Žiga from Polenar Tactical Reviews my Lynx Brutality AK

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I decided to use a home-built Romanian AK for Lynx Brutality 2024. It began as a Romanian PM-63 AKM made at the Cugir factory complex in 1976, which was sold to the US about 20 years ago as a parts kit (with its original barrel at that time). I used a Nodak Spud receiver and reassembled it. For an optic, I used an AK Master Mount to get a side rail, and they used a Belorussian PK-A red dot for the match. I ended up doing remarkably well with it, taking 12th place overall at Lynx Brutality! So I figured I'd get Źiga's take on it...
My stage videos for Lynx Brutality 2024:
Day 1 - • My AK vs Cars, Kettleb...
Day 2 - • Shields, Ropes, and Cu...
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[@Pocahonkers]

Žiga finally gets a chance to shit on Ians rifle but he just cant bring himself to be mean to well traveled AK.

[@BackyardDogPark9862]

It's payback for Ian "reviewing" Ziga's WWSD build. 😂

[@3isr3g3n]

Can't hate the classics

[@faust167]

Pretty sure his name is George...

[@markfergerson2145]

Well, to be fair, Ian’s build does exemplify the meme of raggedy assed AKs just working.

[@KristijanRisteski-zp7bx]

The etching on the stock "IIASOND" might be some Romanian conscript writing out the months he was in service. Since "June" is "Iunie" and "July" is "Iulie" and then August, Septembrie, Octombrie, Noiembrie, Decembrie.

[@lorandkopenetz]

It is very possible!!!

[@EggplantHarmesan]

That seems like the most probable answer

[@canadagoof]

Superb catch there 😄 👌

[@firstnamelastname6216]

Damn!!! Good catch!!!

[@tvrsvn134]

Yup. When i served as a conscript in Kazakhstan army i got an AK-74 with carving on buttstock it was saying 1-13 (name of region). It means guy who carvied it has been drafted in first half of the year (around spring and summer), in Kazakhstan we have two times of periods when conscripts gets draftet 1 and 2. First one is like i said around spring and summer, and second is around autmn and winter. And 13 means year when he was drafted - 2013.

[@ElChris816]

I've been waiting for Ziga's turn to shit on Ian's rifle. After watching this I am completely convinced that Ian chose this rifle solely on the fact that Ziga would be unable to do a proper after brutality video. This is totally diabolical Ian. Well played.

[@charlessalmond7076]

4-D Chess, from a master.....

[@AlexHalt100]

it looks like the thing you build in S.T.A.L.K.E.R. the moment you find your first long AK and a scope for it. it just looks "Gunny". Simple, effective, gets the job done. i love it.

[@Kreozot2D]

This AK looks like a vintage Fender stratocaster that was dragged through a lot of gigs, and it makes it awesome Feels like parts of this gun have their own stories to tell Sick burn on ak50 btw

[@miketeeveedub5779]

If there was an AK that Stevie Ray Vaughan would've owned, it be this one.

[@megacluckcluck2302]

So true. Road worn!

[@MachineGunManUFMS]

​@@miketeeveedub5779underrated comment!

[@KrikZ32]

worn out strat is an amazing comparison

[@apollo_alt]

whoa, ian, you look so different in the intro!

[@Zorglub1966]

European food, i guess....

[@DanielCook-h6r]

So in other words... Rifle is fine

[@ForgottenWeapons]

Da.

[@Nikolai1939]

Never seem ziga before, but he seems like a chill guy, would be cool to see him in more videos

[@ForgottenWeapons]

You're in luck: www.youtube.com/@PolenarTactical/videos

[@jonathantatler]

All hail Forgotten AKs

[@jeccentric9952]

