For someone who needs accessories, tactical handguards offer a place to mount optics, grips, lights and other items.

There are several features that differentiate the Krebs UFM system from other products.

First off is its KeyMod configuration. By definition KeyMod handguards are light because the fat is trimmed. Constructed with 6065 T6 aluminum, there are no Picatinny rails bulging out. The beauty of KeyMod is that you add weight only when necessary. If you need to affix a vertical grip or a light, simply slap your own rail and cinch it down exactly where you want it.

Installation of the UFM is not difficul and ttakes about 30 minutes. Krebs provides a set of aluminum angle irons that allow you to clamp down a fixture on the barrel without destroying the finish. Key to the set up process is squaring the handguard’s clamp (done easily with a level) with the receiver to ensure that the unit fits perfectly. The kit consists of Allen wrenches, bolts, a barrel clamp to secure the handguard and a couple of small angle irons that don’t quite look like they belong. (The instructions explain all.)

The ergonomics of this handguard are noteworthy. Unlike a conventional handguard/quad rail, which has all the comfort of a pineapple, the Krebs UFM is sleek, thin and quite comfortable to grip. It’s as if the handguard is an extension of the receiver. It also doesn’t get hot when you are putting multiple rounds through it. When I put it through its paces, it never got warm enough to be uncomfortable.

One additional attribute: It’s also the only KeyMod rail that can be field-stripped. The upper rail section is easily removed by pinching two springs, pulling the upper section rearward, then up and off the rifle.

The price is $269.99. You can get handguards from other manufacturers such as Midwest Industries for less but they are not in the same class. In my opinion, Krebs Custom sets the standard.

One of the newests products on the scene is the TROY iM-LOK series of rails for AK-47. Machined from hardened aircraft aluminum with stainless steel components and finished with a MIL-SPEC hardcoat anodizing, these rails are light and sleek. Railed Gas Tube will fit Russian, Romanian, Bulgarian, some Chinese, US and other variants with a standard length gas tube. Handguards will fit stamped receiver AKs (not milled receiver). Will work with some Bulgarian, Romanian and Egyptian lower handguard retainers. Others may need some minor modification to fit properly. Replaces factory handguards easily; no gunsmithing required. Cooling holes allow the rail to run cool, even after extended firing. Machined from hardened aircraft aluminum with stainless steel components and finished in MIL-SPEC hardcoat anodizing. Attach optics and accessories to the top Picatinny Rail.

Another manufacturer of high end rail systems comes from a small firm called Manticore which makes a variety of products such as top covers, extended rails and forends. They don’t get a lot of press and it’s undeserved. Their gear is competitive with Krebs, Troy and other name brands.

Tdi-Arms, out of Israel, makes handguard/rail products for the AK used by the IDF. Of particular interest is its X47 Universal AK Rail system, a modular set up that can be used in several ways. This entails a lower handguard, a lower and upper handguard, or as a lower and extended optics mount. (The Tdi harndguard is available from Circle10AK).

Our Optics editor, Tim Yan has given rave reviews to a new product called the  CAA KeyMod handguard. Originally developed for IDF naval commandos, you can co-witness with an optic and even mount night-vision gear on it. It has a long rail extension that hangs over the dust cover.

UltiMAK has a comprehensive line of highly regarded AK products. They design and manufacture lightweight rail systems for Russian, Bulgarian, Chinese, Romanian, Serbian and other variants as well as Krinkovs, pistols and shotguns. They also sell gear such as optics and stock kits.

Editor’s note: Much thanks to Tim Yan of GunsandTech for his photos.

Aimpoint T-1/H-1 series and Primary Arms Micro Dot

The Aimpoint T-1/H-1 series and the Primary Arms Micro Dot with Fixed Base MD-FBGII look alike from a distance. Their size and weight are similar but the resemblance ends there. The Aimpoint, manufactured in Malmö, Sweden, is a top-of-the-line, military-grade optic that sells for more than $600. It is considered the ne plus ultra of the red dot universe. The Primary Arms model is a Chinese-made (Aimpoint) clone and sells for $79.

The attribute they share is that both may be used with the RS Regulate scope mount.

