The AK DMR Project | Molot VEPR in 6.5 Grendel

In this episode of Freedom Frontier, were going to talk about the Molot VEPR n 6.5 Grendel. The VEPR is a Russian variant of the AK-series of rifles and borrows heavily from the RPK.
This rifle has been banned from import into the United States for several years now. Fortunately I was able to pick up a piece from a KVAR auction on GunBroker in 2019. The 6.5 VEPR has flown under the radar it seems in terms of popularity. While it's not incredibly accurate, it is a very functional and reliable firearm that fits a "utility rifle" role very well.
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[@fernandofranco663]

What I find more interesting, is that VEPR was able to chamber both short and long cartridges on the same size receiver. I have both 6.5 Grendel and 308 VEPRs and the only difference is the mag well size and bolt face. The 6.5 I dressed it with Russian AKM Plum furniture as a medium cartridge rifle and the 308 I dressed it as a DMR or SPR rifle. They're both very accurate with my reloads due to the heavy barrel.

[@johnshelton22]

So happy I was able to snag one of these before the ban on the cheap

[@christopherdolan7330]

Obama banned imports from the Izhmash factory in 2014 after Russia's annexation of Crimea. These were mainly the Saiga series of rifles and shotguns. Vepr rifles and shotguns are made in the Molot factory, which also builds the RPK pattern military rifles. Imports from Molot were actually allowed to continue until 2017, when they were banned under the Trump administration.

[@whells195]

That walnut furniture is beautiful

[@dannyhayes664]

As usual, great production brother ! We really enjoy your work. A retro CAR-15 would be fantastic considering current interest in the retro's. Have a great weekend and keep them coming !

[@freedomfrontier]

Thanks Danny!

[@TheOutsider69]

Last of Us style cinematography/music and this rifle just so happens to be featured in the second game. Coincidence?! Probably...

[@russianoleg]

Beautiful rifle😍 nice quality motion picture 👌

[@Shackleford_Rusty]

why am i just now coming across this channel, very well done. amazing production.

[@thiccfork8664]

Holy crap! Dude this channel is awesome! The production value is crazy man

[@freedomfrontier]

Thanks man!

[@Carterwray1]

I'm glad somebody did a video like this. I've had my 308 and fime group x39 rifles for years and still learned a thing or two from this. Got the fime group rifle the day the ban fell. I'd just seen it in a shop the day before and saw the news the next day. Took off work and drove 4hrs back to get it at MSRP. I knew the value in doing that after selling my saiga rifle before those got banned.

[@je-rc2cl]

Great video! First time this channel crossed my feed which is a shame. The wood furniture on that looks awesome.

[@schizosaint777]

Madman chambering an AK in 6.5, great content

[@0bserver416]

Wow! What a great production❗ Can't wait to see further upgrades and modifications. BTW, how would you suggest to remove the front thread protector? I'm scared of doing it by myself

[@richardb8157]

Krebs Custom makes an M4 stock adapter specifically for the Vepr sporters. LOP adjustment is essential. To fold, not so much.

[@freedomfrontier]

I’m considering M4 stock adapter with a 1913 rail for a folding stock. That might make the LOP too long but could be worth a shot.

[@p47rr]

I just ordered a Rhineland Arms walnut stock set for mine. SVD style. Takes care of the short length of pull and has a adjustable check riser. I already installed a KNS gas piston. Csspecs magazines are another thing to take a look at. I use a UTG Pro scope mount with Burris XTR scope rings that adjust for MOA. (1.25 height.) And a Vortex Viper PST Gen II 3-15X44 rifle scope. The scope mount has a channel cut out so you can use the iron sights. Mine is chambered in 243 Winchester. I reload using 90gr Berger bullets. Gun is sub moa until the barrel warms up. Then it is 1.5 MOA. Not sure why you would cut off rear sight. You could have gone with slightly higher rings. Not if you decided you want the rear sight it would cost a small fortune to replace. Plus you just reduced the value.

[@freedomfrontier]

I liked the lower profile look and feel. Would probably never use the irons with it. Glad to hear you’re getting sub MOA. Hope to get mine there.

