Sighting The Kalashnikov

***Gabe Suarez*** · 12-09-2006, 01:54 PM

There has been a great deal of discussion on "sight improvements" for the AK. Those who don't understand the rifles and compare them (intentionally or not) to the AR system think the sights are a weakness of the AK system. I disagree.

Research and corroboration by others has shown that the majority of today's rifle encounters in all three worlds of police, military and private citizen tend to be inside 100 yards. Many actually inside of 25 yards.

We also know from experience as well as FOF training that the shooting range is not reality, but rather an artificial environment intended to prepare you for the fight. Sights that are intended to give you an edge on the range for qualifications, may not be the best choice for use in a fight.

The traditional "peep" type sights found on US Rifles beginning (I believe) with the 1903-A3 are fine for gravel belly long range shooting. However, I have found, and it is my opinion, that they are slower in the CQB environment than the open "tangent" sights found on the stock AK.

With the standard AK sights (or improved versions as sold on OST), you get the same sight picture as you do with a pistol. If you also have a shotgun in the battery, the standard rifle sights sold by most shotgun companies (NOT the ghost ring) can be looked at the same way.

Having the same sight picture for all of your shooting cannot be ignored as an advantage. Given that we anticipate our contacts to be within 100 yards, this is a great advantage.

The standard AK sights allow you to use the Front Sight Assembly "ONLY" for sight verification inside 15 yards. This was first written about by Suarez International Staff Instructor Randy Harris (Cruel Hand Luke). As the rifle is shouldered, you are looking at the adversary/target. The rifle will appear in the peripheral visual field.

Traditional shooting methods have you look throught he rear notch at the front post and refine the sight picture as you press the trigger. With the FSA shooting (Front Sight Assembly) method, you ignore the rear sight and still visually focus on the target. When the FSA appears surrounded by the target, you go. If it is a little farther, you can "notice the FSA a little more as you press.

The results are faster hits on the bad guy in a fraction of the time it would take for the use of traditiona methods. The accuracy is not shirt button groups, but rather MOH (Minute of Hadji). That is just fine in my perspective.

I have tried to replicate this with apperture sighted rifles and it is much harder to accomplish. Knowing how to use the AK sight system this way in CQB is as fast as using a red dot sight.

For longer shooting problems, you use the sights as traditionally indicated. The front post is level with the top edge of the rear notch. You set it up so you can see equal amounts of light on either side of the front sight post. Hold that steady while you p-r-e-s-s.

At out current range in Northern AZ there is a man sized steel gong at 180 yards. At the AK classes this year, just for fun, we hit the thing repeatedly with our AKs. We did it with high dollar Krebs Customs, and with WASR10s, and with shorty Suchka rifles. All of them with stock AK sights.

Now if we were on our bellies at Camp Perry shooting at 1000 yards, the apperture sighted rifles would have an edge. But rather than try to conform your rifle to their standards ask yourself this - what type of fight is more likely for you, a shot across a canyon, or a shot across the parking lot.

Learn to use the AK sight platform as it is. I think you will learn to like it as it came.

**CplPunishment** · 12-09-2006, 03:47 PM

Intersting.
What you call the FSA, was introduced to me by one of my Mosin Nagant shooting buddies as the "RGR" (Reverse Ghost Ring). Basically what you said: quickly center the target in the circular hood on the MN's front sight, and your eyes sort of naturally line up the rear notch without concentrating on it. Works well within 50 meters and is good enough for torsos to 100.

I've been meaning to try it with the AK, I'm going to have to start putting time into it. Statistically, the VAST majority of ifghts I might possibly get into should be well within the range of where this works.

Do you think this might work a little better with just the front sight being a tritium sight (a little more of a peripheral aiming point), or do you think it might draw too much attention from yuor eye and end up tryiong to concentrate on the sights too much?

***Gabe Suarez*** · 12-09-2006, 04:24 PM

Originally Posted by CplPunishment

Do you think this might work a little better with just the front sight being a tritium sight (a little more of a peripheral aiming point), or do you think it might draw too much attention from yuor eye and end up tryiong to concentrate on the sights too much?

Actually I think it would work just like the red dot aimpoint sights do. Look at the target, but notice the dot.

**Rosencrantz** · 12-09-2006, 05:32 PM

Originally Posted by Gabe Suarez

Learn to use the AK sight platform as it is. I think you will learn to like it as it came.

I totally agree with this. I have never had a problem with the stocks sights on my AK. I can hit anything I aim it at within 100 yards, and it's a cheap WASR-10. The only thing I ended up changing on my AK is the stock. I couldn't deal with the short stock that came on it.

My AR owning friends who have shot my AK say they hate it. I think it's more because I went against their recommendations and bought an AK instead of an AR, than they really find it's a bad rifle — but who knows.

My AK is pretty rough compared to a AR, but it's easy to handle, puts up with abuse, never jams, is very accurate within the distances I think I would need to use it for self defense, and it's cheap to shoot (even with the prices of ammo going up); therefore, I get much more range time with my AK that my buddies get with their ARs.

voraus · 12-09-2006, 05:38 PM

my AK, a WUM I garden variety. I have thought that the only weakness of the platform is the sight system. I don't completely understand the concept you are explaining but I see I need some training on this.

Sonny's DVD doesn't cover this concept. Are you considering a DVD, maybe with Sonny and/or Gomez on the AK?

**The Searcher** · 12-09-2006, 05:56 PM

I use the same front sight alignment method with Garands and AR's and get excellent close range results. I don't look for the sight post itself but rather the two ears of the front sight. If the target is between them, it will be hit. Of course, at longer ranges you must look through the peep for decent results.

I find that a decent peep (not a ghost ring) is faster than a post and notch setup, but the more I read of other peoples experiences with sights, the more I am convinced that different people's eyes work differently and that few specifics hold true for everyone.

**BB82** · 12-10-2006, 06:54 AM

Since standard AK sights were fine for me in my 20's, and I'm having trouble now 20+ years later... I figured out the trouble isn't with the AK, the trouble is with MY eyes!
Guess I need to get those fixed.:(

***Gabe Suarez*** · 12-10-2006, 07:14 AM

Well, that is what I did. Fixing the eyes is ,ore exoensive but far more worth it. BTW, peep sight will not help the "old eye" sysndrome, but optics will. If you have trouble seeing the sight for long shots go with an optic.

**Kobra** · 12-10-2006, 09:04 AM

I learned how to shoot in my backyard back when I was 10. My dad taught me on a Daisy air rifle--the sights on which were/are similar to the AK. So, for me, I love the AK sights and don't find them a hinderance to the rifleman at all. Give me open sights any day over a peep set-up. And I've learned, thanks to Glocker, that front sight only works for my M14 as well out to 15 yards.