PSA AK-74 Review: American-Made Russian Thunder

Five years ago, I would have laughed if you told me I’d recommend an American-made AK. Palmetto State Armory, as well as the AK market, have changed a great deal since then. Palmetto State Armory’s AKs are now a better value than the imported AKs I used to promote. PSA was different from other American companies who have tried to make Kalashnikovs. They have always resisted criticisms of this nature. The company listened to feedback and made incremental changes with each new rifle generation. This resulted in a line of 7.62×39 AKs that was both affordable and solid. I already have plenty of 7.62 AKs but I’ve been considering adding an AK-74 into my safe for a while. In recent years, imports of 5.45 rifles have been scarce, which has led to prices that are higher than I am willing to pay. Palmetto’s PSA AK-74 was announced in 2020. I was intrigued because it would be cheaper than an import. Garand Thumb’s original review of the PSA AK-74 from 2021 is still a major issue. You can watch the video to see the full breakdown. In a nutshell his rifle suffered from early and excessive wear, including broken firing pins, popped primers, and premature and excessive wear of the front trunnion. PSA asked him send the rifle back for further testing and the result was internal changes to the design. Garand Thumb conducted a follow-up with the updated rifle, and found no issues after thousands of additional shots. The PSA AK-74s sold since then seem to have had the problems resolved, as there are no complaints from users online. New firearms are rarely perfect. It’s important to note that PSA has repeatedly demonstrated its ability to respond to feedback with each new generation of AK. I was impressed by the PSA AK 74 the moment I saw it at my FFL. The metal finish was a glossy black and the action was noticeably smoother. The folding stock also worked perfectly. It’s not a torture test, but 5.45×39 ammunition is expensive. I did not experience a single malfunction during my testing. That’s almost shocking because the rifle felt under gassed compared to others AK-74s that I’ve shot. AK-74s have a reputation for being soft-shooters, but PSAs were virtually free of recoil. The rifle’s flawless accuracy with both live and blank ammo proves it has been gassed perfectly. The enhanced reliability of military-gassed AK-74s may be appealing in muddy trenches. But for the range, a PSA AK-74 is the best choice. It was able to ring a steel target half the size of my torso at 100 yards with minimal effort, even though I did not use it for paper groups. The trigger is similar to a standard AK, which I like. Based on what I could test, the PSA AK-74 has good magazine compatibility. It came with a PMAG that worked without any issues, but this was to be expected as it’s the magazine PSA likely designed the gun around. My rifle had no problem accepting or feeding surplus mags, both Russian and East German. However, they were all quite tight to remove. This can be easily fixed with a little file work. The only magazines that my rifle would not accept were AK-12 Mag clones made by AC-Unity. It takes a lot of self-control not to keep shooting as fast as possible when you are able to level your sights and hear the first ring. The rifle was beautiful out of the package, but I couldn’t resist the urge of swapping parts. The factory nutmeg furniture may appeal to some but I find AKs look wrong unless they are dressed in original surplus. I replaced the handguards and pistol grip with surplus bakelite. The PSAK-74 straight from the factory. Although the model I selected would be considered a classic by many, PSA does not guarantee historical accuracy. There are a few small parts I would have liked to see changed. Firstly, it comes with a smooth cover, which is more appropriate for newer models such as the AK-103. The model I received had a triangle-shaped stock, similar to an AKS-74. However, it should be ribbed. It was a cheap and easy part to replace. These rifles also have an enhanced selector with an extended shelf. This wasn’t the case with the original, but it’s a nice addition. PSA’s selector is the smoothest one I’ve felt on any AK.PSA includes a side rail for optics on its AK-74. This has become a standard feature on AKs in the U.S. I’m not planning on using mine, but I mounted various optics without any problems. This includes both the original Eastern Bloc mounts and aftermarket mounts by RS Regulate.Finally I mentioned earlier that i also tested the rifle using blank ammo. This required the installation a surplus blank-fire adaptor, which screwed on perfectly. This shows that PSA made the threads correctly, and you should be able install any M24x1.5RH muzzle device you desire. There was some minor fitting required, but this is typical of all Kalashnikovs. If you’re looking for a 5.45x39mm, I would definitely recommend the PSA AK-74. I don’t think there’s any better option for the money. Are imported models better in theory? They are better in many ways, but they cost more. As far as I know, there is only one other domestically-produced AK-74 and it costs only marginally less despite using inferior components. Although 5.45 is a great cartridge, it will never be as affordable in the U.S. to shoot as 5.56 NATO. PSA also makes 5.56 AKs, but I’ve never had the opportunity to shoot one. Unfortunately, it seems that all Soviet calibers, including 5.45×39, are on the decline in the United States due to things such as the Russian ammo embargo. However, if you’re interested in 5.45, there is still hope. Palmetto, a company that manufactures Soviet ammunition including 5.45×39, is currently setting up a domestic plant. The factory will hopefully be able produce enough affordable ammunition to allow these PSA AK-74s to get the range time that they deserve. The target grids and bullseyes are measured in MOA. 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