In this article, we’ll show you how to remove the stock gas tube on your AK-47 (or AKM-variant) and replace it with a precision-machined AK-47 railed gas tube that you can easily drop in with minimal tools or fitment in less than an hour.
*As a bonus, we’ll also be exploring every other mounting option commonly used on AKs today and since its inception.
Compared to the other optics rail options on the market, optics-ready rails built on top of the gas tube are quickly becoming a favorite among AK owners.
Railed gas tubes present the cleanest-looking option that can co-witness with the front sight, making it the lowest optic mounting position you can have on an AK.
Thanks to the precision of these high-precision machined railed gas-tube replacements, you’ll be rocking this upgrade in no time.
There are several high-quality gas tube replacement options on the AK market at the time of this writing- the most popular ones are made by UltiMAK, Midwest Industries, and Troy Industries.
*Note: The cheaper universal-type railed gas tube options on the market usually require some gunsmithing to fit properly, so we won’t be covering those here.
Scope Mounting Options For AK Rifles
Contrary to what you may have heard, there are quite a few methods of mounting optics on AKs.
Here are the most popular methods for mounting optics on an AK in no particular order:
Railed Gas Tubes:
This is one of our favorite methods for attaching an optic to an AK. UltiMAK is a company that specializes in railed gas tubes for mounting red dots, reflex sights, or holographic sights to AKM-variant or Yugo-pattern AK-47 rifles.
Note: As with any AK, your results may vary but our experiences have all been positive.
Brownells sells the UltiMAK railed gas tube replacement for a very reasonable price (which is a slightly better deal than the Midwest Industries option).
Our Favorite Railed Gas Tube Upgrade
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“This is a great optics mount. Easy to install and stays put. I’ve had one on my wasr 10/63 for over 10 years and 20k rd without issue. I used some electrical tape to keep the clips in place around the barrel.“
Helpful Review
We’ll admit some bias toward UltiMAK since it is the one we have installed on our AKs, but any of the three railed gas-tube recommendations on this list are practically drop-in without the need for special tooling or fitting required.
*Note: Just be aware that standard AKM-pattern AKs like the WASR-10 should use the UltiMAK M1B model WITHOUT the vent holes since the gas block already has vent holes! Chinese-made Norinco AKs, on the other hand, do NOT have vent holes in the gas block but in the gas tube and need the M2B model.
We also recommend the Midwest Industries railed gas tube as being fairly comparable in terms of price, ease of fitment, and build quality.
The Midwest Industries railed gas tube may be a step up in quality compared to other options, showing off some very precise machining and hyper-clean lines.
Superior Build Quality
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Mounting this gas tube replacement is relatively easy to do. If you’ve ever fully disassembled your AK for a thorough cleaning, you already know enough to do this upgrade.
The gas tube is one of the best places to mount a red dot sight since it does not shift or lose zero when locked down tight.
The heat and recoil generated while firing will not damage a quality optic so don’t fall for the fudd lore circulating online.
One of the best advantages to this type of mount is the ability to co-witness with your front sights with a micro red dot attached.
Midwest Industries opted to go with high-quality 6061 aluminum and 4140 Chromoly steel to add strength and rigidity without adding too much weight to the front of your rifle.
*Note: Despite the lower weight compared to centrally-located sight mounting options, there will be some balance shifting that creates a forward bias once you add an optic. How noticeable this imbalance is will depend a lot on the size and weight of the optic you use. Just keep this in mind, if you decide to go this route.
These railed gas tubes look great with wooden furniture or aluminum handguards for a more tactical application. No special fitting to your AK is required as this is a drop-in upgrade!
Troy Industries makes some great products and this adjustable railed gas tube allows it to be mounted on Yugo-pattern or AKM-pattern rifles as well as stamped or milled receivers.
Easy DIY Upgrade
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This versatility allows you to fit it onto any AK that features a full-length gas piston like the AKM-variant rifles.
Pro Tip: When using adjustable systems such as the Battle Rail, it’s imperative that you use some thread lock to prevent it from coming loose as this will ensure that your optic will hold zero.
Installation is fairly straightforward and requires the installer to fully field strip the rifle.
Unlike other manufacturers in this arena, Troy Industries designed a high-quality aluminum lower handguard that perfectly matches the look of their Battle Rail.
Here is the matching lower handguard developed to work with the Battle Rail gas tube:
Matching Lower
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Quad-Railed Handguards:
These vary widely in price, quality, and availability but most add a lot of unnecessary bulk and weight to an already heavy AK platform.
