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PSL (rifle)
Encyclopedia
The PSL is a Romania
n military designated marksman rifle
. It is also called PSL-54C, Romak III, FPK, FPK Dragunov and SSG-97 (scharfschutzengewehr - 1997). Though similar in appearance to the SVD Dragunov, the PSL rifle is actually based on RPK
light machine gun
.
arsenal in Cugir, Romania. After a consolidation of military arsenals when Romania joined NATO, production of the PSL is now at the SC Fabrica de Arme Cugir SA (ARMS arsenal) in Cugir, Romania which is completely retooled with all brand new state-of-the-art modern equipment purchased from Belgium and Croatia. The PSL rifle's primary purpose is to be used by a platoon level designated marksman to engagement ranges beyond the capabilities of the standard issue AKM
carbines. It is built around a stamped
steel
receiver similar to that of the RPK
light machine gun; having a wider forward section enabling a strengthened, more substantial front trunnion. The PSL's operation is the same long stroke piston action of the Kalashnikov
family of weapons. Its appearance is similar to the Dragunov sniper rifle yet not one single part interchanges between the rifles. The PSL is chambered for the same venerable 7.62x54mmR (rimmed) cartridge as the Dragunov, and feeds from a ten-round detachable box magazine. The magazine used on the PSL differs from that of Dragunov models in that it is stamped with an X shaped pattern on the side, rather than the waffle
style stamp found on the Russian and Chinese magazines. The magazines, though they are similar in shape and size, are not interchangeable between the Dragunov and PSL without modification.
telescopic weapon sight. This version, manufactured by IOR
in Romania, lacks the battery compartment for the illuminated reticle and the infra-red detection mechanism because the reticle is illuminated
by mildly radioactive Tritium
rather than the LED of the Russian PSO-1. The optical sight is of 4x magnification
and the lens
is 24 mm in diameter. It shares the basic design and rangefinder
found in the reticle of the original Russia
n PSO-1 scope
.
The scope can be easily removed from the receiver of the rifle by swinging the locking lever open, then sliding the scope mount to the rear. This allows easy access to the receiver cover which needs to be removed for cleaning. Due to the scope being both mounted to the left side of the receiver and its relative height, the shooter can still utilize iron sights. The mounting rail is similar in design to the Russian SVD and scopes designed for these rifles are interchangeable.
(approximately 1" at 100 yards) or less while the rifles on the other end of the spectrum are only capable of about 3 MOA.
PSL rifles have some notable features, the skeleton stock is somewhat similar to the Dragunov's but includes an interesting corrugated and spring-loaded stamped steel buttplate. When the rifle is fired this helps reduce the felt recoil to a degree. The cheek riser on the comb of the stock is angled to benefit the right-handed shooter primarily. Some owners feel the cheek pad is not high enough to adequately attain a rigid cheek weld and have to make do with a chin weld.
The butt stock is much shorter than most Western shooters are used to. This is because Romanian soldiers often operate in very cold climates and wear thick winter coats while operating. In theory, a rubber stock extender is to be fitted during warm weather but one is not issued with the rifle.
The PSL's scope is made by the Industry Optic Romania (I.O.R.
) firm in Bucharest. I.O.R. is a Romanian company which has been making optics since 1936. They currently use German made Schott glass coated with the Carl Zeiss T-3 system to eliminate glare and maximize light transmission. It is unknown what glass and coatings they used at the time they produced the PSL's scope, however I.O.R. had a long association with western European optics manufacturers and maintained these despite being caught within the Iron Curtain. In 1967 I.O.R. collaborated with various German manufacturers and in 1975 an association was established with Carl Zeiss which led to even more expansion and modernization. Initial versions of this scope were more or less identical to the Russian PSO-1 with battery powered lamp reticle illumination. Shortly afterward the scope was revised to eliminate the electrical illumination and replace it with a radioactive based glowing light source, thus simplifying the maintenance and construction of the scope. The scopes found today typically show no illumination because the tritium
has expired. Original examples of the LPS scope featured a battery powered reticle illumination and the IR detection mechanism. These scopes stopped being produced around 1974 and are rather rare today with collectors paying a premium for them.
