The Romanian PSL is an extended length designated marksman rifle based on the Kalashnikov series of rifles. The PSL is a bolstered version of AKM, designed to serve as a designated marksman rifle chambered in 7.62x54r, and has most of the same features as a standard AKM. The Romanian PSL started seeing production in the early 1970’s. The PSL features a 1.5mm stamped sheet metal receiver, and a bulged trunnion, designed for more powerful 7.62x54r cartridge. The PSL has a 620mm (24.4 inches) barrel, a unique thumbhole style stock, and longer upper and lower handguards.

​

The Romanian PSL can be identified via the markings on the left side of the rifle, on the front barrel trunnion. The Romanian PSL will either include a factory marking, or a standard set of serial numbers with no factory marking. The Romanian factory marking is a triangle with an arrow connected on the bottom of the triangle. The Trunnion also features an alphabetic pre-fix, followed by a serial number, and then a date of manufacture. On newer manufactured PSLs, the trunnions are marked with a pre-fix, 2-digit year of manufacture, and then a serial number. The serial numbers can also be found on the bolt, bolt carrier, dust cover, recoil spring, gas tube, and sometimes on the rear sight leaf, and safety selector lever. Romanian PSLs will have a blued metal finish on the early manufactured guns, but generally have a grey or black parkerized finish. The PSL was issued with a fixed power 4x6 scope, which is a simplified version of the Russian PSO-1. Later models as seen here feature a battery powered glow reticle. The scope 4×6 elevation turret has a bullet drop compensation in 50m increments for engaging point and area targets at ranges from 100m up to 1,000m.

​

The Romanian PSL can also be identified via some unique design features, such as the thumbhole stock, a ribbed sheet metal dust cover, orange colored wood laminate stock and handguards, and long marksman barrel with a slotted muzzle brake. The main components of the PSL such as the bolt, bolt carrier, and gas tube all are longer in length, and have reinforcements to help accommodate the power of the 7.62x54r round.

​

The Romanian PSL operates with a manual of arms that is comparable to a standard Kalashnikov Assault rifle firearm, and includes a 10rd bolt hold open box magazine.