Interesting thread.
My understanding is it’s Soviet doctrine to use the right hand.
The left hand idea seems to come from the AR platform manual of arms where you don’t need to remove the right hand from the grip to do mag changes and charge the rifle.
IMHO the best way with the AK/T81 platform is what you practice. I have experimented at length with AK/T81 charging left hand over , left hand under, and right hand. My thoughts are as follows, I like the right hand, keeping the right hand on the pistol grip sounds good but you can’t shot the rifle until it it charged anyway. If you are charging the rifle with you left hand the usual way involves the rifle at minimum canted to one side or the other often removed from the shoulder —depends on the individual—so after charging the rifle you have to do a lot of movement to get back on target. If you do a left handed mag change with the rifle shouldered once the mag is inserted the left hand stays there (approximately) holding the rifle firmly in the shoulder the right hand hit the charging handle and it is easy to get back on the grip, it’s really only a little elbow movement. Using the right hand allows more control and strength … keep in mind AKs don’t have a bolt hold open and the T81 BHO doesn’t always work and it’s easier for me to fully rack the rifle with my right hand
The key seems to be what you practice
My understanding is it’s Soviet doctrine to use the right hand.
The left hand idea seems to come from the AR platform manual of arms where you don’t need to remove the right hand from the grip to do mag changes and charge the rifle.
IMHO the best way with the AK/T81 platform is what you practice. I have experimented at length with AK/T81 charging left hand over , left hand under, and right hand. My thoughts are as follows, I like the right hand, keeping the right hand on the pistol grip sounds good but you can’t shot the rifle until it it charged anyway. If you are charging the rifle with you left hand the usual way involves the rifle at minimum canted to one side or the other often removed from the shoulder —depends on the individual—so after charging the rifle you have to do a lot of movement to get back on target. If you do a left handed mag change with the rifle shouldered once the mag is inserted the left hand stays there (approximately) holding the rifle firmly in the shoulder the right hand hit the charging handle and it is easy to get back on the grip, it’s really only a little elbow movement. Using the right hand allows more control and strength … keep in mind AKs don’t have a bolt hold open and the T81 BHO doesn’t always work and it’s easier for me to fully rack the rifle with my right hand
The key seems to be what you practice