This style of optic works well with an AK because it’s so light. Keeping the weight down, plus getting the opportunity to co-witness, are compelling reasons to buy either one of them.

Given the price disparity, is it fair to compare the two?

In the “micro dot” optics universe, there aren’t too many options.

The Bushnell TR 25 has the same internals and optics as the Primary Arms model. They are even made in the same factory. I believe the Primary Arms MD-FBGII is a good deal if you’re going to need a red dot for the range or other recreational activities.

The red dot will not be as crisp as the much more expensive Aimpoint system, but that’s to be expected. Sometimes the dot looks more like an elongated squiggle or blob, but this effect is in part due to one’s own eye physiology. You may find it kind of irritating at first, but paradoxically it becomes pretty much a non-issue when you’re shooting. I find that you can control his effect by keeping the power setting low. The lower the intensity power, the more precise the dot. 

Size-wise, the H-1 and the Primary Arms are the same length but the Primary Arms micro is 0.2 inch narrower than the Aimpoint. The Primary Arms is a fraction taller because its brightness dial is on top. The Primary Arms micro weighs about 20 grams more, but that’s negligible. Its fixed base permits mounting close to the bore and the 4:30 position of the emitter allows for co-witnessing.

 

Windage and elevation adjustments on the Primary Arms product are made by turning tiny slotted screws. What I didn’t like was that the obligatory arrows that tell you which direction to turn are so faintly imprinted you need eyeglasses to see them.

I liken Aimpoint microdots to the ACOG series of scopes from Trijicon that everybody seems to want (whether they really need it or not). It’s no surprise. These are really well-engineered, precision instruments. Like the ACOGs, Aimpoint models are used by the military atop M4s and some light machine guns. They are battle-proven, sturdy, and waterproof.

Unlike the Primary Arms unit, where the brightness dial sits atop the scope, the H-1 has its adjustment control on the right side of the scope body. The dial is indexed with 12 levels of brightness whereas the Primary Arms scope has 11. The intensity knob on the Aimpoint is easier to turn than the Primary Arms model and stops at the “0” and “12” increments. Thus, you don’t even have to look when you’re turning it off. (The Primary Arms dial just keeps on turning).

Windage and elevation adjustments on the H-1 are done with the actual dial covers. You simply flip them over and use them as keys to turn the dials. Unlike the nearly invisible arrow on the Primary Arms, the inside of the caps have a clearly defined arrow telling you which direction to turn. The engineers in Sweden clearly spent some time thinking about this stuff. By using the caps as tools, you’re also more likely to put them back on when you’re finished tweaking, and thus are less like to put them aside and lose them. (Well, that’s the theory …)

Interestingly enough, they both use the same CR-2032 coin battery but the Aimpoint’s life is five years (50,000 hours) vs. 1,000 hours for the Primary Arms.

 

Conclusion

The moral of the story is that not everybody needs a military-grade optic. The Primary Arms scope represents a good value for someone who wants the advantages that the RS Regulate system affords but doesn’t have the discretionary funds (or the need) for an Aimpoint.

I’ve had a Primary Arms micro dot for years and it still works after plenty of abuse. It doesn’t have the refinement and durability of the Aimpoint, but it also doesn’t cost $600.

Ultradot, Vortex Strike Fire, Viper and Micro-Max B-Dot are also good options

There are several other choices that lay in between the $79 Primary Arms product and the $600+ item from Aimpoint.

One line of red dot optics that I’ve grown to like over the years is from a family-owned company called Ultradot. Their entry level product is the Ultradot 30, which is a compact, lightweight tubular sight that was designed for Bullseye competition. If you go to a match anywhere in this country, you’ll see a lot of Ultradot’s mounted on 1911s.

I happen to think any of their tube type sights are a great choice for an AK. At 3.9 ounces, the Ultradot 30 is really light.

The optics are also quite good — up to par with much more expensive glass.

The 4 MOA red dot is surprisingly crisp and features an 11- position, adjustable brightness dial. The more expensive Ultradot models, such as the Ultradot Match, offer adjustments for light intensity as well as a separate dial to change the size of the red dot.

Engineered in the U.S., the Ultradot line is manufactured in Japan. Because they were designed to work with the hard recoil of a 1911, they are built to take a pounding. I’ve owned several of their models and have had no problems with them.

