dead on out to 100yrds and I was happy. I then moved both targets back to 30 yards and about 10 yards apart. I loaded up two mags with 60 rounds and proceeded to shoot some simple carbine drills. A few two shot double taps to check out the muzzle brake as I do not have a 7.62 AK with a brake. It was pretty easy to keep the rifle pointed on target with controlled pairs and at almost quick double tap speeds. I think a single stage Tapco G2 trigger would probably help with this too, as the two stage trigger is not as quick on the trigger reset. I will replace this two stage with the Tapco trigger. The muzzle brake was effective, but not as easy to control as an AK-74 shooting 5.45 with a brake. This would probably be expected as it is a smaller, lighter round. I then proceeded to shoot two round transitions from target to target, first to the body and then with head shots. I also did a few Mozambiques( two to chest, one to head). The rifle handled very quickly and made the transition work easy. I then did the same work with forward, rearward and side movement. Overall it was a very good exercise and the rifle performed flawlessly. It fed all 200 rounds of HP and FMJ Wolf ammo with zero malfunctions. I am very pleased with the rifle and it is probably the best $499 that I have spent in a long time. I would highly recommend getting a SGL-21 in the flavor of your choice before they are gone or off the sale price. I now have to convince myself that I do not need a plum colored one 
Arsenal SGL-21-61 with different m30 round magazines 
Approx. 4" 100yard 10 shot group. 
IPSC targets used for carbine drills. 
Close up of results of carbine drills. Very nice shooting rifle 
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11/15/09
SAIGA SGL21-71 100rnds of Golden Tiger 124 GR. FMJ. zero malfunction. FCG is getting smoother . man-size target @ 100m. 100/100rnds hit target.
here's a pic of my 15rnds group-shot @ 100m (prone) ... i taped on an AK shell for comparison since i couldn't locate the ruler  .
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Quoted:
11/15/09 SAIGA SGL21-71 100rnds of Golden Tiger 124 GR. FMJ. zero malfunction. FCG is getting smoother . man-size target @ 100m. 100/100rnds hit target.
here's a pic of my 15rnds group-shot @ 100m (prone) ... i taped on an AK shell for comparison since i couldn't locate the ruler .
<a href="http://img94.imageshack.us/i/img24292.jpg/" target="_blank">http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/5281/img24292.jpg</a> Nice. I would call that target dead. Maybe I will wait 4-500 rounds before I decide to replace my FCG with a Tapco. T |
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Here is a review and range report for a new Lancaster Arms Bulgarian AK-74 that I picked up on November 16, 2009:
CLIFF NOTES: I bought a Lancaster-built Bulgarian AK-74, with blonde wood (Model 7074). I paid $599 directly from Lancaster, plus $15 shipping. This is a NICE rifle, which puts the In Range AK-74 I had received to shame. To my surprise, this Lancaster is almost as nice as my $800 Arsenal SGL31. Fit and finish is top-notch, and it functions 100%. Anyone in the market for a bargain-priced AK-74 must take a look at Lancaster, as I believe these are – by a significant margin - the best buy in the “less-than-$600” AK-74 marketplace. LANCASTER BULGARIAN AK-74 FULL REVIEW: You don’t really hear much about Lancaster Arms on Arfcom. I have no idea why, because on the few occasions you do hear about them, it is almost always positive. And the few Lancaster rifles I’ve seen in-person, have all been very nice. Lancaster is actually the second largest builder of AK’s in the U.S., behind Century Arms Intl. Lancaster is a military contractor, but also has a robust civilian rifle business. They’ve been around awhile, and based on the rifle they sent to me and others I’ve seen, they definitely know their way around an AK. First the good: (i) This rifle is built on a like-new condition Bulgarian parts kit. It appears to be pristine. Lancaster told me that these parts kits have been sitting in a warehouse the last 15 years, when they imported 10,000 of these kits. But recently, the AK Gods smiled and said, “Lo, let thine AK-74 kits be liberated, and go forth and build rifles, and it will be good.” The build itself is beautiful, and in every way superior to other 74’s I’ve seen in this price range. Everything is aligned properly, including the sights. (That always helps when you’re trying to hit something.) There are no rattles, no mag wobble whatsoever with Bulgarian and Russian mags, or anything else hinting at a less-than-quality build. When I picked it up, the three guys in my dealer’s shop said it was the nicest AK rifle they had ever seen. I’m really impressed with the overall quality of this rifle. (ii) The receiver is a Nodak Spud NDS-2, which as most of you know are high-quality receivers. The trigger is a Tapco G2, which is a nice trigger that many people like. (I can’t decide whether I like the Arsenal two-stage trigger or the G2 better. They’re both good, but different I suppose.) Everything on the rifle appears as it should. No funky rivets or anything like that. Oh, and there is a sight rail on this receiver, too. I’m not too concerned about having a sight rail myself, but I know many people prefer to have it. It’s a nice extra not found on some of the other 74’s in this price range. (iii) One thing I liked about the In Range gun, was that it came with an original Bulgarian military barrel. That adds a certain authenticity to the rifle. But it is not necessarily an inherently better barrel, since good U.S.-made barrels are often more accurate anyway. This Lancaster came with a U.S. barrel, made by Lancaster itself. It is chrome-lined, threaded, has the correct twist, and appears to be nicely done. I was told by Lancaster that it is made from a high-quality barrel blank, and that if I do my part, this gun is capable of shooting 2MOA or better…which sounds about right for a well-built 74. (iv) The finish is gorgeous! The pictures below don’t even do it justice. Lancaster takes pride in the finish and furniture on its’ guns, and it shows. This rifle has a much nicer Gun Kote finish than the In Range rifle I briefly had, and the furniture…well, don’t even get me started. This Lancaster rifle has beautiful, pristine, blonde Bulgarian beechwood on it. (Unfortunately, I managed to ding the furniture within 30 minutes of picking the gun up!  I tossed the gun into my trunk when I went to shoot it, thinking it would be fine. What a dumb thing to do! When I took it out of the trunk, I darn near had a heart attack when I saw the scuff on the tock from it being in the trunk. Thankfully, a co-worker is going to fix it up this weekend.) The bolt carrier has been polished, which someone told me is typical on Lancaster builds. The entire rifle is gorgeous, and much nicer than any other 74’s I’ve seen in the $500-$600 price range.
