KOBRA FAQ
UPDATED: 11 AUG 01
KOBRA: SIMPLY THE BEST CHOICE
FOR IMMEDIATE RESPONSE!
WHAT TYPE OF SCOPE IS THE KOBRA SIGHT, AND IS IT MILITARY?
EKP-1S KOBPA "Cobra" is mil-spec and direct from current Russian military suppliers. It is an active electronic "open collimator" type made by Izhevski Motozavod "Axion-Holding" company, in Russia, associated with the Izhmash JSC small arms works. Izhmash is best known as the original factory producing the Kalashnikov weapons systems. It this time, and for the last few years, the Kobra sight has been in service with special forces units in Chechnya and central Russia.
WHAT MATERIALS ARE USED TO MANUFACTURE THE SIGHT?
The sight itself is compact, lightweight and robust. Made chiefly of aluminum alloy and steel, it has a black finish matching European AK finishings, such as found on the modern Russian, Bulgarian and Polish AK weapons. The sight is integral with and includes the sight bracket and sight mounting clamp, which will fit any standard European AK or SVD style side mounted optics plate.
The sight itself is compact, lightweight and robust. Made chiefly of aluminum alloy and steel, it has a black finish matching European AK finishings, such as found on the modern Russian, Bulgarian and Polish AK weapons. The sight is integral with and includes the sight bracket and sight mounting clamp, which will fit any standard European AK or SVD style side mounted optics plate.
HOW DOES THE KOBRA WORK?
The scope works along the lines of the Brownell Holosight, Armson OEG, Tasco Propoint, and others. However, it has the best features of these in one package, for hundreds of dollars less in many cases. The sight does not use a tube type lens system, being an "open" sight. The sight is turned on by rotating a switch knob found on the left side of the bracket/housing. An LED laser mounted in the front of the body projects a holographic reticle onto a glass lens mounted on the front of the sight. This reticle is selected by the shooter from four differing designs: dot, t-bar, inverted chevron, and dot with inverted chevron. This is done by depressing the reticle selector push button found on the sight bracket. The shooter looks through the lens while positioning the reticle pointer onto the target.
There is no focusing or sight alignment to concentrate on, as the sight does not require you to critically align the reticle in the center of the lens. You simply see the dot and when you pull the trigger, the rounds hit whatever the dot is "projected" over. The sight is fully adjustable for elevation and windage by the adjustment of thumbwheels which are protected by hinged caps when they are not in use.
Because there are no optical lens system involved, such as in a conventional rifle scope, there is no parallax error or focusing to worry about. The brightness (and consequently, the apparent size of the dot) is also adjustable by the shoot, a rocker switch found on the bracket has 16 levels of brightness to choose from. This is important for adapting to changing lighting conditions, and even night shooting. A brighter reticle also offers lightning quick acquisition of daylight close-in targets, while a finer low brightness reticle dot can be used for careful targeting of long distant targets. Many other types of electronic dot scopes cannot be used for long distance shooting because the dot they project is too big.
Reflector light transmission ratio, no less than 60%
Reflector light transmission ratio, no less than 60%
WHAT ARE OTHER ADVANTAGES?
The primary advantage of the collimator type scope is the amazingly rapid target acquisition time. Several shots can be fired before even iron sights can be accurately aimed at a medium range target. Many US-made sights of this type do not offer fine adjustment of the reticle, or even quick change of the reticle design. Some are made of plastic but cost hundreds more. Many were originally designed to be used on paintball guns and crossbows, and have not been designed from the beginning for rugged firearms use. The Cobra also has a needed improvement in the laser exit port. Others simply have a hole, while the EKP-1S has a lens covering the exit port to keep debris from clogging the port. Many users of other sights have complained of this problem. The built-in value of this inexpensive scope is refreshing.
Other features include a gold iridium coated primary lens, which provides superior reflectivity to the shooter, and filters the laser light to keep the target from observing your infra-red light source. The sight also has an optional rubber lens hood, which can be attached to keep extremely bright sunlight from hampering the observation of the reticle by the shooter.
