Zastava arms Serbia

Zastava M85 NP .223 Pistol – Part II

These days we would refer to Mikhail Kalashnikov as someone who had “been there and done that”. He fought with the Red Army against the invading Germans during World War II and was severely wounded in the process. Kalashnikov had an intimate knowledge of “war in the mud”, the Russian concept of employing weapons that are robust and easy to use under the most adverse conditions, and his assault rifle design reflected these ideals. It would go on to become the most prolific military rifle ever, especially in Third World countries where training is limited and concepts like weapon cleaning and maintenance are unheard of. The rifle, of course, is the AK-47.
As I wrote earlier the Zastava PAP M85 NP I bought at J&G Sales is different and unique among AK variants because it’s chambered in .223/5.56 NATO ammunition that feeds from standard M-16/AR-15 magazines. First, I tested the pistol for reliability with a mix of ammunition from various manufacturers and every type of AR magazine I had. Exceeding my expectations, the pistol functioned flawlessly. Next it was time to test accuracy.



I rested the pistol on sandbags and fired 5 shot groups at 25 yards. Not expecting much, because the Krinkov style iron sights don’t exactly offer a precision sight picture, I was surprised to find I could consistently shoot groups in the 1 – 1.5” range with some going under an inch. Using a Tapco sight tool, I adjusted the front sight for both windage and elevation to achieve a 25 yard zero. Speaking of sights, for quick shots at close ranges I found centering the target in the semi-circular front sight wings was sufficient for making quick “minute of bad guy” hits on silhouette targets. Adjusting the front sight to zero the pistol may seem backwards, but you move the front sight left for moving the group to the right and down (clockwise) for moving the group up.

One of the things that appealed to me about the M85 was the availability of an arm stabilizing brace called the SB-47 produced by Century Arms International, the outfit who import the M85. Designed to assist handicapped shooters in shooting a rather large, heavy pistol one-handed, these devices are becoming increasing popular accessories for AR and AK design pistols. As I understand it, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE) has determined that attaching one of these arm stabilizers to a pistol does not constitute the making of a Short Barreled Rifle (SBR). Buying or making a SBR requires federal paperwork and the payment of a tax to the government. This law dates back to the mid-1930s and makes SBRs akin to short-barreled shotguns and machineguns. The BATFE are known for ruthlessly enforcing the law restricting SBRs so gun owners are understandably wary of provoking them by intentionally or inadvertently possessing an SBR. However, having ruled that the arm stabilizer is not a rifle stock and approved their attachment to AR and AK pistols, BATFE have left the matter of how they wish to hold or shoot their pistol up to the individual. In other words, if you want to use the arm stabilizer like a shortened stock, and shoot the pistol from the shoulder, it’s okay, and it works very well in the case of the M85 with the SB-47 brace. Fired this way, the stabilizer really does stabilize the pistol, especially when firing multiple shots.



The brace is attached to the pistol by simply unscrewing the bolt at the bottom of the pistol grip, inserting the two metal “forks” on the front of the brace between the pistol grip and the frame and tightening the bolt. While I was at it, I changed the pistol grip to a Hogue rubber grip I found among the extensive number of accessories available for AK rifles and pistols offered by Brownells, my favorite mail order gun parts source. Adding the brace brings the overall length of the M85 pistol to 29.5 inches and increases the unloaded weight to 7 pounds, 13 ounces. Like most AKs, the SB-47 stabilizer has some sharp edges. When I get the time I plan to knock some of these edges off, and although it might not be pretty, hey, it’s an AK.



Thinking the M85/SB-47 might be a handy truck gun, I ordered a Trojan Horse long gun concealment case, also from the Brownells catalog. The Trojan Horse case is a semi-hard case designed to look like a case that might be carrying a musical instrument or a couple of tennis racquets instead of a gun. It’s the perfect size for the M85 pistol and has room for spare magazines or other accessories.

