Aimpoint Micro on AK-47: What range to zero?

[dodging230grainers]

I've read that to zero AK iron sights you are supposed to zero the gun at 25 yards, per how the soviets intended.

Now, with an Aimpoint H-1 Micro sitting on an Ultimak mount, what range should I zero the red dot in? Still 25 yards?

Or is there a better range that will allow minute of man shooting with little holdover out to 200-300 yards?

thanks.

 

[Powderman]

I'd do 100 yards.

I'm here to tell you that the 7.62x39 is an underrated round. Recently, I accompanied some folks over to Central Washington; on one fellow's property, there is ample room to shoot 1000 yards and beyond.

I was dusting off some medium size bushes at a measured range (measured by rangefinder) of well over 600 yards, with a dot sighted Norinco AK, and a bit of holdover.

 

[MTMilitiaman]

I prefer a BZO of 200 yards. This is usually accomplished by initially zeroing the AK between 20 and 25 yards, depending on the height of the optic above the bore line.

With the rifle zeroed at this range, the trajectory of the bullet will take it above the line of sight to about 3 inches high at midrange (100 yards) and dead on at 200 yards.

Zeroed at 200 yards, your typical ~125 gr spitzer at 2350 fps will drop ~14 to 16 inches, in my experience, at 300 yards, which really is the practical effective range of the AK and the 7.62x39 cartridge.

With enough practice, it is possible to hit farther. And the cartridge still has mass, energy, and momentum comparable to 9x19 from an SMG at the muzzle at 400 yards, at which range it, consulting a drop chart for these numbers, drops about 3 1/2 feet. But beyond that

 

[H2O MAN]

dodging230grainers I've read that to zero AK iron sights you are supposed to zero the gun at 25 yards, per how the soviets intended.

Now, with an Aimpoint H-1 Micro sitting on an Ultimak mount, what range should I zero the red dot in? Still 25 yards?

I set the zero as MTMilitiaman described. This was done on a reduced target inside a 25 yard range.

 

[Rifleman 173]

Gunsite reccomends zeroing an Aimpoint on an M-4 at a distance of 50 meters/yards. Because the bullet arc isn't too great, only about 6 inches or so, you can then hit a human silhouette target from zero to about 300 meters. Why don't you try a test and zero first at 25 yards shoot some targets and then re-zero at 50 yards and test shoot some targets for us? Post your results and maybe some photos to help the rest us who have red dot sights, AKs and so on.

 

[dodging230grainers]

Gunsite reccomends zeroing an Aimpoint on an M-4 at a distance of 50 meters/yards. Because the bullet arc isn't too great, only about 6 inches or so, you can then hit a human silhouette target from zero to about 300 meters. Why don't you try a test and zero first at 25 yards shoot some targets and then re-zero at 50 yards and test shoot some targets for us? Post your results and maybe some photos to help the rest us who have red dot sights, AKs and so on

.

Haven't got the aimpoint yet.

I prefer a BZO of 200 yards. This is usually accomplished by initially zeroing the AK between 20 and 25 yards, depending on the height of the optic above the bore line.

With the rifle zeroed at this range, the trajectory of the bullet will take it above the line of sight to about 3 inches high at midrange (100 yards) and dead on at 200 yards.

Zeroed at 200 yards, your typical ~125 gr spitzer at 2350 fps will drop ~14 to 16 inches, in my experience, at 300 yards, which really is the practical effective range of the AK and the 7.62x39 cartridge.

So with a 25/200 zero, I can pretty much aim COM and get hits out to 300, right? I assume past 300 I will need to holdover

 

[waterhouse]

So with a 25/200 zero, I can pretty much aim COM and get hits out to 300, right?

Depending on the height of the target, using those numbers you'll probably need a little holdover at 300. Considering a 5'10" human, 14-16" below COM is right around the groin area. This will be off of the bottom of some silhouette/steel targets.

 

[MTMilitiaman]

As waterhouse described, with a 200 yard zero, you will need a little bit of holdover at 300 yards, but not much. If you hold on the head at that range, rounds will drop COM on a typical torso target.

 

[benEzra]

Depends on your sight height. Take a measurement from the bore axis to the center of the lens, plug that into a good ballistics program, and run the numbers for maximum point-blank range on a 6-inch target. Ballistic coefficient of Wolf 122-grain JHP is around 0.257 and muzzle velocity is around 2350 fps, BTW. There are online ballistics calculators if you don't have one.

I personally run a Kobra on my SAR-1, which sits considerably higher than the aimpoint (3.8 inches above the bore axis), so a 50-yard zero puts mine dead on at 50 and 200, with the bullet never rising more than 2.2 inches above the line of sight (apex is around 2.18 inches high at 120-125 yards), and it is ~16 inches low at 300.

 

[Omnivore]

Your Aimpoint on the UltiMAK mount will overlap the iron sight axis. When you're looking just over the top of the irons, your sight height will be just a teeny bit higher, so it will make very little difference. A quarter or half an inch for an AK is sub negligible. Otherwise I agree-- a 200 yd zero and a bit of holdover at 300 is reasonable.

However, the standard Comm Blok AK iron sight "battle setting" is for 300 meters, or about 330 yards when the sights are calibrated, so you could try that with your optic and play with it. I've done it both ways. I've used a 100 yard zero on the optic, with the standard calibration on the irons, which I kind of like. Whatever works for you.

Some will tell you you're crazy for contemplating shooting at 300 + yards with an AK and a dot sight. They'd be wrong, or merely speaking for themselves. Try it. Dial your sights in carefully on paper targets, take your time, give it a chance. You may be a little surprised.