IIASOND (June, July, August, September, October, November, December). Pretty sure that was it. Inscribed each month with the tip of the AK bayonet during the boring 3 hours guard duty. Last months of the military service were counted down, this was named „au mai rămas (in short AMR). The AMR started after you went past half the military service. It was a common question ”What's your AMR?”, meaning how much you have left till ”liberare” meaning liberation, when you could go home. There were AMR graffiti all over the place in the military bases from previous generations, some very old. That mandatory military service was considered some sort of a prison, it was hated with a passion, as the officers were most of the time quite rude and lots of violent, uncivilized dudes from the countryside. The accommodation and food were quite decent, though. There was an entire folklore around the mandatory military service, and lots of songs. All forgotten since maybe there are like 20 years since mandatory military service ended in Romania. Some songs were recorded in the early 90s. For example songs like „S-a Mărit Armata”, „În Ziua Liberării”, „Hai Liberare” that can be found on KZbin. But there were many more, many never recorded and probably few, if any, can still remember them.

[@kutter_ttl6786]

Yoir comment deserves way more likes. It's the most logical explanation I've read on the inscription and makes perfect sense.

[@felix_dumitru]

The carving in the stock certainly isn't a Romanian name. I guess it's supposed to be the initials of the months from June to December? That would be iunie, iulie, august, septembrie, octombrie, noiembrie, decembrie. It doesn't make much sense, but that's the only thing that popped up when I googled iiasond

[@ForgottenWeapons]

Oh, interesting possibility - maybe someone counting down the months until they get out of the service?

[@malinsg1]

@@ForgottenWeapons Yes, it was called AMR - Au Mai Ramas . I personally know from some songs from the day, because conscription was repealed by the time I turned 18. Basically "There Are Left" .somebody mentioned that in a long thread above too. the term was 9 months, so the marker was is for 2 more months.

[@felix_dumitru]

​@@ForgottenWeapons Military service was 6 months long for those who did it after university. Since the university year ends some time in June, it would perfectly fit the theory that he carved a June - December calendar on the stock.

[@scottrobinson3281]

Don't underestimate the classics. I have just watched Rob at Vintage Rifle Shooters' Club make hits out to 600 yards with a Vietnam era M16 with period 3x optic and 55gr ammo.

[@jetilley-kk8bu]

Hey Ian, long time watcher first time commenter i just wanted to say thank you for being an inspiration to me (as well as many other guntuber’s) and inspiring me to get in gunsmithing. I hope you have and Ziga have an amazing Father’s Day

[@Jesses001]

I love battle worn weapons, and this one is dripping with experience. Scratches, finish wear, trench art, after market modifications, it has it all!

[@jeromethiel4323]

"I definitely wasn't trying either then!" That's some sibling bickering right there! LOL!

[@Goc4ever]

Ian, you and Ziga are a joy to watch, i found this video very interesting and funny.

[@sink009]

Listening to you talk about the reasons for getting and using your PK-A is the same reason that I got my PK-01 VS. Personally I like the VS because the battery compartment doesn’t stick out as much, but they both achieve the same end result.

[@IcdBlade]

OG AKM kit builds. Gotta love them. 1966 Izhmash and 1972 Tula.

[@petesheppard1709]

Yep, I was expecting Ziga to totally roast Ian's rifle, but the discussion was well worth the watch. I am now eagerly awaiting Brandon's next "Gun Meme Review". 😎

[@celmer6]

It's a Father's Day special and they shot a Ballistic Dummy Head representing a pedophile.

[@alanniederlitz8630]

Yall are ALWAYS FUN to watch, especially Ziga!!!

[@alanniederlitz8630]

i am in a position to buy a ORIGINAL Izmash akm kit... reciever (new) has cyrilic markings!

[@alanniederlitz8630]

Then i need to build it

[@be2712]

Ian is a modest guy, to modest, brings an old rusted ladies bike to a tour de France etappe and still ownes it like a pro! As a Belgian I would dare to say the French's would approve!

[@DavidBrown-wh1ix]

Loved this video. So much to learn. Including that you had problems in the match that were not noticed.

[@WardenWolf]

Those PK-A dots are very good. I considered buying one but the cost for the centered Venezuelan version was just too high. Since then, though, advances in battery life have simply obsoleted it and a modern dot on top of a low Pic mount is a better choice. I paid to have my VEPR .308 threaded right. I haven't tested it with a suppressor, but I have a long SVD-style flash hider and I've verified it's concentric at least with that device.