Finally, we arrive at the question of what the M85 pistol is good for. With the abundance of accessories available for AKs it can be set up in any number of ways to suit different roles. For example, I’m considering screwing a small section of rail to the wood forend and attaching a Streamlight TLR-2 G weapon light with a green laser to set the pistol up as a home defense gun. As I mentioned, especially when stored in the Trojan Horse case, the M85 is an excellent truck gun. Best of all, it’s fun to shoot, but inevitably it begs comparison to an AR carbine or pistol. There are two primary differences, those being weight and cost. The M85/SB-47 is a compact package, several inches shorter than a 16” barreled AR with the stock collapsed – and about the same size as an AR pistol – but it is a couple of pounds heavier. The cost difference between an AR carbine or pistol and the M85 is significant, something like $300-$500 or more. I guess it comes down to your preferences, as among shooters there is the AK crowd and the AR crowd and the two can argue endlessly about which system is better without ever coming to agreement. It’s kind of like Ford vs. Chevy.

Kalashnikov’s marvel, the AK-47, has endured for more than 60 years while proving itself to be versatile, durable and brilliantly simple. If my M85 is representative of the breed I should be able to use it, abuse it and shoot it a long time without cleaning. After all, as Boris told me, “Vhy vould you?”

Zastava M85 NP .223 Pistol - Part II | Down Range TV

Nice small arms

Its funny how Americans get away with that wrist strap

Review: Zastava M77 PS Rifle

There are quite a few good deals to be had in the firearms world nowadays. There’s a glut of AR-pattern rifles and parts available at affordable prices, owed to the fact that many panic-buyers are still attempting to offset their overspending, and that manufacturers are ramping up production to meet demand.

Being able to build a good AR-15 for about $700 is well and good for the general shooting public, but what about those of us who like our guns to be a bit more unique—and supply a bigger bang? Luckily, for those of us whose tastes are a bit more unconventional, Century International Arms (CIA) began offering the affordable-but-well-made Zastava Arms PAP M77 PS rifle in .308 Winchester last year. The M77 has flown under the radar of many shooters, and this economical blaster deserves a lot more attention than it’s garnered so far.


A right-side view of the Zastava PAP M77 PS rifle.

Zastava Arms has been in the arms-making business for over a century, and they know their stuff. American collectors and shooters would certainly recognize their offerings, though not necessarily the name behind them. Zastava is the manufacturer of firearms like the M70 AK series and its derivatives, and Mauser pattern bolt-action rifles (such as the M85 “Mini Mauser,” reviewed by OutdoorHub’s Dick Jones here). Zastava also made the M59 SKS-pattern rifle, which many military surplus enthusiasts have experience with.

Side note: The guns made by Zastava are often referred to as “Yugos,” shorthand for Yugoslavia. In the early 1990s, when Yugoslavia broke apart into a number of states, Zastava remained operational within the new territory of the Republic of Serbia. The term is antiquated, most likely introduced when Zastava-made firearms and AK parts kits were first imported to the United States decades ago—but it’s persisted. Google around for aftermarket AK accessories and you’ll be sure to run into “Yugo pattern” stocks, handguards, and the like. If you want to customize an M77 PS, look for “Yugo” stuff.

The Zastava M77′s three-position adjustable gas block. The author did not encounter a need for it during his review.

The PAP M77 PS is a semiautomatic AK-pattern rifle made by Zastava Arms of Serbia and imported by CIA. It is a “sporting” variant of the M77 B1 assault rifle, complete with a polymer thumbhole stock and welded muzzle nut that covers 14x1mm threads. Internally, it’s just a beefed-up long-stroke AK gas piston action. It also features a three-position adjustable gas block.

