PSO-1

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PSO-1
7.62x54r / 7.62x39 / 9x39 - 4x - Russia - SVD / AKM / VSS / Commercial

The PSO-1/ПСO-1 (Прицел Снайперский Оптический / Optical Sniper Sight) is a 4x scope first produced in 1963 as a dedicated scope the new SVD rifle then entering service with the Russian military (McNab, 2023). Featuring reticle illumination, IR light detection, and an integrated rangefinder in a durable package the PSO-1 was one of the most advanced scopes in any military at the time. At the time most militaries were still using scope designs that dated from WWII or the immediate post war era like the APX L806, M84, No32, ZF 4x, or OIP 3.6x.

Early scopes can be found with both NPZ/НПЗ (Новосибирский Приборостроительный Завод/Novosibirsk Instrument-Building Plant) and Izhevsk factory marks (McNab, 2023). Scopes can also be found made by Техприбор (Techpribor) factory in St. Petersburg. Today scopes are produced by NPZ (in Russia) and Belomo (in Belorussia). While initially produced for use on the SVD, variants were latter developed for use on other weapon platforms in calibers other than 7.62x54r. Military variants include the PSO-1C, PSO-1M2, PSO-1M2-1, and the failed PSO-1U. Commerical examples are sold as the POSP 4x24, and numerous variants have been produced for the commerical market.

The PSO-1 was supplied to numerous contries both during and after the cold war and it has also been copied by a number of counties including the Romanian LPS 4x6, the Chinese 79/85式 - 狙击镜, and the North Korean 저격수조준경-78 (actualy a copy of the LPS 4x6, in essence a copy of a copy). The Yugoslavian Zrak ON-M76 while not a direct copy takes design cues from the PSO-1.

Images

On SVD rifles in Afghanistan.

On AKMSN, RPKN, and AK74N rifles in Afghanistan. While early versions of the PSO-1 in 7.62x39 were reportedly tested in Afghanistan, it is highly probable these are SVD scopes that have repurposed.

With Russian soldiers on AKM and AK74N rifles post Afghanistan War.

With Russian soldiers on a PKM machine gun and a RPG7.

Seen mounted on SVD rifles with Hungarian troops. Last photo also shows it mounted on an AMD65 carbine.

With Polish soldiers. Last photo is from the Polish UN mission in Sarajevo.

With Indian soldiers on SVD rifles.

With East German soldiers on SVD rifles.

On an East German short barreled AKM, supposedly from the inventory of Diensteinheit IX.

With Vietnamese soldiers on SVD rifles.

On Iraqi Tabuk rifles.

Mounted on a para FN FAL.

On an early milled M91 rifle.

With Croatian soldiers mounted on East German MPi-AKS-74N (AK74N) rifles.

March 27, 1994, a Ukrainian U.N. soldier holds his PSO-1 equipped SVD, backdropped by the Holiday Inn hotel. Sarajevo

Seen mounted on modified Mosin Nagant rifles with Cuban troops. Besides the new scope and cut down stock, note the addition of a cheek pad, bipod, AKM pistol grip, and flash hider.

Seen on VSK-94 rifles. First photo is from the Beslan school attack, last photo is mounted on a 9A-91, the carbine version of the VSK-94 rifle. Ideally they should be using the PSO-1m2-1 variant that is cammed for 9x39mm, but that is impossible to tell from the photos.

On VSS and AS VAL rifles.

On OTs 48 bullpup.

On SVU bullpup.

A PSO-1m2-1, note the manual lists the scope as being made October 1997.

Polish cutaway training poster.

Russian PSO-1 manual, front is dated September 20, 2002. Appears to be for a commerical POSP 4x24 model.

Insert from the above manual.

Serial Numbers

Izhevsk produced scopes do not have a production year mark.

TR Height = 30 Width = 100>

Serial	Year	Model	Manufacturer	Rifle	Images	Notes
05283	1965	ПСO-1	NPZ	B-047
10141	defaced	ПСO-1	NPZ			Has 1984 rebuild date.
53554		ПСO-1	Техприбор	Defaced
80830	1968	ПСO-1	NPZ
82436	1968	ПСO-1	NPZ	Y-223
70567	defaced	ПСO-1	NPZ
72421	1970	ПСO-1	NPZ
defaced	1970	ПСO-1	NPZ	K-285		Serial number defaced, has 1981 rebuild date.
11473		ПСO-1	Izhevsk			Rifle # may be defaced.
16060		ПСO-1	Izhevsk	52804		Rifle # may be incorrect, partially defaced.
35149		ПСO-1	Izhevsk	11655
ΠВ13415		ПСO-1		89801
ΠВ01445		ПСO-1M2		32494		Probably from a Tiger (ТИГР) rifle exported to the US.
CB00538		ПСO-1M2		58324
982521	1998	ПС 4x24-1	NPZ			Marked "Made in Russia" on side.

References

McNab, C. (2023). The SVD Dragunov Rifle. Bloomsbury Publishing.