[@dr.ryttmastarecctm6595]

A kit AK-M by Gun Jesus. Will wonders never cease.

[@timbaskett6299]

It has that "Khyber pass, battlefield pickup" look to it.

[@glueguzzler9548]

Guys Ian sounds a little funny in the intro, maybe he got a cold. Get well soon Ian!!

[@atranimecs]

this is the most STALKER level AK ive ever seen....and the most experienced STALKER assessing a fellow comrades AK lol

[@RaduB.]

My gun, as I was in the army, was from 1975. Except for the lower handguard and the inscription on the butt, it looked the same!

[@malinsg1]

I think the markings do not represent a name but rather: 2nd assault (battalion/regiment?) and the initials of the solder to whom it was issued. Since in the first hundreds years BC a lot of parts around here were roman colonies , the first 2 "I" might represent a "2" . The roman numeral system stuck around and some of use can still read it. Heck, I even studien LATIN in highschool.

[@zoomr5364]

I'm Romanian and I have no idea what the stock engraving says

[@schrodingersgat4344]

It says that, someone was not properly supervised while on duty.

[@malinsg1]

perhaps the weapon was in a base west of the mountains, where Hungarian is more prevalent

[@jeffreywacker3598]

Most of these rifles we have came as parts kits from Croatian armories or were captured from Croatian militias by Bosnians. Lots and lots of Croatian carvings and names are on them, sometimes they'll have the Islamic crescent moon and "E Sakir" carved on the stock like my kit does.

[@codygranrud6212]

Hahaha

[@hoilst265]

I like to think it's some Romanian military armourer's code for "DANGER - DEFECTIVE PART - DO NOT USE".

[@jessicasimp4459]

I heard Gun Jesus mention the AK50, so there should be a reaction video and the in-person closer look on Brandon Herrera’s AK50 by Gun Jesus to make an epic impression of what’s like to build a gun from scratch realistically.

[@armorers_wrench]

I like that AK too. It looks like it's been places.

[@ethan5.56]

Love my AK❤ 1974 trunion Romanian cugir. great video

[@thorgunderson1998]

So I love this build because it’s identical to my Romanian build. Same optic thing front handguard. Good taste sir.

[@Dstev98141]

That open was too much fun!

[@TheWilliec1999]

Functional minimalism in the ak platform is far to underrated. Really all an AK truly needs is a light and a sling. End of story. Too many people put a ton of mods into them for no real reason, even I'm guilty of this. This video is making me want to go set up a minimalist wasr-10 super bad.

[@RowCZ]

Love it, it looks like something, you stitched together in the middle of some postapo situation... Or like your old thrusty AK you are stranding with in Cheornobyl zone for 20 years now 😅

[@kenadams2124]

Žiga and Ian. My two favorite human beings.

[@reliantncc1864]

Hello Slovenia, from America. Sending well wishes.

[@simo9445tsns]

great collab, thanks for sharing

[@920utdoor]

I'm not one to be interested in stock AKs, but this thing is beautiful

[@allencummins9297]

I love this and the good points of old tech

[@propdoctor21564]

I love the AK platform... This rifle is old school cool and exactly the type of weapon I prefer.

[@PapaSchultz74]

Ian, next time, try to add some teflon tape it will help tightening

[@VonRichtburg]

The PK-A is a Venezuelan one. The Belarus one is off center to the left by about 0,5cm. Venezuela's is centered.

[@-Zevin-]

They are all made in Belarus, including the PK-A which is sent to Venezuela on contract. Also BeloMo makes other modernized red dots too besides the offset one like the PK-01VS, which is like a streamlined lighter weight PK-A that is center aligned and co-witnesses iron sights.

[@NGabunchanumbers]

The one in the video is off center to the left

[@ForgottenWeapons]

No, it is centered.

