Century Arms PSL 54
- Category
- Sniper Rifle
- Barrel
- 622 mm
- Weight, empty
- 4.50 kg
- Introduced
- 1990
About
What it is, and why it matters
The Century Arms PSL 54 is a Romanian-built semi-automatic designated marksman rifle chambered in 7.62x54mmR, imported and finished for the US market. Though visually reminiscent of the Soviet SVD Dragunov, the PSL (Puscă Semiautomată cu Lunetă) is internally an enlarged RPK/AK long-stroke gas action rather than a Dragunov short-stroke design. It features a 24.5-inch chrome-lined barrel with 1:10 twist, skeletonized Dragunov-style stock, premium wood furniture, side optic rail, bulged trunnion, and RAK-1 enhanced trigger. Optic and no-scope configurations are offered.
The PSL is the Eastern Bloc's answer to fielding a designated marksman rifle cheaply - rather than the costly purpose-built Dragunov, Romania scaled up the proven RPK action to 7.62x54R, producing a Dragunov-looking rifle that any AK armorer could maintain.
MSRP approximately $2,585-2,720 (no scope / with optic). SKU RI035-N (no scope), RI035V-N (with optic). The PSL is frequently mistaken for an SVD Dragunov but shares no parts with it. Note: distinct from the generic Soviet/Romanian 'PSL' entry as this is the current Century Arms US import variant.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Century Arms
- Category
- Sniper Rifle
- Country
- Romania
- Status
- In production
- Produced
- 1990
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 622 mm
- Overall length
- 1150 mm
- Weight, empty
- 4.50 kg
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Gas operated long stroke
- Firing mechanism
- Hammer fired
- Trigger
- Single stage
- Capacity
- 10
- Magazine
- Detachable box
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Stamped steel
- Barrel
- Chrome moly steel
- Stock
- Wood
- Finish
- Blued
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 830 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 3340 J
- Effective range
- 800 m
- Maximum range
- 1300 m
Trajectory
What the round does downrange
Solved from the muzzle figures and the bullet. The dashed rule is the effective range on the record, and the crosses are the steps the solver returned.
No load solved for this record yetThe flight path is computed from a cartridge and a bullet. This record has no ammunition filed against its chambering, so there is nothing to solve.
Features
What it has
What the record lists as fitted, drawn from the catalogue.
Dragunov style skeleton stock
Side optic rail
Rak-1 enhanced trigger
Chrome lined barrel
Bulged trunnion
Long stroke gas piston
Stamped receiver
Marksman rifle
Standing
How it compares
Each figure against the firearms of the same type and cartridge that record it, or of the same type where that cartridge has too few. Positions are read to the nearest tenth.
| Measurement | This firearm | Median | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empty weightAmong 430 sniper rifles | 4.50 kg | 5.40 kg | Lighter than about 70% |
| Overall lengthAmong 429 sniper rifles | 1150 mm | 1150 mm | Near the median |
| Barrel lengthAmong 434 sniper rifles | 622 mm | 620 mm | Near the median |
| Magazine capacityAmong 434 sniper rifles | 10 | 6 | Holds more rounds than about 70% |
Answers
Questions about the Century Arms PSL 54
How much does the Century Arms PSL 54 weigh?
The Century Arms PSL 54 weighs 4.50 kg (9.92 lb) empty.
What caliber is the Century Arms PSL 54?
The Century Arms PSL 54 is chambered in 7.62x54mmR.
How many rounds does the Century Arms PSL 54 hold?
The Century Arms PSL 54 holds 10 rounds, fed from a detachable box magazine.
How long is the Century Arms PSL 54?
The Century Arms PSL 54 is 1150 mm (45.3 in) long overall, with a 622 mm (24.5 in) barrel.
Who makes the Century Arms PSL 54?
The Century Arms PSL 54 is made by Century Arms (United States).
When was the Century Arms PSL 54 introduced?
The Century Arms PSL 54 was introduced in 1990.
How does the Century Arms PSL 54 operate?
The Century Arms PSL 54 uses a gas operated long stroke action, and its firing mechanism is hammer fired.
Compatibility
Which parts fit this firearm
Studio
Every part that mounts on this, resolved
Not a list the maker typed out: the answer comes from the mounts this firearm exposes and the interface each part needs, so it stays right when either one changes.
- Every part that mounts on any firearm in the catalogue
- Interface standards, platforms and fit overrides
- The same answers through the API and the MCP server
Requires a signed-in GunSpec account on the Studio plan. The answer is computed per part, so it is not part of the public record.
Provenance
What the record holds
Every figure above was taken from one of these pages. The confidence reflects how much of the record came from a page a claim can be checked against.
In service
- US civilian market
- 1990
Provenance
Confidence in this record
72%
Stockists
Where to buy
Offers link straight to the shop. GunSpec never takes the order.
No shop has listed this firearm yet
Stock and prices come from the shops themselves. If you sell this firearm, you can list it and it appears here.
List a firearmMCP
Ask an assistant about it
The same record, reached the way a person asks for it rather than the way a program does.
Ask GunSpec
Works with
Point an MCP client at GunSpec and it answers from the catalogue rather than from memory. A free key covers the read tools.
API
The call that returns this record
The same fields, in the same units, from the same endpoint the page reads.
curl --request GET \ --url 'https://api.gunspec.io/v1/firearms/century-psl-54' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "century-psl-54", "name": "Century Arms PSL 54", "manufacturer": { "id": "century-arms", "name": "Century Arms", "countryCode": "US", "foundedYear": 1961, "website": "https://www.centuryarms.com", "logoUrl": null, "description": null, "status": null, "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": null, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-05-26 23:17:02", "updatedAt": "2026-05-26 23:17:02", "version": "d154910cee52996c6c58a3547f2b9ddb0d09a05e3f5558d8d0e9eacd63185679" }, "category": { "id": "sniper-rifle", "name": "Sniper Rifle", "description": "Precision rifles optimized for long-range accuracy" }, "country_of_origin": "RO", "year_introduced": 1990, "barrel_length_mm": 622, "weight_empty_g": 4500, "action_type": "gas_operated_long_stroke"}