[@malakaichanel3321]

I was fortunate to put an Ironwood Designs SVD stock set on my 7.62x54r Vepr. It looks good, though I knew the handguard could be closer to the SVD. Since then, I bought an air soft SVD handguard and worked on it until it fit my rifle (a non-trivial effort). The real challenge was designing and fabricating the front and aft handguard adapter brackets. I used a solid modeling tool (SolidWorks) and extensive measurements of the mating metal parts. The brackets were rapid prototyped and they hold up to heat well enough. Get lots of comments when I bring that beauty to the range. No tack driver, as I’ve found it likes heavier ammo (182+ grain). Enjoy! M

[@YourN4m3]

Top notch video making dude. Keep um coming.

[@Innawoods7614]

Found ya because of your AR vid now staying because of the quality of production. 💪

[@freedomfrontier]

Thanks KD!

[@gabrielchavarria22]

Keep the walnut! I have this in 7.62x54r and I love it!

[@zacharyyoung3834]

I will always regret not snagging a VEPR in one of these goofball (for an AK) calibers in something like .243, 270, even 30-06.

[@cbo-bl6bz]

I really appreciate the production value of your videos. just discovered them and wow, you should really produce more. However, i did cry a bit at the enthusiastic inclusion of you grinding down the iron sight (one that you yourself stated can never be imported by law) Sad indeed.

[@peterschmidt2849]

Cool round miss the low cost of the wolf 100grain fmj.

[@overwatchdesigns8969]

Glad to see a new video from you. Greetings from VA brother! I hope you’re all doing well. I agree with Red Baron on his upgrades but keep the walnut furniture.

[@freedomfrontier]

Thank you! Yeah I agree, think I’ll just keep the walnut on it.

[@redbarronreviews2429]

Great content. Your production quality is top notch. You should have more subscribers. I would leave the walnut, but upgrade to an ALG trigger and the KNS piston you mentioned. With it toned down the muzzle brake would be less needed. I hate muzzle brakes….

[@TheAmazingRusski]

Got a 16" in 6.5g, you're doin' the platform proud!

[@freedomfrontier]

Thanks man!

[@justinjacobs5777]

I love the stock furniture and I owned one in 7.62x54r it wasn't a precision rifle but it always fired when I pulled the trigger .. I would have kept it if it came in a double stack mag configuration.. I never understood why it didn't ..

[@Kalashnikingz47]

Nice video man. We rarely see anything on the 6.5gr or Veprs. It should be more than 4moa tho. My 7.62x39 averages about 2.5 moa. The 4pc flash hider also boost gas pressure which is why it is often seen on krinks. Your groups may shrink if you swap that out.

[@Decimus-Meridius]

Good video

[@Two_Names]

My 7.62x39 Vepr is probably the only firearm I well and truly regret selling, if only because it had the most beautiful wood furniture I've ever seen on a gun. At the very least I should've kept the stock set and put on a junk us-made set and sold it as a "more compliant" rifle. My .308 vepr has been a disappointingly sub-par shooter (albeit with an uncharacteristically buttery action and ok trigger for a Russian gun), but I'm a few beers and a few more pesos away from having a custom barrel spun up for it. Would be fun turning it into an accurizing project.

[@TexasSlinger]

I have maybe 3-400 rd through mine. at first the groups were terrible. Then got somewhat better. You are right about the flyers though. I got my barrel chopped to 18 inches with a fsgb installed and a saberworks13 rear sight block for a scope. Handy little rifle with a 1-8x PA scope

[@freedomfrontier]

What kind of accuracy have you been getting lately?

[@TexasSlinger]

@@freedomfrontier in the 2-4 moa. I found that ammo plays a little part in accuracy. Russian barrels are fair at best. Evocatus 6,5 Grendel barrels are very accurate though

[@vidarodinsson]

I foresee this channel doing well provided KZbin doesn't obstruct its reach.

[@richardmartin3243]

NEED A RPK WITH A 2.0MM RECEIVER IN A 6.5MM GRENDEL WITH A HEAVY 22"BARREL STRAIGHT FLUTED BARREL AND STILL BE ABLE TO USE THE AK47 MAGS

[@shawnr100]

Grind the sight block down 😢. Just get higher scope rings and a cheek riser. That is a Russian gun banned from import for ever more. Its value "would" have only gone up.

[@freedomfrontier]

Eh don’t think I’ll sell it. I won’t ever use the irons and I’m not a fan of high mounted scopes.

[@Matt_Ch3w]

Lookin to get one of these in the future for hunting i appreciate you making a very detailed and great quality video look forward to see more all ways nice to see someone else who hunts with the Kalashnikov platforms killed many deer with mine no veprs tho but killed a few with my psl + a hog and 1 with a saiga 308 and coyotes and my first deer with wasr10 i seen u killed a buck with ur psa with ur great quality editing and camera u should make a hunting video

[@terrancegoldstein728]

You should get one it's a cool rifle I like your taste I don't have one but I'd buy one if I didn't have my hardar 2 I didn't know that this gun was made until recently the molot vepr , I live in California I can't get one anyways , shoot straight .