I mounted my Ultradot on an Arsenal scope mount using 30mm rings, but it also works with the RS Regulate system. Note that but because of its configuration (it’s about 5 inches long) it needs to be mounted with RS Regulate’s longer-railed AK-303 model and fitted with two 30mm ring mounts.

At $190, including a lifetime warranty, the Ultradot 30 is a superb deal. If you really want to save money, check out the bulletin boards of bullseye shooters where you can pick up a used Ultradot for about $100.

Another inexpensive red dot optic that is favored by our optic’s guru, Tim Yan, is the Vortex StrikeFire II.

Vortex is a Wisconsin-based company but manufactures its products in Asia. The StrikeFire II is made in China. At $179, it’s not going to break the bank and the quality (plus its warranty) is quite good.

The first thing that strikes you about the Strikefire II is how robust it is. It’s built like a tank and screams “tactical.” The single-piece chassis is compact and weighs in at 7 ounces. It’s a little heavier than the micro dots and tubular models from Ultradot but reportedly can handle a lot of abuse.

It’s a snap to mount on an AK. It comes with a cantilever-type mount for an AR, but you’ll dispense with that if you use the RS Regulate system with their 30mm ring.

Unlike other tubular-type optics, the Strikefire requires only one ring, which secures the unit in the middle of its casing. You can make horizontal and vertical adjustments using the top of the plastic caps which have a ledge that fits into the screw tops. Aimpoint uses the same system and it’s a very thoughtful adaptation.

One of the most important points is the quality of the Strikefire’s red dot, which is surprisingly good for the price.

Another very big plus I discovered using this scope is that in concert with the RS Regulate mount it will co-witness with a VEPR. One cannot do this with an Aimpoint or any other micro dot that I’m aware of.

I looked at the red-only version, which Tim Yan prefers, because it’s brighter than the green-red version.

The Lithium CR2 battery has a life at maximum brightness of 300 hours. It also has an automatic 12-hour shut-off, which is very handy for people of a certain demographic (such as myself). As an optic designed for plinking, hunting and the range, it’s ideal, especially for the price point.

As I have mentioned before, co-witnessing your red dot on your AK is the equivalent of discovering the Holy Grail.

It just doesn’t happen very often and when it does, it’s exceeding satisfying. For better or worse the geometry of an AK sighting system does not lend it self to easily co-witnessing with a red dot. That’s just the way it is. Usually the rails or scope mount on an AK are just too high. This is particularly an issue with tube type red dots such as the Aimpoint or other similar sights. However reflex sights can be mounted super-low.

I was experimenting with a Viper Red Dot which I had originally intended for a handgun review. I knew that the optic was suitable for a rifle and just to be thorough I placed it on a couple of AKs, fully expecting “geometry” issues. I was pleasantly surprised that I was able to get it to co-witness on the forward rail of a Saiga set up with Krebs handguard and on another AK with an Ultimak Rail in a matter of minutes. It also worked perfectly on a mini-rail on my Krebs Custom rifle which is set over the dust cover. (It will also work on a side mount if you have the correct RS Regulate Scope mount).

Being able to use it on a forward rail is a huge advantage.

Unlike a tube type optic, Viper’s reflex technology will not cause eye relief problems if the sight is mounted far from the eye. In other words, mounting the sight on a rail over the gas tube, near the front sight, is not an impediment. You can easily see the dot without straining your eye in the least. In fact because the dot is further away from the eye, it’s going to look crisper than one mounted closer to your eye. You could use this sight closer to the eye, but in my opinion it’s just as effective mounted further away. With this perspective you also can gauge what’s going on around you rather than being focused on the optic.

Furthermore, because it’s so light, it’s not going to interfere with the balance of your rifle by making it “top heavy”.

The Viper has been out for a few years and Vortex has gotten all the kinks out. What I like about it is that there are the locks up front so that once you’ve dialed it in, you can nail down the windage and elevation.

Mine came with a 6 MOA arrangement which will work well with a rifle shooting at steel but not as well if you’re shooting at a bullseye on a paper target. Better to get the 3 MOA for precision work.

