The same characters work at every gun store/range that I’ve ever been to:

The Best Gun Builder…Ever:

Don’t buy a Colt, DD, or LMT AR-15. All you are doing is paying for their namesake. This guy can build you a better rifle than a factory can. Just don’t ask where he hammer forges his barrels. He use to build sniper rifles for the CIA. Remington wants to buy his designs, but he turned them down because he is an artist and he isn’t into it for the money. How do you know this? He will tell you.

The Operator:

There is always the ubiquitous toolbox working behind the counter that was an uber-elite Ranger Danger Recon Operative that trained SEALs and made long-range hits for the CIA deep behind enemy lines. How do you know that he did all that stuff. He will be sure to tell you. He has the sleeve tattoos, shaved head and bushy beard, operator ball cap with sunglasses on top, and paracord bracelet just like on the YouTube videos from 2008. He has the gut of Fat Albert holding a pair of man tits up high and proud that strippers and porn stars pay big money to acquire, covered by Under Armor shirt that probably fit correctly this time last year. He makes sure that you see his super custom Glock 19 for which he has single-handedly corrected all of Gaston’s design mistakes riding comfortable in custom Kydex, as true professionals only carry in Kydex holsters. (This is the same G-19 that he made all of the long-range CIA hits with).

The Ranked Three-Gun Champion:

This guy only carries a highly customized 1911 that he paid more for than he did for his Associate’s degree from the local community college. It is fairly reliable as long as he uses the correct ammunition. Why does he carry a 45? Because they don’t make a 46. His implement of war and competition rides comfortably in a custom leather holster, as true professionals only carry in leather holsters. How do you know that he is a ranked three-gun competitor? Don’t be worried, for if you can’t automatically infer this from the smart-looking Smith & Wesson shooting team jersey that he is wearing, he will be sure to slip that factoid into the conversation to make sure that you know. Did the in-store “Gun Builder” “build” any of his competition guns that he blazes his way to glory with each weekend? No. Some guy in New Mexico that you have never heard of, but it’s implied that you are a tactical faggot if you haven’t, is the one that took 18 months to mine the ore from the earth to forge the finest shooting implements ever assembled with a barrel vice. (Queen Elizabeth is on the waiting list to get one of his guns.)

The “Dude, Eat A Sandwich!” Guy:

There is always the wormy 130 pound beanpole with wearing a GSSF t-shirt that’s way too big, 5.11 tactical pants barely held up with a rigger’s belt (you never know when you might have to rappel down the side of the Uncle Mike’s display case), Merrell mids (because the floor of a gun store is hell on your feet) and a Glock 21 on his belt that is bigger than he is. For some reason you question as to whether he is actually old enough to buy a handgun, and feel that he would look more natural in a college dorm or frat house.

Be sure to watch for these guys the next time that you are at a guns store.
They will be there.
I promise.

SA

“Let’s Roll!”

-Todd M. Beamer, 9/11/01, United Nine Three-

Are Magpul’s new SGA shotgun stocks worth the price?

Spoiler Alert!  Yes.

Magpul SGA Shotgun Stock For Mossberg 500/590

Magpul SGA Shotgun Stock For Remington 870

Magpul SGA Description:

• Ambidextrous, user-configurable buttstock for Remington 870 and Mossberg 500/590 shotguns.
• Features a spacer system for length-of-pull adjustment.
• Improved grip ergonomics.
• Recoil-reducing butt-pad.
• Optional cheek risers for use with optics/raised sights, and other accessories.
• Available in Black, Flat Dark Earth, and Orange.

Background:

First Impression:

I won’t lie.  It looks like a futuristic canoe paddle, and at $109, a very pricey canoe paddle.  It’s down right ugly and looks mean as hell, but I don’t think that looks were necessarily the number one priority of Magpul when they designed the SGA.

So where did the money go?  Bolt it on your gun, bring it to your shoulder, and you will see.  Wow!  It fits perfect.  You can adjust the length-of-pull via a set of spacers that are included with the stock.  Your hand sticks to the textured grip, and the grip part of the stock is angled perfectly for your hand, wrist, and arm.  You get the comfort and control of a pistol-grip stock but still have the ability to easily manipulate the safety on a Mossberg product.  If you are going to run any type of optic on your shotgun then there is an easy to attach cheek riser that will put you right where you want to be on the stock for a perfect view through your optic.

Like all Magpul products, this stock is quality gear built for professionals.  Unlike the typical Chinese junk found in a Cheaper Than Dirt catalog, it fits the firearm solidly and is built to take abuse.

Matching Forend:

Magpul Forend For the Mossberg 500/590

Magpul Forend for the Remington 870

Magpul also makes a matching forend for the SGA.  I have Surefire dedicated weapons lights mounted on my shotguns and so I haven’t had the opportunity to fire a shotgun with this forend mounted, however a family member has a short-barreled Mossberg 590 and has this forend on board.  It has a great fit and feel.  It is interesting to note that if you plan on running your shotgun(s) with this forend and a Mossberg vented barrel shroud then you may find yourself having to slightly modify the forend as it will rub the barrel shroud.  The forend gives enough to grip and enough barrel coverage that there is little chance that you will burn your booger pickers on the hot barrel.  You may be better off to run the shotgun without the barrel shroud.  If you image search for photos of this setup you won’t find any photos of the Magpul forend and a barrel shroud.

Afterthoughts:

• Added Magpul SGA Stock For Mossberg 500/590 and Remington 870 to the blog.
• Added Gun Store Employees Rant to the blog.
• Added Make A New Storage Tube For Your AR-15 22LR Conversion Kit to the blog.
• Started the Bug-Out or Dig In Page.  It is a work in progress.  Look for continued improvement.
• Started a Military Small Arms group of pages, which include: Sub Machine Guns, Machine Guns, Grenade Launchers,, Rocket Launchers, and Hand Grenades and Mines.
• Updated the 2nd Gear: Defensive Loadout page.
• Updated the 3rd Gear: Bug-Out Bag (BOB) page.
• Updated the Generators page.

By Fordy Smith

You are entering a no butt-hurt allowed zone:

Underfolding Stocks:

Underfolders look cool, but underfolders suck. Cheek weld sucks. Forearm support sucks. Ergonomics suck. IMO they should never be your “go to” AK unless its all you have, or you have a significant storage space issue. If you need an AK to jump out of a plane with, or in case your tank runs out of gas, there may be a role for them. Even then, any number of folding stock options are vastly superior in literally every way.

Bolt Hold Open Features:

Bolt hold-open mags (and bolt hold open anything on an AK) suck. They change how the AK is designed to operate and forces you to try to run a completely non-AR platform like a partial AR. But why?

Safety levers with the bolt hold-open cut out suck. The safety lever on an AK is designed as an idiot proof dust cover. Yes AK’s are very reliable by design. But a lot of crap can fit in that stupid bolt hold-open hole that is now permanently exposed. You are introducing a weakness into a strong design, all so that you can placate some range boss / safety nazi that doesn’t understand not all bolts hold open, and who can’t for some reason see a 20 cent fluorescent orange chamber flag? Keep the AK like it was designed and find a different range.

Extended Safeties:

Krebs style / extended safeties are cool, but completely unnecessary. I had a hard on for one in theory, but when I visited Rifle Dynamics in Las Vegas the petite Casey showed me her AK, and low and behold it had the standard safety lever. I asked her about the Krebs lever and she said she wanted to learn to run the AK with the original safety and she had no problems whatsoever doing it. So I put ordering one on hold and ran the class with a standard lever and was every bit as quick as those with the big levers. There’s really no downside to them, but in my opinion, unless you have very small hands, zero advantage to them at all.

Magazine Pouches:

Double mag pouches suck. Aside from the theoretical advantage of being able to quickly reload slightly quicker 8 times while standing/running (LOL!) they are absolutely ridiculous when prone. Even laying on a single stack mag pouch is hard enough, but two? Forgetabowdit. If you need to carry more mags than what a single stack rig offers, carry them somewhere else. You’re not going to reload that many times while not behind cover anyway.

AK Accessories:

Don’t hang so much crap on your gun. This has been much less of a problem with AK’s until recently, but with their rising popularity comes the inevitable eye rolling Christmas tree decorating nonsense that AR’s have struggled with for the last couple decades. A red dot or a scope, and maybe a light. That is it, unless you’re actually, really running night vision, though even then it’s probably on your helmet and not your rifle anyway.

Fore-grips are stupid. AK already comes with the perfect ergonomic fore grip. It’s called a magazine. Bipods on AK are stupid. AK already comes with a very good, perfectly spaced mono-pod. It’s called a magazine.

Drum Magazines:

Drum mags are stupid. You’re only saving like 2 or 3 seconds per 100 rounds (you don’t think you’re firing that many rounds out in the open away from cover do you?) and you lose your ergo grip, your mono-pod and you make an already not lightweight weapon way heavier for no real gain. There may be some specialty rolls for them, but ask yourself why the professionals rarely, if ever, run them when they easily could. If they pass on them, you should too. Odds are overwhelming that you’re not doing it better than they are doing it.

Iron Sights:

AK iron sights are fine! Yes, they take some getting used to. We’re used to aperture sights on AR’s and when you first look through AK sights they don’t seem as eye friendly. But that’s how they were designed. The rear sight is much further away from your eye, which is why its shaped like that. Basically like 99% of pistols out there at a similar distance from the eye using the “line up the 3 squares” method, and you’re not running out to put round aperture sights on your pistols are you? Rifle Dynamics did come up with a smart and simple modification whereby they round off the outside corners to reduce unnecessary right angles and naturally draw the eye to the center/front post, but beyond that leave the sights alone and learn to use them.

The AK’s Sight Radius Is Too Short? :

We also hear how bad the AK sights are because the sight radius is too short. Oh really?  Check out the photo to the above.

Looks about the same to me. Of course some will point out that a full rifle length AR will have a sight radius advantage over an AK. Um, duh. So? Does that mean that the M4 sight radius sucks? Not to mention hardly anyone runs 20 inch AR’s anymore anyway. But if you really, really have to have a long iron sight radius, and you’re a MOA snob that likes to rag on AK’s for some reason, prepare to get served, hard:

15-love, buddy roe.