Before going any further, here are some tech specs on the Zastava M77:

• Caliber: .308 Winchester
• Overall length: 40.55 inches
• Barrel length: 19.7 inches
• Twist rate: 1:12 inches (an assumption—the M77 B1 is listed as having a 1:12-inch twist on Zastava’s site)
• Unloaded weight: 8.6 pounds
• Magazine capacity: ships with one 10-round, double-stack mag
• Price: was available for $550 at time of acquisition, as of July 16, 2014 MSRP is $649.95

The M77 first caught my eye when I was searching for modern AKs in battle rifle calibers like .308 and 7.62x54mmR. The Russian-made Vepr series was appealing, but carried prices of $800 or more. I found the Zastava M77 listed on Classic Firearms’ website shortly before SHOT Show this year, and I was immediately intrigued. It was listed for $550—a significant difference from the Veprs’ tags. I made a mental note to check one out in person as soon as I could.

Spurred on by that interest, I stopped by CIA’s booth at Media Day at the Range and got my hands on an M77. After sending two mags’ worth of lead downrange, I was sold. I got back in touch with their media relations team shortly after returning home, and soon had a Zastava M77 waiting for me at my FFL, ready for testing.

After picking up the PAP M77, my first inclination was to convert it to something closer to its M77 B1 “milspec” form. However, I decided it’d be prudent to test out the PAP M77 in a more vanilla flavor, first with iron sights and then with an affordable scope and mount. My intent was to determine whether the M77, scoped or not, was worth its bargain price tag.

***
First, it’s worth noting the PAP M77 PS’ major differences from most other AK-platform rifles.


A close-up shot of the right side of the Zastava M77′s “reinforced” receiver, showing the bolt hold-open cut on the selector and the slant-cut back.

It features a stamped, 1.5mm thick slant-cut receiver, which means that the rearmost part of the gun’s receiver sports a diagonal cut. Most other AKs have what are referred to as flat-back or straight-cut receivers, which are (intuitively enough) receivers that terminate in a straight, boxy shape. The M77’s thumbhole Monte Carlo-style stock is made to mate properly with its slant-cut receiver, and slightly complicates finding an aftermarket stock that will fit. There are options, but most AK stocks simply won’t fly with the M77 without custom work.

Next, the M77’s recoil spring assembly is retained by a small pin manipulated using a button on the rear-left area of the receiver. To field strip or disassemble the gun, one depresses the retainer button and pushes the recoil cam forward toward the muzzle. After releasing the cam and button, the assembly will be “locked” forward and the dust cover can be quickly and neatly removed. To reassemble, simply reverse the process. This dust cover retainer is apparently a feature of Yugoslavian/Serbian guns, and I have to admit that the first time I field stripped the M77, I was wowed by the feature’s simplicity and utility. It makes removing and attaching the dust cover, a process that can sometimes be cumbersome with other AKs, incredibly quick and easy.

The PAP M77 PS also features a fire selector with a cut to hold the bolt carrier’s charging handle back, an increasingly common aftermarket addition to many American AKs. The bolt, however, does not lock back on the 10-round magazines currently available from Century. The cut selector does make keeping a safe and clear chamber straightforward, though.


The left side of the Zastava M77′s receiver, showing the scope rail and recoil assembly retaining pin.

The Zastava M77′s receiver has an Eastern Bloc-style scope rail on its left side, though it is different from the rails more commonly encountered on AKs. It sits higher on the gun than other rails, and is slightly longer. It is designed to accept a Zastava-specific type of mount, but some other mounts available on the aftermarket will work. As explained below, I used an Arsenal SM-13 mount to pair a scope with the gun, and met with mixed success.

In contrast with most AKs currently sold in the United States, the M77 does not have a chrome-lined barrel. This was not a problem for me, as I didn’t plan on shooting any corrosive .308 through it, nor could I possibly ever afford to buy enough non-corrosive .308 to wear down the barrel. Being broke really can be blessing in disguise.

Apart from these notable differences, the rest of the PAP M77 PS is Kalashnikov through and through.

***
The rifle was in great overall condition as delivered to me, but it sported a few handling marks. Those concerned about their guns lacking an impeccable finish should avoid the PAP M77 PS. Mine showed signs of “test firing” at the very least, in addition to assorted scuffs. For someone like me who sought out the firearm as an economical battle rifle, this was not an issue—I’ll be putting some significant wear on it myself.

