Zastava M85 PAP Information

[Didnotcomply89]

Make: Zastava
Model: M85 NPAP
Manufacture: Serbia
Importer: Century International Arms
Caliber: 5.56 x 45mm NATO
Capacity: Accepts STANAG magazines 30 rounds
Weight: 6.8 pounds (heavy little bastard)

Manual Safety
Hinged Top Receiver
Adjustable NATO style/ AK hybrid sights
2016 retail: $514.99
Barrel Length: 10.25"
Barrel Treatment: Cold hammer forged
Threaded: Yes
Receiver: Stamped 1.5mm steel

Banned: Territories including California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Hawaii, Cook County, Illinois

Purpose:
Vehicle Gun
Personal Defense Weapon
Range Toy
SBR Candidate


Introduction and Purpose
I love this gun. I picked up an M85 on impulse and I am glad I did- I've always wanted one of these AK pistols. The government deems it a pistol, but I consider it a rifle with the stock removed. That's my opinion. My intended purpose for the M85 was to use it as a range toy and possibly a vehicle gun. My M85 has been replaced in duty by the M&P9mm for home defense and as a vehicle gun (I will explain in a bit).

Magazines/Brake/Grip/Trigger/Sights
My firearm came with two magazines. Soon after I purchased PMAGs along with some GI mags I found on sale. All of them have worked just fine in this weapon, including TAPCO's. Stock, the weapon is ok. The cone booster helps control felt recoil. The pistol grip is standard fare for an AK and I wasn't a big fan of it. The trigger is nothing special to write home about, being gritty in the takeup but nevertheless usable. Like most AKs, you are going to get a shorter sight picture with this weapon, but the picture is vastly superior to the mini-draco. The sights are a weird hybrid of NATO style rear sights with an AK front sight. In the past a flip up night sight existed on this AK- but the paint is wearing and I simply do not use it. Iron sights are adjustable from 200 yards to 400 yards.

Threads/Handguards/Vents/Mag Release
Some pistols come from the factory with the thread cap weld broken and some do not. Those are reports I have heard. My detent pin was depressable and could be depressed to remove the cone brake. The handguards feel natural and are a nice stock of wood, featuring the classic serbian "three vent holes" design as opposed to the normal two on a standard AK. The safety is very affirmative and features a bolt hold-open notch that works. The magazine release on the M85 could have been placed closer to the trigger area, but it is fine nonetheless. I am not able to get magazines to drop out of my well, thus they must be pulled out (extracted) to be replaced (it does not take a great deal of force). Ranger floorplate add-ons for PMAGs will aid in this process.

Hinged Dust Cover/Gas Tube/Bore
The hinged dust cover is NICE. Regular ones on other AKs can be a royal pain to put back on, but this one is a breeze. Lift it up and you have instant access to your guts. I can probably field strip the gun, minus taking off the gas tube, in less than 10 seconds. The machine work on the inside, along with the quality of the bolt & bolt carrier is superb for an AK. The gas block is (I believe) tilted at 90 degrees. Some say that the cone brake aids in cycling the bolt carrier, but I have fired this weapon without the cone brake with no problems. The inside of the gas tube and the bore are both chrome lined to resist corrosive ammunition. I fire quality 5.56mm or quality .223 out of this weapon (brass) with no hiccups.

Recoil
The weapon, despite its weight has a healthy kick to it. It can be difficult to keep the weapon on target if left stock. With practice, I am sure one could get comfortable with the weapon. I tended to shoot the weapon low on my first few rounds, indicating hesitation are pulling due to anticipated recoil. Training will rectify that. It is important to note that this weapon was not meant to be fired in the configuration it arrives in. This AK was a rifle that had its stock removed for export to the United States. To put a stock on it constitutes a SBR (short barreled rifle) and proper paperwork has to be filled out before you even come into possession of a stock (if you want to play it safe).

SBR
I have no experience with this weapon as an SBR, but it is something I want to do in the near future. I would imagine it ROCKS in its native configuration, but I lack the technical expertise to put the stock on or modify the weapon to put the stock on. Hence why I have an awesome gunsmith who I will pay quasi-bookoo bucks to do the job for me.

More On Use
Originally I used this as both a range toy and for home defense. In my situation, when you live in an apartment complex you want to reduce over penetration as much as possible. That cut the sister M92 out of the picture (7.62 x 39mm variant) as well as the M85. These weapons are LOUD and people HAVE lost their hearing (or damaged it severely) firing these weapons without proper ear protection.

Final
We call it 'from serbia with love', 'papovshka' and 'pap bastard'. These guns are ridiculously fun to shoot. My mediocre marksman skills managed a 1.5" group at 20 yards. While it could very well reach out to 200-300 yards, it won't win any matches. If you are looking at getting an M85 or M92, I highly recommend them. I seem to have a thing where I buy Zastava weaponry because it is good quality stuff.

[stainless]

I have a M92. Changed pistol grip. Changed flash hider. Changed color of the wood. Bought about one million BHO mags. Thinking about a green lazer. I love it.

[eyecanshoot]

I've been eyeing up the M85 for a few months.

[WarPig1976]

Defiantly a whole lotta "fuck you!!!" in a small package. I see them as only a range toy, that is until one puts a stock or "brace" on one.

[aubie515]

OP did a lot of bashing on it and then he recommends it...too funny.

I'm sorry, but if you feel that M85NP has too much recoil, perhaps you should get into PCP.

From all of your ramblings, I highly doubt you were going to hit anything at 200-300 yards when you could only manage to get 1.5 at 20 yards.

[Kabloosh]

I got this little guy. I too would like to SBR it down the road. It has an arm brace on it at the moment though so while you can't technically shoulder it you can use it to rest your cheek on it at least.

[JoshIronshaft]

I like my M92. Only complaint is the silly writing on the safety selector side of the receiver. "Read Manual" or some BS. Seriously?

I SBR'd mine with a Manticore Arms triangle stock (no hinge). Had the engraving done on the bottom of the receiver in front of the mag well. It's very clean. I stained the wood grips and put on a surplus Bakelite grip. Mine came with the muzzle thread nut welded in place so I changed that out for a CNC warrior cone booster and got the detent and spring from them as well.

[Didnotcomply89]

OP did a lot of bashing on it and then he recommends it...too funny.

I'm sorry, but if you feel that M85NP has too much recoil, perhaps you should get into PCP.

From all of your ramblings, I highly doubt you were going to hit anything at 200-300 yards when you could only manage to get 1.5 at 20 yards.

....... what?