AK’s Aren’t Accurate? :

This ties nicely into the “AK’s aren’t accurate” zeitgeist. AK’s in both major calibers are easily “minute of man” accurate for hundreds of meters with the sights they come with.  Don’t buy the hype that AK’s aren’t accurate.

How much accuracy do you need?

AK Stocks Are Too Short? :

Warsaw length stocks are FINE! I’m 6 feet tall with relatively long arms. I used to be a length-of-pull snob. I’ve reformed. This is how the gun was designed. Some will say that the (slightly) shorter Warsaw stock is because the malnourished commies were smaller, or because they wore heavier clothes or whatever. Most in the class ran their AK’s with Warsaw length stocks with absolutely no issues at any distance at any application. When you’re holding the AK out in front of you for any length of time, you never, ever think to yourself “wow I really wish the fulcrum of this weight was further out”.

I especially love the SBR/”truck gun” phenomenon where guys pay big money and go through the hassle of building a “shorty” only to put long stocks on them (and sometimes blast “directors”) that make the gun maybe a couple of inches shorter in practical applications. Yet then those same guys will run that ridiculous “pistol brace” thing on something else and act like it’s some ground breaking concept. But hey, they can clear all those rooms 2% better. Or something. I guess. Whatever. Embrace the Warsaw length stocks; they are how the platform was designed.

Conclusion:

AK sights suck and the platforms are inaccurate: myths BUSTED.

Parting Notes:

Whatever you intend on running, get training and see how it actually works for you. The range isn’t even close to sufficient vetting of gear and kit, and the mirror at home dang sure isn’t.

Keep it simple. Get training. Get in shape. Vote. Read history. Stay free.

Related Articles:

Savannah Arsenal’s Ak47 / AK74 Page

AK Operators Union / Center-T Class

AK Operator’s Union: Class Gear & Kit Review

Nutnfancy’s AR vs. AK

by Fordy Smith

What & Where:

This was a 2 day class to learn how to operate the AK platform the Russian way. I ran a Russian Saiga AK in 7.62 with iron sights, a standard safety lever, and Warsaw length stock.

The training was at the Valor Ridge range in Harrogate, Tennessee. Beautiful range and facility that is rapidly building a reputation for some of the best training you can get. Its Reid Henrich’s range, but for this course he was just a student on the firing line with the rest of us. The instructors were Rob Ski from the AK Operators Union (Local 47-74) and “The Dimas” from Center-T. Dima is short for Dmitry which is both their names.

Ammunition:

This is an approximately 1200 round class (around 1000 rifle and 200-300 pistol).

Equipment:

Equipment is up to you, just show up with a reasonably zeroed AK, at least 3 GOOD mags, a handgun of your choice, and whatever kit you decide to run with.

When in doubt, keep it simple, like AK itself. Show up with EMPTY mags. Every drill is specific. It helps a LOT if you have loose rounds in a water-resistant ammo can or equivalent. Mark your mags prior to class to make life easier during class.

Day 1:

Introduction and safety brief, then right into it. First drill was a 3 station round-robin that didn’t make a whole lot of sense to us at the time but ended up being a preview for day two. At the time it seemed like they were evaluating us for their benefit, but after the second day it was clear that this was to give us a baseline to evaluate ourselves and our progress at the end of the class. Very interesting approach and an excellent method of instruction.

Most drills were from a 15 to 20 meter “dress-right-dress” firing line. Some movement drills were done in teams of two while the rest watched.

Next was proper AK rifle presentation. Shoulders squared, lean forward, weak foot slightly in front, elbows down, weak hand gripping the mag with thumb forward. Index finger safety discipline as always. If you have a proper grip and body position there is no need for the internet-trendy Heisman stiff-arm 3-gun champion wanna-be grip that dominates the AR world on the internet right now. While they stress that they are giving you tools for your toolkit, they also make it very clear that this is how they run their rifle that they invented and perfected, from conscripted private to elite SF operators, and ask that you please consider the fact that they just might know their stuff (spoiler alert: they know their stuff). It’s also very ergonomic to hold and shoot it this way once you get used to it.

Every drill is practiced and repeated and dry fired many, many times, and then you drill down range empty yet again to check your target.

We then did the same presentation but with the strong foot forward. Doesn’t seem like a big difference, but from a comfort/ergonomics perspective its different enough to justify training from. While weak leg forward is preferred, when shooting after moving, you never know which foot might happen to be forward when you need to shoot so you need to be comfortable with both.

After every string of fire, they teach the “triple check” of a slight dip of the muzzle to check what you just shot at, a quick check of the chamber (to make sure the bolt is forward and you have no double feeds/etc, then a right 230 degree sweep followed by a left 130 degree sweep (I made those numbers up but the point is you can sweep a lot more area from your strong side so do that so you adequately check your six as well).

The two basic tiers of malfunctions were covered. The first is a bad round/light primer strike/etc. Rifle is running fine and you still have ammo but the round didn’t go off. First thing if you are operating in a team is to let your team know your gun is down by shouting “PROBLEM!” They recommend the over the top “AK roll” with the stock under your forearm for stability and control. Over the top puts the rifle in the most stable and controllable position as well as allows you to clearly view the charging handle, chamber and ejection port. Doing it underneath like everyone does on YouTube is basically running it in the blind. That might work fine on the range but under stress with gross motor skill degradation introduces a lot of risk for absolutely no upside. Much emphasis is placed on, however you decide to charge the handle, the ejection port area is kept completely clear. If you block it with your charging hand, you can easily introduce a double feed/stovepipe. Most charged the rifle with the meaty part of their palm facing towards them and it worked flawlessly.

The next malfunction was the double feed. It was only demonstrated, but a few guys ended up getting them for real during a drill. They showed how easy it was to introduce one by charging the rifle with your hand (or ground) blocking the ejection port. However it happens, you need to clear it by first removing the magazine and then fully racking the charging handle a few times, then back in with a magazine and charge the chamber. You do NOT want to immediately start racking the handle because that might just keep ramming the double feed into itself and might even turn it into a triple feed/etc. Again, let your team know by shouting “PROBLEM!” so they know to cover you while you get your gun back up.

How do you know when to reload versus when you had a malfunction? If Dirty Harry couldn’t count to 6 in a gunfight there’s no way you’re going to be able to count to 30. Easy: If you’ve been shooting a fair amount on a mag and it goes “click” its 100% safe to assume its out. If you happen to have a few rounds in your mag and happened to have a bad round/light primer strike/etc, just keep it simple and reload. That will clear the malfunction and top you off. If you have time to see the discarded mag has rounds left in it, and you have time to pick it up and pocket it, great. Otherwise reload and move on. If you’re not sure, do your malfunction drill. Worst case you charge an empty mag one extra time. Even then you’ve only wasted a second or less. AK was designed to be ran without the last round hold open feature that we’ve been falsely conditioned into thinking is an indispensable firearm foundation. You came here to learn the AK the AK way. Why wouldn’t you do it?

To reload, you tuck the stock slightly under your arm, grab a new mag, and with it still in your hand you use your thumb to sweep out the old mag. Its internet trendy right now to “slice” the old mag out with the new mag, and that of course works, but its less desirable because when you have tunnel vision and gross motor skill degradation you’re introducing more to look at and more to do with your hands. Using your thumb is preferred because “hands find hands”. Even in the dark or under stress, you can always put one hand to your other hand without having to look at it or practice it a million times. Index your thumb to the bottom of the trigger guard (just in front of your grip hand) and sweep the old mag out. You can do all this while looking at your surroundings. You will find the trigger guard because of where it is in relation to your grip hand. As always, step out of the line of fire. Then slightly rotate the rifle clockwise so you can see the mag well and lock the mag in place, then roll counter-clockwise so you can see the chamber and the handle you’re about to grab and charge over the top, then back on target.

After first learning the under the mag charge technique from the internet, the over the top has clear benefits especially under stress. Hands find hands and you can see what you’re doing as well as keeping the rifle under control the best. That said, if you run a large optic that sits on top of the dust cover you may have to go under. Or maybe you just prefer it. Or maybe it helps you shave a tenth off your buzzer time in laboratory conditions. Cool. But as a rule over the top seems like the superior charging method. That’s how those who invented the rifle and run it at the highest levels recommend and that’s good enough for me. Issue: settled.

Next was forward and left and right movement. Nothing intricate, just simple, natural movements based on walking. A working knowledge of the difference between left and right prior to class would definitely help, but even directional fluency isn’t enough to avoid messing that up sometimes.

With each new building block skill learned, previous ones are reintroduced and integrated. So moving in any direction to shoot you need to be prepared to clear a simulated malfunction. They simulate it by saying “problem” to which you respond by shouting “PROBLEM!” (to alert your team) while MOVING out of the line of fire and racking another round and back on target. After each string of fire you do your triple check: target, chamber, surroundings.

The Squatting position was covered, as this is the quickest way to get low and on target, as well as a very instinctual reaction to things like unexpected incoming fire. In other words, there’s a good chance you will be squatting anyway. The advantages are ease of transition (including returning to standing and moving) however it’s not as stable a firing position as kneeling. Practiced are shoulders squared as well as either foot forward, because you can’t always control how you will be positioned when you need to squat. Rate of fire while squatting is slightly slower than other positions as you don’t want to fall back onto your butt, but it’s still a pretty good instinctual firing position you can transition into quickly. Just because you are squatting doesn’t mean you won’t have a malfunction of course (“PROBLEM!”). After each string of fire, do your triple check.

Kneeling transition was then covered, again with your preferred weak leg forward but also with your strong leg forward. Short step, shoulders forward just like the first standing presentation you learned, but now move down as you step. It was a gravely range with some puddles after a rain, so many of us were glad we had high-speed tip of the spear tactical knee pads!

Wait a second, some of you have knee pads on? Aw hell naw! That’s cheating, get those things off! Knee pads build negative training habits, like slamming your knees to the ground in total comfort, but unless you wear them all day every day, that’s obviously not something you want to do. Even without them, kneeling transitions to a gravel surface is quick and secure as long as you get the fundamentals right. As always, “PROBLEM!” and triple check: target, chamber, surroundings.