. Because of this fact, and the lack of a spring-loaded firing pin, there is some theoretical potential that the US legal PSL could fire out of battery (before the bolt is fully locked). The US commercial-spec rifles also sometimes omit the bolt hold-open mechanism that is on the true military spec rifles.
All sporting versions of the PSL are constructed using original Romanian parts and assembled either in Romania or in the United States, some using American made receivers. Examples of the commercial sporting version were also available (on a very limited production run) in the 7.62x51 mm NATO (.308 Winchester) cartridge as opposed to the 7.62x54R mm these rifles are typically chambered for. These rifles were primarily imported by Century Arms International, InterOrdnance, and Tennessee Gun Importers (TG Knox).
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n military designated marksman rifle
Designated marksman rifle
A designated marksman rifle is the weapon used by soldiers in the designated marksman role. The DM role fills the gap between a regular infantryman and a sniper and DMRs have been developed with this middle ground in mind....
. It is also called PSL-54C, Romak III, FPK, FPK Dragunov and SSG-97 (scharfschutzengewehr - 1997). Though similar in appearance to the SVD Dragunov, the PSL rifle is actually based on RPK
RPK
The RPK is a 7.62x39mm light machine gun of Soviet design, developed by Mikhail Kalashnikov in the late 1950s, parallel with the AKM assault/battle rifle...
light machine gun
Light machine gun
A light machine gun is a machine gun designed to be employed by an individual soldier, with or without an assistant, as an infantry support weapon. Light machine guns are often used as squad automatic weapons.-Characteristics:...
.
Overview
PSL rifles were originally made at the Regia Autonomă pentru Producţia de Tehnică Militară - RATMIL CugirCugir
Cugir is a town in Alba county, the central settlement of the Breadfield, in Romania. About 45 kilometers south-west of Alba-Iulia, the capital of the county, and 300 meters above sea level at the base of the Surianu Mountains...
arsenal in Cugir, Romania. After a consolidation of military arsenals when Romania joined NATO, production of the PSL is now at the SC Fabrica de Arme Cugir SA (ARMS arsenal) in Cugir, Romania which is completely retooled with all brand new state-of-the-art modern equipment purchased from Belgium and Croatia. The PSL rifle's primary purpose is to be used by a platoon level designated marksman to engagement ranges beyond the capabilities of the standard issue AKM
AKM
The AKM is a 7.62mm assault rifle designed by Mikhail Kalashnikov. It is an upgraded version of the AK-47 rifle and was developed in the 1950s....
carbines. It is built around a stamped
Machine press
A machine press, commonly shortened to press, is a machine tool that changes the shape of a workpiece.-Servomechanism:A servomechanism press, also known as a servo press or a electro press, is a press driven by an AC servo motor. The torque produced is converted to a linear force via a ball screw....
steel
Steel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
receiver similar to that of the RPK
RPK
The RPK is a 7.62x39mm light machine gun of Soviet design, developed by Mikhail Kalashnikov in the late 1950s, parallel with the AKM assault/battle rifle...
light machine gun; having a wider forward section enabling a strengthened, more substantial front trunnion. The PSL's operation is the same long stroke piston action of the Kalashnikov
Mikhail Kalashnikov
Lieutenant General Mikhail Timofeyevich Kalashnikov is a Russian small arms designer, most famous for designing the AK-47 assault rifle, the AKM and the AK-74.-Early life:...
family of weapons. Its appearance is similar to the Dragunov sniper rifle yet not one single part interchanges between the rifles. The PSL is chambered for the same venerable 7.62x54mmR (rimmed) cartridge as the Dragunov, and feeds from a ten-round detachable box magazine. The magazine used on the PSL differs from that of Dragunov models in that it is stamped with an X shaped pattern on the side, rather than the waffle
Waffle
A waffle is a batter- or dough-based cake cooked in a waffle iron patterned to give a distinctive and characteristic shape. There are many variations based on the type and shape of the iron and the recipe used....
style stamp found on the Russian and Chinese magazines. The magazines, though they are similar in shape and size, are not interchangeable between the Dragunov and PSL without modification.
