Zastava ZPAP92 Review [Extended use AAR]

The Zastava PAP M92 is an odd beast—but the compact 7.62×39 is every bit an AK, a workhorse, and a lot of fun. What the M92 lacks in ergonomics it makes up for in its efficient design. While hardly small, the compact pistol build is the perfect starting place for an AK SBR build – learn more in this Zastava ZPAP92 Review.

NOTE: the Zastava M92 I have was a Century import. Now that Zastsava has US representation, they’re handling imports. Looks to be the same gun.

Zastava ZPAP92 Review: Some Background

First, let’s talk PAP/ZPAP vs. Krink. The Krinkov isn’t quite as well known as the bog-standard AKM, but the svelte little AK-74 variant remains on many of our wish lists. Hollywood loves the platform, and that doesn’t help tamp down the desire. But Krinks are hard to find, and expensive to feed, and require some paperwork.

The PAP scratched the itch for some of us.

Instead of the 5.45×39, the PAP runs on 7.62×39. There was a time, not long ago, that cheap imports made the M92 and other AKs exceptionally practical—you could train with them without taking out a loan.

And Century built these as pistols. If you want to go through the SBR process, these make solid rifles. If not, there are arm braces. Though the future legality of that remains in question.

As odd as it might seem, the Zastava PAP M92 continues to speak to many AK fans. It is an ideal platform for those who want to work with a base model and make serious upgrades.

ZPAP92 Features

1 7.62 x 39

There is plenty of ammo still available.

2 Compact size

The M92 makes a great truck gun.

3 Familiar functionality

The M92 PAP requires no learning curve for those who know AKs.

4 Pistol configuration

Allows the owner to set it up as they want (SBR, etc.).

5 Modularity

The PAP takes common AK furniture and parts.

6 Bolt hold-open

An extra bonus for showing empty chambers.

Zastava ZPAP92 Review | PAP NM92 Variations:

Century no longer lists the M92, but the Draco is very similar; Zastava also imports the M85 PAP in 5.56.

Zastava ZPAP92 Review – Our Take

I’ve been running the PAP M92 for a while now. Let’s see how that went.

EXPECTATIONS

How does the M92 shoot? Like many guns with shorter barrels, this one tends to easy to move. The balance is ideal. It isn’t heavy, swings well, and makes transitioning between targets easy.

The bolt on the M92 moves like it’s on bearings. As such, it is easy to rack. The bolt isn’t going to lock back when the gun’s empty, but there is the bolt-hold notch on the safety lever in case you might want to keep it open for cooling, loading, or just visual indication that the gun is empty.

The iron sights on this are functional, but that’s about where the accolades end. The sight radius is shorter, so the PAP moves the rear sight back onto the dust cover.

That cover is hinged, which provides some stability to the design, but this is still a weak spot in the AK design, It makes me doubt the ability of this configuration ever to achieve impressive repeat accuracy with iron sights.

Optics will be a challenge, too. I opted for a railed gas block for forward-mounted optics, but still haven’t found the perfect option. Red dots are the logical choice for the PAP design. There are railed dust covers, too, that would allow for more traditional optics.

Magnification may be overkill, though. This has always felt like a gun designed for close quarters. It isn’t meant for long-range work.

RELIABILITY

There are books dedicated to the reliability of the AK. It may be the most reliable automatic ever built. It is, at least, the easiest to keep running in the field. And the PAP has not disappointed. The gun runs.

I’ve yet to find magazines that it doesn’t like. While it doesn’t have an extended mag well, it takes what you feed it. I’ve run steel mags, plastic mags—they all lock-in like they should and rock-out easily.

Because this isn’t a gun I shoot for gnat’s-ass accuracy, I’ve never bothered testing different grain weights and digging deep into which ammo performs best. Instead, I tend to privilege the price-per-round. This gun gets about the same gas mileage as a 68 Nova. Hit the gas pedal and drive it fast.

Still—if you are looking at an AK for home defense or for use as a truck gun, you need to know how to solve basic malfunctions. The PAP is reliable, but that doesn’t mean it’s flawless.

“This gun gets about the same gas mileage as a 68 Nova. Hit the gas pedal and drive it fast.”

ERGONOMICS

The 7.62×39 isn’t a round typically associated with handguns. The Zastava M92 PAP is a pistol. As a handgun, it is heavy and less than practical. But with some basic additions, the ergonomics improve greatly.

I’ve tried shooting this two-handed, with no additional support, and it is complicated. Add a sling to it—one you can pull against as you push the gun forward—and the ergonomics settle in somewhat. There’s more predictable stability.

Add an arm brace to the PAP and it will be even more stable. With a folding stock and a brace, the PAP functions much more a full-sized rifle, but with all of the benefits of the reduced size.

That’s where this really shines.

ON THE RANGE

There are two things to note about how it shoots. The trigger isn’t the best. There’s a bit of take-up before the hammer drops and no clean break. This is a detriment to accuracy, of course, but hardly noticeable if you’re moving fast.