After every series of drills, when its time to check the target you show the instructors you are clear the Russian way: mag out, turn it around, bold held rearward so they can see both chamber and mag follower to assure both are empty. When you are verified clear you point rifle at your target and dry fire one meaningful aimed shot, put the safety back on and then you can relax. For a couple of seconds, but then its time to put your empty mag into the gun and dry fire your way down the range with a series of random commands of the things you’ve learned so far. Step forward, reaction left, reaction right, squat, problem, kneel, etc in random order. If you finish a movement before everyone else, start your triple check, but be prepared to re-engage before you finish. Any problem/malfunction while standing requires you to step out of the line of fire while you clear it.

Hits and misses (generally anything off a notebook sized sheet of paper that’s glued into a torso sized piece of cardboard is a miss) are marked and 5 push ups for each miss are prescribed to help cure accuracy deficiency syndrome.

During lunch the CEO of DDI (an American AK company) showed up and talked about his company, some upcoming products and developments as well as brought out a full auto AK for anyone who wanted to try. Coming up are some exciting stamped and milled AK’s as well as some that shoot those weird bullets that look like a plastic roll of nickels, whatever those are. ;) Rumor has it they will actually even work too, unlike some attempts by others. Stay tuned.

The rest of the day was more integration and practice of what was learned so far. After every drill we showed clear the Russian way, put in an empty mag and dry fired our way down the range to look at our targets.

Day 2:

We began with a review of the drills and skills from Day 1, and then on to new things.

First was prone transition (to and from). Basically it starts out the same as kneeling, but then you put a hand to the ground, transition the rifle to the forearm stabilization from previous drills, get prone, rest the rifle on the mag like a mono-pod and keep your strong side leg “cocked” in case you have to transition back up quickly. If you will be there longer, the legs spread apart with ankles flat against the ground applies.

After that we incorporate moving left and right while prone. The theory being if you see an enemy go prone in the grass, you will likely fire towards where you last saw him, and that’s likely what they will do with you. So after going prone in most situations, you would usually want to slide left or right. Some say that you shouldn’t rest a rifle on the mag because that could cause a feeding issue, but this is how the rifle and mag were designed. Any mil-spec rifle and quality mag will not have a problem shooting it this way and this is how it was designed and intended to be fired. After every string of fire, check the target, check the chamber, check your surrounding.

Malfunctions and reloads while prone are discussed and practiced extensively. First of all, “PROBLEM!” Secondly, roll the rifle so the charging handle is up and clear the malfunction. For a reload, check the chamber, rotate clockwise, grab a mag, sweep the trigger guard with your thumb (hands find hands) while looking down-range /a round, glance at the mag well while you put the new one in, rotate it counterclockwise, charge it keeping your hand clear of the ejection port, place the rifle back on the mag and back in the fight. Do all of this while STAYING LOW! Only raise your head/rifle/etc as high as you absolutely need to, only as long as you absolutely need to. Threat over? Check target, check chamber, check surroundings.

As always, drills are building blocks and are integrated into all lessons.

The firing line was divided into three groups and each sent to one of three round robin stations. Briefly covered was running with an AK. Basically you hold the rifle under your forearm facing forward with one hand. Its way more stable than it sounds. That’s why the under the forearm position is the foundation for so many transitions, reloads and malfunctions, etc.

On to a quick discussion on cover and concealment, and then an intro into how to “pie the corner” to clear a room. The younger Dima ran this station and did a tremendous job showing us so much in so little time. Covered and practiced were standing and kneeling, left and right. Along with this was shooting on the opposite shoulder. They said that while there is an application for changing hand positions, the fastest and simplest way is to keep your hands where they are and switch shoulders only, and (in most cases) look with your opposite eye. I found it much easier (and only a little slower) to close my right eye while doing this but your situation may vary.

In either case, LEAN OVER to get the next slice of pie. This reduces your exposure. Target engagement begins as soon as you see a portion of the target, not the whole thing. You give the bad guy one eye and an ear for a target, he gives you half a chest and an arm. Pretty good trade-off. Also keep your rifle straight up and down (normal position) and do not “cant” it because your sights will clear before your barrel will and you don’t want to shoot the wall or door frame. By keeping it straight you know if you see the target with your sights, you will be able to engage it with the physics stuff that comes out of the end of the barrel.

We then moved to the longer distance stage with Rob Ski where we checked our zeros at about 50 meters, and then confirmed at petite silhouette steel targets at around 175 yards. Rob is a great instructor and motivator. Even though I only had single stack mag rigs, I found it really hard to crane my neck up enough to see the target in front of the sights. I got some hits but missed more than I hit. Others around me with optics were hitting more than I was, but I knew better than to blame it on the iron sights. Before I could adjust, it was time to move on to the next station. I was hoping I’d get another chance at those targets later.

Next was the pistol section. The bearded Dima who barely speaks english was running that station. We had already seen him operate the AK at a ridiculously high level, and even though he was always in charge of one group of 5 guys, this was his station with no interpreter. That said, he ended up being one of the best shooting instructors I’ve ever had. The old adage of “amateurs practice until they get it right, professionals practice until they can no longer get it wrong” is true, as he demoed everything with ninja level precision, yet was also somehow able to convey the information to us very well. Covered were precision shooting at typical pistol distances, the proper way to run (and stop) with a pistol, aimed and rapid fire shooting, shooting while moving (with and without using the sights) and drawing/reholstering techniques from a philosophical standpoint. Despite the language barrier, we always knew exactly what he was trying to tell us. I’m amazed how much I got out of the pistol section of an AK class from an instructor who doesn’t speak much english!

Soon it was time for the “final test”. This was also a 3 station round robin but with some slight modifications. The “pie the corner” station had t-shirts over the targets, which still had notebook paper sized targets beneath them. You were expected to shoot the paper areas only based on prior practice. Standing and kneeling, left and right corner. Misses meant push ups. Surprisingly most of us kept most or even all rounds on the paper.

We then lined up and on command, ran with the AK about 50 meters to the next station. The slowest two in the group do push ups. We then shot a pistol drill from concealment. Kneeling left and right, then run (and properly stop) then engage another target, then run and stop and engage another target.

Then we run to the long distance station and go prone for our final 3 rounds. Wait, what? My chance at redemption at the 175 meters station, and I only have 3 rounds? I didn’t regret my decision to run the class with irons one bit, but come on, only 3 rounds? What if I don’t hit any? With the pressure on I focused on the front sight and squeezed the trigger…miss. Crap! But something just didn’t feel right. It was my mag rig I was laying on like last time. I rotated it away and got that much further to the ground, stabilized my magazine and grip and took a couple deep breaths as the other shooters sent rounds down range. Some hit steel, some didn’t, and all were good shooters so I couldn’t beat myself up too bad if I didn’t connect with irons. But I really wanted this. Shooter number 2, send it! Breathe, relax, aim, squeeze. The beautiful sound of ringing steel and Rob yelling “HIT!” The other guys take their turn, and I know I have one more in the pipe and that’s it. The end of the class. I really want to go out on a high note by hitting two in a row. I think what I need to do now is to-”shooter number 2, send it!” Oh, ok. One deep breath and I know I have under two seconds before I start to shake. I see that little half-sized target taking up my entire front sight but I’m not aiming at the target; I’m aiming at an imaginary dime sized bulls eye in the middle of the target while focusing on the front sight so hard I can see the pores in the metal. The gritty but short and light G2 trigger breaks. The dust flies. Will I spend the long drive home wishing I ran the 2 MOA Aimpoint that I had in my range bag the whole time? Will I be an iron sights martyr? Smack! “HIT!” Not today, mother fucker.

Five push ups for my one miss and I was glad to do them. What a great way to end a great class. We policed our gear and trash and assembled for our class picture and graduation certificates and SWAG.

Conclusion:

Over all I highly, highly recommend you take this class if you run, have or even like AK’s. There are many great training opportunities available from some widely regarded instructors. They all will make you better. I’ve taken a few and intend on taking a lot more. But for an AK I really don’t think you can do better than an AKOUL / Center-T class. They only do a few a year, so try to make it to one if you can. Class sizes are limited and the student to instructor ratio is low 5 to 1. And you’re learning the AK the way it was meant to be learned, taught by those who don’t just like it or happen to be good at running it, but highly trained, tip of the spear operators who can honestly say “this is my rifle”.

Related Articles:

Savannah Arsenal’s Ak47 / AK74 Page

AK Operator’s Union: Class Gear & Kit Review

AK Philosophy / Thoughts / Takeaways / Personal Opinions

Nutnfancy’s AR vs. AK

The shortage and rising prices of ammunition has made dedicated .22LR AR-15 rifles, and conversion kits for 5.56mm/.223 caliber AR-15 rifles very popular.  Unfortunately the recent shortage of .22LR ammunition has made it hard to feed them if you didn’t already stockpile (hoard) .22LR ammunition.  If you are lucky enough to have access to .22LR ammunition then the dedicated .22LR AR-15 rifles or the conversion kits for your 5.56mm/.223 caliber AR-15 rifles are fun for target shooting and plinking, and can be a great tool for teaching new shooters without the loud noise and high price of full-size center-fire ammunition.

What Distance To Zero For .22LR Ammo With AR Style 2.5″ Tall Sights:

A friend recently acquired one of Colt’s .22LR M4 rifles made by Walther Firearms and asked if I would help zero the sights at the appropriate distance.  I had recently written about my research regarding What Distance To Zero Your .22LR Rifle, but I had never really taken dedicated .22LR AR-15 rifles seriously until I was asked to help zero this rifle.  Any traditional .22LR rifle has its sights mounted close to the bore, and traditionally red-dots are always mounted as close to the bore as possible.  I couldn’t see how you could have anything but a terrible .22LR ballistic trajectory with AR-15 sights that are 2.5″ above the bore.

Having been granted the opportunity to play with this rifle for a few days I ran a few zero distance calculations through an iPhone/iPad application called “Ballistic” using data for CCI’s 36-grain Mini-Mag ammunition, and I couldn’t believe how ignorant I had been. You can achieve very flat trajectories from .22LR ammunition and 2.5″ sights.  I played with several distances and tweaked it until I found the optimum zero distance of 25 yards.

