First impressions - TechSight for SKS

[rbernie]

Just got my TechSight for the SKS had a chance to give it a once-over and install it. Installation is a snap (once you figure out how to get the old receiver cover pin outta there), and the sight picture is simply superb - much better than the Mojo or Williams peep sights.

If you've been following the evolution of this idea, I can tell you that I think that it's been well worth the wait. Hopefully, I'l be able to get this puppy to the range this weekend and see how well it sights in...

 

[Sactown]

Keep us updated on how it shoots. I hate the SKS sights. I might have to get a couple of sights if it improves sight picture.

 

[Badger Arms]

So, what is the manual-of-arms for disassembly? Do you need tools?

 

[rbernie]

Disassembly now requires a coin to unscrew the receiver cover cross pin. Once that's done, it's business as usual for the breakdown.

I removed the old rear sight leaf/spring bits, which leaves a somewhat odd sight picture - the housing from the old rear sight is visible in the sight picture and cuts off the bottom of the front sight globe. It's not obnoxious, but if need be I'll cut a notch in the gas piston block to get to a more 'normal' sight picture. (I'm doing this on an old Norinco that's already had the bayonet lug ground off and such, so it's purely a short/medium range truck gun that I don't mind grinding on a bit.)

 

[Badger Arms]

Cool. I'll wait for production to get rolling well before I buy one. I'm not usually the first to buy something new, but this is definitely going on my list of 'needs.'

 

[rbernie]

I've done a little more playing around, and am compelled to add the following:

The sight is held firmly against the rear of the receiver cover by four brass-tipped 3/32" allen set screws that tension the sight on the receiver cross-pin. You do not necessarily need to loosen these set screws to DISassemble the rifle, but you're not likely gonna get it back together without that allen wrench in hand. At least was my limited experience last night....

 

[law27]

rbernie,
Getting the set screws to have just the right amount of contact with the back receiver surface without creating a bind in the cross screw is the key.
There is a small amount of play (clearance) between the holes in the arms of the sight base and the cross screw. The arm on the right where the cross screw goes through has a counter sink pocket (90 degrees). The cross screw head has a 90 degree taper on the bottom of the head that eliminates this play when it is tightened. When setting up the set screws to contact the back of the receiver, the cross screw should be tightened just enough so that this play is eliminated and the sight base can still be pivoted back and forth. The set screws are adusted to square the sight up to the rifle, contacting the receiver just to the point where they stabilize the sight assembly from rocking back and forth. The set screws have now been adjusted with the cross screw tightened enough to take up the screw clearance. To check the adjustment, there should no movement (rocking back and forth) of the sight when the cross screw is lightly tightened. When the cross screw is off a bit the play created by the cross screw and the sight base loosens the assembly enough to allow a wrench free disassembly and assembly. Once the setup adjustments have been made, it does not require additional adjusting for disassembly and assembly. It takes a little to get the adjustment right but when finished, disassembly and assembly can be done with only a coin (penny) edge. This brings the sight back to it's original mounting position each time ensuring the original zero.
Thanks,
Larry

 

[rbernie]

Gotcha - thanks for the tip.

 

[law27]

Thank you. I hope you enjoy your trip to the range. Let me know how it goes.
Larry

 

[GlocksRock]

got any pics of it? I don't think I've ever seen a techsight.

 

[law27]

Click here to go to the web site.
Tech-SIGHTS

 

[BamBam-31]

Gotta love how the owner/designer of the sight is here to answer questions, eh?

Can't wait to try mine out this weekend!

 

[rbernie]

Took it to a local indoor range today - it was about 40F and winds steady at 20+mph outside and being inside just sounded better. The indoor range only goes out to 25yds, but that was enought to get things sighted in and get in some basic practice. The Norinko SKS that I've mounted the TechSight on is stock except for having an aftermarket gas tube, having previously lost its bayonet lug to a grinder, and having a (new) Williams FireSight front insert added to complement the new rear TechSight. This rifle's intended purpose, by the way, is for hunting feral pig and small deer - critters that just don't rate the 7x57 or 303R.

I took along 80 rounds of Wolf HP and 20 rounds of Barnaul SP's. I burned thru the Wolf pretty quickly, and determined that the Firesight is so tall relative to the TechSight rear sight that the rifle shoots 3" low at 25yrds using the 200yd aperture. (Given a zero set for 200 yards and a sight plane that's about 1 1/2" above the bore, I'd expect the rifle to shoot 3" high at 100 yards and not much below POA at 25yrds.) It would be nice to have some form of elevation adjustment at the rear, other than flipping to the 300yrd aperture - only time will tell if this proves to be an issue....

It was easy to acquire the target, and with the Barnaul's I could easily keep a 1" group off a sandbag rest. (That's as good as this rifle will do @ 25 yrds with Barnaul ammo using a scope and mechanical clamp rest). I didn't have any of my hunting loads made up, so this really wasn't intended to be an accuracy test. I just wanted to verify that I could be as accurate with this rifle using the TechSight as I was with the scope that I had previously mounted on it.