The left-side up/down power and illumination controls are easy to manipulate and the whole shebang runs on a CR2032 battery. It comes with a base that mounts on a pic rail. The only thing I didn’t like was that you have to detach the mount in order to replace the battery. The good news is that the battery will last up to 30k hours so you’re not going to have to do this too often.

If you need a lightweight red dot for your rifle, this will work just fine. At $229 on Amazon, it’s not going to break the bank.

Another one of Tim Yan’s favorites is the 2 MOA (minute of angle) Hi-Lux Micro-Max B-DOT. Call it a T-1 alternative or an Aimpoint clone; it’s a sturdy little red dot priced at around $200 with an impressive life of 55,000 hours (6.2 years) on a CR2032 battery. Thus it’s equivalent to the $700 Aimpoint when it comes to staying power.

Of course, you can use it on any mount that will accept an Aimpoint. The unit has 12 brightness settings accessible on a dial atop the aluminum housing. The lowest two settings work with night vision. The scope will automatically shut down after eight hours of use (with the factory default settings) but you can configure it manually for anywhere from between 2 to 12 hours.

The elevation and windage adjustments elicit positive clicks that move the point of impact 0.5 inch at 100 yards (1/2 MOA). Like the Aimpoint and the Vortex Strikefire, the tiny caps that cover the adjustment knobs have little flanges that can be inserted into the notch at the top of dial, so that you can tweak the elevation or windage without using a coin or screwdriver.

Two flip-up lens covers are included as well as an extra battery that resides inside the battery cap. This is a sturdy little beast. The finish on this product is also excellent

The quality of the red dot is crisp and shines intensely, even in bright daylight.

When you consider the Micro-Max B-Dot, along with the Strikefire II and Primary Arms scopes, which are manufactured in China, it’s clear that the Chinese have come a long way in improving the quality of their optics.

This scope is fully submersible and has been used at temperatures as low as -85 degrees Fahrenheit and as high as 167 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s been tested with a semi-auto .338 Lapua, which has more than a healthy kick, and passed with flying colors.

I think this product is well worth a look.

Budget Long Distance AK Optics

If you’re going to use an AK in the 100+ yards range and you don’t want to spend a lot of money, consider the Primary Arms 1-6x scope with the ACSS (Automatic Combined Sighting System) Reticle.

This style of reticle which is designed for a 7.62 x 39 cartridge is generally what you’d find on a much more expensive scope such as a Trijicon or a Browe.  (Note that there are many variations of reticles, including dots, posts, circles, scales, chevrons or a combination of these).

The scope utilizes a battery to illuminate the reticle for low light conditions. If you’re shooting during daylight hours it’s generally not even necessary to switch on the illumination.

Eye relief, at up past 4 inches, is quite good. (Eye relief is the distance from the last surface of an eyepiece at which the user’s eye can obtain the full viewing angle. If a viewer’s eye is outside this distance, a reduced field of view will be obtained).

The 6x zoom provides a ton of flexibility so that you can engage targets at a wide-ranging distance envelope. The reticle offers a bullet-drop compensator and other nifty little tables that allow you to estimate the range and other variables such as the wind.

To set up the reticle properly, you’ll need to sight in the dot at the center of the horseshoe at 100 yards.

At 10 ¾ inches, weighing in at 17.4 ounces, this is not a small scope. If most of your shooting is off the bench, this won’t be an issue. If you’re going to be shooting long distances, you will absolutely need it.

Priced at around $280, this optic isn’t going to equal what you’d get with the expensive glass. However, if your plans entail shooting at the range rather than doing a tour in Afghanistan, this scope is perfectly adequate.

7.62×39 300 BLK 3x Compact Scope

This new optic from Primary Arms is called the “7.62×39 300 BLK 3x Compact Scope” but don’t let the name confuse you. It’s ideal for the AK.

It uses the highly touted ACSS BDC which offers quick ranging, wind holds and moving target leads. The etched reticle requires no illumination and there are 12 brightness settings powered by a CR2032 battery.

It comes with a standard 1913 Picatinny mount. We’re told it’s quite  durable and is designed to handle 7.62 recoil and varied weather conditions. We certainly had no malfunctions during our rigorous testing. The finish on this scope is excellent and looks a lot more expensive than the $259.99 price point. (This includes a 3-year warranty).