Benefits of a 25 Yard Zero:

• Note the graph above. From a distance of 13 yards from the muzzle, all the way out to approximately 89 yard, the point-of-impact of the bullet will never be +/- 1″ from point-of-aim. This means that you should be able to hit a 2″ target without any hold-over / hold-under correction anywhere within 13 yards to 89 yards!
• The highest distance above point of aim is exactly 1″ at 50 yards.
• At 100 yards you can expect your point-of-impact to be 2.37″ below your point-of-aim. To give you a visual, you will make hits below the point-of-aim less than the height that the sights set above the bore. This is pretty impressive, especially considering that you might be using a red-dot optic, such as the Bushnell TRS-25, with a 2 minute-of-angle dot (dot that appears 2″ in diameter at 100 yards).

Dedicated .22LR Rifle, or .22LR Conversion Kit?:

If you have a dedicated .22LR rifle then you have a simple task of zeroing your rifle’s optic and/or iron sights.  If you have a regular AR-15 style rifle that is zeroed for 5.56mm/.223 caliber ammunition and you want to use a .22LR adaptor, such as those manufactured by CMMG, then you will have a slightly more complicated setup depending on how you have your rifle configured as the .22LR ammunition and the 5.56mm NATO ammunition have completely different ballistic trajectories.  If you sights are set for one, they won’t be set for the other.  Keep reading to get some ideas of how to overcome this hurdle.

Shooting .22LR Out Of A 5.56mm/.223 Caliber Rifle With Conversion Kit:

You may have a AR-15/M-4 zeroed with the 50-yard “battle-sight zero” that gives you an awesome flat trajectory with the 5.56mm/.223 caliber.  You might assume that if you use a .22LR adaptor that your rifle is zeroed for the .22LR also. You would be wrong.  The .22LR round is much less powerful than the  5.56mm/.223 caliber battle cartridge and has a much shorter range. If you attempt to shoot at typical .22LR distances you will find the bullets impacting much lower than the point-of-aim. That is not fun, and it doesn’t help someone who is trying to learn to shoot. So what to do?  Keep reading and find the description that most closely matches your rifle’s configuration.

Carry Handle Rear Sight:

If you have a rifle with a carry handle (already “battle sight zeroed” with the 5.56mm/.223 caliber ammo as described on the AR-15 page) then the solution is easy.  You can simply set up a target at that distance, move your rear sight up a couple of clicks, shoot three rounds to see where they hit in relation to your point-of-aim, and then repeat until your point-of-aim and point-of-impact are the same. It is very important that you remember where your zero setting for 5.56mm ammo is, and how many clicks you moved your sight to be zeroed with the 22LR ammo. I would advise you to write down these settings on an index card and leave it in your rifle case. Leave the rifle set to its 5.56mm/.223 caliber setting, and adjust the sights when you want to shoot .22LR ammunition. Remember, write down your settings. I can guarantee that in six months when you pull your rifle out of the closet you will have forgotten your settings.

Flat-Top Receiver With Front Back-Up Iron Sight:

You may have a rifle with a flat-top receiver and a free-floating forearm, or some other type of system that doesn’t use the traditional triangle front sight.  Instead it requires a front backup iron sight. An option might be to run two forward backup iron sights. Keep in mind that most rear backup iron sights are only adjustable left and right. You can only adjust elevation with the front sight. Set up the most forward front sight for 5.56mm, and another just behind it for .22LR. When you want to shoot .22LR just drop the front forward sight (the one zeroed for 5.56mm/.223 caliber) and raise the second one (that is zeroed for .22LR).

Note 1: This setup is intended for rifles that don’t have the traditional triangle front sight tower, but rather a rail along the entire length of the top of the rifle. 

Note 2:  You will have to use two front sights because with 99% of the backup iron sight sets you adjust elevation with the front sight and can only make windage adjustments with the rear.

Magnified Optic:

If you have a rifle quipped with a magnified optic (a scope) with simple cross-hairs or reticle without any bullet drop compensation you will want to first set your rifle so that it is zeroed for 5.56mm.  You can mark the turrets with a Sharpee marker or paint pen, or write down the values on an index card that you will keep in your rifle’s carry case. I would recommend writing down the values as the paint or ink can easily wear off and your will not have a clue of where to set your scope when you want to shoot. You can then adjust your sights to zero the rifle for .22LR. If you have a quality optic then you should be able to easily adjust your optic back and forth to match the type of ammunition that you are shooting. I would suggest storing the rifle with it set for the 5.56mm/.223 caliber ammunition as that will be the ammunition of choice should you need to employee the rifle in an emergency situation. Again, write down your settings for both types of ammunition.

If you have a rifle scope with some type of bullet drop compensation you will first want to zero the rifle scope per the manufacture’s instruction with 5.56mm/.223 caliber ammunition.  Then you can set up targets at various distances and use the bullet drop compensation marking and figure out which marking coincides with point of impact with the .22LR ammunition.  Example:  I have a 4x ACOG.  I figured out that point-of-impact at 50 yards is with the 500 meter mark, and 100 yard POI is with the 600 meter mark.  Easy.  Again, write it down on a card and leave it in your rifle case.  You will forget your numbers.  I promise.

Red-Dot Optic:

If you have a red-dot optic you may be able to mark your optic with both settings. Adjustment turrets on some optics may have numerical values that you can record, and some my not. You may have to simply record the number of clicks from one setting to the other, i.e. “7 clicks up”. Some optics adjustments may have clicks, but rather just enough friction to allow you to move the adjustment, but hopefully tight enough not to move with the rifle’s vibration. In that case you may be stuck with the “Sharpee option”. Even better than a Sharpee might be to use and engraving tool to make small marks to show each setting. Make darn sure that you have the optic set exactly where you want it before you start marking it up with an engraving tool.

Conclusion:

These are only suggestions. You are smart. Although these techniques have worked for me, you may find a solution that works even better. I’d love to hear about it.

Related Articles:

Savannah Arsenal’s Rimfire Ammunition Page

Savannah Arsenal’s Rimfire Optics & Accessories Page

Savannah Arsenal’s Rimfire Conversion Kits Page

A Great Red-Dot Optics For .22LR Rifles: Bushnell TRS-25

Bushnell Trophy Red-Dot: No-Go!

Make A New Storage Tube For Your AR-15 22LR Conversion Kit

CMMG Brand Conversion Kits For AR-15 Rifles

Gemtech’s Subsonic .22LR Ammunition = WIN!

by Fordy Smith

I recently reviewed the AK Operators Union two day class that I attended in October 2015 at the Valor Ridge Range in Harrogate, Tennessee.  The follow is a gear review for all of the hardware that I ran at the class.

UW Gear Swamp Fox:

UW Gear

UW Gear’s Swamp Fox

Like all UW Gear products, this rig is magazine specific (for proper fit) and comes with their tabs that hold the mags in place. It’s not as fast as some other solutions, but its close, and does an excellent job of keeping the mags secure until you need them. It’s also silent to get to the mags and doesn’t have scream annoying velcro mating call.

The Swamp Fox holds 4 mags in single stack configuration with some webbing on the side that you can fasten some extra things if you want. I almost didn’t get this rig because while it holds 4 mags, it would have held 5 if they didn’t include the gap in the middle. I initially thought this was wasted space. After running it for a day I saw real quick the logic behind that.

The gap in the center makes it easy to open the rig up and get fully prone, as well as helps you stay cooler than solid designs. It holds mags securely and you don’t even notice you’re wearing it. The only negative, if you can call it that, is putting mags back in the pouch one-handed when its wet takes a little effort. This is only an “on paper” issue for when you are running a high volume class with constant mag changes all day. It’s also a fraction of a second slower than some other “speed reload” rigs.

This is also not of any concern for any application other than recreational competition. You’re not going to burn through five 30 round mags without hiding behind cover and regrouping anyway, so a few lost tenths of a second is meaningless, and if you ever intend on going prone with a double (or triple LOL!) stack mag rig please let me know so I can be there to laugh and be amused.

This was the best kit I’ve ran or seen ran. Put it on your short list, but they are usually backlogged for several months, as is often the case with craftsmen who make good things and make it well. In the dozen or so pieces of kit I have or have seen people use, I’ve seen exactly zero defects of any kind. None. Not one loose thread or anything. I highly recommend all of their gear, but this is the best designed and thought out one they have. It carries what you need, keeps it secure until you need it, keeps you cool and keeps you low.

UW Gear Bandoleer:

UW Gear Bandoleer

This is more of a grab and go rig. It holds 3 mags (they have a version now that holds 4 mags in a double stack configuration with space for you to weave in something else) with pouches the same as the Swamp Fox. It’s primarily designed to sit on the side/hip area, but can be rotated to act like a de facto canted chest rig, and you can pull it to the side if you need to go prone.

It’s a good rig for what it’s designed for, but the Swamp Fox is clearly better for almost every application. For a quick grab and go rig though, its hard to beat. Very good design and excellent quality and craftsmanship.

Blackhawk Knee Pads:

These are quality, heavy-duty knee pads that can be had for really cheap despite their name. Like under $20 cheap (in 2015) if you shop around. Good for some training and competition applications, but probably a little too bulky for all day (or more) usage. Knee pads are kind of catch 22 anyway; you only really need them when you’re doing a high volume of repetitious training, but if you use them for that you will likely build/reinforce negative training habits like slamming your knee into the ground harder than you otherwise would.

They are good pads, but it’s probably better to go with something lighter/less bulky or nothing at all and just train around reality instead of huge padding you probably won’t have on when you need it in the first place anyway.

Beltman Bullhide Belt:

The Beltman Bullhide Gunbelts

These are exceptional leather carry/duty/EDC belts. I wanted to run this because it’s what I wear a lot, and I knew I didn’t want to wear some tacticool wrestling champion double bling belt system just to carry a pistol and a couple mags. A good belt is the anchor of most holster/mag carry systems, but leather belts are not exactly the best kit for high volume training classes getting prone and crawling through muddy gravel all day. It did its job well and didn’t fail, but wet muddy conditions with that much movement would have been better for a good quality, simple web belt.

