[Nightcrawler]

You know those types of sights that have the sliding rear sight, with graduated increments marked for different ranges? The two most prominent examples I can think of are the Kalashnikov and FAL families.

Well, I'm thinking I might prefer an M14 type click-sight, but how well do the graduated sights work? The downside I can see is that it limits your ammo options; you have to find an round that performs in accordance with the sight's range markers.

On the plus side, that shouldn't be too difficult. All NATO ball ammunition is prettymuch the same, even though the grainage can vary a bit (I've seen 145, 147, and 150 grain. Usually 147gr).

The question is, has anybody tested these range markers? Anybody set up targets (say, for a FAL) a 300, 400, 500, and 600 meters (after zeroing the 200m marker at 200m) and see how close the point of aim is the point of impact?

What about an AK? I don't know if any of the commercial stuff duplicates the weight and velocity of 5.45 or 7.62 Russian ball ammunition. Or is there something I don't understand about these types of sights?

Here's an intersesting question, too. What about the .308 AKs like the VEPR and Saiga?

Just curious. Don't have a long enough range (my range only goes out to 200 yards) to test my FAL, unfortunately.

[HSMITH]

I shot FAL types on military ranges and I can tell you that once they are zeroed correctly they are very very good at the ranges the sights are graduated for as long as the intentions of the weapon are considered. All they are intended to do is to get a hit on a man. That is very easy out to 500 meters in my experience. You may be 6 or 8 inches high or low, but you will get a hit if you do your part. Not really suitable for targets, but work well for what they were made for. The real killer if shooting targets is a lack of windage adjustability, makes shooting targets accurately at range really hard.

The M14 rear sight (I have extensive experience with the M14) has it all over the FAL sight, hands down is better in all regards except fast adjustments for range. The FAL sight is quicker to adjust but is very coarse, the M14 sight can be dialed in perfectly very quickly with enough experience with the rifle.

Set your FAL about 3.5" high at 100 yards with the sight set at 200, should be really close to zero at 200 and on out. Concentrate only on elevation, it makes it a lot easier to get repeatable shots than to try shooting a group in elevation and windage.

[DMK]

The downside I can see is that it limits your ammo options; you have to find an round that performs in accordance with the sight's range markers. I think the military type sliders like on Mosins or AK/SKS and adjustable peeps like on U.S. rifles like the Garand or Carbine actually increase your ammo options if you aren't too anal about the markers representing actual ranges. They are certainly easier to adjust than many commercial sights.

I usually find a certain ammo that the rifle really likes and zero to that. Then you can test fire a few rounds of other ammo and make notes of the sight setting to get it on target. Now whenever you go to the range, you can bring whatever ammo you want and a couple of clicks gets POA to POI.

[DMK]

I just had a second thought about this.

Nightcrawler, is the FAL front sight is adjustable? I know AKs and SKSs are as is my Romanian .22

You can adjust the height of the front sight to zero the rear sight for whatever ammo you are using. It's similar to how you calibrate the sight on a Garand (except that the Garand allows you to move the numbers of the rear sight to zero once you've sighted in).

[Correia]

I love the FAL. I hate the rear sight. I love the AK but buckhorn sights are a tool of the devil.

Graduated sights. Regulated somewhere. By somebody. Using some sort of ammo.

I hate them. :)

I don't want 6 or 8 inches off being acceptable. I want to put the bullet exactly where it is supposed to go. I know my FAL can do 2 MOA easily with el-cheapo ammo. I just hate settling for crappy distance accuracy.

[Nightcrawler]

Yes you can adjust the front sight post.

As for the FAL's rear sight....yes, it's a bit of a pain. DSA makes a windage adjustable (with knob) Para style rear sight, but I don't believe that that one is elevation adjustable (the Para FAL had a 150m battle zero, IIRC).

I wish I wish somebody'd make a Garand-type rear sight for the FAL rifle. That'd be sweet-ola.

I also wish somebody'd make a narrower front sight post. It's a bit too wide, IMO.