The cheaper ones shouldn’t be relied upon to provide the stability required to hold zero on an optic and the good ones are somewhat expensive and out of reach for those on tighter budgets.
Many of the higher-priced options are scarcely available so we generally avoid these on our AKs. However, we do have a budget rail installed on a PSA AK-103 that’s restricted to mounting lights, bipods, and foregrips.
If there ever was a railed option we would consider installing on our AKs (that could hold zero), it would be a top-railed-only handguard with MLOK on the bottom and sides to save some weight.
Texas Weapon Systems makes a custom-fitted, premium-tier, top-railed handguard that works perfectly on any AKM-variant rifle.
Made in the USA
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A few short years ago, they brought us the best-selling railed dust cover to hit the market and now they’ve made a complete, matching handguard to complete the look.
Here’s what the two systems look like installed on a mission-ready AKM.
The next contender is no slouch either! If you want to save some money, take a look at the Midwest Industries top-railed aluminum handguard which is an excellent rugged option that looks great too.
Complete Handguard
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Rear Sight Block:
Rear sight block rail mounts that replace your sight leaf aren’t as ideal since they aren’t as stable and can lose zero (*especially the cheap junk).
But, we have found some higher quality models out there that will indeed hold zero and are pretty quick to install.
If you’re trying to save some extra weight while maintaining a central balance, these are a good option to consider over a railed gas tube (I’ll list our favorite two options below).
These two models also allow access to your front and rear iron sight picture as a backup to your optic in case of failure, thanks to some well-designed, deep grove cuts in the rail.
The affordable Strike Industries rear sight rail converts your AK rear sight into a 1913 Picatinny rail for mounting low-profile optics onto your AK rifle.
Precision-Machined Aircraft Aluminum
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“Solid machining. Mounts solidly and easy to install and adjust. This is my second purchase of the strike rail, I liked the first one so much. Recommend it for a inexpensive way to scope your AK series rifle.”
DS
Mounting a red dot sight on your AK becomes effortless with these straightforward rear sight rail replacements, which not only can hold zero but also eliminate the need for costly side rail scope mounts or expensive railed dust cover options.
If you’re looking to replace your rear sight leaf with the highest quality option to securely mount your red dot, (and you’re not sold on railed gas tube solutions), then Samson’s steel optics rail– made from an indestructible chunk of machined steel- would be my pick.
Effortlessly Holds Zero!
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“This is a rock solid mount that makes all others seem cheap. It is well worth the money, and holds zero perfectly with a micro red dot. Don’t waste money on cheaper mounts. This is sitting on top of a yugo and I couldn’t be happier with it.“
NOYB
Thanks to its transparent v-notch design, it can be easily installed on your rear sight block, enabling you to utilize the iron sights.
Despite its higher price, this will be the last rear sight rail you’ll ever need to purchase. The adage “buy once, cry once” is a principle we should all adopt sooner rather than later!
Its exceptional precision in design, resilient materials, and optimal functionality impressed us.
Railed Dust Covers:
The same problems exist on dust covers with rails incorporated into them. Most of them are cheaply made and shouldn’t be relied upon to mount an expensive optic.
However, like most things, there are some rather costly exceptions out there that will get the job done… but, you’ll be paying a steep premium compared to the more affordable railed gas tube options.
The railed dust cover below is a perfect example of what NOT to put on your AK and doing so will only lead to disappointment!
However, if you are dead set on getting a railed dust cover, the only one we would ever recommend comes from a company out of Texas called “Texas Weapons Systems” (aka T.W.S.).
At Brownells, we discovered the most advantageous offer for this one-of-a-kind dust cover replacement currently priced at $161 (*at the time of this writing).
Even though it is substantially more expensive than a railed gas tube, at least its performance matches that of premium side rail scope mount alternatives.
Best Railed Dust Cover Upgrade
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“I’ve tried lots of different optic mounts for AKs over the years and so far this is my favorite. Installation was easy provided you can disassemble and reassemble the recoil spring assembly – something every AK owner should learn to do. Once mounted the cover seems very solid. I haven’t yet run it through its paces for return to zero with a red dot optic, but I expect it to do just fine.“
Happy Customer!
In just 10 minutes, the installation of this modular dust cover will effortlessly turn your AK into a cutting-edge tactical AKM, giving it a modern appearance with added functionality.
Proprietary Rails:
Polish WBP Fox AKs use a proprietary FB RADOM BERYL ARCHER RAIL SYSTEM that mounts over the dust cover by locking onto a post on the stock mounting plate after the front of the rail is first pressure fitted into the purpose-cut side notches of the rear sight block.
This option works great indeed (I have one on my Fox) and provides a stable scope mount that holds zero well but only WBP Fox AKs can utilize this rail system developed by FB Radom in Poland and will not be an option for most.
Side Rail Scope Mounts:
A lot of the side rail scope mounts designed to fit most modern AKMs are poorly made Chinese junk.
They typically won’t hold zero for very long and can break easily so we’d advise against buying- or using- one, unless you can find a quality brand (they’re quite expensive, if you can find them in stock!).
Side rail scope mounts are still your best choice if you need to mount an actual rifle scope or LPVO.
But, if you’re looking to rock a micro red dot or reflex optic, then we still think that the UltiMAK is the best way to go.
Midwest Industries is one of the more reputable brands that are readily available most of the time if you want to go that route instead of using a railed gas tube replacement.
Take a look at this universal quick-detach side mount by Midwest Industries for a reasonable price on trustworthy websites like Optics Planet and Brownells.
Forward Co-Witness Mount
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If you’re determined to make good use of your side mount but cannot afford the best option, then you can consider this Chinese mount available on Amazon for a much lower price. It is reasonably well-made and offers a more affordable alternative.
Best Budget Mount
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Although it may not be as durable as pricier alternatives, this option could serve as a temporary solution with mostly favorable reviews on Amazon (the price was recently reduced to boot!).
Now that you know all the ways you can mount an optic on your AK, and which option is right for you, your budget, and your AK, you’re finally on your way to mount your optic of choice.
Let’s assume, for the sake of this article, that you want to go our route of choice and install one of the most well-regarded railed gas tube replacements available in 2024.
In the following section, we’re going to show you exactly how to go about upgrading your stock AK’s gas tube and swapping it with a railed gas tube upgrade.
Removing The Stock AK Gas Tube
Pictured below is an easy-to-follow, step-by-step, disassembly and removal of the AK gas tube using our resident WASR 10 (as our willing participant) broken down into 3 easy steps.
Step 1:
- Remove the magazine (if inserted) and check that the chamber is empty and that you’re safe to proceed.
- Put the safety in the down/fire position and rack the bolt carrier to cock the hammer in preparation for disassembly.
- Remove the dust cover by depressing the grooved button at the back of the guide spring and lifting the dust cover up and off the lower receiver.
- Depress the recoil guide rod spring and remove it from the carrier.
- Next, pull the carrier back until it pops off of the guide rail then pull up and out.
Now, remove the bolt by turning it counterclockwise and pulling it out of the carrier. We will be using the groove in the carrier as a tool in the next step.
Step 2:
- Since most locking levers are fairly tight-fitting, we recommend using the groove on the carrier as a makeshift wrench.
- Simply use the “wrench” to turn the gas-tube locking lever up so the gas tube can be removed.
As you can see in the picture above, the lever securing the gas tube in place is now in the “unlocked” position which will allow you to remove the gas tube.
Step 3:
- Pull up on the upper handguard, which houses the gas tube, and it should disengage without much force applied.
- Some gas tubes are tighter fitting than others so more force may be required to disconnect the gas tube from the rear sight block.
- You can manipulate the lever while you’re pulling up to help it get back into position.
How easy was that? Now that the gas tube is off you can proceed to install you’re UltiMAK or railed gas tube of choice!
Installing A Railed Gas Tube
Note: This installation guide is geared toward the UltiMAK railed gas tube but should be procedurally similar to a Midwest Industries or Troy Industries alternative.
The UltiMAK is a precision-made, direct gas-tube replacement that usually doesn’t require any shimming or removal of material to fit your AK perfectly (FYI, they do include shims should you need them).
FYI: Following the directions in UltiMAK’s YouTube tutorial video below will result in a relatively quick and simple installation.
Once installed, mount your favorite red dot or prism optic and enjoy an accurate target acquisition that will not lose zero round after round.
There are models for standard AKM-pattern AKs as well as the longer Yugo-pattern AKs made by Zastava.
Well, there you have it! If you followed this guide step-by-step, you’ve learned how to upgrade to one of the best options to secure an optic to your AK!
Final Thoughts
If you’re concerned about saving weight, keeping a low profile, and being able to co-witness with your iron sights, the UltiMAK (and equivalent models) is the best and most affordable way to do it at just $104.00 on Brownells for the AKM version and $106.99 for the Yugo version, as well as other versions (*at the time of this writing).
We recommend you pick one up for your next upgrade. The AKM versions are usually in stock but the Yugo’s are more scarce and sometimes out of stock.