[@VonRichtburg]

@@ForgottenWeapons Though scopes may not necessarily be your field of expertise, would you happen to know why the PK-A and PK-AS (version of the PK-A for TIGR, SVD, etc...) are off center? I have had the opportunity to use a PK-A on an AK104, and though a pretty good optic (all things considered) the fact it wasn't aligned in the axis of the gun was pretty counter intuitive. Sure it allowed to use the iron-sights if needed, but it forced you to adopt a whole different stance when the scope. Which made me wonder if it wasn't related to the use of gas-masks, but i haven't been able to confirm that hypothesis. Do you have any thoughts on that?

[@themomaw]

It doesn't have problems, it has CHARACTER. When people say that the AK is one of the most-produced rifles in history, this franken-gun that's been dragged around asia and eastern europe for 3 generations is what they're talking about, not that thousand-dollar polymer AK marketed to rich western markets.

[@DawidKov]

If an AK costs 1000 dollars, it doesn't deserve to bear Mikhail Timofeyevich's name.

[@michaelwhite9199]

Ziga is my favorite Eastern European KZbinr.

[@onpsxmember]

Central European.

[@PolenarTactical]

Damn you! Not sure if serious or making a joke because of the podcast 😆

[@DOOM_A-O]

@@onpsxmembercentral Europe is like Germany, Switzerland, Austria, MAYBE Poland and Czechia. Isn’t the Polenar crew from Slovakia? That’s quite far East to be central.

[@onpsxmember]

@@DOOM_A-O That's all west. wikipediaDOTorg/wiki/Geographical_midpoint_of_Europe

[@michaelwhite9199]

@@PolenarTactical Joking of course. I know where Slovenia is. I loved that podcast by the way. Hope to visit someday, but playing the dumb American is just too much fun.

[@tdata545]

How do you even pronounce that name? IIANSOND? HANSOND? I am so not Romanian anymore. I was born there, spent three years in the orphanage during the revolution and post revolution, but man my American family made sure I HAD NO TIES TO ROMANIA. Quickly forgot what little I spoke and knew. According to my mother, she took me to a Romanian doctor in Chicago who told her I had quite the mouth on me, since apparently all I knew was swears, since that's what they would do with Orphans, constantly curse their existence.

[@chemistryofquestionablequa6252]

I'm glad that you were adopted by a good family, those Romanian orphanages are no place for any child.

[@Schrodingers_kid]

Wait, so Romanian orphanages I saw in pop culture weren't just "Eastern Europe bad"!? WHAT

[@lukatomas9465]

​@@Schrodingers_kid Nicolae Causescu, the leader of communist Romania for the latter half of the cold war, wanted the increase the amount of births and banned all abortions and contraceptions which caused a lot of unwanted children to be born. Families which didn't want to or couldn't aford to raise them sent them to orphanages which were undermaned and underfunded for the large increase in children they were now taking care of.

[@tdata545]

@@Schrodingers_kid HMM??? I can't speak on other eastern european orphanages. The issue Romania faced was our leader. Due to the declining population under communism, he imposed a 5 child minimum per household rule, or basically be taxed into oblivion, literally. So, a lot of people just started having babies and most couldn't afford them, and they ended up in government controlled orphanages, that by the time I was born were at an 80% mortality rate. The main reason being is, none of the orphanages were getting the funds promised to them, made worse during the actual revolution and post it in 1989 since at that point Romania didn't have an established government after getting rid of the problem and his wife on Christmas of 1989. So most of us kids if we were lucky to make it to 3yo/4yo were usually then sold off to child traffickers. There was a HUGE ADOPTION BOOM in 1991 since that was the first year both governments (USA and ROMANIA) were allowing foreign adoptions, mostly to address the orphanage issue and then close them down. I know the one I was housed at is no longer there according to a cursory GOOGLE EARTH search. I still have photos from that time. Also memories, since I was three. I was super lucky, or just an amazing GENE lottery, since I came out of that system with mostly things American Medicine could fix, and my adoptive father owned his own insurance agency, could game that insurance system. There were two other American families we kept in contact with, growing up who one got rid of theirs due to her SEVERE non-verbal and aggressive form of AUTISM (she was a biter), and the other was slow but not mentally re tar ded and had deformed leg bones that made it so she'd always need those Jimmy Valmer arm crutch things. She is basically real life Jimmy Valmer from South Park, just not as funny. I just got bad feet, a sensitive GI tract, and severe PTSD. OTHER THAN THAT, came out pretty clean. 23andMe even proved Genetically I'm cleaner than my adoptive family as well. They had like 250 Red Flags, I have 63. Most of mine are RECESSIVE, where half of theirs are active issues.