Having shot a wide variety of AKs (of both the sporting and “military” variety), I was surprised to find that the M77’s high stock comb actually produced a comfortable cheekweld with iron sights and scopes. That’s a rare quality for most AKs. I enjoyed the M77’s sporter stock so much that I almost hesitated to replace it with an ACE folding stock—almost.


The author found that, in contrast with other “sporter” stocks, the Zastava M77′s stock facilitated a comfortable cheekweld with optics and irons.

During my first trip to the range with the Zastava M77, I sighted the rifle’s irons in at 100 yards and let fly. The rifle’s trigger breaks around the six- to 6.5-pound mark. There’s significant take-up before the break, but overall the trigger performed well enough. When I convert the rifle, I’ll be installing a lighter-pulling Tapco G2 trigger to hopefully tighten up shot groups.

Over irons, Wolf 148-grain .308 five-shot groups at 100 yards produced roughly three-inch groups on average—basically what I’ve come to expect from Russian commercial steel-cased ammo.

On a later range trip, I attached my Viper PST-equipped SM-13 mount to the gun. After three sighting-in groups, I sought out five-shot “performance” groups at 100 yards. With Federal American Eagle 7.62x51mm 168-grain OTM, I was able to get down to repeatable 1.5-inch groups over a three-group period. Unfortunately, after my third group, the SM-13 mount came loose due to a failure on my part to adequately tighten the mount’s QD lever using the mount’s castle nut. Following my user error with the SM-13, I fired a few more Wolf 148-grain groups over irons and again got five-shot groups that averaged about three inches. So far, at no point during my experience with the rifle (400 rounds over five months) have I experienced any reliability issues, as is to be expected with an AK-pattern gun.
Manufacturer and type of bullet Average group at 100 yards (inches) Number of five-shot groups Best group (inches)
Federal American Eagle 7.62x51mm 168-grain OTM 1.5 5 1.5
Wolf .308 148-grain FMJ 3 10 3

Accuracy-wise, the PAP M77 PS performs as it should for an affordable semiautomatic .308 with plinking and premium ammo. I expect that with even better match-grade .308 and stable glass, I could tighten up my groups a bit further.

I wouldn’t call the rifle “beefy” in any sense of the word, but it handles the recoil of the .308 round with ease. A small-framed shooter, who couldn’t weigh more than 110 pounds and joined me on the firing line for one of my test trips, had no problem firing magazine after magazine through the M77—benched and off-hand.

The rifle shoulders well and doesn’t feel disproportionate, as some longer-barreled .30-caliber battle rifles often do. The sporter stock facilitates good cheekweld with optics or iron sights, and the pistol grip is fat and comfortable. No complaints can be levied against the M77 from an ergonomic standpoint.
***
I’m very impressed with everything the Zastava PAP M77 PS offers. You get the power of the .308 Winchester round in the reliable, familiar format of an affordable Kalashnikov, with good accuracy to boot. There’s even a wealth of non-permanent conversion opportunities available on the aftermarket, which I haven’t touched in this review—look for a follow-up article shortly. Simply put, the Zastava M77 is the most fun you can have in .308 for under $700. Anyone looking to enter the battle rifle field without breaking their bank would be remiss to pass on this gun.







TECH Specs
Caliber
.308 Winchester
Action
Semiautomatic
Operating system
Kalashnikov pattern long-stroke gas piston
Magazine type
Proprietary 10-round mags
Barrel length
19.7 inches
Overall length
40.55 inches
Weight unloaded
8.6 pounds

Review: Zastava M77 PS Rifle - OutdoorHub

М70B1






М70АB2

М72

M-21

М-76

Own Scorpion CZ999, love it.

proka89 said:

I am opening this topic to present to you one of the most important companies of the Serbian defense industry (Since i am the only active member from Serbia )

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Zastava M21 new design: