Sako M92S based on the AK

Larry Vickers gets a chance to take this ultra-rare Sako M92S Rifle down range, which was based on the Soviet AK and Valmet Rifles.

The semi-automatic only Sako M92S rifle fires the 7.62x39mm cartridge. This model has a folding stock, a grenade launcher adapter and gas cut off switch. With many other add-ons, this rifle with a milled receiver is quite the shooter. The magazine release is very slick.

According to Larry, the shooting feels soft and thinking that the Fin’s did not overload the gas like the AK-47, most AK’s are overloaded with gas.

This sweet-shooting Finnish rifle is given a great workout. Witness what Larry Vickers has to say while shooting this Sako M92S rifle.

Video Transcription
Hey Gang, here today I have a very rare semiautomatic version of a finished Army assault rifle. This is a Sako M92S. It is a Civilian Semiautomatic version of the Finnish RK95 select-fire assault rifle, which is essentially the last, and possibly the one that’s gonna close the chapter on the famous Valmet series of Assault Rifles, which in and of themselves were based on the Soviet AK. Now this one’s in 7.62×39, it has one of the black polymer magazines, interestingly enough up here of course you have the lanyard loop ‘cuz remember they get a lot of snow up in Finland. Sidefolding buttstock, which is unusual on the Civilian semiautomatic version the M92S, because generally they had a fixed buttstock that did not side-fold. This particular one has a side-folder, it also has the AK-style selector that goes with the side-folding buttstock. You also have night sights, in addition to your standard aperture, host front. Up front, you have a multi-function flash suppressor which also takes rifle grenades, and you can see, heavily influenced by FN. Upturned charging handle, which of course you see on the Galeel. Now, one thing I’ve seen, I’ve seen some pictures of this particular weapon on the Internet, we don’t have a really good system to mount optics to it. You’ll see some optic-mounting solutions that’re on the left side of the gun that are not ideal.

I’m gonna bust some caps outta this thing here in just a second, and give you my shooting impressions of probably the only one in the United States. Sako M92S. Stay Tuned.

Alright, picking up the M92S right off the bat, you can tell it’s got some weight to it. Partially because it uses a forged and machined lower-receiver, the Valmets are kinda famous for that. They did make some weapons with stamp-sheet metal receivers, but a lot of their guns had forged, machined steel lowers. Now, there’s no reason in this day and age you couldn’t go with a stamp-sheet metal receiver, and then that, though you may compromise somewhat on durability and accuracy, downrange, bottom line is for a soldier it’s lighter weight, and you’re gonna always be carrying a gun more than you’re shooting it.

Alright, time to load it up and go hot. Alright here we go.

[Firing]

Ok, right off the bat, pretty soft shooting. Not only in the weight, but my hunch is, the Finns didn’t over-gas it like a lot of 7.62×39 AKs are over-gassed. In addition, I’m shooting good old Finnish Lapua ammunition, in 7.62×39, this stuff is fantastic, it has an excellent reputation for quality, and also for being very very accurate. On the magazine release I’ve noticed right-handed shooters, you have this extended tab right here, so you can extend your trigger finger down as a right-hander, hit it, take the mag out. You can also come up with your thumb if need be, alright, take the mag out as well. Pretty slick.

[Firing]

Now one of the things the Finns have really endeavored to do here, is try to cinch down the top cover. This has always been the issue with the AK, in terms of sights or optics that are mounted on the top cover, you always have the devil in the details of trying to cinch this thing down tight. If you notice, they have a little cam lever over here, to really cinch it and lock it down. Now, they don’t really mount optics to this top cover, but they’re concerned about it from an Iron Sight point of view. Let me bust a few more.

[Firing]

Cool. Now, night sights are standard on this, you flip the rear sight in that in-between position, and then you have a rear pistol notch here that has a night sight, and then up front you flip up your night sight. Now you have the ability to run this gun at night with standard-issue night sights. Not a bad idea. I’m more of a fan, frankly, of the front-sight only as a night-sight. What I’ve found is, night-sights on service rifles that are closer to your eye on the rear sight have a tendency to blind you, and it completely washed everything out. I’d almost rather run a front-night-sight only, and just look over the rear sight, verses having the Tridium in the rear.

[Firing]

Pretty slick, gun is really heating up right now, I’m gonna try the gas cutoff valve up here, it should be single-shot now. See how it goes.

[Firing]

Ok, yeah. Alright. So, although you can shoot this thing single-shot live rounds,
it’s obviously meant to launch rifle-grenades, I don’t know that I would recommend it.

[Firing]

Alright. Now, stock folds to the side, you pinch it just like that, collapse to the side. All you gotta do is that. Now it doesn’t have a bolt hold-open device, got two more rounds left, so just like a standard AK, you’re gonna get that click.

[Two more shots, Click]

Click. That’s your clue that it’s time to reload the weapon. Hope you enjoyed it, SAKO M92S. Moonrock, here in the United States.

[Firing]

[Outro]

Sources: Eric Nestor, Vickers Tactical