[@GoobySVP]

@@tdata545 Thank you for sharing your insight into a difficult topic. Personal experiences are a key element of history.

[@commandZee]

That totally looks like a California DIY homebuilt circa 2004-2006. I wonder what Žiga would think of a current PSA AK.

[@wills2140]

This is a good question for Polenar Tactical ! What would Žiga think of PSA Ak?

[@micahduvall9353]

It's beautiful

[@Wuestenkarsten]

I got this build a lot faster then Brendon his AK-50.........LOLOL!! This is one of the Reason why this Community is so funny!!! When personal Joking isn´t personal blaming.....great Work to all inside this Community, and thanks to all the "Weapon Bloggers" on this Channel or elsewhere!

[@ianray8823]

THATS MY ZIGGA RIGHT THERE

[@GrimSoldat]

I have a 10/63 and it's actually somewhat relieving to me that a lot of the issues you have are the exact same I have. The threads on mine, same problem. The accuracy in barrel and sights, same. The rough build on many parts and loose fitting, same. I was fortunate enough that I had a standard EB side mount, but it was welded and pressed on crooked. So it's off by just a mm on the front part, so I have to be careful with the optics I use. So glad it's not just me... 😅

[@Lynndons]

Alignment rods are key to keep in your travel kit.

[@matterhaz2980]

@10:20 we have some major shots fired I repeat shots fired 🤣

[@ChrisWattyWatkins]

Leet speak making a comeback with the video length.....

[@marcellhadhazi6481]

your guest seems like a good host, he should start a youtube channel

[@nailes1745]

A majority of of sights and scopes are Belorussian, because you need a special permit to export arms and accesories from Russia, that includes scopes and even body armour.

[@nealgold8442]

Great video, highly entertaining.

[@83nav]

Somehow I can't wait till Brandon does his take on this AK.

[@aaron4820]

0:30 Ian did pretty well for a match with a dozen people

[@johnnyharperscoutstable5386]

Ziga rules🐸🍺🔪🔥

[@Nickrioblanco1]

I absolutely do not believe Žiga was not trying his hardest.

[@reliantncc1864]

Yes, no one enters a Brutality competition to slack off.

[@KingpinLuther]

Hey, Ian, I dunno if you care for feedback in the comments or not, but I just want to say I love your colabs with Žiga.

[@PolenarTactical]

I love your feedback! :D

[@williestyle35]

​@@PolenarTactical and we live seeing Žiga and all sharing time and stories / information with us.

[@zedfragg4134]

This was worth watching just for the snipe on the AK50 lol Legends!

[@CoreyFPiazza]

I would say that I have everything I need to successfully run an AK in a match like Lynx Brutality except the most important tool. I can't rock a mustache like you two. I am, therefore, woefully under-gunned.😢

[@meadball1]

The guy who carved his girlfriend's name into the handguard: "That was not girlfriend. That was name of gun!"

[@zymuralchemy]

(heavy Romanian accent) "Gun is girlfriend."

[@sa-amirel-hayeed699]

​@@zymuralchemy can confirm

[@user-mn8lz7gf6d]

same difference

[@mihaimihai9254]

I I A S O N D You must have in mind that in Romania the military service used to be mandatory and not wanted. Those letters are nothing but Romanian symbols for every month that that guy has spent in the army: Iune - June Iulie - Jully; August - August Septembrie - September Octombrie - October Noiembrie - November Decembrie - December. I guess we are talking about a short 6 month military service for soldiers who gratuated universities ore colleges. I also guess that we are talkling about one of the last generations of young men who had to join the army against their own decision because before 1989 and a few years after 1989 this short mandatory military service for intelectuals would have been a 9 months one. The mandatory military service has been suspended in 2007. Now they are thinking about how to introduce it again.