The second is that the front sight post is wide. For this review, I started at 100 yards with the irons, but the post covered almost 1/3 of a full sheet of posterboard I used as a target backer. I moved into 50 yards and shot the group there—standing—with the M92 braced.

This range trip, though, may mark the last time I punch paper with the gun. It is better on steel targets, and multiples at that.

PRICE OF ADMISSION

The Zastava M92 sold somewhere north of $500. At that price, in its original configuration, this was a solid buy. At just $500, you could afford to leave it alone—wood furniture and all—and slowly make the additions you want to achieve the functionality you really want.

In this case, I swapped out the forend for a Troy. The swap was easy enough—not as easy as it might be on an AR-15, but hardly complicated.

I added the Shockwave blade to the rear for obvious reasons. Utilizing a Storm Werkz side-folding stock adapter, the Shockwave folds easily and flat.

It makes this entire build both easy to store and easy to transport.

The grip on this one is a Magpul AK MOE. I’m not as fond of it as I I’d hoped—but I’m not one that really favors one grip style over another, so I’ve not bothered to swap it out.

The Ultimak railed gas tube is a big win for those wanting to put optics up top. I’ve run several on this and I’m still looking for the right option.

Zastava ZPAP92 Review: PAP M92 Pros and Cons

As you can see, it’s a decent AK style rifle. Is it the best? No…but I’ll admit, it definitely deserves to be on a list of top AK 47s. In this case, I did list it here – but as you can see, it wasn’t the #1 pick.

Gun Deals

Searching the internet to find your favorite firearm can be a big task. However, we put together a list to make things simple. Check out the links below to figure out where you can find your own WASR (without a passport and a flight to Kragujevac).

Best Ammo for Your Firearm

The ammo I used most often when shooting the PAP M92 was 122 gr FMJ Arsenal by Global Ordnance and 122gr Wolf FMJ.

A couple of other options include:

Upgrades and Accessories

Below are a few suggestions for things you might find helpful (or enjoyable) when shooting your PAP M92.

1. Shockwave Pistol Brace		Minimalist design works to stabilize the PAP Easy to install and adjust Folds almost flat	Check price
2. The first half of “Eyes and Ears”		Proper eye protection is critical and should always be worn Ballistic rated, not just sunglasses	Compare top eyepro
3. The second half of “Eyes and Ears”		Ear protection is also critical. Protect your hearing! Many styles (some stackable) are available	Compare best earpro
4. Appropriate cleaning kit		For cleaning, care, and maintenance Not all kits are created equal	Compare top kits
5. Bulti polymer mags with reinforced steel lug		Check price
6. WOLVERINE! Pattern Camo Sling		Everything COMBLOC goes better with Red Dawn movie Russian camo.	Check price
7. Vickers AK Sling		The classic Blue Force Gear AK47 sling from LAV.	Check price
8. Haley Strategic D3CRX Chest Rig		You need a way to haul your mags. Haley Strategic is a source for very good stuff.	Check price
9. Aimpoint CompM5b		Quickly adjust the reticle in accordance with projectile ballistics and distance to target Wind compensation adjustment in 3 levels Compatible with the Aimpoint 3X & 6XMag-1 magnifiers	Check price
10. Surefire M600U Scout Light		Virtually indestructible ultra-high-output LED Rugged and reliable; built for conflict Mil-Spec Hard Anodized finish, and O-ring sealed to keep out the elements.	On Amazon
11. Leather AK Chest Rig		The most bespoke of possible load-bearing gear Not the most practical but boy it looks GOOD Available for a variety of loadouts	Check price
12. Dark Angel D.A.R.K. Trauma Kit		You should always have medical gear when shooting (any gun) External Tourniquet for easy access Pull handle for rapid deployment Vacuumed sealed insert to keep your contents protected Kit content scalability	Check price
13. M92 Krinkov 4PC Muzzle Brake		Check price
14. Aklys Defense M92 Muzzle Brake		Check price

Keep something in mind when choosing your accessories, upgrades, and furniture: apart from the basic necessities (e.g. a sling, a light, and possibly an optic), you should always budget time, resources, and money for training. All the “Gucci kit” in the world won’t help if you cannot run the gun effectively.

Loose Rounds

Remember this iconic, meme-worth photo?

 

That sure looks like a Zastava ZPAP92 she’s hanging out the window with. Not accurate at all should she pull the trigger, but it makes for some funny social media posts.

How to Care for Your Firearm

Whether you’re new to the AK platform or you just want to brush up on your fundamentals, check out this video by our own Graham Baates about breaking the ZPAP92 down.

Important Links and Manuals

Need more info on this firearm? Don’t worry. There’s plenty out there. We recommend you get started with the following resources:

• Read the US Military’s official AK47 instruction manual.
• PAP M92 Manual
• ZPAP92 Manual
• Learn some Serbian AK history.