[@blackdog-nk2rz]

Dude videos are awesome keep it up man. And keep the walnut.

[@freedomfrontier]

Thanks man!

[@justinbandy2610]

The dremel to the rear sight just....😨😭 I'm a big fan of the Yugo M77.

[@wolfdima]

It could be an awesome commercial for Vepr. Nicely done! 2 Moa is a good accuracy for this rifle, because it might be the "cheapest shit on the market" here in Russia. It's just bang for your buck, nothing more. However, forest hunters love them and have developed (a cult) a list of improvements to make it 1-1.5MOA. The most simple of which are to find a round it "likes" and fix tight mag spring (cut it down to 1.5 length of the mag, they say).

[@freedomfrontier]

Great info thanks Wolf!

[@freedomfrontier]

Any recommendations for accuracy you could pass along?

[@happysnowfish]

​@@freedomfrontierfor best accuracy, start reloading for 6.5 Grendel. My best accuracy load is 28.5gr of imr8208xbr, or 31.2gr CFE223, behind Hornady's 123gr ELD-M. Out of my 20" Ballistic Advantage barrel I get around 2500fps (imr) to 2580fps (CFE). Steel case Wolf ammo is notoriously inaccurate.

[@jamescorless8283]

I have one, there ok, keep the wood, it's beautiful.

[@ahigherpurpose6919]

Which state are you based in? I thought I saw footage of Richmond, VA in a previous video

[@freedomfrontier]

I’m in AR now. But yes lived in central VA for some time. Missing ol’ VA.

[@takeiteasy3947]

Could you measure the thickness of the barrel under the forearm?

[@blueeyeddevil1]

interesting rifle and a solid video. What's the weight on that in its stock form?

[@freedomfrontier]

Don’t have a scale at the moment and been a while since I’ve weighted it. But if I recall it was about 12.5lbs empty with scope and flash hider.

[@blueeyeddevil1]

@@freedomfrontier Not too bad, given the platform and added accessories. Thanks.

[@warman096]

what is soundtrack @3:33?

[@cameronbradshaw6273]

I regret getting rid of my vepr 54r

[@georgewashington7312]

I wouldn't mind a zastava m77 in 6.5.

[@Matt_Ch3w]

Id keep the front wood handguard then change the rear how ever u like i personally would put the vepr folding stock on it with the cheeck riser

[@freedomfrontier]

Thanks Matt!

[@user-kd1yw8uc1u]

What is magazine manufacturer?

[@freedomfrontier]

CSSPEC Magazines. They usually run em in occasional batches.

[@2000rayc]

where did you go?

[@freedomfrontier]

Started a new job and moved but about to put out another video.

[@estuardocastaneda9368]

I'm here because the last of us factions variable rifle is influenced by this beautiful rifle.

[@terrancegoldstein728]

I like that gun I have a gun that looks like it I bought in 1989 it's my hardar 2 rifle it's my only rifle I have I got it for protection I like it because it's wood frame AR rifles are not my thing I give them a perfect 10 they are just not my thing I'd buy a molot vpre in 6.5 cal. If I didn't have my hardar I like guns but don't collect them I have a pistol a sig p220 they are all I need for life for protection but yes I like that rifle it's cold and then like it's Russian thinking behind it if I had a gun as my only tool yeah

[@nikburisson9]

Parts.....

[@88kar88]

Mine CHOKES on hornady grendel

[@freedomfrontier]

What ammo shot best in yours?

[@88kar88]

@@freedomfrontier Wolf and Barnes VOR-TX Unlike the OEM mags Cspecs mags seem to feed the hornady ok in the vepr. I will continue to test for reliability

[@cxxc9993]

...and Chinese Norinco copy this rifle into MAK-90 Sporter.

[@redfirekla]

A great video 📹 until i seen the dremel tool on the sight 😢, they make diff scope rails... i have 5.45 and 54r it was sad to see u damage the rifle 😢

[@bigdipperdefense2655]

I cannot believe you butchered this rifle by grinding down the rear sight base. Holy cow. All you had to do is get taller scope rings.

[@freedomfrontier]

No regrets. I don’t like a high scope and I’m never going to use the irons.