LPS T2 Scope
The PSL is typically issued with a 4x24 optical sight called a LPS T2 (Luneta Puṣca Semiautomata Tip 2, or "Scope, Semi-Automatic Rifle, Type #2") which is a simplified version of the Russian PSO-1PSO-1
The Soviet PSO-1 telescopic sight was at the time of its introduction , the most technically advanced telescopic sight ever designed for a mass-production designated marksman or sniper rifle...
telescopic weapon sight. This version, manufactured by IOR
I.O.R.
IOR is the acronym for the name of Întreprinderea Optică Română . It is a major optics company established in 1936 in Bucharest, Romania. I.O.R. produces military and civilian grade optics for export and domestic production. Famous for its own version of the Russian PSO-1 type scopes , binoculars...
in Romania, lacks the battery compartment for the illuminated reticle and the infra-red detection mechanism because the reticle is illuminated
Lighting
Lighting or illumination is the deliberate application of light to achieve some practical or aesthetic effect. Lighting includes the use of both artificial light sources such as lamps and light fixtures, as well as natural illumination by capturing daylight...
by mildly radioactive Tritium
Tritium
Tritium is a radioactive isotope of hydrogen. The nucleus of tritium contains one proton and two neutrons, whereas the nucleus of protium contains one proton and no neutrons...
rather than the LED of the Russian PSO-1. The optical sight is of 4x magnification
Magnification
Magnification is the process of enlarging something only in appearance, not in physical size. This enlargement is quantified by a calculated number also called "magnification"...
and the lens
Lens (optics)
A lens is an optical device with perfect or approximate axial symmetry which transmits and refracts light, converging or diverging the beam. A simple lens consists of a single optical element...
is 24 mm in diameter. It shares the basic design and rangefinder
Rangefinder
A rangefinder is a device that measures distance from the observer to a target, for the purposes of surveying, determining focus in photography, or accurately aiming a weapon. Some devices use active methods to measure ; others measure distance using trigonometry...
found in the reticle of the original Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n PSO-1 scope
Scope
The word scope may refer to many different devices or viewing instruments, constructed for many different purposes. It may refer to a telescopic sight, an optical device commonly used on firearms. Other uses of scope or Scopes may refer to:...
.
The scope can be easily removed from the receiver of the rifle by swinging the locking lever open, then sliding the scope mount to the rear. This allows easy access to the receiver cover which needs to be removed for cleaning. Due to the scope being both mounted to the left side of the receiver and its relative height, the shooter can still utilize iron sights. The mounting rail is similar in design to the Russian SVD and scopes designed for these rifles are interchangeable.
Usage
The PSL has been in service in Romania since the 1970s and is widely sold on the world market. They are frequently encountered in Iraq where they appear to be quite popular. The simplicity of the rifle makes it ideal for soldiers to use and maintain. The action, being a variant of the AKM's, is extremely reliable despite lack of maintenance, and is particularly forgiving of sand and other debris. The scope's reticle pattern is easy to use and makes range estimation quick and reasonably accurate without any mathematical calculations necessary. With some simple instruction an average individual can be issued a PSL and successfully engage targets at ranges that far exceed the accurate capabilities of non-scoped assault rifles like the AKM, AK-47, etc. Accuracy varies greatly, however, between individual rifles to a greater extent to other rifles in its class, probably due to insufficient quality control during the manufacturing process. In the hands of a capable shooter and with quality ammunition such as 7N1 and 7N14 a PSL is capable of 1 Minute of arcMinute of arc
A minute of arc, arcminute, or minute of angle , is a unit of angular measurement equal to one sixtieth of one degree. In turn, a second of arc or arcsecond is one sixtieth of one minute of arc....
(approximately 1" at 100 yards) or less while the rifles on the other end of the spectrum are only capable of about 3 MOA.
PSL rifles have some notable features, the skeleton stock is somewhat similar to the Dragunov's but includes an interesting corrugated and spring-loaded stamped steel buttplate. When the rifle is fired this helps reduce the felt recoil to a degree. The cheek riser on the comb of the stock is angled to benefit the right-handed shooter primarily. Some owners feel the cheek pad is not high enough to adequately attain a rigid cheek weld and have to make do with a chin weld.
The butt stock is much shorter than most Western shooters are used to. This is because Romanian soldiers often operate in very cold climates and wear thick winter coats while operating. In theory, a rubber stock extender is to be fitted during warm weather but one is not issued with the rifle.
The PSL's scope is made by the Industry Optic Romania (I.O.R.
I.O.R.
IOR is the acronym for the name of Întreprinderea Optică Română . It is a major optics company established in 1936 in Bucharest, Romania. I.O.R. produces military and civilian grade optics for export and domestic production. Famous for its own version of the Russian PSO-1 type scopes , binoculars...
) firm in Bucharest. I.O.R. is a Romanian company which has been making optics since 1936. They currently use German made Schott glass coated with the Carl Zeiss T-3 system to eliminate glare and maximize light transmission. It is unknown what glass and coatings they used at the time they produced the PSL's scope, however I.O.R. had a long association with western European optics manufacturers and maintained these despite being caught within the Iron Curtain. In 1967 I.O.R. collaborated with various German manufacturers and in 1975 an association was established with Carl Zeiss which led to even more expansion and modernization. Initial versions of this scope were more or less identical to the Russian PSO-1 with battery powered lamp reticle illumination. Shortly afterward the scope was revised to eliminate the electrical illumination and replace it with a radioactive based glowing light source, thus simplifying the maintenance and construction of the scope. The scopes found today typically show no illumination because the tritium
Tritium
Tritium is a radioactive isotope of hydrogen. The nucleus of tritium contains one proton and two neutrons, whereas the nucleus of protium contains one proton and no neutrons...
has expired. Original examples of the LPS scope featured a battery powered reticle illumination and the IR detection mechanism. These scopes stopped being produced around 1974 and are rather rare today with collectors paying a premium for them.
Sporting version
A sporting version of the PSL, intended for export, is offered as the PSL-54C, Romak III, FPK, FPK Dragunov or SSG-97. This weapon is identical in almost every respect to the original military version of the PSL except for modifications to comply with the U.S. import laws regarding sporting rifles. These modifications include removal of the bayonet lug as well as the replacement of the original military receiver, which has three trigger mechanism axis pin holes instead of two. The third hole is for a safety sear that is thought to allow the rifle to be capable of being converted to "full-auto" by the end-user. US import versions are manufactured with a BATFE approved semi-auto Romanian receiver. The so called "third hole" is not present, thus the trigger mechanism is simplified and omits the "full auto" safety sear. The military spec FPK is not capable of fully automatic fire however it includes this safety sear to ensure the rifle's hammer cannot be released before the bolt is fully forward and locked in place in the forward trunnionTrunnion
A trunnion is a cylindrical protrusion used as a mounting and/or pivoting point. In a cannon, the trunnions are two projections cast just forward of the centre of mass of the cannon and fixed to a two-wheeled movable gun carriage...
. Because of this fact, and the lack of a spring-loaded firing pin, there is some theoretical potential that the US legal PSL could fire out of battery (before the bolt is fully locked). The US commercial-spec rifles also sometimes omit the bolt hold-open mechanism that is on the true military spec rifles.
All sporting versions of the PSL are constructed using original Romanian parts and assembled either in Romania or in the United States, some using American made receivers. Examples of the commercial sporting version were also available (on a very limited production run) in the 7.62x51 mm NATO (.308 Winchester) cartridge as opposed to the 7.62x54R mm these rifles are typically chambered for. These rifles were primarily imported by Century Arms International, InterOrdnance, and Tennessee Gun Importers (TG Knox).