We tried it out at our local 100 yd range and thought it a great value for all that it delivers.

We liked in particular its compact size, good optical clarity and eye relief, useful 3x magnification, adjustable diopter (used to accommodate different eyes and corrective eye-ware), and easy to see and use BDC reticle.

The wide field of view is nice too, and the battery that powers the red-lit reticle is commonly available from any drug or variety store.

After sighting it in, we were able to remove and replace the optic several times over the course of a week, and still retain zero.

It comes standard with flip caps, a very handy feature to assist in keeping the optics clean, yet ready for quick action.

We tested it on a Krebs AK 47 and a PWS upper in 7.62×39. One thing to note is that the optic is a bit on the heavy side. At nearly 1 lb it is twice as heavy as a Trijicon TA33-C-400123 (their 3x optic with 7.62×39 BDC) so it would not be your first choice for long treks in the field during a hunt.

The other point to remember is that it’s much better to mount the optic as close to your eye as possible. It’s not like using a red dot where you can mount it closer to the front sight and not suffer consequences. In this case eye relief, the distance from the last surface of an eyepiece within which the user’s eye can obtain the full viewing angle, is problematic. Thus you’ll need to make sure you either have a rail or better yet, according to Dimitri Mikroulis at Primary Arms, use a side rail AK mount to place the optic atop the receiver.

Our conclusion: If you need a reasonably priced optic for an AK, particularly if most of your time is at the range, this is the ticket. I think offers great value–one the best inexpensive AK scopes on the market.

 

Editor’s note: Much thanks to Tim Yan of GunsandTech for his photos.

In addition to side mounts there are other rail systems engineered to fit over the rifle’s dust cover.

In the case of the “Dog Leg Rail,” made by Texas Weapons System, you actually swap out your existing dust cover with the TWS product that has a rail on the top surface. Based in Austin, Texas, the company has made a name for itself with this practical, reasonably priced dust cover/rail combination. Their “Dog Leg Rail Gen 3” gives you the option of using the rifle’s standard sights or an optic while keeping the same cheek weld. The Dog Leg’s low mount also gives you a great platform to co-witness.

The TWS Dog Leg is a two-part system. In addition to the actual dust cover, it comes with a replacement take-down button at the rear of your receiver, which is part of a proprietary recoil spring guide.

The unit is well-finished and engineered to close tolerances. The result is an extremely tight-fitting dust cover that will hold zero even if you have to open and shut it. Be advised you’ll need more thumb pressure to depress the button and remove the cover.

TWS also offers an M4-like aperture that can be placed at the rear end of the rail. This nearly doubles the sight radius. There are other similar options from companies such as Krebs Custom, but at $310, it’s nearly double the price of the TWS offering.

Installation is straightforward. The front end of the Dog Leg system fits into the rear-sight block with a supplied hinge pin. You’re also required to swap out the guide rod and add the existing recoil spring. Instructions are provided in the box and on a pdf file. The company also has an instructional video.

I think the TWS system is a good option, especially if co-witnessing is important to you. The available real estate for placing an optic runs the full length of the receiver cover. The combined rail and dust cover is really light, so unlike a separate rail system, it’s not going to add any substantial weight. This is a noteworthy advantage from the get-go.

The TWS product is priced at $139.99 for AK 47/74 or Yugos. A Dog Leg for the Romanian PSL is $174.99. The aperture rear sight (for another $39.99) is a welcomed addition.

Another mounting system to consider is from a company called Sabrewerks. Their Kalashnikov Optics Platform (KOP) replaces the rear sight block on your AK rifle and offers a dove-tailed mounting platform that allows you to put different rails and proprietary mounts for just about every popular optic. The advantage of “KOP” is that it provides a very solid, low slung base that permits optics to be rapidly interchanged. Another nice touch is that many of the mounts have an integrated fixed iron rear sight which provides co-witness capability. The KOP system also doesn’t add too much extra weight to your rifle. The Trijicon RMR mount, adds a total of only 1.5 oz (including the optic). It’s also mounted on the portion of the rifle that remains stable during firing.