That's what I know so far. I'm going to put the OEM front sight post back in and hit the 100yrd range this weekend to see what happens. I'm actually a little worried that the rear sight doesn't have enough intrinsic elevation to allow me to see over the old rear sight easily when I start using the heavier/slower loads that tend to group low anyway. Only time will tell how it works out. It would be relatively easier to use a taller rear aperture, but then the ears on the sight mount would be too short to fully protect it.

But I suspect that I'm picking nits at this point without a lot of emperical data - this sight is worlds better than anything else I've tried on the SKS (and I've tried 'em all).

 

[rbernie]

I've put about 400 rounds thru my Norinco since installing the TechSight and reinstalling the stock front sight post. Lemme start out by stating that at this point I love it - it's the first really viable iron sight option for the SKS, IMO.

When I re-installed the stock front sight post, the TechSight seemed a bit too low to readily see the front sight blade without it being obscured by the 'old' rear sight. If I cranked up the front sight such that I got a decent overall sight picture, I found that (even on the taller 300meter rear aperture) I was shooting way too low - same as if I'd left the (taller) Williams FireSight in place.

Since my newest Norinco (my test-bed for the TechSight) had already been butchered (bayonet lug ground off and such), I addressed the obscured sight picture by removing the old rear sight/leaf spring and using my flexible shaft grinder to mill a small crescent into the front wall of the old rear sight housing (just behind the ramp area for the gas tube retainer thingee). This effectively removed the old rear sight assembly from the 'line-of-sight' between the TechSight rear unit and the stock front sight. Having done this, I could then bring the front sight back down to a normal height. If you're not willing to remove the old rear sight assembly and make this cut, you'll either have to live with the partially obscured sight picture or get a taller rear aperture/crank up the front sight and deal with the fact that the rear sight aperture will protrude above the sight mount's protective 'ears'.

All in all, despite the issues with the obstructed sight picture - there is no doubt in my mind that the TechSight is far superior to any other iron sight system available for the SKS.

By the way - shooting the rifle with the old rear sight and leaf spring completely removed is kinda cool. I can now hear the gas piston spring very plainly over the sound of the report - it's really SPROINGY and mechanical sounding as opposed to just going BOOM.

 

[JamisJockey]

I'm watching this thread very closely now I pick up my SKS next week.....
Coupla questions:
Does this sight work on Yugo's?
Can the Yugo SKS factory rear sight be removed (pretty much how you described?)?

 

[law27]

Atc1man,
Yes, the sight works very well on the Yugos. The picture that I posted earlier with the desert camo background is of my own personal Yugo with the TS100 sight installed.

Larry

 

[FORTRAN]

YUGO receiver pin

How do you remove the receiver pin on a yugo? does it need to be ground off? I really don't want to permanantly alter the sks.

FORTRAN

 

[litman252]

Order mine on Sat. came in on Thurs. Had it installed a hour later. Getting the old sight out was a pain. Had to get out the dremel . I'll be shooting on Sun so I'll see how it goes.
Tony

 

[rbernie]

I just put another 120 rounds thru my Norinco this afternoon. (Gotta practice my offhand shooting skills, and the SKS with TechSight is perfect for that.) Everybody that's seen the TechSight thinks it's the bees knees, and everyone that shoots with it wonders why nobody's thought to do this before.

The two best SKS mods I've ever made are the Murray Gunsmithing firing pin upgrade and the TechSight.

 

[SapperLeader]

The two best SKS mods I've ever made are the Murray Gunsmithing firing pin upgrade and the TechSight.

What is the firing pin upgrade? What problem is supposed to fix?

I purchased one of the techsights in November, still haven’t had a opportunity to install it , perhaps over spring break

 

[rbernie]

http://www.murraysguns.com/sksown.htm

 

[DMK]

I agree about the Tech Sight being one of the best things to change on an SKS. I put one of these on my Norinco and it made a huge difference.

My biggest gripe about the SKS and AK was the sight radius and the fact that the rear sights are so far forward. The Tech Sight solves both those problems, adds a superior rear peep sight and even allows for the rifle to be easily returned to original condition if required.

Big thumbs up and a hearty thanks to Law27 for making these avialable to us.

 

[crazed_ss]

I know this is reviving an old thread, but does anyone have any advice on removing the receiver pin to install these sights.

I just got my sights from www.tech-sights.com in the mail and it isnt coming off with basic handtools. I'm thinking of taking a pair of bolt cutters to it..

 

[crazed_ss]

Nevermind.. did a search
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=119345&highlight=sks+techsight

The locking pin on the rear of the receiver was taken off with a bolt cutter, if you don't have one available, filing down the stud may be a bit of a pain.

Guess Ill be heading over to Wal-Mart..

 

[litman252]

If you have not cut away yet, I ground down the pin and removed it. I figured if I have to I can re-drill the hole and install a roll pin. I'm sure it won't be pretty but it could be done.

Tony