Bravo Concealment Holster and Double Mag Pouch:

Tough, durable, nothing ever came loose. What you would expect from a good Kydex maker?  There are many good companies out there that make Kydex stuff, but they are definitely a good one.

PIG FDT (full dexterity tactical) Gloves:

PIG Full Dexterity Tactical (FDT) Alpha Gloves

THese are some of the best 3 season gloves you can get for this application. Excellent protection and dexterity. Highly recommend them. Way better than Mechanix and others and well worth the extra cost. That said, do not spend more for the “alpha touch” gloves that supposedly work on touch screens. Not only do they only marginally and inconsistently work for me on screens, they fit differently (tighter) than the regular ones.

Circle 10 Mags:

These are some of the best mags you can get, period. Yes they are one of the more expensive mags, but they are absolute tier one gear. The magazine is the heart of the rifle. Don’t skimp on mags for any serious application. There are great mags out there at lower price points, especially some steel mags, but quality control and current condition vary wildly on a mag by mag basis. Each individual steel mag needs to be tested and vetted many times to take it from “range mag” to a mag you know you can count on. Most of the few AK issues were mag related, and none of them were Circle 10 mags.

Arsenal Saiga SGL-21 with AK-74 Style Brake:

Gun performed flawlessly, as did everyone else’s who used one. These are getting very hard to find outside the used market and prices are climbing, but they are excellent if you can find one. No issues from anyone’s there. It ate any ammo fed to it.

The only issue was the trigger. Fortunately this was discovered in pre class testing at the range. Not only do Arsenal triggers feel like a gritty sponge, but it wouldn’t reset for the next round on its own unless you jerked it so it became a single shot rifle. Screw that. I wasn’t about to take a 1000 round class while having to press and then pull the trigger back into position every shot, so I did a quick Tapco G2 replacement. Not the greatest trigger either, but it worked well enough.

Their triggers are very well thought out but poorly executed. They have a little lip on the hammer that simulates a double stage feel (sort of) and does an OK job of letting you take out the (crappy, gritty and excessive) pull before the break, but that’s a poor habit pattern to get into with an AK anyway. There are just too many affordable trigger options out there that are way better to justify using the crappy Arsenal trigger.

Tula, Wolf and Brown Bear ammo, FMJ and JSP:

Ammo cans mixed with all types, sometimes 2 or 3 types in the same magazine. No accuracy or feeding issues noted.

AK Iron Sights:

These sights get a bad rap from people who aren’t used to them, don’t know how to zero them, and have little if any experience behind them actually trying to learn them and get better with them. I was one of those people. That’s why I decided to run the entire class with stock irons. I adapted, and so can you. It didn’t take long to shoot almost as well (and as fast) as the guys with red dots.

Before you hang a ton of stuff off your AK (and definitely before you go screwing with the sights themselves) just stop and think how is it possible for so many millions of soldiers for generations (continuing to this day) to run these sights and pass infantry qualifications at every level? AK iron sights don’t suck; operators behind them who don’t learn them suck with them, that’s all. The sight radius is the same as a stock M4, and the much aligned front sight post only covers 25cm at 100 meters.

Even if you want to run scopes or red dots, you still need to be proficient at AK iron sights. Do it for you. Do it for Lieutenant General Mikhail Timofeyevich Kalashnikov. Do it for AK. Do it.

Savvy Sniper Sling:

Good sling. High quality made in the USA gear. Works as advertised. The only thing to think about is what kind of attaching method you want (QD, mash, HK, etc). There’s a lot of slings out there that will do the job and this one isn’t cheap, so it’s not necessary to spend this much, but you’ll be glad you did if you do. The only thing I would improve is to add a 2” padded section for the times you go double point and it hangs around your neck if you run it like that (pistol transitions) but otherwise its fine.

Glock 19 with XS Big Dot Sights:

This was mostly a rifle class but there was a handgun component. Rifles were all AK variants, but handgun was whatever you wanted. Most brought Glocks but there were a few other types here or there. I ran XS Big Dots because I’m not that experienced with them and want to learn them.

They take some getting used to. At first they will probably increase the size of your groups, and at this point most people will freak out and stop using them. Larger groups frustrated me as well, but I went into it knowing that lots of really good shooters that know a lot more than me say they are some of the best handgun sights you can get so I made up my mind to learn them.

After a few “fliers” that were 100% me, I had several groups just as tight as I’d expect from conventional 3 block pistol sights. More practice is needed, but these sights are very quick to put on target and probably the best for adrenaline dump/gross motor skill degradation/tunnel vision situations.

Slip 2000 EWL and EWG:

Slip 2000 Marine Corps Contract Expanded

What’s the best caliber? What’s better AR or AK? What’s the best “gun lube”? Nothing sets the internet on fire quite like any opinion on anything gun related. Fortunately when it comes to what lubricates the best, we have a clear and proven answer: your mom.

When it comes to semi auto rifles, I decided a while ago to use Slip 2000 for a while to see how it works. I first used their degreaser, and then their “Extreme Weapons Lube” or EWL, and then applied a normal quantity of “Extreme Weapons Grease” (EWG) on the bolt lugs and rail areas.

After 1000 rounds and crawling through the mud, cleanup on everything (except the gas piston which is dry to begin with) was very easy. It seems to lubricate very well and the 1000th round cycled just like the first. It’s also non toxic, which may not be a big deal on any given day cleaning guns, after decades of cleaning a lot of guns…

There are other non toxic options out there. One of the most notable is FrogLube, which I also like and use. I use it on most of my handguns and single/double barrel shotguns. But for semi auto rifles I don’t fully trust it under cold outdoor conditions. There are just too many reports of it gunking up the action because it wasn’t applied correctly. Common mistakes are not degreasing it properly (it doesn’t play well with others) and putting it on too thick. There are plenty of videos and reviews “debunking” these criticisms and showing that it works just fine in cold conditions, but I wanted to try Slip2000 and have been very pleased.

Another popular option is motor oil and lithium grease. There’s nothing wrong with these, and they are certainly cheaper. But I’m happy with Slip2000 and its non toxic and makes clean up a breeze and to me that’s well worth the cost, which isn’t “expensive” to begin with.

LAPG Operator Pants:

I got these cheap on sale at LA Police Gear. All the features of the other much more expensive brands at a fraction of the price. I’ve had and used their name brand products for years and they are usually very good. They do in my experience suffer from a small level of quality control though. For example you will occasionally see a button fall off or a small seam start to unthread, but I’ve never had a catastrophic blowout with any of their branded gear. Any free sewing kit from a hotel and its fixed in a couple of minutes. Good quality, cheap and easy, just like your mom.

Spiderco Endura:

We didn’t use knives for the class, but most people had them as part of their EDC. Spiderco obviously makes great knives. However several people had their knives (all brands) fall out onto the ground from their standard deep pocket clip carry while crawling around prone in the gravel and mud. They ended up spending the rest of the class sitting in ammo cans. Just something to think about. This wasn’t a Spiderco issue, as it happened with other pocket clip knifes. Just something to consider.

Baseball Cap with Button Removed:

While not a “gear review” by any means (more of a “life hack”) lots of shooters use ball caps, and they are often required at some ranges or agency requals. But the button on the top sucks when you wear a headset, and serves as a little self-contained skull crushing ball peen hammer if you get hit on the head with anything. The vast majority of hats don’t need them, so do yourself a favor and pry that crap off.

Related Articles:

Savannah Arsenal’s Ak47 / AK74 Page

AK Operators Union / Center-T Class

AK Philosophy / Thoughts / Takeaways / Personal Opinions

Nutnfancy’s AR vs. AK

If you buy a cheap red-dot optic you will usually end up with junk that can not produce a bright enough reticle to be seen in bright sunlight, and probably will not be able to handle the constant abuse of firearm recoil.

The Bushnell TRS-25 (pictured above), while not cheap, is still reasonably priced from around $80 – $120 (depending on where you purchase it, and whether it is on sale or not). The TRS-25 has been tested on .375 H&H Magnum rifles. If it can survive that massive recoil, it certainly can handle the almost non-existent recoil of a .22LR rifle.

The TRS-25 has 11 brightness setting.  I have two of the red-dot sights and I have never needed to use the brightness settings, even on the sunniest of days. It has a 3 MOA red-dot reticle. Mounted to a Ruger 10.22 I zero the red-dot at 20 yards. Bullet impact at 50 yards is still within the upper third of the dot. Point-of-sight and point-of-impact are the same again at 66 yards. At 100 yards the bullet will impact just to bottom of the dot. With the 20 yard zero you will hit what ever you put the dot on out past 66 yards, and will only require slight holdover as your near 100 yards. My two children can routinely hit spent shotgun shells with impunity all the way out past 30 yards, and tennis balls past 60 yards. I have several friends that have these same sights on their Ruger 10/22 rifles and absolutely love them.

Bushnell makes a riser for the TRS-25 that lets you co-witness with you AR-15’s backup iron sights (BUIS) 1/3 low.  Promag makes a mount that will allow you an absolute co-witness with your AR-15’s BUIS.

Note: Make sure that you use LocTite on the screw when you mount the sight to your rifle. Do not over-torque the mounting bolt as you may accidentally crack the mount.  Keep an extra CR-2032 battery with your rifle. If you leave the TRS-25 turned on it will not automatically shut off and the battery will probably be dead when you go to use it again.

Related Articles:

Savannah Arsenal’s Rimfire Ammunition Page

Savannah Arsenal’s Rimfire Optics & Accessories Page

Savannah Arsenal’s Rimfire Conversion Kits Page

Savannah Arsenal’s Ruger 10/22 Rifle Page

Savannah Arsenal’s Henry Arms .22LR Page

Savannah Arsenal’s Marlin 60 .22LR Page

Bushnell Trophy Red-Dot: No-Go!