The only downside to this platform is that in order to set it up you’ll need the help of a gunsmith to replace your sight block with the KOP base. (This is not the kind of job the average person can do). In doing so, you’ll end up swapping out the lever that locks down your gas tube in exchange for a pin that does the same thing. You’ll have to pay a gunsmith about 1-1 ½ hours for his labor. Cost for the KOP base is about $130 or less and anywhere from $80 to $160 for individual optic mounts.

UltiMAK, a Moscow, Idaho company has a propriety rail system with quite a few adherents in the Kalashnikov community. One of their flagship products for the AK is the UltiMAK Model M1-B which mounts very low atop the barrel, well under the iron sight axis, making it the lowest optic mount available for the AK. This geometry allows for co-witnessing when used with a reflex sight such as the Aimpoint or an Aimpoint clone. The MI-B replaces the original gas tube and upper handguard, by combining both components into one solid unit. In doing so the entire assembly adds less than one ounce to the weight of the rifle.

Adding the unit to your rifle is straight forward and UltiMAK provides both detailed instructions (with color photos) and a helpful video. I mention this because all too often instructions for aftermarket products are an afterthought.

To add the gas tube/rail you first remove the upper and lower handguards and attach two U-shaped mounts that clamp onto bottom of the barrel. The clamps are needed to affix the UltiMAK Optic mount because it’s designed to be cinched down to the barrel. This is different from the stock gas tube which is held in place by being wedged between by the gas block and the rear sight block. The UltiMAK system is actually a bit shorter than the stock gas tube so that it can expand and contract from heat fluctuations without effecting the mount.

The only “tricky” part on the install was making certain the rail was perfectly squared over the bore. I did this by aligning the rail with rear sight block and then tightening the bolts. UltiMAK founder Lyle Keeney says that it’s not necessary to add Loctite. I’ll take his word for it.

Although some have voiced concern about potential damage to a red dot generated by heat from the gas tube, I think this anxiety is misplaced. Unless you’re going to be simulating full auto–mag dump after mag dump—the rail is not going to get inordinately hot. Even if it gets warm, a quality red dot such as an Aimpoint will stand up to the abuse. Larry Vickers, one of the top trainers in the country, told me that he’s never had an issue in any of his classes with an overheated UltiMAK rail impacting an optic.

The bottom line is that this gas block/rail system adds very little weight to the front end and offers the operator a wide field of view. This means potentially faster target acquisition. It’s also an extremely stable platform, much improved from the stock upper CAA handguard on my Saiga.

Using the M1-B was a pleasure. Prior to installing the UltiMAK my preference had been to use a side-rail-mounted optic in order to keep the front end as light as possible. AKs are heavy guns from the get-go and I was leery of mounting anything on the front. I was also used to having an optic closer to my eye.

In additon to the highly regarded UltiMAK, Midwest Industries has developed a very similar AK Railed Gas Tube. Shall we call it a clone? Manufactured out of  6061 aluminum and 4140 steel, with mil-spec top rail,  it offers a lower 1/3 co-witness sight picture with Aimpoint micro red dot sights. Price is $99.95.

However, I was won over after using this unit. In testing the M1-B, I added the Micro-Max B-Dot from Hi-Lux, an Aimpoint clone. The few ounces of extra weight did not change the balance of the rifle and on the plus side, target acquisition was improved. My suggestion is that if you are going to put a red dot on the front, use one that is lightweight.

Price for the M1-B is $98 and although you don’t need a gunsmith to add the part on some of the models you may have to do some filing or even wood working depending on the rifle, to make everything fit properly. (This wasn’t the case with my Saiga).

The company offers these systems for Russian guns such as VEPRs and Saigas; and for others such as Bulgarian, Hungarian, and “Yugo” models. They also manufacture a number of different styles of rails and sell a variety of AK parts such as furniture, grips, etc.

If you’re unsure about where on the rifle to mount your red dot, before investing in an UltiMAK or any other rail system, Marc Krebs of Krebs Custom advises that you simply tape your optic on the rifle to determine your preference. If you’re more comfortable with the optic over the receiver get a side mount unit. If you like it atop the handguard, UltiMAK, Midwest Industries, Krebs Custom and other companies manufacture good systems.