I am going to add some kind of optics to my rifle but I am wondering is a top mount or a side rail better?
I just bought a vector underfolder ak style carbine. The store owner, who seemed knowledgeable, wasn't very helpful when I asked him the same thing. He suggested I simply leave my ak scopeless because the topmounts had a tendancy to be loose. Makes sense to me. If, however, you purchase an ak with a factory sidemount it would seem to me it should work just fine. What kind of optics are you interested in?
Does your AK already have a side-mounted rail on it? If not, then you'll have to install one on the side. This is a sturdier mount than anything that attaches to the top (usually on the dust-cover, which will not hold zero). If you go to the side rail, they have picatinny rails that will slide into the side mount, and align whatever optics you decide to use with the center line of the rifle.