What Distance To Zero Your .22LR Rifle

What Distance To Zero Your .22LR Conversion Kit Equipped AR-15 or Dedicated .22LR AR-15

CMMG Brand Conversion Kits For AR-15 Rifles

Recently a friend acquired a gently used replica of the Colt M4 rifle in .22LR caliber that is manufactured under license by Walther Firearms. I have seen them advertised in shooting magazines, but until now I had never actually seen or held one. The are sold by Colt and sport the “embattled horse” Colt logo on the lower receiver, and other than the 30-round single-stack magazine being slightly longer than the 30-round magazine of a real AR type rifle, they are pretty much a perfect one-for-one visual replica of the real thing.

Introduction:

From Walther’s website: “The Colt M4 Carbine is a spot on .22 LR replica of the current carbine version of the M-16 machine gun issued to U.S. military. It features a carbine length barrel, collapsible stock and removable carry handle. As with the original, the upper and lower receiver is made of high quality aluminum. The Colt M4 Carbine Semi-Automatic Rifle in .22 L.R. is manufactured exclusively by Walther under license from Colt. It is the only genuine Colt tactical rimfire replica available in the world.”

At first I thought that the rifle might simply be a Colt AR-15 lower receiver paired with a dedicated .22LR upper receiver assembly. This is not the case. The actual firearm mechanism fits snugly inside a M4 façade and does not function anything like a real M4 / AR-15 / M-16 type of firearm. In fact, the M4 style barrel with grenade launcher cutout is simply a sleeve that the actual .22LR barrel fits into. While this sound cheap, the rifle actually feels solidly constructed.

Features and Observations:

The bolt release is a dummy and does not have any function other than to help make the rifle look authentic.

The forward assist is also a dummy and does not have any function.

The rifle bolt locks to the rear when the last round in the magazine is fired. To release the bolt, eject the empty magazine, load a new magazine, and run the charging handle. The bolt should drop and load a fresh round into the chamber.

The 30-round single stack magazine is longer than a 30-round 5.56mm NATO magazine that it is intending to replicate. They may or may not fit into your magazine pouches. If you can fit a 40-round 5.56mm NATO magazine, then you should be good to go. The magazines do not have metal lips, so I can’t say for sure how long they will last. Buy a few extra.

The particular rifle model is called the “M4 OPS”. It has a railed forend which is not “drop-in” and appears to only be connected to the firearm where the barrel nut is on a real AR-15. The barrel is essentially free-floating as the railed forend doesn’t seem to have any contact points with the barrel. The rifle comes with four of what appear to be Knight’s Armament Corporation brand rail covers, minus the KAC logo. Are they knockoffs? I can’t tell. They serve their purpose on the .22LR rifle, though.

The rear sight is looks just like a real A-2 rear sight. It has dual apertures; on a real AR-15 / M-4 / M-16 the larger for shooting 0-200 meters, and the smaller for shooting longer distances. This feature can serve nothing more than to preserve the authentic AR-15 look since most .22LR bullets drop below supersonic speed around 50 yards, and will have bled off most of their effective squirrel / rabbit killing energy around 100 yards. You won’t be hitting many intended targets past 100 to 150 yards. While the sights seem perfect for a training rifle or “fun gun”, I’m not sure that I would trust it to run on a real 5.56mm NATO battle rifle. I noticed that when you flip between the large and small apertures that it occasionally rotates the windage knob, which will move point-of-impact. Your best bet will be to select which aperture that you prefer to shoot with, adjust the sights for your preferred zero (see below), and then leave the sights alone and don’t ever touch them again. You should be good to go. If you are really paranoid, you can replace them with a higher quality model, but if you can trust your kids not to flip the apertures, then you should be good with the sights that came with the rifle. Just like any removable item on a firearm (optic, light, etc.) be sure to use a dot or two of Loctite thread locker on the mounting screw threads. The rifle’s owner stated that they had trouble with the rifles sights staying zeroed. Upon examination I discovered that the rear sight’s mounting screw had indeed worked itself loose and the rear sight assembly was loose enough to wiggle around on the rail. Easy fix.

On initial examination of the rifle I thought that it might be a good candidate to receive a .22LR suppressor that would stay on the rifle all of the time. After reading the disassembly directions and watching the videos below, I realized that (spoiler alert!) the rifle’s flash-hider is a key component that holds the rifle together (I’m serious… watch the videos), so mounting a suppressor on this particular .22LR AR-15 is not an option (disappointment). Needless to say, you are stuck with the traditional looking A-2 birdcage flash-hider, and a real one with the industry standard 1/2 x 28 threads will not fit.

Reliability:

Prior to testing, the rifle was thoroughly cleaned, wiped dry of excess cleaning oil, and then all of the moving parts were lubricated with a very thin film of Lithium grease. I used both magazines that were supplied with the rifle, taking note of how many, if any, malfunctions occurred in which magazine, just in case the magazine was the culprit.

As has been discussed in other sections of Savannah Arsenal, rimfire firearms can be very finicky about what brand of ammunition they prefer. Some guns will run great on a certain brand, while they fail miserably with another. The only way to be sure what your gun will shoot is to try several brands. Don’t get frustrated if it doesn’t function with a particular brand. Just try another until you find what works, and then stock up on that brand when ever it is available.

I only had two types of ammunition to test: Remington’s bulk pack 36-grain hollow-point “Golden Bullets” (seen right, top), and Federal’s bulk-pack 36-grain copper washed hollow-points (seen right, bottom).

I first tried a full 30-round magazine loaded with Remington Golden Bullets. Golden Bullets are the manufacturer’s recommended ammunition for the Advantage Arms .22LR conversion kits made for Glock pistols and run great in those guns. They also work great in my two Ruger 10/22 rifles. In the Colt M4 .22LR rifle, however, I could not get a single Remington to successfully feed into the chamber. They would get hung up, not enter the chamber, and jam the gun. I tried downloading the magazine down to 15 rounds to see with less tension of the magazine spring if the gun would function. It didn’t. I also tried the same with the second magazine without any luck. In this particular firearm the Remington ammunition failed miserably. I immediately had a bad feeling that this type of firearm was a bad design, or that at least this individual gun was a lemon.

I fully loaded both magazines with Federal’s hollow-points. They fed and functioned perfectly. I ran seven full magazines loads, for a total of just over 200 rounds, without a single malfunction.

In this gun the Remington ammunition was worthless, while the Federal ammunition ran great. Keep in mind that your results may vary with your individual firearm, but expect good results from the Federal. You should still try a sampling of a couple of hundred rounds of several types of ammunition so that you can truly depend of your firearm.

Accuracy:

I was only able to test the rifle at a 25 yard, indoor range. I did not have a proper shooting table to beanbag rest the rifle, but I was able to place a large beanbag on the shooting stall’s reloading shelf and shoot with the rifle’s magazine resting on the beanbag. While this wasn’t the perfect testing environment, it was more stable than I had expected to have in a standup, indoor range.

The rifle will eventually sport a Bushnell TRS-25 red-dot optic co-witnessed with the iron sights using UTG’s Medium Profile Riser Mount, but for this test I only had the factory iron sights.

I zeroed the rifle at 25 yards (see “What Distance You Should You Zero Your .22LR AR-15” farther down this page). I was able to carefully shoot sub golf ball size groups with the rifle crudely rested as described above, and easily shoot baseball size groups off-hand. The accuracy test results, when considering the combination of bulk ammunition and the less than perfect testing environment, were totally acceptable. You should expect even better results with quality ammunition and a decent bench rest shooting position.

For rimfire training and plinking this rifle’s accuracy is perfectly acceptable. I’ll expect even better results after the red-dot is mounted and zeroed. I may try CCI’s Mini-Mag ammo for accuracy and reliability. I’ll update the results as soon possible.

How To Disassemble The Colt M4 .22LR Carbine:

Fieldstrip:

According to the rifle’s manual, you are only suppose to break down the rifle into its basic upper and lower components, spray them out with Gun Scrubber, and put a drop of oil in a few key locations. The following video demonstrates the official way to clean the rifle.

Full Disassembly:

The manual also states that any further disassembly will void Walther’s excellent warranty. The problem is that .22 ammo is very dirty to shoot, and to properly clean and lubricate the rifle, further disassembly is absolutely necessary. You may choose to follow the manufacture’s cleaning and lubrication recommendations, but if you start to suffer serious reliability issues, you may choose to go ahead and break the rifle down further.

Do not attempt to disassemble the rifle until you have thoroughly studied the rifle’s downloadable instruction manual and watched the disassembly videos farther down on this page. The rifle looks like an AR, but looks are where the similarities end. It doesn’t disassemble anything like an AR, so all of your vast AR expertise is wasted with this rifle. Note that there are several small springs and pins that are under pressure when assembled. Do not attempt to disassemble the rifle if you are standing on a shag carpet. If you launch a spring then you will never see it again. If you are mechanically inclined then you should be able to watch the disassembly videos below and read the owner’s manual and be able to figure it out.

The biggest disassembly-assembly “pain in the ass” appears to be reinstalling the tiny spring and pin that offer resistance to the bolt hold open mechanism. The videos below are very vague with how to take the mechanism apart or how to put it back together. It is really easy to drop the parts, they are easily damaged during installation, and if the spring and pin are missing then the bolt hold open is free to flop down and lock the bolt down at any time. The previous owner had not properly assembled the rifle. The spring was missing and so the bolt hold open mechanism flopped up and down without the tension to normally hold it into place until the empty magazine’s follower could force it into position to lock the bolt open. It would occasionally lock the bolt back even though the magazine wasn’t empty. I simply removed the bolt hold open parts and the rifle ran perfectly without them, except that the bolt didn’t lock back after the last round was fired. I didn’t miss this feature as it isn’t even a requirement of a NATO approved battle rifle. (How many rifles can you think of that lock open after the last round? Not many.)

Recommendations:

Watch the videos before you attempt to disassemble the rifle.

When you disassemble the rifle, do not disassemble the bolt hold open mechanism. It is easy to clean around it while it is in place. You will save yourself a huge headache. If you don’t heed my warning, replacement parts can be ordered on from the phone number found on the last page of the instruction manual.

