Best sighting tool for Norinco AK-47?

[stinger 327]

I used a friends sight adjustment on my SKS that looks like a C clamp and it broke. The cheap one should be suffcient if you use a pentrating lubricant and let it set for at least a day before attempting to use it. Some of the others looked much more durable. If you guns sights have never been adjusted, since you've owned/purchased the weapon, I'd try to loosen it up with penetrating lub, especially if you're using the cheap one.
JT

I should be getting the sight soon I will see if I have a pic and description of it. They all look the same though this one cost a little more but not as much as some I have seen on here. Pricewise it's in the middle between low cost and very expensive.

AK/SKS Military Grade Windage & Elevation Sight Tool Md: TOOL0312.
Sold by: Outdoorbunker
Condition: new
Quantity: 1
$14.87 each
Item subtotal: $14.87

Product Description
Tapco AK/SKS Front Sight Adjustment Tool Md: TOOL0301, AK/SKS Windage/Elevation Sight Tool...Easily make adjustments to AK and SKS variants. Lightweight Front Sight Adjustment Tool...Works on both the AK and SKS weapons (except Yugo SKS). AKG2 Single & Double Hook Trigger Group...Offers an improved trigger pull of 3-4 lbs. and eliminate the painful trigger slap common on other designs. AK Magazine Follower... This versatile follower fills 2 roles. Replace your current follower in your 5rd magazine with the Tapco follower and double your capacity. This shorter follower allows for the mag to hold an additional 5 rounds., Type: Sight Tool Model: Tool0301 Finish: Blue Size: AK47/SKS Material: Reinforced with Metal Insert Color: Gun Model: Gun Type: Belt Size: Recoil Pad: , Manufacturer: TAPCO INC, Model: TOOL0301

 

[stinger 327]

Not really, especially if you have the mallet and brass punch already

Its real easy to break (bend the elevation adjustment T-handle) an AK sight pusher if you don't align the hole in the pusher with the movable part of the sight.

OTOH, the tool is pretty much required to adjust the front sight elevation. The $5 one I picked up at a gun show has never failed for me on SKS or AK.

If the sight is "frozen" you want penetrating oil, like Kroil or Liquid Wrench, not CLP. CLP might help but its a lubricant oil, not a penetrating oil.

The elevation screw adjustment is loose and very workable. I can even use my damaged AK adjustment tool to adjust the elevation. (See pic of it bent in other entry here). It's the side windage piece that is TIGHT. For the last week I have left CLP on each side of sight every day soak in every night then flip the rifle over and soak the opposite site of windage sight.

I will probably have to buy a can of WD-40 and try that out instead

 

[stinger 327]

Yes, you want to use a penetrating oil as mentioned above to loosen things up. WD-40 works pretty good at this in a pinch. A hammer and a punch will of course work but the resulting adjustments tend to be a little irregular. You usually spend quite a bit of time and ammo using this method unless you are of the "close enough for government work" mindset. I'm a little fussy in regards to the zero of my rifles (even AKs) so I like to use a sight tool. The tool allows me to get the sight adjusted just the way I want it with a minimum of effort, time and rounds expended. It works for me, ymmv as always.

I have enough time to let the WD-40 penetrate for a week if necessary.
I have already left the CLP on for a week doing and alternating both side. I can't tell yet if it has help loosen up windage sight.

 

[stinger 327]

Yes, you want to use a penetrating oil as mentioned above to loosen things up. WD-40 works pretty good at this in a pinch. A hammer and a punch will of course work but the resulting adjustments tend to be a little irregular. You usually spend quite a bit of time and ammo using this method unless you are of the "close enough for government work" mindset. I'm a little fussy in regards to the zero of my rifles (even AKs) so I like to use a sight tool. The tool allows me to get the sight adjusted just the way I want it with a minimum of effort, time and rounds expended. It works for me, ymmv as always.

I do have a mallet and brass punch already and I feel the same way as you said in that I will have less control using that punch method and might knock the sight too far out and have to keep hitting it too much get it right .
I hope using this tool will give me more control over the adjustment of windage sight because I don't want to have to use tons of bullets to sight this in or take hours trying to sight the AK in. Just want to make this easy and less time consuming as possible.

 

[halogrinder]

come on guys- this isnt rocket science.

hell a pair of needle nose pliers will adjust elevation on the front too.

tap tap the way you want it, tap it back the other way, then split the difference (normally)
i cant think of a gun that took me more than 20-30 rounds to sight it in......

 

[stinger 327]

Well I got the sight today and it is very identical to the one I have already bent except the new one is made in the USA and the bent one is made in China.
Same result can't move that windage sight. I even put a mallet and steel punches and brass punch to it with no effect.:banghead:
I'm going to soak it for a few days in WD-40.
Funny thing the WD-40 spray can with new nozzle set up cost more or the same as some of these AK-47 adjustment tools.

 

[kcmarine]

The tool used by AK equipped marksmen the world over.



Go for it man.

 

[stinger 327]

The tool used by AK equipped marksmen the world over.

View attachment 494290

Go for it man.

 

[stinger 327]

come on guys- this isnt rocket science.

hell a pair of needle nose pliers will adjust elevation on the front too.

tap tap the way you want it, tap it back the other way, then split the difference (normally)
i cant think of a gun that took me more than 20-30 rounds to sight it in......

This windage and elevation adjustment on the front sight is very crude.
What kinds of groupings can one expect at 100 yards with this rifle with puny sights?

 

[briansmithwins]

This windage and elevation adjustment on the front sight is very crude.
What kinds of groupings can one expect at 100 yards with this rifle with puny sights?

4MOA from both of mine.

As for crudeness: Moving the front sight laterally 1mm changes the center of impact 260mm at 100m. 1 rev of the front sight changes the POI by 200mm, also at 100m.