HOW WELL DOES IT WORK?
The Cobra is truly fun to shoot. There is no alignment except to place the red pointer or t-bar on the target. I have mounted the rifle in a bench rest at night, with the illuminated reticle at a near lowest setting, getting an exceptionally small dot on target.
Moving my head at least an inch in either direction while aiming the weapon at a very distant point, the pointer did not move at all, meaning you do not even have to really center the reticle in the lens. If you see the red light over the intended target, pull the trigger.
Kobra is designed to fit low and snug over the receiver cover on the AK. It is rugged, comes in a cool nylon Russian Summer Woodland pattern camo pouch, 3 year guarantee, latest technology. And the price, similar US scopes of this same type, some made of plastic, are several times the cost.
The primary advantage of the collimator type scope is the amazingly rapid target acquisition time. Several shots can be fired before even iron sights can be accurately aimed at a medium range target. Many US-made sights of this type do not offer fine adjustment of the reticle, or even quick change of the reticle design. Some are made of plastic but cost hundreds more. Many were originally designed to be used on paintball guns and crossbows, and have not been designed from the beginning for rugged firearms use. The Cobra also has a needed improvement in the laser exit port. Others simply have a hole, while the EKP-1S has a lens covering the exit port to keep debris from clogging the port. Many users of other sights have complained of this problem. The built-in value of this inexpensive scope is refreshing.
Other features include a gold iridium coated primary lens, which provides superior reflectivity to the shooter, and filters the laser light to keep the target from observing your infra-red light source. The sight also has an optional rubber lens hood, which can be attached to keep extremely bright sunlight from hampering the observation of the reticle by the shooter.
HOW WELL DOES IT WORK?
The Cobra is truly fun to shoot. There is no alignment except to place the red pointer or t-bar on the target. I have mounted the rifle in a bench rest at night, with the illuminated reticle at a near lowest setting, getting an exceptionally small dot on target.
Moving my head at least an inch in either direction while aiming the weapon at a very distant point, the pointer did not move at all, meaning you do not even have to really center the reticle in the lens. If you see the red light over the intended target, pull the trigger.
Kobra is designed to fit low and snug over the receiver cover on the AK. It is rugged, comes in a cool nylon Russian Summer Woodland pattern camo pouch, 3 year guarantee, latest technology. And the price, similar US scopes of this same type, some made of plastic, are several times the cost.
Magnification 1x
Reticle mark types 3
Brightness levels 16
Weight 410 g
Reticle mark types 3
Brightness levels 16
Weight 410 g
CAN YOU USE IT FOR LONGER DISTANCES?
The sight is electronically adjusted to display up to 16 different brightness settings. In my estimate the dot (when the sight is set for a single dot, it actually has three differing reticles) not only gets brighter but at the dimmer end it changes size with each change in the setting. This may be an optical illusion or is actually the case. However, you can decrease the brightness until the dot is only a fine point of light, until finally you cannot see it in certain lighting conditions (i.e. bright sunlight). Basically, the size of the dot varies with the setting of the brightness, and the smallest setting would depend upon the shooters ability to see the dot, and the lighting conditions. I really do not think the dot actually physically changes in size, but the perception of the size is due to the brightness.
The sight is electronically adjusted to display up to 16 different brightness settings. In my estimate the dot (when the sight is set for a single dot, it actually has three differing reticles) not only gets brighter but at the dimmer end it changes size with each change in the setting. This may be an optical illusion or is actually the case. However, you can decrease the brightness until the dot is only a fine point of light, until finally you cannot see it in certain lighting conditions (i.e. bright sunlight). Basically, the size of the dot varies with the setting of the brightness, and the smallest setting would depend upon the shooters ability to see the dot, and the lighting conditions. I really do not think the dot actually physically changes in size, but the perception of the size is due to the brightness.
