FB Radom Mini Beryl Imports Are In!

[Arik]

That rail is so 1998 Tapco looking. The Poles seriously couldn't come up with something more usable? What's wrong with side rail? At this point the mounts and RDSs are low enough to co-witness if that's what they're looking for. Or hinged top covers....etc..

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[VLODPG]

Are these made at the state run Radom factory or the commercial setup that they created in Radom? That is my first question.

FB is no longer state run: https://fabrykabroni.pl/

They are made there!

[Circle_10]

That rail is so 1998 Tapco looking. The Poles seriously couldn't come up with something more usable? What's wrong with side rail? At this point the mounts and RDSs are low enough to co-witness if that's what they're looking for. Or hinged top covers....etc..

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I think the early mini-Beryls used the more svelte looking Wz.91 Onyx style combination rear sight/optics mount but the trend toward greater compatibility with modern optics is probably what drove the adoption of the current clunkier looking picatinney version.
Still it seems like a side rail setup or a version of the mount they use on full sized Beryls would have been a better option.

[Bret]

Still it seems like a side rail setup or a version of the mount they use on full sized Beryls would have been a better option.

But you have to remove both of those before removing the top cover to clean the rifle.

[Circle_10]

But you have to remove both of those before removing the top cover to clean the rifle.

True. But the Polish military didn’t seem to care about that with regard to the full-sized Beryl. Although I believe the Polish military mounts secure onto the tang of the rear trunnion somehow, which obviously isn’t going to work with the Beryl pistol anyway, at least in the form in which it is imported.

[Arik]

But you have to remove both of those before removing the top cover to clean the rifle.

So? Especially the side mount! It's about as hard to remove as the top cover

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[Bret]

The rail system for the full sized Beryl is very solid and can be removed and reinstalled with a very minimal change in the zero. The side rails mounting systems are not as good. The thing about this mounting system is that you don't have to worry about your zero shifting because you don't have to remove it. It does look odd, but you're not going to find a more solid mounting system on an AK. A hinged top cover mount would be close, but there's typically some wiggle with those. The downside to the Mini Beryl rail is that you pretty much can't use a magnified optic on it due to the eye relief. Then again, this is a close quarters firearm, so that's not what it's designed for.

Big picture here, this is a piece of military history. It's the real deal, save for the missing fun switch. Not every firearm is going to the the best out there. Some have their advantages and disadvantages. My FS2000 is certainly an odd bird. Still, it's cool to be able to have these pieces of military history in our hands.

I shot my Mini Beryl for the first time today.
20rds Wolf 55gr FMJ through Polish factory translucent 30rd magazine: 100%
20rds Wolf Military Classic 55gr FMJ through black Bulgarian 30rd waffle magazine: 100%
20rds Red Army Standard (Vempyl) 56gr FMJ through AC Unity 30rd magazine: 100%
20rds Fiocchi 55gr FMJ through Puf Gun 30rd magazine: 100%
30rds IMI 55gr FMJ M193 through Polish factory translucent 30rd magazine: 100%

All of the magazines save for the Polish factory were kind of tight (length wise) in the magazine well. I'm pleased that they all worked. Ejection was 20' to 25' at 3:00. Interestingly, the spent brass cases were in really nice condition. There was no big dent on the side which is typical of AK's. I wish the ejection wasn't as far, but other than that I'm very pleased with this pistol. I'm looking forward to making it an SBR.

[mike_f]

(snip)

Ejection was 20' to 25' at 3:00. Interestingly, the spent brass cases were in really nice condition. There was no big dent on the side which is typical of AK's. I wish the ejection wasn't as far, but other than that I'm very pleased with this pistol. I'm looking forward to making it an SBR.

A long time ago I had the opportunity to shoot a real deal, full-auto mini Beryl (pre Picatinny rail rear sight version). The distance of the brass ejection was similar to what you describe for your Beryl pistol. So that characteristic is in keeping with it being a historically accurate reproduction.

As I remember it the height of the brass ejection was equally impressive.

That little dude was a handful on full auto.

[Bret]

As I remember it the height of the brass ejection was equally impressive.

You are correct. I forgot to include that part. I'd say that vertical wise, the ejection was between 1:00 and 1:30 (12:00 being straight up and 3:00 being straight out). That indicates more gas for the distance.

[eodinert]

Cool overall but that rail/rear sight combo is jarringly hideous, I’m honestly surprised the poles haven’t come up with a better setup, but that apparently really is how the select-fire mini Beryl is configured.

I'm in Iraq, and the guns that the Poles have here are equipped with the rail. They also have a railed handguard, and a vertical grip. They use EOtechs.