Crude does not equal not repeatable nor useless...

BSW

 

[hank327]

4 MOA with Russian FMJ or JHP is what my three shoot. At least that's about the average I'm capable of.

 

[halogrinder]

unscrew it, grind the tip into a point- and now you have a "match" sight


screw back down with needle nose pliers- and plink away.....

im about that with my ak's. dont expect fanastic groupings.


expect not having to clean it for a few thousand rounds. i have a yugo underfolder that has had 2-3 thousand rounds thru it without cleaning. just wipe off the mud and yuck so it doesnt rust too much.


if i had to take one gun to mars- it would be an AK. that rock above will fix it. mars rock that is.......

 

[wally]

hell a pair of needle nose pliers will adjust elevation on the front too.

Yes that is usually true, I confused the SKS with the AK when I said the tool is practically required to adjust the elevation. Brass punch and mallet will do the windage on SKS or AK just fine, but sounds like Stinger's sight is frozen bad.

Kcmarine's AK armorer's tool ain't too far off the mark

WD-40 is not penetrating oil, it may help, but Kroil or Liquid Wrench would be a safer bet to buy for this purpose and it is handy to have around.

Try drifting it in the "wrong direction" just to break it loose. I've sometimes had to tighten frozen nuts a bit (small fraction of a turn, but getting movement is the key) before I could remove them -- OTOH sometimes you just have to shear off the bolt or stud . Make sure you have a solid support, like a scrap of 2x4 on the opposite side of the sight base to keep it from moving or flexing.

Another trick is to heat it with a propane torch and then drift it while hot -- getting it to where plumbers solder just melts is about as hot as you want to go and will do the trick if some idiot put Loc-Tite on it.

 

[halogrinder]

PB blaster.


or put your purse down and give it a whack

 

[stinger 327]

4MOA from both of mine.

As for crudeness: Moving the front sight laterally 1mm changes the center of impact 260mm at 100m. 1 rev of the front sight changes the POI by 200mm, also at 100m.

Crude does not equal not repeatable nor useless...

BSW

I don't understand? I'm old school. What does 4 MOA mean and MM mean? I go by yards and feet like 100 yards with 1 inch groupings.

 

[stinger 327]

Yes that is usually true, I confused the SKS with the AK when I said the tool is practically required to adjust the elevation. Brass punch and mallet will do the windage on SKS or AK just fine, but sounds like Stinger's sight is frozen bad.

Kcmarine's AK armorer's tool ain't too far off the mark

WD-40 is not penetrating oil, it may help, but Kroil or Liquid Wrench would be a safer bet to buy for this purpose and it is handy to have around.

Try drifting it in the "wrong direction" just to break it loose. I've sometimes had to tighten frozen nuts a bit (small fraction of a turn, but getting movement is the key) before I could remove them -- OTOH sometimes you just have to shear off the bolt or stud . Make sure you have a solid support, like a scrap of 2x4 on the opposite side of the sight base to keep it from moving or flexing.

Another trick is to heat it with a propane torch and then drift it while hot -- getting it to where plumbers solder just melts is about as hot as you want to go and will do the trick if some idiot put Loc-Tite on it.

I'll find out soon as I have had the WD-40 soaking on both sides of the windage sight for a day now. I'll have to try the sight tool again and then if necessary the mallet with the brass pin or steel pin.

 

[stinger 327]

4 MOA with Russian FMJ or JHP is what my three shoot. At least that's about the average I'm capable of.

in yards feet inches? What type of groupings at say 100 yards? 1 inch groupings? 3 inch groupings this would be with the standard open iron sights on AK-47.

 

[briansmithwins]

MOA is minutes of angle: very close to 1" at 100 yards.

1mm is 0.039"

BSW

 

[halogrinder]

simple talk


100 yards- about 3-4 inch groups from a rest iron sights.


better?

 

[stinger 327]

simple talk


100 yards- about 3-4 inch groups from a rest iron sights.


better?

Yes better thanks for that info but the thread above it is even better at 1 inch at 100 yards.
Just what is an AK-47 weapon good for in maximum range in war?

 

[hank327]

Yes better thanks for that info but the thread above it is even better at 1 inch at 100 yards.
Just what is an AK-47 weapon good for in maximum range in war?

I would say the maximum effective range for an AK in combat is around 300 meters or 330 yards. Note I said "effective" range. That's making hits on a man sized target under field conditions with a rapid range estimate. The round will carry considerably farther than 300 meters, but as the 7.62 X 39mm round starts off at only about 2350 fps at the muzzle, it's trajectory is somewhat rainbow like when compared to the 5.56mm and 7.62 X 51mm.

 

[stinger 327]

I would say the maximum effective range for an AK in combat is around 300 meters or 330 yards. Note I said "effective" range. That's making hits on a man sized target under field conditions with a rapid range estimate. The round will carry considerably farther than 300 meters, but as the 7.62 X 39mm round starts off at only about 2350 fps at the muzzle, it's trajectory is somewhat rainbow like when compared to the 5.56mm and 7.62 X 51mm.

I agree on effective range as it must be able to incapate a man sized targed.

 

[RobGR]

Yes, bumped from the dead, but stinger 327 were you ever able to get the windage adjusted?

I'm having the same issue with my Draco.

 

[halogrinder]

lol, and you expect your draco to run ak47 accuracy with no buttstock?


see above mentioned hammer and punch post lol

 

[RobGR]

How is that so funny? It's actually a pretty solid firearm, granted, not as accurate as my 74. Right now it's just shooting left and my windage adjustment is stuck. If I'm able to adjust that, it'll be dead on. One can use a sling very effectively for stability, does not necessarily require a stock.

I attempted the hammer & punch, didn't budge. Thanks for your help.