I have tested the sights' ability to be used on mid-long range targets. This was done in the afternoon, under good sunlight but late in the day. At the lowest setting where I could still see the dot comfortably, I estimated coverage at 100 meters (I have it marked off) at about 1.5 MOA (estimate for 100 yards). I set the sight at a medium setting and estimated about double this. You may get better or worse results due to your individual eyesight and the amount of light at the time. The sight is actually able to decrease the size of the reticle until it is not observable to the naked eye. So it would be up to you to find the right blend of brightness for each situation. The sight is not designed for shooting at very long range targets, but it does have the ability to outdistance to average red dot sights currently available.
Size of aiming dot 1.8 MOA
Set to a super low brightness setting, you can pinpoint minute targets at night in rapid speed. Using a very low brightness setting, you can zero in on individual stars, as an example. And the centering of the reticle is not at all important because with the rifle in a rest, I found that even moving the reticle from side to side or up and down in the lens did not change the point of aim. Amazing and nice since I do not have to make sure I'm centered, like in a peep sight, before I fire.
WHAT ABOUT BATTERIES?
The latest version of Kobra (EKP-1S-03) uses regular AA batteires (2). The manual states the battery will last an average of 70 hours with the reticle on a medium setting.
Kobra package includes sight, sun shield, soft case, adjusting tool, batteries, cleaning cloth, and manual.
WHAT ACCESSORIES ARE INCLUDED WITH THE SCOPE?
Each serialized scope assembly consists of the sight housing and mounting bracket, which are aluminum alloy. The mounting clamp at the base of the bracket is steel. The assembly is supplied with an optional rubber hood. Everything is packed in a carrying pouch, which is made of ballistic nylon in MVD Russian Summer Woodland Camo pattern. Items stowed in the pouch include special wrench, cleaning cloth, certificate of inspection, warranty card, and two batteries.
HOW GOOD IS THE MOUNTING SYSTEM?
Removing and reinstalling the scope on the weapon results in absolutely no loss of zero. As with all scopes mounted with the war-tested standard military Russian bracket/clamp system (this is the exact same clamp as Russian military 1P29 sniper scope, and night vision 1PN58 and 1PN51, NSPU, NSPUM, NSP3, etc.), there is no loss whatsoever of zero. This is the most reliable and quickest mount/dismount system you will find available anywhere. Rock tight. This clamp is also fully adjustable to fit all deviations in specific firearms mounting plates from other countries.
Removing and reinstalling the scope on the weapon results in absolutely no loss of zero. As with all scopes mounted with the war-tested standard military Russian bracket/clamp system (this is the exact same clamp as Russian military 1P29 sniper scope, and night vision 1PN58 and 1PN51, NSPU, NSPUM, NSP3, etc.), there is no loss whatsoever of zero. This is the most reliable and quickest mount/dismount system you will find available anywhere. Rock tight. This clamp is also fully adjustable to fit all deviations in specific firearms mounting plates from other countries.
WHAT IF MY RIFLE CAME WITH NO SCOPE PLATE?
This is no problem. The Russian MTK universal side mounting scope plate is available, and can be fitted to any AK and several other models of firearms. It is supplied with detailed instructions on installation to either milled or stamped receiver. The design of this rail is taken from the AK-100 and AK-74M military plate currently used by the Russian Army, which are made in the same factory as the universal plate. Installation can be accomplished in less than one hour and necessitates only the drilling of two small holes. Two specially designed shouldered screws are installed from the inside of the rifle and act as pressed in pins when fully inserted, due to the tight design of the shoulder which enters the plate itself. These screws are not visible from the outside of the rifle. The plate is finished in the customary matte black matching the rifle and the scope. The styling is almost identical to the military pattern, but altered only so the plate could be mounted without disturbing the rivets of the receiver.
The entire scope seems to be water tight, as all seams are sealed with some type of black RTV. One feature not found on many US made scopes is the led laser exit port is also covered with a glass lens.
How do I zero the Kobra Sight?
If you are interested in purchasing one of these scopes for a good price
