Joined
·
11,940 Posts
For years people have been advertising a "Romanian Dragunov." That rifle is in fact NOT a Dragunov in any way, having nothing in common but the stock style, general shape and size, and 7.62x54R chambering (and both also in a more rare 308 version).
The true names for these rifles include FPK, PSL, ROMAK 3, and others. They are based on the RPK action, a heavier version of the AK used as a light machine gun but also the basis for the highly accurate VEPR rifles and a few Yugoslavian models.
It used to be only the dealers and distributors that were falsely labelling these rifles "Dragunovs", but now even the importers are marking them as "Dragunovs" right on the rifles.
Friends, THESE ARE NOT DRAGUNOVS. Dragunovs are a completely different design of rifle from the AK, while these Romanians are most certainly larger variants of the AK.
Now for the good news - THESE ARE ALSO VERY GOOD RIFLES. Military and civilian alike have compared these with real Dragunov rifles and have found them to be equally good. The only notable limitation of these rifles is that they should be fired withammunition in the 150gr range, not heavier such as the 175gr. This is damaging to the action.
Perhaps the biggest difference to the American buyer is the price. Real Dragunovs range from the low 1000s for a sporting model called the TIGR, while Chinese and Russian versions can go well over 2 and 3 thousand, as they are NO LONGER IMPORTED. FPK/PSL/Romak-IIIs, still imported, range in the high three digits, and usually include an appropriate scope. From the best price of $600 without a scope to just under a grand for complete packages in harder to reach places or locales with high overhead and low sales volumes, these are well priced ALTERNATIVEs to a Dragunov, but they are NOT the same thing.
Labelling them as Dragunovs has been at best an honest mistake and at worst an outright lie. Buyers be aware. But don't be afraid to buy a Romanian rifle labeled "Dragunov" for a reasonable price.
The true names for these rifles include FPK, PSL, ROMAK 3, and others. They are based on the RPK action, a heavier version of the AK used as a light machine gun but also the basis for the highly accurate VEPR rifles and a few Yugoslavian models.
It used to be only the dealers and distributors that were falsely labelling these rifles "Dragunovs", but now even the importers are marking them as "Dragunovs" right on the rifles.
Friends, THESE ARE NOT DRAGUNOVS. Dragunovs are a completely different design of rifle from the AK, while these Romanians are most certainly larger variants of the AK.
Now for the good news - THESE ARE ALSO VERY GOOD RIFLES. Military and civilian alike have compared these with real Dragunov rifles and have found them to be equally good. The only notable limitation of these rifles is that they should be fired withammunition in the 150gr range, not heavier such as the 175gr. This is damaging to the action.
Perhaps the biggest difference to the American buyer is the price. Real Dragunovs range from the low 1000s for a sporting model called the TIGR, while Chinese and Russian versions can go well over 2 and 3 thousand, as they are NO LONGER IMPORTED. FPK/PSL/Romak-IIIs, still imported, range in the high three digits, and usually include an appropriate scope. From the best price of $600 without a scope to just under a grand for complete packages in harder to reach places or locales with high overhead and low sales volumes, these are well priced ALTERNATIVEs to a Dragunov, but they are NOT the same thing.
Labelling them as Dragunovs has been at best an honest mistake and at worst an outright lie. Buyers be aware. But don't be afraid to buy a Romanian rifle labeled "Dragunov" for a reasonable price.
