Dragunov vs Sennybridge "F" range vs 6x42 POSP scope

[nickb834]

I've been to Sennybridge "F" range with my dragunov a couple of times, yesterday being the most recent with the weather conditions perfect. However I've run into a bit of a problem with the scope I have attached to the rifle.

My scope is a 6x42 POSP that takes a single AA battery, for what it was intended it's a brilliant scope - the graduated turrets are there or therabouts for bullet drop (shooting PPU 54R mainly). For anyone who knows F range - there's a target between two tyres - a Fig 12 I believe, that the POA=POI with the top turret set to 675 metres and I can knock this down all day every day.

I'm comfortable with the range finding with this scope (mines a POSP thus civvy range finding reticle of 0.5m and 1.5 metres as opposed to the military 1.7m), I'm happy with the zeroing of this scope to get the BDC spot on, my only gripe is - it's a 6 power scope.

This 6x becomes a problem for example where towards the left hand arc of fire on F range, there's a pill box of sorts of stacked up tyres - a window opening of about 12 inches high by something like 3 feet wide, inside this is a fall when hit target. Through the scope I can't really make it out - I'm vaguely aware there's something there but I really can't make it out clear enough. Whilst I do have a spotting scope that goes upto 60x, even on 20x it's more than enough so I can get someone to spot for me to dial it in on the scope / calculate hold over.

However, what I'd really like is a Russian (well USSR / former USSR member) scope that fits an SVD type rail, and is somewhere in the 10x-20x range with BDC such that I don't have to rely on a spotter to help me out.

I found this: http://kalinkaoptics.com/rifle-scopes/p ... rsion.html

But I wonder if there's anything else out there I haven't found?

I "could" get a picatinny rail mount for the SVD rail and put any old scope on it - but I like the Russian kit, and I seem to get on with it so am reluctant to change as it just wouldn't look right IMHO.

Anybody got any suggestions on a suitable scope or perhaps another approach I haven't considered?

[meles meles]

We've seen Romanian military scopes with BDC reticles for 7.62x54R fitted to both Romanian and Slovak service Dragunovs. They were Romanian issue, so it may be worth looking at IOR to see if they do a civilian equivalent.

[nickb834]

Thanks Badger, I'll have a look at IOR.

I found this scope - which I'd seen before but forgot about (it's a 4x-12x):

http://www.dragunov.net/optic_1p21.html

Although I'm not conviced the author has understood how to use the scope properly - though this opinion is based on nothing other than his assertion of

"It has to be zeroed at one power setting (high in this case which is good) and never moved unless you are aiming at something further away than where you zeroed it."

Which just doesn't sound right at all.

[snayperskaya]

What you need Comrade is a PO 3-9x42 or a PO 4-12x42 1pn21 pancratic zoom scope.The 4-12 version is a lot rarer than the 3-9, both are calibrated for a 150gr round and with both the zoom setting corresponds to range in 100s' of metres, so if your target is 600m away for example you turn the zoom to "6" and aim dead on.These scopes are available if you are prepared to search about a bit, my PO 4-12x42 came off the marketplace forum on AKfiles.com.Below is a pic of my original late 60s PSO-1 (which has beautifully clear optics, a 1.7m rangefinder and a fully functioning IR Detector) and the PO 4-12x42 1pn21.



How the zoom/range function works


While these scopes are ideal for somewhere like Sennybridge with multiple targets at different ranges they are not really suited for shooting at one set distance due to the way they function.

[meles meles]

There's a good selection of available IOR scope reticles on their US website

http://www.valdada.com/scope-reticle/

The one we saw on the Romanian Dragunovs was similar to the MP8 reticle but with the addition of the rangefinder stadia in the lower left quadrant

[snayperskaya]

We've seen Romanian military scopes with BDC reticles for 7.62x54R fitted to both Romanian and Slovak service Dragunovs. They were Romanian issue, so it may be worth looking at IOR to see if they do a civilian equivalent.

That will be the LPS 4x24 scope as issued with the Romanian PSL (which essentially a big AK, not a Dragunov).There is the similar Yugo ZRAK scope that was issued with the Zastava M76 DMR, which again is essentially a big AK chambered in 7.92 Mauser.

Repeat after me Mr Badger......a Romanian PSL is not a Dragunov!

[meles meles]

Oh no, snayperski, they were proper Dragunovs, not piddlin' little wannabees... They were issued at a scale of 2 per 10 man squad in Ganniland back in 2008. They wanted something with a bit of long range poke

*scurries away to check out old photo album*

[meles meles]

*slinks back, head held low in shame*

snayperski may be right, oomans, the fore-end of the gas plug is slightly different.

A Romanian PSL is not a Dragunov,
A Romanian PSL is not a Dragunov,
A...

[nickb834]

What you need Comrade is a PO 3-9x42 or a PO 4-12x42 1pn21 pancratic zoom scope.The 4-12 version is a lot rarer than the 3-9, both are calibrated for a 150gr round and with both the zoom setting corresponds to range in 100s' of metres, so if your target is 600m away for example you turn the zoom to "6" and aim dead on.These scopes are available if you are prepared to search about a bit, my PO 4-12x42 came off the marketplace forum on AKfiles.com.Below is a pic of my original late 60s PSO-1 (which has beautifully clear optics, a 1.7m rangefinder and a fully functioning IR Detector) and the PO 4-12x42 1pn21.

While these scopes are ideal for somewhere like Sennybridge with multiple targets at different ranges they are not really suited for shooting at one set distance due to the way they function.

I've been looking at those for a bit, I think I will in the end bag one (a 1pn21) but I'm wondering how much utility I'd get out of say a 3-9x42(Oleg at rm also has a 4-10 listed) ?

If I plump for a 1pn21 - is there any reason (other than price) as to why I shouldn't get one from russmil. I have no affiliation to RM I'm just curious if the issue is the modern Belomo's that presumably he sells are inferior to the eariler models?

[snayperskaya]

*slinks back, head held low in shame*

snayperski may be right, oomans, the fore-end of the gas plug is slightly different.

A Romanian PSL is not a Dragunov,
A Romanian PSL is not a Dragunov,
A...

A Romanian PSL uses a stamped steel receiver with rivetted trunnions and a long stroke gas system with the piston attached to the bolt carrier like an AK, whereas a Dragunov has a milled steel receiver and a short stroke gas system similar to a FAL with a seperate piston and operating rod.The Romanians developed the PSL after the USSR cut the supply of weapons to Romania after the Romanians refused to participate in the invasion of Czechoslavakia.Because of the stamped and rivetted receiver the PSL should only use light ball ammo, whereas the Dragunov can handle heavy 200+gr rounds with no problems.

Other than the price there is no problem with the ones Oleg at Rusmilitary sells, his are the black-finished commercial version whereas the milspec versions are usually a grey hammered finish.Incidentally all the Russian issue 1pn21s' were produced at BeLoMo in Belarus, whereas the smaller milspec PSO-1s' were produced in Russian factories (Techpribor in Leningrad, NPZ in Novosibirsk etc).According to the BeLoMo factory (emailed a nice lady called Olga for a manual) my PO 4-12x42 was one of the third batch made for the Russian military in the early 90s' and is fairly uncommon outside of Russia.