With Barwarus Sula, you can keep the scope on your AK-47 even while cleaning it!

The Sula Rail Scope Base is ideal for mounting an optic to your AK-47. It allows you to attach an optic firmly without having to take it off every time you want to clean your rifle.

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First Impressions of the Barwarus-SULA Rail Scope Base for AK-47 & AK-74

The Sula Rail mount was delivered in a lovely kraft cardboard box. Inside was a basic and lightweight gadget that I would use to mount my new Viridian Venta Scope.

Installation and setup of the Barwarus-SULA Rail Scope Base for AK-47 & AK-74

The mount is simple, yet this does not imply installation is simple. To attach the Sula Rail, you must first remove the front sight from your AK-47. Given how easy the AK platform is, I believed that detaching the spring that secures the rear sight would be a snap. To my surprise, there's a lot of force required to pull apart the spring that holds the rear sight together.

The leaf spring, like the front sight, is typically difficult to remove. In my case, it came out rather effortlessly after a few tries with needle-nose pliers. Enough force was applied that I was worried about damaging the gun. I should count myself fortunate since other users have remarked on having to drill out the divot in order to take out the spring.

After you remove the spring, you can install the Sula Rail. There is a screw that attaches to a wedge that you slide in where the gas piston would normally be present. The wedge sits above the gas piston and attaches to the bottom of the Sula Rail. Tightening down the wedge against the rail holds the Sula Rail firmly in place.

Specs of the Barwarus-SULA Rail Scope Base for AK-47 & AK-74

Field Test of the Barwarus-SULA Rail Scope Base for AK-47 & AK-74

The Viridian Venta rifle scope's installation was straightforward. Given the long eye relief of this scope, I positioned it somewhat forward of center. The mount was secure, and there was no play or wiggle between the scope base and the gun. The front of the scope base features a tiny set screw that may allow the scope base to be used as a rudimentary rear sight. Since I was putting an immovable optic on the rail, I left both screws untouched and didn't attempt to zero the rifle using its simple sighting system.

The Venta rifle scope is mounted securely and firmly on the rail, and it proved to be dependable and consistent after being zeroed. My rifle, however, fell against a concrete floor before heading out to the range. The fall was powerful enough to dent the turret cap on the rifle scope, but it didn't seem to knock anything loose nor cause any other damage. After zeroing my rifle scope, I sent round after round consistently and accurately downrange.

Pros of the Barwarus-SULA Rail Scope Base for AK-47 & AK-74

The main advantage is that you don't have to remove anything to clean your AK-47. Many scope and optic solutions for the AK-47 require you to attach it to the side or on top of the receiver cover. You must take off your optic in both systems in order to remove the receiver cover and properly clean your rifle. Many of these systems have been proven effective, but whenever you take your scope off, there is always a degree of error. Having a mounting solution that does not need to be removed gives you peace of mind when purchasing a dependable scope. This was the driving force behind my desire to install one on my rifle.

Cons of the Barwarus-SULA Rail Scope Base for AK-47 & AK-74

The only issue, I discovered after consulting their website, is a compatibility problem with the AK-47. It would also have been great to receive instructions on how to mount it when I initially received the scope mount. They provided adequate instructions via email, and I was able to finish the process. Since the fitment was so tight, I gouged the Sula Rail while attempting to force it down over the gas piston.

The paint on the Sula Rail Scope Base was thick and the front sight slot is slightly too small. I considered filing it but instead cinched the wedge until it was tight. On the website, I noticed that this is a known problem. It notes that this model fits both AK-47 and AK-74, however, there is a tiny variation. The AK-74 rifle's mount rails are a perfect match. When you install the rail on an AK-47, you'll need to use a rubber mallet or a file to smooth it out. This is something you should think about before purchasing the Sula Rail mount for your AK-47.

Final Thoughts on the Barwarus-SULA Rail Scope Base for AK-47 & AK-74

I am very happy with this clever solution for a 75-year-old rifle. You may have thought that the Soviets would have considered the future when they were developing this rifle. They didn't think about mounting optics to the platform. History being what it is, there was never an adequate solution to provide a solid rail mount on the platform that doesn't get in the way of cleaning your rifle.

Finally, the Sula Rail mount is a solution to that issue. It's only because of the Sula Rail mount that I can securely attach an optic to my rifle. That isn't to imply I couldn't do it before; what I'm saying is that I didn't want to deal with the expense or bother with other options on the market. For people like me, the Sula Rail mount fills a need that has been there for some time.

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