Sutro
06-07-2001, 12:32 PM
Round post front sights like those on the AK are arguably the worst: Shadowing results in shots going in the direction opposite the light source. This is why target guns always have flat-faced front sights.
Only after-market front sights for the AK that I know of are the plastic ones that still are round posts, and the wire cross-hairs which I consider silly.
For sporting use I consider the Williams Fire Sight front sight to be the best. Reasonably flat-faced, and fibre-optic bead glowing from ambient light is amazingingly visible.
While Williams makes one for the SKS, they don't make one for the AK [I don't care for Williams' rear sights for either rifle]. Although even on the SKS their mode of installation (setscrew from the side) gives the sight an added-on appearance.
Here's how I installed a Fire Sight front sight for an SKS on my AK with a looks-like-it-belongs-there appearance, but note the caveats at the end. SKS Fire Sight is a flat blade, but it's not long enough for an AK.
Removed front sight post, then removed front sight drum. Filed a notch the thickness of the Fire Sight through the threaded hole in the drom about 1/4 to 1/3 the diameter of the drum. Then filled threaded hole and notch with JB Weld (very strong slow-setting epoxy)and replaced drum in sight block. From top of sight block, filled hole for front sight post nearly to the top with JB weld. Inserted the Fire Sight into the top of the sight block, through the JB weld, and into the notch in the sight drum. Shoulder on the sight keeps it from going in too far. Centered the sight, cleaned up JB Weld where it didn't belong - i.e. anywhere other than in the hole in the sight block for the sight post (kerosene works). Put gun in horizontal position 'til JB weld set. JB Weld sets grey, so touched up with flat black enamel.
Go slow, be meticulous in centering and clean-up.
When playing with epoxy, it's not a bad idea to put some release agent around where you're working on the gun where you DON'T want epoxy to stick. I used neutral shoe polish, have used carnauba floor wax as release agent in the past successfully.
This installation was on an ACE clamp-on front sight, so base of sight blade had to be filed down a bit to fit into the sight hood. On open-top AK sights this wouldn't be necessary, but you may have to file the blade below the shoulder so it will fit into the hole in the sight base.
Result is a sight picture of a glowing red dot.
Caveats: This installation is permanent and immovable. Windage adjustment requires a windage-adjustable (i.e. RPK) rear sight. Elevation adjustment is semi-permanent, requires adjusting rear sight leaf until shot is high, then filing down the ridges of the rear sight base until on target. No problem for me: I've always had a set-it-and-forget-it approach to sighting in sporting rifles, relying upon Kentucky windage thereafter. At most I may file in a second setting for different ammo.
Only after-market front sights for the AK that I know of are the plastic ones that still are round posts, and the wire cross-hairs which I consider silly.
For sporting use I consider the Williams Fire Sight front sight to be the best. Reasonably flat-faced, and fibre-optic bead glowing from ambient light is amazingingly visible.
While Williams makes one for the SKS, they don't make one for the AK [I don't care for Williams' rear sights for either rifle]. Although even on the SKS their mode of installation (setscrew from the side) gives the sight an added-on appearance.
Here's how I installed a Fire Sight front sight for an SKS on my AK with a looks-like-it-belongs-there appearance, but note the caveats at the end. SKS Fire Sight is a flat blade, but it's not long enough for an AK.
Removed front sight post, then removed front sight drum. Filed a notch the thickness of the Fire Sight through the threaded hole in the drom about 1/4 to 1/3 the diameter of the drum. Then filled threaded hole and notch with JB Weld (very strong slow-setting epoxy)and replaced drum in sight block. From top of sight block, filled hole for front sight post nearly to the top with JB weld. Inserted the Fire Sight into the top of the sight block, through the JB weld, and into the notch in the sight drum. Shoulder on the sight keeps it from going in too far. Centered the sight, cleaned up JB Weld where it didn't belong - i.e. anywhere other than in the hole in the sight block for the sight post (kerosene works). Put gun in horizontal position 'til JB weld set. JB Weld sets grey, so touched up with flat black enamel.
Go slow, be meticulous in centering and clean-up.
When playing with epoxy, it's not a bad idea to put some release agent around where you're working on the gun where you DON'T want epoxy to stick. I used neutral shoe polish, have used carnauba floor wax as release agent in the past successfully.
This installation was on an ACE clamp-on front sight, so base of sight blade had to be filed down a bit to fit into the sight hood. On open-top AK sights this wouldn't be necessary, but you may have to file the blade below the shoulder so it will fit into the hole in the sight base.
Result is a sight picture of a glowing red dot.
Caveats: This installation is permanent and immovable. Windage adjustment requires a windage-adjustable (i.e. RPK) rear sight. Elevation adjustment is semi-permanent, requires adjusting rear sight leaf until shot is high, then filing down the ridges of the rear sight base until on target. No problem for me: I've always had a set-it-and-forget-it approach to sighting in sporting rifles, relying upon Kentucky windage thereafter. At most I may file in a second setting for different ammo.