(v) After I picked this up yesterday, I took the afternoon off from work to run some errands and quickly do a function check. I shot only 40 rounds of Silver Bear 60gr. 5.45 through two different magazines (one Bulgy, one Russian), with 20 rounds in each mag. No problems whatsoever, and good out-of-the-box accuracy was confirmed. Unfortunately, this needed to be a very quick session, so I was only shooting at cans about 50-60 meters away. (This was a very quick trip to the Tillamook State Forest to do a function check on this rifle and a pistol I recently bought. Since I only had about 20 minutes, I did not take the time to hang up a target or to better dial-in the rifle. I just wanted to make sure it worked.) Now, I know 40 rounds is not enough to conclude that the rifle is perfect. Nonetheless, if the rifle had any real problems, I would have expected those problems to manifest in these 40 rounds. Since there were no hiccups, I’ll assume the rifle is fine. I’ll have an opportunity to really put the rifle through its paces during the Thanksgiving break. As some of you have noted with other 5.45 rifles, recoil was almost non-existent. And I can’t really describe why, but I think 5.45 rifles are simply more fun to shoot than 7.62 rifles. Maybe it’s the light recoil, maybe it’s the rifle’s design, or maybe it’s something else. But those of you who have a 74, know what I mean. This is a sweet little shooter. (vi) This rifle has a lifetime warranty. In the event it ever needs service, it can be sent back to Lancaster. All you have to do is fill out the enclosed warranty card upon receiving the rifle, and send it back to Lancaster. Even if I did have any concerns about this rifle (and I don’t), knowing that I can send the rifle back at any time to be fixed would alleviate those concerns. By providing a lifetime warranty, Lancaster clearly has confidence in the quality of its build. It is not a transferable warranty, but then, most warranties aren’t. (vii) Customer service was amazing when I called Lancaster. When I first called, I got a message that they were severely short-staffed due to the flu. But I called back 20 minutes later, and spoke with Chet (the President of Lancaster). Busy as I know he was, he spent 20 minutes talking with me, answering the gazillion questions I had. Chet has been in this business full-time for almost 30 years, and he is the real deal. He knew an awful lot about what he was selling. I appreciate his willingness to share his knowledge. And now for the bad: (i) Lancaster builds an incredibly nice AK, but they aren’t super quick about it. When I called again later to order my rifle, I was told it would reach me in about a week. Well, a week came and went, so I called them. They told me that the person who took my order had no idea what he was talking about, and should never have promised the rifle so quick. Then they told me it would be here in two more weeks, and sure enough, it did arrive two and a half weeks later. But, this is not a big deal, really. I guess I’m just used to picking up the phone, ordering, and having my order next week. Lancaster doesn’t operate quite that fast, but it may be a result of the fact that Lancaster dedicates labor to military orders first, and civilian builds second. So in that regard, three and a half weeks is really nothing to complain about. I mention it only so that people who order one of these, have correct expectations with regard to delivery time. CONCLUSION: If you want a AK-74, I still contend that the Arsenal SGL31 slightly edges out this Lancaster. Since the Arsenal costs $200 more, it should. But if you have a $600 budget instead of an $800 budget, and want the best you can get for the money, give Lancaster a call. (Or call Atlantic Firearms. Atlantic also currently has a good deal on the Lancasters, and is also an Arfcom sponsor. Plus, you will likely get your rifle quicker from Atlantic.) I am very pleased with this Lancaster rifle, and wish I had just ordered it from the get-go instead of wasting time with the other inferior offerings in this price range. As with most places, Lancaster lowered their prices recently. These wood-stocked 74’s were $799 earlier this year, and $699 in September, but are now $599. These are available with black or plum polymer furniture, or three types of gorgeous wood (Blonde, Red, or what they call Bulgarian Brown). Also, Lancaster and Atlantic now have a version of this rifle called the “Rough Rider”. It is the exact same high-quality rifle, but without the wood and without the Gun Kote finish. Best of all, Atlantic is selling these Rough Riders to Arfcom members for only $479! As Atlantic correctly says, this deal absolutely blows away anything else in this price range. Compare the Rough Rider to the TGI or Century guns (which are also $499), and you’ll shake your head in disbelief at how much nicer the Lancaster rifles are. If you want one of the nicer $599 models, and you’re a little short on funds right now, you probably don’t need to worry. Given the number of kits Lancaster has, these should be available for quite some time, I would think. Highly recommended! Aside from my pictures below, here are a couple links with other pictures of these rifles: Pictuers #1 Pictures #2 Cheers! Sorry for the bad lighting. I took these this morning, during a rainstorm. Regardless, ain't she perrrrrty?? 
The other side 
Yet another view 
Note the deep, black Gun Kote finish. This finish is much nicer than other 74's I've seen in this price range. 
Another view 
Gorgeous Bulgarian beechwood 
The front end, showing the wood and great finish. 
The stock. Again, Lancaster did a great job refinishing the wood. 
BONUS PIC of the SRL106 I also picked up yesterday! 
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... btw one quick question, does the slr106 have a scope rail?
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