I hadn't shot my Yugo AK in a long time but, with the Biden admin cracking down on Russian ammo, I decided to handload and cast for the 7.62x39 - with hugely disappointing results:
15 yard target - more like a shotgun, yikes:
So, after slugging the bore it turned out that my barrel was severely worn and I decided to rebarrel it with a new US-made barrel from Apex:
Press old barrel out:
De-populate old barrel, install new barrel and re-populate it with everything that attaches to it. This process took hours to complete:
Of note is the Sabrewerks KOP (Kalashnikov Optics Platform) - a replacement of the rear-sight block with a dovetailed system that accepts various slide-on pieces to hold iron sights, red-dots and even magnified optics. Each of those has their own built-in rear iron-sight leaf:
Off to the range:
1a. Getting the irons set; first at 25 yards to get on paper using Monarch 123gr FMJ ammo:
1b. First 2-shot group at 50 yards with irons:
2a. Mount Vortex red-dot and sight-in:
2b. 50 yard 3-shot group, about a half-inch:
3. 1-6x LPVO which will be mounted once the KOP long rail gets here today:
Getting this done was a heck more work and anxiety than I expected - but the results are hugely gratifying and I look forward to seeing what this rifle does at 100, 200 and 300 yards.