Shot an AK for the first time ... couldn't hit anything.

The least-accurate AK I've ever had (a WASR) would do 7" groups at 100 yards with typical Russian ammo. That should allow it to hit a 1" target at 20 feet most all the time, presuming that the shooter is doing his part.

My Saigas will do 2"-3" groups at 100 yards with Barnaul ammo. Other have claimsed MOA performance from Bulgie milled receiver AKs with handloads; I have never achieved that.

If you're missing at 20 feet, something is seriously wrong with the gun.

Your sights are either not aligned or not adjusted properly.

Most AKs made on Bulgarian or Polish receivers, even stamped receivers, will shoot 2.5-3 MOA with steel cased ammo.

Your sights are either not aligned or not adjusted properly.

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+1 for sight adjustment needed. All three of my AKs (1 Roma and 2 Landcasters) shot 6-7 inches high at 100 yards out of the box. The rifle was probably shooting over the 1 inch target at 20 feet.

I'd also think the sights were off if you missed that many times. But the truth is that I've never had the greatest accuracy from AK's either. The only one that was as good as a "regular" rifle was a VEPR K .223. It was very accurate. The rest, not so much.

I get 3-4 inch groups from my converted Saiga at 100 yards and 2-3 when using handloads. The guy who had the handloads took my rifle and his best shots were about a one-1 1/2 inch group. This was all bench shooting of course and probably the best I had ever shot my AK but when you know how to use it it can get better accuracy than people give it credit for. Handloaded ammo helps as well.

Given you said your a good shooter with other rifles I would check the sights for proper alignment and cant.


**Really I'm a horrible shot and was quite impressed with my rifle shooting that day.

Check the rifle for sight alignment, etc.

How were other people doing with the rifle?

About 4" at 100 yards is pretty typical with inexpensive ammunition and decent sights, shooting from a solid position.

Here's a playing card at 50 yards, shot with an inexpensive Romanian AK (SAR-1) and Wolf 122gr JHP, using an unmagnified red dot.



The third shot was just off the card, to the left. At 20 yards, you should have no trouble keeping an entire magazine on a playing card, offhand.

Having said that, there is a learning curve. AK's balance differently than bolt-actions, the trigger is different, and the sights are MUCH different (more like pistol sights, unless you shoot lever-actions a lot). AK's are easy rifles to shoot badly.

I'd suggest next time, stapling a 3x5 card or something on a larger piece of cardboard and shoot at that, so you can see where your misses are going. That may tell you what's going on (say the sights are badly adjusted and you are shooting a nice group to the left or right of the target, for example). And just as with a pistol, focus hard on the front sight, squeeze the trigger slowly (surprise break), and hold the trigger back for a second before letting it reset. Don't rush the shots just because you don't have to cycle a bolt. Speed will come, but accuracy first.

Also, AK's don't typically benchrest well; the barrel/receiver vibration resulting from the heavy gas piston being blasted off the cantilevered gas block can make the rifle jump off a hard rest, resulting in much more scatter than you'd expect. I get best results from a bench shooting from a soft support placed as far back under the receiver as possible (i.e., just in front of the magazine), not under the handguard or barrel. Shooting from prone or arms braced off a bench also works well.

...1' diameter target 20' away...hitting it once out of 30 rounds.

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Just to verify that you did not mis-type, that is 1 FOOT at 20 FEET (less than 7 yards)?!

If that is the case for both shooters, there is something SERIOUSLY wrong with the rifle. So wrong I couldn't even guess as to what the issue is. If it is so loose to throw rounds like that, it may well be dangerous to shoot. I don't think I've ever seen or even read of a firearm so imprecise. I'm pretty sure I can throw rocks more accurately.

It is at this point in which the bayonet becomes necessary.

I'll make silver-dollar sized groups at 30 yards, if not better. Something with the gun is wrong.

I've only fired an AK on one occasion. Is was a cheapo egyptian made version. I was not impressed. AKs are not meant to be sniper rifles. They are more like sub machine guns. imo, when they make an AK semi-auto only, they ruin it. I wouldn't buy a semi-auto only mac10 either and for the same reason.

Something sounds Wacki.....


Where was the rear sight set? Someone in the next county was probably running for cover.

Where was the rear sight set? Someone in the next county was probably running for cover.

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LMAO!
My thoughts exactly. Check the rear sight and make sure it's not sitting at 7-8-9-10 settings. Those are aim points for 700 thru 1000 yards.
If it's not a sight related issue, I'd break that AK down and make sure everything's intact before firing it again.
Check the barrel and make sure it's anchored.

There's clearly something wrong with the AK or the ammo, or your sights are WAY off. AK's are not known for accuracy, although they're decent enough in practiced hands.

I acredit your poor results from not being familier with the weapon. If you spend some time dry firing one you'll see what I mean. The trigger is very different from an AR and theres almost always a ton of over travel which can only be overcome by follow through and steadiness. The good news is the AK is definetly a carbine and easy to balance between the hands. Keep at it and you'll see it can be shot accurately like any rifle.

The AK will never be a target/varmint rifle, but it is more than accurate enough for a decent rifleman to make consistent hits on human silhouette targets past 200 meters.

My brother and I have cheap Rommie WASRs that will do 3 to 5 inches at 100 yards with Russian black box. Mine does 3 rounds into 3 MOA on a fairly regular basis with the Kobra reflex sight and 124 gr Wolf MC JHP.

My uncle's Mak-90 is a little more accurate. Still no sharpshooter, but adequate for its intended use.

Were you shooting mostly low? At those close of ranges, you need to account for sight offset.

Other than that, there isn't much a rifle can do to be that inaccurate. Even an AK with canted sights should be capable of much better accuracy than that in that the group should be small enough even if it isn't located where it is supposed to be. Check the barrel, in particular the muzzle crown--esp if the rifle lacks a flash suppressor compensator.

In the meantime, as per SOP, for me (esp for me , I blame the Indian, not the arrow...

If its not the sights, it could be that the barrel is shot out. How old is the rifle?

A one foot diameter target at either twenty feet or forty feet (13 yards)? You didn't hit it? That is incredible.

Others here are wondering if there is something wrong with the rifle. I wonder if you were shooting blanks?

This just sounds specious to me.

Use a bore-sight.

I recently aquired another AK and took her to the range and had to set up a piece of 2'x3' butcher paper to sight it in. Minimum target distance at my range is 50 yards and with a 1' shoot-n-see target, I couldn't get on the target. I had to use the butcher paper, aim for the center, and adjust from there until I got in the center, and then could move onto a fresh shoot-n-see target. Mine was shooting a little right and about two feet low until I adjusted the sights.
The point is...you may have to start with a LARGE clean piece of paper to figure out where it's shooting. Or, use a bore-sight.

First time shooting my Maadi AK-47 I shot standing up from 50yrds and hit 9 of 10 on my foot by foot target with iron sights. It was my first time ever shooting a rifle, so my guess would be the site alignments aren't in the proper groove where they should be, making you shoot too high. Anyone regardless of experience should be able to hit almost all at 20 feet and I doubt the rifle is that fubar, so I would put my confidence again in the alignment.

Your sights stand four inches above the barrel and are regulated to hit at three hundred meters, not twenty feet. The sights on a Mosin stand only an inch above the barrel, so you cannot compare the rifles. Try pushing the target out to a reasonable distance and try it again. I bet your aim will improve.
Mauserguy