[@lkjh861]

The correct technical designation for that AK is "Ian's Fallout dakka" -- gotta be correct here! ☝🧐

[@icy3-1]

Yes. Just yes.

[@davitdavid7165]

The tables have turned!

[@stickfighter1038]

Pretty cool when the worst criticism you get on your AK is the rivets and not using Loctite on your mount. Congrats Ian

[@evilned1]

I think Ian needs to call his pall, The AK Guy and have his rifle fixed. ;)

[@happyhaunter_5546]

I love Žiga

[@PolenarTactical]

♥

[@vladpreventer3312]

How old is the PK-A design? Cant find much info on russian optics

[@smlee7348]

I like it.... same feeling watching Sam Elliot cowboy & war movies.... good day sammy

[@NotDave_x]

You just cant go wrong with going retro

[@MrJansenenjansen]

Great video!❤

[@TorquilBletchleySmythe]

You know Brandon Hererra would just love to tidy that up for you without ruining the look.

[@HircineDaWolf]

brandon herarra cant do shit

[@blindtrace7220]

Gun geeks are my people.

[@kaz5707]

Ive had problems with AK triggers hanging up between the disconnector and the trigger sears. normally just polish out the touching surfaces and keep it lubed up until they can wear in. homemade AKs are the best =D

[@heyhayhay247]

The Rearden Plan-B mounts seat onto the crown of the barrel and not on the front sight post. My Polytech has good alignment using this method, but it did not work when seated on the front sight post.

[@ichimonjiguy]

There are some errors of parts identification in the video. The lower handguard is not Chinese. It is a Bulgarian Bakelite lower handguard. Identifiable by its shape and the 4 digits on the side. The lighter colored magazine is again, not Chinese. See the rib on the back?

[@x_xdeademojix_x1962]

Looks like a Black Ops 1 AK with that Acog scope

[@devikwolf]

Beat to hell old AKs are the best. ❤

[@kenethcollings2173]

Fix the trigger and loose screws, and that is a good serviceable weapon.

[@zeljkoblazevic2152]

I think Brandon is coming to Slovenia and visiting a museum in Croatia 😂😂😂

[@bjornh4664]

That Franken-AK is kinda postapocalyptic.

[@LD-Orbs]

A treasure of the badlands!

[@voteholyk]

I really want to do that brutality contest, I think it would be fun.

[@jon1801]

Ian did this to make Ziga feel good.

[@michaelrizea3108]

Id like to get an optic like that

[@somebrains5431]

Ahhh Nodak, the company that turned steel stock into gold. Now im super curious how many Americans got ripped off buying combloc optic clones. There seemed to be tons of inventory everywhere but pictures 70s-90s didnt suggest universal issue.

[@overthinkingisbad]

i see you brandon

[@StumpkillerCP]

Hoorah from New York State . . . where we can only own/use 10 round magazines. Make every shot count.

[@danielbackovsky]

Love how you guys roasting Brandon Herrera😂

[@deadmeat8754]

"This is Ian's sh*tty AK" - Ziga 🤣🤣🤣

[@jeromethiel4323]

Ziga is just to polite to really rip on Ian. He did, but in a really restrained way. But it's an AK, the AK was never EVER designed to be anything other than a rugged, take any abuse and keep running firearm. Not terribly accurate, range is lacking compared to an AR, but it does what it was designed to do. Go bank under truly awful conditions, in the hands of untrained troops. There's a reason the AK is still being used and sought after even in countries where we have better options available. The AK is a near perfect tool for what it was intended to do. And that has a beauty all of it's own.

[@G-Mastah-Fash]

I love how he's like "Oh this mag is shitty, it must be Chinese."

[@jtplays7411]

Brandon can fix it, he has the technology.

[@danrosenthal9231]

That rifle fucks. The aesthetic....