Zeroing the SKS the same as the AK?

[Cannonball888]

How do I calibrate the SKS rear sight? Is it the same as zeroing the AK or is it different?

 

[ClickClickD'oh]

I must be missing something.. The AK and SKS share the same type of range andjustable rear sight... it's rather fixed. It's the front sight on these rifles that needs to be zero'd.

 

[Mikee Loxxer]

Do you mean adjust the rear sight or calibrate it? I have never heard of anyone trying to calibrate a rear sight on an AK (or any rifle after it is built for that matter), the sight was already calibrated with a specific bullet drop in mind by the designer.

 

[Cannonball888]

D'oh! I meant adjust the front sight so that the POIs correspond to the distances on the rear sight. Isn't there a way I can do this by zeroing at 25 meters?

 

[collateral]

I believe you set the rear sight at the general battle setting (the very first mark), its for 300 meters. You zero rifle at the distance of 25 meters by adjusting the front sight. You should be fine after that.

 

[dfariswheel]

The Soviet Army method is to set the rear sight at the 100 meters setting, and sight in at 25 meters.

Once the rifle is sighted in at 25 meters, it'll be on at 100 meters.
Once sighted, setting the rear sight on the Battle Sight setting will allow body hits on a man at any range from 0 to 300 meters.

I use an "X" target.
I make these up using black tap or just printing them up on my PC printer.
Set the target at 25 meters, "about" 27 yards, and sight in on the center of the "X".
Shoot and adjust the sights until the bullets are hitting the center of the "X".
In other words the bullets are hitting exactly where the sights are aimed: The center of the "X".

 

[DMK]

Dfariswheel is spot on. Of course, the difference in POI between 25 yards and 27 yards is probably less than the level of accuracy the gun and ammo is capable of shooting, so you could probably zero at 25 yards and be as close as you're gonna get at such close range.

You'll always get a higher probability of a good zero at longer range.

Myself, I don't particularly care about the sight's markings so I lock the rear sight all the way back to the battle setting, zero it 3" high(using the average center of multiple ten round groups) at 100 yards and just leave it there for a quick and dirty "Point Blank Range" zero. That should give me +/- 3" out to 250 yards or so. That's certainly better than I'm capable of shooting those particular rifles offhand.

 

[Saiga39]

Dfariswheel or whoever can answer this question, is the 'Battle Sight' then the "3"?

I have heard a handful of different ways to sight in an AK\SKS.
25 = 100
2" low at 25 = 100
Set the rear sight on 2 for 25
And this method.

Does anyone have or maybe know of a web site that has either a US Military manual on the AK or a translated Soviet\Russian explanation of how to sight a 7.62x39 AK?

I'm not doubting or calling into question what anyone is posting here I've just read a number of different ways and would love the definitive explanation.

 

[Cannonball888]

The Soviet Army method is to set the rear sight at the 100 meters setting, and sight in at 25 meters

This is the method I've read for the AK. Just wanted to know if the SKS was the same.

 

[DMK]

Does anyone have or maybe know of a web site that has either a US Military manual on the AK or a translated Soviet\Russian explanation of how to sight a 7.62x39 AK?

Here's the only AK manual I know of, but it doesn't help much.
http://gunshowonthenet.com/Gun_Manuals/AK-47.pdf

Here's an SKS manual:

http://gunshowonthenet.com/Gun_Manuals/Gun_Manuals6/SKS_Type_56.pdf

Sighting is pretty simple though.

The marks on these weapons are in meters x 100 (ie. 1= 100 meters, etc).

Convert meters to yards since most US ranges are indicated in yards.

These rifles are not all that accurate. The difference in zero between 100 yards and 109 yards(100 meters) is going to be considerably less than the group the rifle is capable of. Setting your rifle at the 1 mark and zeroing POI=POA at 100 yards is pretty much "Good Enough".

 

[DMK]

is the 'Battle Sight' then the "3"

Push the sight adjustment forward and you notice the sight raises. If you pull the sight back again and it lowers until you get all the way back. At that point there is a hump that raises it again. This hump raises it to the same height at the 300m setting (SKS and AK are the same). This is the battle zero setting.

The idea is the commie soldier can put it on this setting quickly without looking and it will put the shots in a balistic trajectory "close enough" to kill Capitalist Pigs from 1 to 300+ meters if our Hero of the Motherland aims for COM.

(I chose to deviate from the specified markings because I will likely never shoot my AK and SKS past 200 yards. It's my rifle and I can do what I want. YMMV)

 

[DMK]

This is the method I've read for the AK. Just wanted to know if the SKS was the same.

The SKS has a 20" barrel vs the AK's 16". The sights are pretty much the same height. They shoot the same ammo. I'd say that any zero that works for the AK should work for the SKS.

You could just set the sight at 1 and zero at 100 yards, POI=POA (or maybe just a smidgen high). That should get you a lot closer than any 25 or 27 yard zero.