Ak front sight elevation

[vanfunk]

Hello All,
I recently acquired a MAK-90 in excellent condition. It is reliable and a good representative sample of the AK breed, but there's one problem. With the rear sight set at its lowest point (not the "battle" setting, the 100 meter setting) the carbine is putting the rounds roughly 3 feet high at 100 yards . I have a front sight tool and plan to get it dialed in this weekend, but I'd like to get on paper at least at 100 yards before fine tuning the sights. Does anyone know what the POA/POI increments are for an AK front sight? For example, raising the front sight by one complete revolution will lower the point of impact at 100 yards by "x" inches?

Thanks in advance for your help!
vanfunk

 

[MrTuffPaws]

Same thing for the SKS.

I don't know the rotations to feet, but I would suggest getting it dead on at 25 yards, then move out to 50, etc.... That way, you should always be on the paper.

 

[MTMilitiaman]

I couldn't tell you in exact increments, but for three feet, it is going to be a lot. My advice is similar to the above. Sight it in at 20 yards or so. The 7.62x39 with most of the 120 to 125 gr loads should be fairly close to a 200 yard sight in when sighted in at 20 yards--so about 2 to 4 inches high at 100 yards. My guess is that with that much error, you'll need a taller front sight pin, but I've never needed to see if the standard one will adjust for several feet, so that is just a guess.

 

[Kymasabe]

Acording to the AK47.net website, the trick is to sight it in really well at 25 yards and it should be pretty darn close at 100 yards. Something to do with the arc of the bullet travel and it crosses the same plane at 25 and 100 yards or something like that.

 

[_N4Z_]

think your on track there, but probly closer to 25 and 200. arc going up at 25, and crossing zero again on it's way down around 200. 100 yards would be too close for the round to be on it's way down already.

iirc m16a1's zeroed at 25 meters and 225m? was something like that. i remember for making 300m shots you needed to aim at the head when attempting for a solid body hit. aimed a tad low when ranges were closer. 200m shots were straight on c.o.m.

sorry if my numbers are slightly off, it's been 17 or 18 years ago.

even though we're talking different rounds i bet they fly similar.

 

[DMK]

think your on track there, but probly closer to 25 and 200. arc going up at 25, and crossing zero again on it's way down around 200. 100 yards would be too close for the round to be on it's way down already.

The instructions that came with my SKS Tech Sight indicated a 20 yard zero would give a crossover at approximately 200 yards (or was it 200 meters?). Here's a good thread on a 7.62x39 zero.

iirc m16a1's zeroed at 25 meters and 225m? was something like that. i remember for making 300m shots you needed to aim at the head when attempting for a solid body hit. aimed a tad low when ranges were closer. 200m shots were straight on c.o.m.

5.56 definately has a much flatter trajectory than 7.62x39. With 5.56, a 25 meter zero (27.3 yards) gives you a 300 meter (328 yards) crossover

 

[_N4Z_]

hmmmm

The US Army, circa 1986, and all of it's mighty fine drill sergeants, would disagree with that.

Those guys knew their stuff. I managed multiple expert rifle badge rankings during my service because of the training I recieved from them. There was no cross over zero (on the way down) at 300m at that time.

Perhaps though ammo and/or twist rates have changed.

 

[vanfunk]

Thanks for all your help Guys. I guess it's trial and error from here on in. I raised the front sight by 10 complete revolutions and, per my calculations, should be in the ballpark. I'll try it at 25 yards but I have to admit to feeling a little ashamed to shoot a rifle at that distance

Thanks again,
vanfunk

 

[DMK]

The US Army, circa 1986, and all of it's mighty fine drill sergeants, would disagree with that.

Those guys knew their stuff. I managed multiple expert rifle badge rankings during my service because of the training I recieved from them. There was no cross over zero (on the way down) at 300m at that time.

Perhaps though ammo and/or twist rates have changed.

You know come to think of it, I'll bet that doc's referring to 55gr. M193 ammo and you were likely shooting 62gr M855 in '86.

 

[DMK]

I'll try it at 25 yards but I have to admit to feeling a little ashamed to shoot a rifle at that distance

I know, I feel the same way. But it's actually quite smart to get your zero at a close distance like that, then once you're generally dialed it, move it out to 100 yards or 200yards if you can, to fine tune it.

Once I learned to do that, it really saved a lot of frustration (and ammo!) when zeroing a new rifle.