Solid Vz58 RPK/KLEC Vid

[RSR]

Not affiliated, but definitely a channel worth keeping an eye on.

BLUF: Rifle wasn't adopted b/c it didn't show enough performance gains over the standard Vz58 to merit adoption per this YouTuber.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuSkmk6aJnU

[briang2ad]

The RPK - especially in 'civilian' semi auto form never made sense - you got a longer heavier weapon with no real benefit.  Better to put a bipod and 40 round mag on a standard AK. 

[RSR]

The RPK - especially in 'civilian' semi auto form never made sense - you got a longer heavier weapon with no real benefit.  Better to put a bipod and 40 round mag on a standard AK. 

The RPK has thicker front trunnion and thicker receiver than most standard AKs, plus improved sights and longer sight radius -- meaning improved accuracy/precision.  Many RPK variants also had integral side rails for magnified optics that were absent from AKs -- again improving accuracy and precision, this time at distance.

I agree the barrel is excessively long for the caliber, which means excess weight, but a heavy barrel RPK with improved precision characteristics provides both recce/sdmr and saw capabilities vs standard AKs, which themselves are pretty heavy for a carbine role...  The Tabuk DMR might be a more refined example of this configuration, but a RPK's heavy barrel does provide add'l advantage for both precision and sustained fire rates if converted/upgraded into a more DMR configuration.

The deltas between the Vz58 and a Vz58 RPK would be quite different given, just for starters, the inherent accuracy advantage of the Vz58 over the AK.

[briang2ad]

Saw a vid where the VZ 58 bested by a tad the Galil, so yes.  Wonder the difference between an RPK and AK  for accuracy though on some range.  The only reason to me for the RPK would again be for the intended military purpose where the trunnion and barrel allow better machine gun capability.  And that is limited given optics vice irons.

[RSR]

Galils have milled receivers like the Vz58, and most of the AK DMRs I've seen out of Rifle Dynamics include the same...  While milled receivers in an AK do increase barrel stability and accuracy/precision, they may not actually be stronger.  Even Galil receivers have cracked under severe use.

No air cooled machine gun without readily replaceable barrels really fills a true machine gun role. 

I look at the RPK much like a heavy barreled M4/M4 SOCOM barrel -- the point is to increase the sustained rate of fire above that that can be accomplished with standard carbines of both yourself and the enemy.

The RPK further has a precision advantage due to more rigid receiver/trunnion/barrel and if relying solely on iron sights due to windage adjustable rear sight and longer sight radius.  The bipod does shift POI, but also helps to increase stability when prone. 

We know for suppressive fire to be effective that accuracy/precision matters more than sheer volume of rounds. 

That's why given all of above, I think the RPK was an advantage at the time over standard stamped AKs and in current days can have its barrel shortened and be converted in to a suppressive DMR/RECCE type rifle.  The RPK barrel really isn't much heavier than what you see from Ballistic Advantage SPR or Faxon Heavy Match or the Crane/SOCOM Mk12 combat precision -- SPR/DMR/RECCE/etc. -- builds common in the AR world.  It's the best starting platform I've seen for a fascimile, granted, it takes a fair bit of modding to get all the way to there, but a few minor changes gives you a heavy-barreled Tabuk where you can start to see the concept.

[briang2ad]

A shorter and cheaper route for the semi auto civilian is a OPAP or ZPAP.

[RSR]

Yes, if you're wanting a short barrel Tabuk for precision but not high rates of fire...  Short barrel due to shorter barrel length, and not high rates of fire due to lack of heavy barrel and chrome lined bore.

FWIW, I've also not seen 7.62x39 Zastava rifles imported in about a year, maybe two.  Everything I've seen advertised recently is 5.56.  Granted, not in the market and actively looking to buy, so might have missed it, but even going rate of 5.56 guns is $500 more than I had in my AES-10B buying somewhere in 2013-2015 timeline.  And also given that AES-10Bs are selling at +$500 to +$1,200 (or double) the $1,200 going rate of the M90 5.56 Zastavas...