I don’t see any reason to disassemble the trigger mechanism. It looks like a complete pain in the ass. If it is dirty, spray it out with Gun Scrubber, put a few drops of oil as recommended, and you will be good to go. If you are planning to store the rifle for an extended period of time, you can shoot some Break Free or other aerosol gun lubricant into the mechanism, and use an air compressor to blow the excess oil out of the receiver.

I had a lot of luck with placing a couple of drops of gun oil on the trigger mechanism within the lower receiver, and then I placed a thin film of lithium grease anywhere that the bolt has contact within the upper receiver where it travels backwards and forwards.

What Distance You Should You Zero Your .22LR AR-15:

I have done a couple of articles on what distance is the best all-purpose zero for a particular rifle / caliber combination. I have never really taken dedicated .22LR AR-15 rifles seriously until I was asked to help zero this rifle. Why even bother? Why would I waste my time with a rifle firing .22LR ammo with sights that are 2.5″ above bore? Any traditional .22LR rifle has its sights mounted close to the bore, and traditionally red-dots are always mounted as close to the bore as possible. I couldn’t see how you could have anything but a terrible .22LR ballistic trajectory with AR-15 sights that are 2.5″ above the bore.

Having been granted the opportunity to play with this rifle for a few days I ran a few zero distances through my ballistics app on my iPad using data for CCI’s 36-grain Mini-Mag ammunition, and I couldn’t believe how ignorant I had been. I played with several distances and tweaked it until I found the optimum zero distance of 25 yards.

Benefits of a 25 Yard Zero:

• Note the graph above. From a distance of 13 yards from the muzzle, all the way out to approximately 89 yard, the point-of-impact of the bullet will never be +/- 1″ from point-of-aim. This means that you should be able to hit a 2″ target without any hold-over / hold-under correction anywhere within 13 yards to 89 yards!
• The highest distance above point of aim is exactly 1″ at 50 yards.
• At 100 yards you can expect your point-of-impact to be 2.37″ below your point-of-aim. To give you a visual, you will make hits below the point-of-aim less than the height that the sights set above the bore. This is pretty impressive, especially considering that you might be using a red-dot optic, such as the Bushnell TRS-25, with a 3 minute-of-angle dot (dot that appears 3″ in diameter at 100 yards). If the dot touches the target, you should be able to hit within that dot out to 100 yards.

Conclusion:

Based on my experience, here is how I graded it:

• Fit & Finish: “A-“.  Looks great, but it still isn’t a real AR.  The rear sight assembly isn’t very high quality.
• Practical Accuracy: “A-“.  I’ll probably change it to an “A” or “A+” when I get to shoot it with a red-dot optic and better ammunition.
• Ballistics: “A”.  A ballistic trajectory with the rifle’s AR style sights sitting 2.5″ over bore, coupled with a 25 yard zero, give the rifle a very flat trajectory out to 100 yards.
• Ease of Maintenance: “D”.  This gun isn’t easy to take apart and reassemble for proper cleaning.  It gets a “B” if you are willing to settle for a Gun Scrubber spray cleaning in the field.
• Reliability:  “A” with the right ammo.  “F” is you try to run the wrong ammunition.

This looks like good rifle for training and plinking. Equip it with a red-dot optic and some type of inexpensive tactical light mounted to the rail system and you will have yourself a serious tactical squirrel killer.

Related Articles:

Savannah Arsenal’s Rimfire Ammunition Page

A Great Red-Dot Optics For .22LR Rifles: Bushnell TRS-25

October / November 2015:

• Added Colt’s .22LR Caliber M-4 Carbine article to the blog.
• Added A Great Red-Dot Optics For .22LR Rifles: Bushnell TRS-25 article to the blog.
• Added AK Operator’s Union: Class Gear & Kit Review article to the blog.
• Added What Distance To Zero Your .22LR Conversion Kit Equipped AR-15 or Dedicated .22LR AR-15 article to the blog.
• Added AK Operators Union / Center-T Class article to the blog.
• Added AK Philosophy / Thoughts / Takeaways / Personal Opinions article to the blog.
• Added content to the Generators page.
• Added content to the Fuel Storage & Transportation page.
• Added content to the Meal Ready to Eat (MRE) page.
• Added content to the AK-47 / AKM / AK-74 page.
• Added content to the 2nd Gear: Defensive Loadout page.
• Added content to the 3rd Gear: Bug-Out Bag page.
• Added content to the Mindset page.
• Added content to the Rimfire Conversion Kits page.
• Added the Bug-Out Location page. (Still a work in progress.)

Location and Directions:

• Follow Hwy 144 approximately 10.3 miles east from Richmond Hill (Hardees Restaurant at Hwy 17 and Hwy 144).
• Turn left on Kilkenny Road.
• Range entrance is 0.8 miles on left.
• Follow unpaved road 0.5 miles to the range.

Hours of Operation:

• September 16 – March 15:  0900 – 1700
• Mar. 16-Sept. 15:  0900 – 1800
• Tuesdays:  Closed
• Closed on Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Facilities:

The range is 100 yards with markers denoting 25, 50, 75, and 100 yard distances.

You will need your own target stands that have no metal, and that are tall enough so that the bullet will hit the berm after passing through the target.

There are approximately 12 shooting tables with a covered awning to keep the sun off of you while shooting.

There are men’s and women’s restroom with running water.

Originally the range facility only included the covered shooting line and a gravel parking lot.  A few years ago it was decided to build an office / restroom building.  This was built at an expense of about 20% of the parking area.  Parking isn’t a big deal during the week, but poor planning has resulting in crowded parking during weekends.  Also, if space permitted, you use to be able to park right in front of your shooting table.  As you can see from the drone photo at the top of the page, the new building has blocked easy parking access to half of the firing line.  Also, in their infinite wisdom, the site planners (or bored range personnel) decided not to allow you to park in front of the other half.  You must park out in the lot, and are before entering the covered firing line you are guided via cattle fences pass the office.  This is very inconvenient as you will probably have to make several trips from your vehicle to your shooting area so as to carry your target stands, rifle cases, shooting gear boxes, etc.  You should entertain the idea of hiring a Sherpa to carry all of your gear.  The range definitely lacks fung shui, and it is obvious that it was not designed by experienced planners.

Fees:

Each shooter will need a Georgia Outdoors Recreational Pass (GORP), unless they are 15 years old or younger, 65 years old or older, or who have a valid WMA License, Honorary License, Sportsmen’s License, Lifetime License or Three-Day Hunting and Fishing License.

GORP General Information and Pricing

Purchase Your GORP Online

Don’t show up to the range without your pass.  You will be turned away.

Official Georgia DNR Regulations:

These rules are copied and pasted directly from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources WMA Firearm Range website.

PERMISSIBLE FIREARMS:

1. Only firearms utilizing single projectile ammunition may be fired on DNR managed firing ranges. However, shotguns utilizing multiple projectile ammunition may be fired at stationary targets for purposes of assessing shotgun patterns and in areas specifically designated by DNR for shotguns. Sawed-off shotguns, sawed-off rifles, machine guns, dangerous weapons, and silenced weapons as defined in O.C.G.A. § 16-11-121, and any weapon firing more than once with a single trigger pull are prohibited on DNR firing ranges. However, silenced weapons may be used by any person provided that such person has in their possession, at all times, proof of registration of such silencer consistent with the National Firearms Act and such person is in compliance with O.C.G.A. § 16-11-121.
2. Rifles using centerfire cartridges .50 caliber or larger are prohibited.

GENERAL RANGE RULES:

1. No alcoholic beverages (as defined in O.C.G.A. § 3-1-2) shall be possessed on any DNR managed firing range.
2. No person under the influence of alcohol or drugs is permitted on a DNR firing range.
3. No smoking is permitted on or near the firing line.
4. Non-shooters must remain at least six feet behind the firing line whenever any shooter is at the firing line.
5. Tracer or any ammunition considered to be incendiary or explosive is prohibited on the firing range.
6. Targets must be constructed of paper, cardboard, ballistics polymer, or similar material that will not shatter or cause bullet ricochet. Metal targets may be used for special events if approved by DNR in advance.
7. Ground level targets must be positioned so that a bullet will not strike flat ground before the backstop; all targets must be located so that a bullet will strike between the base and halfway up the backstop.
8. No shooting at flying or thrown objects is allowed except with shotguns and shot shells in areas specifically designated by DNR for such shooting activities.
9. All children (16 years old or younger) must be accompanied and directly supervised by an adult 18 years old or older.
10. All objects, trash, targets, and spent cartridge hulls must be removed by firing range users when leaving the range.
11. Range use is allowed only in accordance with range hours and dates posted at the firing range.
12. Shooters shall fire only at the target directly down range of that person’s position.
13. Any person using DNR firing ranges must wear hearing and eye protection.
14. Double tapping or rapid fire is prohibited. Shooters shall allow at least one second between shots.

GUN HANDLING RULES:

1. Any firearm must be unloaded and either cased or have its’ action open, except when it is at firing line and is being used for firing.
2. In the event of a firearm malfunction, the shooter shall keep his/her firearm pointed down range, advise all persons at the firing line of the malfunction, and unload as soon as possible.
3. In the event of a malfunction of another shooter’s firearm, all firearms must be unloaded with actions open for the duration of the malfunction.
4. All firearms on the firing line must be grounded and unloaded, with actions open whenever anyone is downrange.
5. Muzzles must be pointed downrange for all firearms on the firing line.
6. The muzzle of every firearm when in the firing position must be in front of the front edge of the bench upon which it rests.
7. All loading of muzzleloaders must be by single charge dispensers; pouring powder from larger containers directly into a muzzleloader is prohibited.  Loading muzzleloaders must be done at least six feet behind the firing line whenever another muzzle-loading firearm is on the firing line.
8. Shooters must be at the firing line before capping or priming muzzle-loading firearms.
9. In the event of a hangfire, muzzle-loading firearms must be kept pointed downrange until the problem is corrected.
10. Containers of muzzleloader propellant must remain closed except when needed for filling a single charge dispenser.

