Putting optics on rifles — anything from basic red dots to scopes with high magnification — doesn’t have to be complicated. However, that’s unless you are trying to put optics on an old-school AK. In that case, the Midwest Industries Gen 2 AK Railed Top Side QD Mount makes the job much easier.
Mikhail Kalashnikov designed a rifle for extreme conditions in an era when optics were more delicate than they are today. In other words, there was no need for an optics mount on early AK rifles as the optic wouldn’t stand up to the abuse. Even if there was the potential, the gun’s basic design limited where an optic might be attached with any kind of stability.
Why is mounting an optic to an AK complicated?
Rifles that shoot incredibly tight groups and/or offer dependable repeat accuracy at any distance benefit greatly from the addition of an optic. However, that addition implies there’s a really solid place to add scope mounts or bases.
The stamped receiver AK tends to flex. You may not be able to see the issue with the naked eye, but watch slow-motion video and you’ll see. Adding anything heavy on the frame changes the flex and, unfortunately, sometimes that flex means a shifting zero at any distance.
All of this is to say that now, decades from the Kalashnikov platform’s development, these same challenges exist. Adding scopes is, and may always be, a challenge. However, that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth trying. The added benefit of a red dot might be much easier to justify.
What’s the easiest way to mount an optic to an AK?
If your rifle has a side-mount bracket, a mount like the Midwest Industries Gen 2 AK Railed Top Side QD Mount might be the easiest option. After a brief set-up to get the quick-detach tensions set, this mount snaps on and off with ease.
There are other options such as railed gas blocks. These put an optic out farther down the rifle—more in the position of an old-school scout scope set-up. You can also get a top cover with a built-in rail section. This design generally puts the optic lower and is an effective means of attaching a scope or red dot. It has the added benefit of putting the scope farther back toward the shooter and helps with eye relief.
Midwest Industries Gen 2 AK Railed Top Side QD Mount
When I went to set up this Romanian WASR for an optic, I opted to use its existing side-mount bracket. I’ve used many Midwest mounts and forends in the past. I’ve had great results with the company and trust their ability to build a mount that delivers on what it promises.
The Midwest mount elevates the scope above the top-cover, so there’s no concern about eye relief or getting a crazy low cheek weld to see through the optic.
Installing the Midwest Industries Gen 2 AK Railed Top Side QD Mount
Installation is easy enough with only one main challenge. When getting the mount to secure to the bracket, you need to remove some slack in the QD mount. To do so, push up on the whole post. This frees up the nut and allows you to turn it one way or the other to dial in the fit.
If you don’t push up far enough, the nut won’t clear the mount and turn. This requires a bit of muscle to push up and hold in place while also turning the nut. However, it isn’t as cumbersome as it sounds in this description.
I have this one just tight enough that it requires a bit of assertion to close down. When removing the mount, you have to pry the lever loose and it is tight.
Will removing the mount mean you lose the zero?
Not at all. I tried this several times with consistent results (at least within the confines of my 50 yard bay). I’m not expecting MOA accuracy from the Holosun HS503R Red Dot Sight. I have no hesitation trusting the zero after removing the mount, putting it in a case, and slapping it on again when needed.
Results may vary, though. At the very least, you’ll be damn close. As this is a bog-standard 7.62×39, I don’t expect it to shoot one-hole groups. I’m looking for a mount I can put on and take off and still be reliably within center mass with a red dot.
Any issues with the Midwest mount?
Anything you add to the side of a rifle adds width. Most American rifle platforms leave the sides of guns unobstructed — as if width mattered in some meaningful way. Width matters with pistols, but I feel less so with rifles.
Width aside, there is another adjustment you need to get right on the mount. The rail section needs to be as close to centered on the mid-line of the AK as possible.
Getting the mount in line is easy enough. The mount bracket has set-screws and oval-shaped holes that allow for the mount to shift independently of the part securing it to the mounting bracket. This is easier to see in an image than it is to explain.
Attach the side-mount to the bracket and check the rail section. I use the iron sights and U-shaped channel in the picatinny rail section to find that center line. Then, loosen the bolt and slide the rail section left or right and tighten it back down.
There’s very little travel, but you won’t need much. This is kind of a genius move on Midwest’s part. I’ve worked with other mounts that don’t always line up on the center line of the bore. The optic’s windage adjustments have to be used to center it. This method is hardly optimal if you end up needing more windage than you have available. Fine tuning this element of the optics mount was the most challenging part of the addition.
The Midwest Industries Gen 2 AK Railed Top Side QD Mount doesn’t really allow for co-witnessing—at least not as much as I’d like. In a perfect world, an optics mount like this allows you to look under the optic and find the irons—but the world is far from perfect. However, this mount is truly QD — any issue with the optic and it can be stripped from the gun in short order, leaving the iron sights immediately exposed.
The Midwest mount sells for $167.99. For the versatility and dependability of the mount, that’s a solid investment for adding speed and accuracy to a platform that often falls behind in both categories.
