Carbine Vepr-308 - characteristics and review

"Bekas-Auto" on the hunt

photo: Yuri Maksimova
At that time, MC 21-12, TOZ 87, MR 153, and Bekas-Auto were sold. I discarded the MTs 21-12 and TOZ 87 immediately, because I wanted to buy a gun with a gas exhaust mechanism, and the TOZ 87 does not stand up to any criticism in terms of workmanship, which I have seen more than once during joint hunts with my friend, who has a TOZ 87.

From what I read about the MP 153, it became clear that this gun is unpretentious to cartridges, as they say, “eats” everything, and it is possible to shoot magnum cartridges, which, you see, is also a big plus.

Two years ago, my friend purchased an MP 153 and Taiga Magnum cartridges with a 46 g load of shot. After the first shot, the receiver with the entire mechanism turned into a pile of metal, the bottom of the cartridge case was torn off, and the side of the cartridge case was smeared across the chamber like a pancake on frying pan, the plastic part of the cartridge case turned into a shapeless mass. What caused the gun to rupture - a cartridge or poor quality assembly - is unknown, but the fact remains a fact. After this incident, I no longer wanted to shoot magnum cartridges.

After weighing all the pros and cons, I decided to purchase Bekas-Auto. I decided to buy a gun with a barrel length of 680 mm, since I hunt quite a lot with a gun. And so, having previously called about 10 stores, I found what I was looking for in only one.

After zeroing the gun on targets, the following was established:

1. After shooting about 70 rounds (taking into account spring hunting), the automation works properly, there were no failures due to its fault. Here it is necessary to stop here. The Bekas-Auto gun, unlike the MP 153, T03 87, MC 21-12, has a small feature when equipping the magazine with cartridges. The fact is that the cartridge feeder tray in the Bekas-Auto is not fixed, therefore, if you hold the feeder tray with your finger and equip the magazine, the cartridge will not fit into its proper place.

It is necessary to strictly adhere to the “Operation Manual”:

Turn the gun with the trigger up, press and hold down the stop button. Take the cartridge and, pressing it on the feeder tray, load the magazine until each cartridge is fixed.

2. The gun gives excellent performance in terms of combat sharpness and accuracy with choke and “poluchok” muzzle attachments and satisfactory in terms of uniformity of scree.

3. With a cylinder choke, excellent performance in all respects.

4. The gun has a slightly increased fire rate, which is rather a plus rather than a minus.

5. The performance is much better when using small fraction numbers.

6. “Bekas-Auto”, despite its weight of 3.5 kg, has a good balance for semi-automatic machines (which cannot be said about the MP 153).

7. The butt is quite comfortable (for a person 175–180 cm tall), the length of the butt is 365 mm, it is 40–60 mm deep in the vertical plane, but the comb of the butt is narrow, it is necessary to increase the thickness of the comb by about 10 mm (I had to make an overlay).

Flaws:

1. The neck of the butt is very thick, it is almost impossible to wrap your hand around it.

2. The handguard fits almost perfectly to the barrel on one side, on the other the gap is about 3-4 mm, even parts of the gas release mechanism are visible.

3. The trigger mechanism is not tightly fixed in the receiver, which is why when raising the gun to the shoulder there is a roar, like a faulty car chassis (we had to implement an improvement proposal).

4. The clamping screw connecting the buttstock and the receiver was not tightened.

5. After 10–15 shots, the muzzle attachment is unscrewed from the barrel.

Wishes:

1. The sighting bar is narrow, it is necessary to increase the width of the bar by 2 mm.

2. The base of the front sight is very thin, the slightest snag or blow - and the front sight will be bent or broken.

3. The end part of the forend must be protected by gluing plastic, leather, etc., otherwise, even with a short period of use, cracks will certainly appear.

4. It is necessary to establish the production and sale of “cylinder” choke tubes with a pressure of 0.25 mm; there is a very shortage of them in hunting.

5. The list of spare parts sent does not include the forend, and this is one of the weakest wooden parts in the gun.

6. In Moscow and the region there is not a single Bekas-Auto repair shop or spare parts in stores. At least that's what the store clerk told me where I bought the gun. If something breaks, what do you order it to do?

Now about spring hunting

I hunted in the spring with my favorite drathaar Kraft in the Novgorod region. in the area of ​​Staraya Russa for 5 days.

I would like to note the positive aspects.

Over the past two years, the number of woodcock on the pull has increased; on average, per evening, from 12 to 17 pieces flew within earshot, from 3 to 6 per shot, and this, of course, pleases.

I shot down 19 pieces, all of them were large and very well fed; my four-legged assistant found everyone except one, who glided quite far away in the dark; probably ran away.

This year, for some reason, the woodcock flew inconsistently, both very low and very high. I don’t know what this is connected with.

At first I used a “cylinder” when shooting, of course, up to 30 m such shooting is just relaxation, all the more pleasant it is, since I have never had to shoot from a gun with a cylindrical drill before. But it was difficult to shoot down high-flying ones, I shot once and realized the futility of this exercise, I had to shoot with a choke. Shot with Fetter cartridges, shot No. 7, 32 g, K-320 gunpowder. I shot 32 rounds, it turned out to be 1.7 for each woodcock caught, before that I shot from TOZ 34, but I didn’t have a result less than 2.3.

So, I think the debut was a success, in the fall, if everything goes well, I’m going to hunt small things with a drathaar, a hare and a fox with hounds, we’ll see what comes of it, although I know from experience that first successes are always replaced by disappointment.

Overall, despite its shortcomings, the gun makes a very good impression.

Gentlemen, managers, engineers, workers of the Vyatsko-Polyansky plant! In such a matter as the manufacture of weapons, there are no trifles; eliminate the shortcomings that were written above, and I think many Russian hunters will thank you for this gun.

I would be very glad if the article helps someone practically in choosing a gun, and if it makes someone laugh.

Skatulev V. November 8, 2013 at 00:00

How to choose a scope

As mentioned above, Vepr carbines differ primarily in the type and caliber of the cartridge used. From the point of view of the sighting device, it is important to distinguish cartridges according to their properties and the type of targets they hit:

• range;
• target size;
• accuracy.

By type of weapon (taking into account the features of the “Boar”) you will get the following plate:

Smoothbore "Vepr", hunting with shot

The shot is characterized by a large affected area and a short firing distance, the size of the target is usually small (even when shooting with buckshot), and the speed of the target is the opposite. Hunting is often carried out on a bird “flying” and a running hare. A wide field of view is important here, which allows you to quickly locate the target through the sight. This is why many hunters never use a scope, but instead aim along the line of the barrel. Still, a collimator sight will increase your chances of catching game. It is important to choose the correct size of the aiming point - depending on the accuracy and the likely distance to the target. For shotguns, the aiming point size usually starts at 3 MOA. But for greater versatility (with a bullet), we recommend considering scopes with interchangeable reticles. More details about choosing a collimator for smooth-bore weapons can be found in this article.

Smoothbore "Vepr", hunting with a bullet

Even the most accurate bullet and a “conditionally smooth-bore” Lancaster allow a shot distance of no more than 150 meters, and in real hunting from a smooth-bore “Vepr” the distance does not exceed 70..100 meters. Hunting with a heavy 12-gauge bullet is usually carried out on large animals, such as wild boar or elk. Therefore, there is no need to chase a large increase. If a single red dot sight is not enough (for example, if you have poor eyesight and need diopter adjustment), then an optical sight up to 4 times will be enough with a margin. Classic PSO-1 sights, as well as their Novosibirsk analogues PO 4x24 (Vepr), do not have diopter adjustment; snipers have no need for it. But the Belarusian plant Belomo, one of the manufacturers of PSO-1, produces similar civilian POSP sights with diopter adjustment.

Optical sights, which combine the advantages of both collimators and optical sights, have a magnification of 1 to 4 times. Traditionally, they are called “drivers” and are used accordingly in driven hunts. You can read about choosing such a sight in this article, and a complete list of them has been collected in this section of the catalog. They are installed on the Weaver top or side bracket, as described above.

Small-caliber "Vepr"

The small bullet is distinguished by its low bullet weight, but its high accuracy. The target size is also small. And the deflection of the bullet greatly depends on the firing distance. If you are planning hunting or sporting and recreational shooting at targets at short distances, at which there is no need to take into account bullet drop, then you can opt for any optical sight up to 4x.

But often with small-caliber rifles they hunt a cautious bird that does not let the hunter get close. Then you should pay attention to high magnification scopes with a Mil Dot or similar reticle with the ability to make ballistic corrections.

Variable magnification sights will be a little more versatile. Here it is worth paying attention to the fact that the sight reticle is in the first focal plane, that is, it increases with increasing magnification. Otherwise, the ballistic reticle will only work at one magnification. A good example of such a scope is the PO 3-9x24. However, from other manufacturers (for example, Japanese Nikon) you can select more suitable models, but without a side bracket. We talk in detail about choosing a sight for small animals in this article.

"Vepr" caliber 7.62

The largest number of Vepr models were produced in 7.62 caliber, primarily due to the continuity of the Kalashnikov, as well as the variety of cartridges of this caliber. The variety of cartridge power and bullet accuracy entails a variety of game caught, but usually it is a medium or large-sized animal. If you know the type of hunting and the animal that you most often hunt (or will hunt), then it will not be difficult to select a suitable scope using the recommendations described above for other calibers. Here we just note once again that

• The classic military version of the optical sight on the AK is the PSO-1 sight adapted from the SVD (hunting with it is prohibited in Russia), and its civilian successor is the PO 4x24 (Vepr). Read more about this sight and its analogues in this article.
• The armed forces of many countries around the world are equipped with collimator sights from the Novosibirsk plant. Exactly the same sights are entering civilian use.

Let’s also pay attention to the versatility of driven sights with variable magnification.

Muzzle energy of cartridge

An important parameter of the sight is the shock resistance to the recoil of the weapon. This parameter directly depends on the power of the cartridge used. All side-mounted optical sights recommended above (civilian models PSO-1), such as POSP or NPZ-shniye PO, can withstand any weapon recoil - they were developed taking into account the experience of producing sights for combat operations. Most sights, including even inexpensive Chinese-made sights, can withstand the recoil of any rifled Boar caliber. But if you are trying to install optics on a smooth-bore weapon, choose time-tested brands.

Due to the simplicity of their design, red dot sights can usually withstand powerful recoil. But you should avoid unknown Chinese brands, especially when ordering them from Chinese marketplaces, which are not subject to Russian consumer protection laws. We've seen scopes that literally shatter into parts after just a few shots.

Until recently, it was especially important to take shock load into account when choosing a night vision scope: not all scopes with generation 1 and 1+ image intensifier tubes could withstand the recoil of powerful weapons. And since the Vepr, especially on the secondary market, is considered a fairly budget weapon, in this regard, the desire of its owner to install an inexpensive sight is understandable. Currently, digital sights have completely replaced sights of the 1st and 1+ generations of image intensifier tubes from the market, and their design, which eliminates the fragile bulb of the image intensifier tube, can withstand the recoil of any civilian caliber. They are the most modern night vision devices and you can safely choose any of them for any Vepr carbine, regardless of caliber. Most of these sights, when using IR illumination, allow you to hunt at distances of up to 150 meters. Read more about how to choose them here about a digital imager, and here about a thermal imager.

At the same time, sights with image intensifier tubes of older generations have their advantages: much longer operation on a single battery and a reliable design that eliminates complex microcircuits and software. The “Vepr” with a rifle cartridge (7.62x51 or 7.62x54 and their varieties) is not inferior in sighting distance to the sniper “SVD”, so it is more advisable to install on it a civilian analogue of the 1PN93 - PN23 “Saracen” sniper scope or one that is not inferior to it in quality, range and shock resistance Dedal-460-DK-3 BW. These scopes will allow you to hunt up to 300 meters.

Rating of sights

Vepr carbines come in smoothbore 12 gauge and rifled 7.62x39 (old style), 7.62x51 (.308Win) is the main caliber, as well as 7.62x54 (rare). For these models, you must use sights that can withstand a muzzle energy of at least 4,000 J. For other calibers, the recoil requirement is not so significant.

Night sights

“Vepr” is an inexpensive weapon, so it is natural for hunters to want to save money on a night vision scope. The most budget option that can withstand the recoil of any cartridge at the moment is the Yukon Sightline N455S night vision scope. It provides visibility of up to 150 meters, which is suitable for night hunting - since in Russia only night hunting from a tower is currently allowed.

But, if your budget allows, we recommend considering installing a digital sight. The “diseases” of the first digital cameras, such as a small viewing angle and poor resistance to frost, have been overcome in new sights, for example, the Pulsar Digex N455 sight or the ATN X-Sight II HD 3-14x. At the same time, the image quality at short distances (up to 150 meters) is better than in night sights with third-generation image intensifier tubes. Additionally, the software of these sights allows you to sight it with one cartridge, change reticles and other additional options.

The Pulsar Digisight N455 LRF equipped with a laser rangefinder is also perfect. Knowing the maximum permissible distance of your gun and bullet, this digital sight will easily help you determine the distance to the target and make the necessary adjustments “on the fly.” For example:

1. You can prevent an early shot by using a smoothbore weapon by letting the animal get closer.
2. At a distance of up to 300 meters, using a rifled carbine, deliver an accurate shot.

Comparison of the image of a digital sight with a 3rd generation image intensifier sight

PN-23 "Saracen" with image intensifier of the 3rd generation. (B/W)

Yukon SightLine N455

The second and third generation sights are more reliable, unpretentious and have a longer battery life.

• PN23 "Saracen" with image intensifier 2+
• Dedal-460-DK-3 BW

they provide a greater shooting distance, and smooth barrels have a much shorter aimed shot distance, about six to eight times.

When hunting during daylight hours, optical and collimator sights are used.

Optical sights

Optical sights are used, as a rule, on rifled barrels for more accurate shooting at long distances (more than 70 meters). Given the current state of the market, we recommend refineries:

• PU 3.5x22-1
• Software 4x24-1
• PO 6x36-2
• Software 3-9x24-1

There are also new sights created in Russia and Belarus:

• Yukon Jaeger 1-4×24
• Yukon Jaeger 3-12×56 (23028)
• Veber Black Fox 4-16×50 AO RG MD
• PO 1.25-4.5x26 Enclosure
• Software 3-9x42 IR WOLF
• PO 1-4x24 Enclosure

Optics, which have a minimum magnification of 1x and 1.25x, are also used for approach and driven hunting.

Almost all optical sights are suitable for the Vepr carbine with caliber 7.62x54 (and similar in power).

Collimator sights

Red dot sights are needed for quick aiming and especially for hunters with poor vision when shooting at short and medium distances up to 100 meters. On Vepr carbines you can use Hakko, as well as:

• View A wide angle
• Pilad P1x25 Weaver
• Pilad P1x30 Weaver
• Pilad P1x42 Weaver