PSL accuracy results?

As I explore the merits of buying/building a PSL for myself, I'm curious as to what kind of results you guys have gotten by putting handloads or at very least factory non-surplus ammo through them. I'll definitely be putting a lot of surplus through it too, mostly when using it as a guest gun and/or hog gun, but would like to run reloads through it now and then as well as having soft point loads for deer. How does it do?

Second question, related to it: what's this stuff I hear about barrels heating up? How quickly does that happen and how soon does it cool off and back to normal? Are we talking 5 shots, 10, 25, 50, 100? Does cutting the barrel down to 19 or 18" help?

This is what mine is capable of with 7N1at 100 yards. The rifle was box stock. This was after shooting a previous group with the last five rounds out of the magazine.



This is a pic of the rifle as it sat that day.


Mine starts noticeably stringing after five consecutive shots. With a few minutes between groups it'll settle back down. Rapid fire ten shot groups are usually around 2 to 2-1/2."

Shortening the barrel will make a difference theoretically, but in reality just makes it easier to pack and carry. Use good ammo and get a good trigger. The surplus I've used is good for about 2MOA+ which isn't too bad for cheap blasting ammo.

Excellent! What would you suggest for a good trigger for me to use? I don't know if I'll be able to get ahold of 7N1 easily but I'll certainly try, and judging by that it looks like handloads with SMK's are going to be VERY, VERY good. Have you taken it out to 500-600 yards much, or even 800? Also, do the mags load with stripper clips?

Nice! What kind of ammo are you using aside from surplus? I have only shot surplus Yugo ammo, and while the groups are what I expect they are sub-par, average. It is a blast to shoot, and I love it. Like he said, place some time between each group. The barrel gets hot fast

I shot the shit out of mine last summer, with 10 round groups, using regular spam-can milsurp ball. I use a quality, front-of-receiver mounted bipod, and a bean bag under the stockheel for a good supported prone position. It will occasionally put 10 rounds into a sub-2MOA group,but generally more like 3.5. The weird part is that the gun really "tries" to be more accurate. In a 10 round 3.5" group it will usually be 8 rounds in 1.5 inches and two that invariably sneak out. If you just shot three-round groups, you could probably get many that were under 2MOA, but I don't think that is really a fair reflection.

I took it out last week (with another Arfcommer) and shot two 10 round groups... measured at home,one at 3.25 and the other just under 4.

I haven't seen the barrel heating issue, I tend to get the best results with a nice steady cadence of rounds.

It certainly can't run with a good sniper rifle, but it will keep rounds on a e-silloutte out to 600 or so.

Here's some sample 10 round groups with standard ball shooting prone at 100 meters–– some close to 2", one opened way up, several around 3+". I could shrink those with five or three round groups from a bench, but it is what it is.

Mine look like the first picture (only I did 10 shot groups and with surplus, SB match and handloads). They would gradually climb slightly to the right as the barrel would heat up. After cooling it would be back on target. My 10 shot groups traveled no more than 1 inch (moving upwards to the right). That was last year during the winter (with snow on the ground). I really need to get out and do another grouping. My scope is also a Kalinka 3-9x42 which certainly helps. My handloads and the SB match were nearly identical (and less than 1 MOA). The surplus group was at 1.25". Not sure if it makes any difference, but I also built mine. It has a tight headspace and the barrel is supported at the front trunion. Like I said, I need to get out and try it again (I only did the 3 groups as it was cold, wet, snowing and I had so many other guns to shoot).

I'm going to go with either a Tapco or Red Star Arms trigger, as many suggestions have been made. So excited!

I've only shot mine out to 100 yards and only have 7N1 and Bulgarian surplus. The Bulgarian I haven't done any accuracy testing with...I've been using it as plinking/blasting ammo.

The rifle shoots consistent three round sub-MOA groups at 100 yards. That's not saying much compared to purpose built precision rigs, but for a big AK with a flexible scope mount, a fairly rudimentary optic, military trigger, and a rough as I've ever seen build quality it works damn well.

I ran across an article where U.S. snipers had evaluated the rifles. Their opinion was that in the hands of a skilled shooter, they wouldn't want to be within 800 yards of one.

My heavy barreled AR can shoot tight 30 round rapid-fire groups with boring consistency. The PSL is so much fun the lack of precision accuracy is easily forgivable. My wife refuses to shoot the AR, but picked up on shooting the PSL like a pro.

Very true. While it isn't a match barreled, competition rigged rifle, it does the job it was intended to do, and well.

Your PSL is consistently sub-MOA, but you'll forgive it the lack of precision accuracy?

Yep. The group size goes up with the number of successive shots fired. People like to use ten round groups as a true measure. In that respect it is in the realm of a rack-grade battle rifle. In five round groups the accuracy is respectable. With three round groups with some time inbetween it's great, but in comparison my AR shoots the same groups rapid fired whether it's three or thirdy rounds. For it's intended role it's pretty well suited, but for putting down even a moderate volume of fire it shows some limitations.

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