RANGE SAFETY OFFICERS:

1. Any person on the range shall obey the range commands of department Range Safety Officers. This includes, but is not limited to: Begin Fire commands, Cease Fire commands, and Resume Fire commands.
2. Range Safety Officers may call a Cease Fire at any time an unsafe condition is recognized on the range.  Any person on the range shall immediately obey a Cease Fire command by grounding all firearms with actions open.
3. It is unlawful for any person on the range to disregard Range Safety Officer warnings concerning failure to obey any range rule.

Authority O.C.G.A. Title 27; O.C.G.A. §27-1-4; Georgia Dept. of Natural Resources Regulation 391-4-9-.02

Range Querks:

Have Your GORP Pass When You Arrive:

Don’t even bother showing up if you do not have a valid GORP pass issued by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.  They will turn you around and point the way back off of the property.  No exceptions.

Make Sure That Your Bullets Only Hit The Berm:

Firearms Safety Rule #4.  Know your target and beyond.  The DNR wants to make sure that your rounds terminate into the berm at the far end of the range.  The Range Safety Officers will deliver a litter of kittens if they see rounds skip on the ground prior to the berm (the logic being that when the round skips it will then sail over the top of the berm).  While setting up your targets, be very sure of where your rounds will impact after they pass through your target.

The Official Range Hours Of Operation Aren’t Official:

The range has official hours listed on the DNR’s website, but should any of the Range Safety Officers get sick or decide to blow off work that day, the range will, without any warning, be closed that day.  There have been several times in the past few years that I have shown up to shoot, but the Range Safety Officers never arrived to unlocked the cattle gate at the entrance to the property.  If you are going to be driving a significant distance to shoot, you might be well served to call the local DNR in Richmond Hill at (912) 727-2112 and politely inquire as to whether or not the range is open that day.  They should be able to tell you if the HMFIC at the range showed up that day or not.

Range Safety Officers:

The Range Safety Officers appear to be older, retired guys that like guns and need an excuse to get out of the house.  The guy on the left is a retired police officer from up north.  He is fair and has a very cool demeanor, but can rapidly become agitated if he decides that someone has deviated from the rules.  His bad attitude can accelerate from 0 to 100 mph in about 4 seconds.  You can tell that he has had a long career of dealing with dumbass bullshit and doesn’t have any time for yours.  Follow the rules, don’t act like you are enjoying yourself too much, and you won’t have any problems.

Beware of the guy on the right.  He is a condescending authority on EVERYTHING, including many things that he doesn’t know anything about… gear, technique, etc.  He has a bad reputation of walking up to your shooting table and picking up your gear without asking, fiddle-fucking with it until he is satisfied, and then presenting you with an unsolicited equipment critique.  I guess he has adopted a policy of “what is his is his, and what is yours is his”.  While I have no problem with the Range Safety Officers enforcing safety on the range, there are a number of customers at the range, including myself, that resent the freedoms that he takes with the personal property of others.  I have had to ask him a couple of times to quick touching my toys.  On one occasion, to get the point across, I asked him if I were to bring my wife to the range would he touch her too.  Hey Mr. RSO, if it isn’t unsafe, then keep your paws off my stuff and mind your business.

Also, the guy on the right will make up new rules to supplement the official rules.  I witnessed him berating a shooter for collecting spent brass off of the ground.  He claimed that he had a letter from the DNR’s main office in Atlanta which stated that spent brass on the ground is state property.  On the same day I heard him discussing with another older shooter that he collects all of the spent brass and takes it home to reload.  I was very tempted to contact the DNR’s office in Atlanta as I felt that was a blatant ethics violation.  I should have demanded to see the letter.  I know of two fellow shooters that state that they witnessed him selling empty brass at a gun show in Savannah.  While I myself did not witness him at the gun show, I have, on several occasions, watched him interpret the rules different ways for which I thought was to ultimately benefit him.  Also, if you are piling up empty brass around your shooting table, he will offer to sweep it up for you.  If you are shooting steel case ammo, he won’t come anywhere near you… unless he wants to touch your guns, or your wife.

Third story regarding the RSO shown right in the photo above:  I have a friend who owns an AR-15 with a 14.5″ barrel and a 1.5″ recoil compensator that was permanently welded to the barrel at the factory, making total length of the barrel assembly 16″ (less than 16″ requires that the rifle be registered as a short barrel rifle (SBR) with the ATF and is a serous felony to be in possession of a SBR without the proper registration).  He took his grandson to the Richmond Hill range to teach him how to shoot the rifle.  They child was excited as they had been planning the granddad-grandson out for some time.  The RSO saw the rifle on the table, pulled out his trusty tape measure, and measured the barrel less than 16″.  He was not technically proficient enough to know where on the rifle to begin measuring, and had no idea that a permanently attached muzzle device is considered part of the total barrel assembly.  He wouldn’t listen to any logical explanation (remember that he knows everything, even the stuff that he doesn’t) and insisted that they leave immediately or that he would call the Sheriff.  The grandson was traumatized and was in tears.  The RSO was more interested in asserting his authority, and enforcing regulations that he didn’t understand, than researching to find out if he might be in the wrong (there is no excuse in this day and age of smart phones and wireless internet).  My friend promptly left, but when he got home he went to the BATFE’s website and printed instructions on the proper way to measure the barrel length of an AR-15.  The instructions say to measure and cut a wood dowel (thin enough to fit down the barrel of an AR-15) to precisely 16″  Insert it into the barrel and push it all of the way in until it makes contact with the bolt’s face on a closed bolt.  If the dowel protrudes past the end of the muzzle device then the rifle is considered an SBR.  His rifle measured perfectly.  My returned to the range with the printed instructions and the wood dowel.  He gave the instructions to the RSO and let them know that his technical knowledge was flawed, that his threats and behavior around children was unnecessary, and left him the dowel so that they wouldn’t make the same mistake again.  He says that the RSO’s haven’t said a word to him in the times that he has been back since the incident.

I will remove this information when he is no longer employed.  Until then it stays posted as a warning to anyone wanting to use the range.

No Tactical Shit!:

Don’t show up wearing a gun.  I guess that if you properly conceal it then they won’t know that you have it, but if they see you open carry, or draw from concealment, then they will lose their minds.

You can’t draw from a holster and shoot.  Don’t even think about any trying any high-speed, tactical reloads and weapons transitions.  They will freak out.

Shotguns = BAD:

Unless you are planning on shooting rifled slugs, don’t even take your combat shotgun out of your truck.  The only way that they will allow bird-shot or buck-shot is if you are trying to determine the shot pattern of a hunting shotgun, for which you are only allowed a few rounds, and can fire from only one particular shooting lane.

It Gets Crowded:

You best chance of getting a shooting table is to go early in the morning on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays (The range is closed on Tuesdays).  The later you go in the day, the higher the probability of it being crowded and there not being a table available.  Under no circumstances should you consider going to the range on Saturday and Sunday, or any holiday.  The place is jam-packed with people.  You won’t get a table without waiting forever.  With a crowd that big you will go longer periods of time shooting, and will find yourself waiting for a “cold range” call so that you can replace your spent targets.  With the larger crowds I feel that there is a higher probability of an accidental discharge and someone getting hurt.  I don’t want to be there when it does.

Conclusion:

The range is acceptable for sighting in a rifle, bulls eye shooting with a pistol, or drinking coffee and talking bullshit with old people, but that’s about it.  If you need to seriously train and practice for self-defense then you should take a look at the local firearms training companies in the local area and train at their ranges.

• Added Review of Georgia DNR-WMA Rifle Range Near Richmond Hill / Savannah to the blog.
• Updated and added content to the Mindset page.
• Added an Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) page under Trigger Events.
• Added a Body Armor page under Gear & Tools – Personal Protective Equipment.
• Added content to the AR-15 / M-4 page.
• Added content to the Tapestry page.

If you replace the rear carry handle on your Bushmaster flat-top carbine you may have a problem zeroing the rifle. The height of the Bushmaster front sight is lower than backup iron sights. Even if you raise the front sight post as high as possible, your may find that your rifle still shoots well above point-of-aim (POA). The solution is as easy as replacing the front sight post… a $6 solution.

Mil-Spec front sight bases for A-3 (removable carry handle / flat-top) AR-15 rifles are taller than older A-1 and A-2 (fixed carry handle) rifles. They are marked with a raised “F” on the front sight base’s forging (as seen right). Colt and other manufacturers that equip their flat-top rifles with Mil-Spec front sights may offer a removable carry handle with rear sights that are taller than the traditional A-1 and A-2 rear sights, and are the appropriate height for the taller front sight.

There are a few manufacturers whose AR front sight towers are not quite exactly Mil-Spec height. Bushmaster still uses the older, traditional shorter A-2 front sight base on their A-3 (removable carry handle) rifles.

To make up for the difference between the front sight tower and the removable carry handle, Bushmaster (and some other manufacturers) use shorter removable carry handles. The difference between a Mil-Spec and commercial removable carry handle is very difficult to tell apart unless you have one of each to compare, or have a dial or digital caliper to measure.

The Bushmaster front sight post and removable carry handle combination work fine together, however you will run into problems should you decide to replace the Bushmaster carry handle with a backup iron sight (BUIS). 99,9% of backup iron sights are Mil-Spec height. When you attempt to zero the rifle you can raise the post in the front sight tower to the point that it wobbly and about to fall out (as seen right) and the rifle will still be hitting too low.

Pictured right is a comparison of the Mil-Spec front sight post (left) that sits on a taller front sight base compared to the .040″ taller post (right) that is required on the shorter Bushmaster sight base to make it work with backup iron sights. These can be ordered from Bushmaster’s website.

It will require a front sight tool to remove the original post and replace it with the taller one. Simply use the tool to simultaneously hold in the front post retaining pin while unscrewing the sight post out of the sight base. It’s very easy with the tool, and frustrating and time-consuming without it.

It is interesting to note that replacing the front sight post is more critical on Bushmaster carbines, but may not be necessary on full-length rifles with 20″ barrels.

Before you start ordering parts for replacing your removable carry handle and front sight post from your Bushmaster, verify that it is not marked with the raised “F”. Older Bushmasters were not. There is a chance that since Bushmaster is under new ownership that newer rifles may have the correct height Mil-Spec front sight tower and sight post that will work with Mil-Spec backup iron sights.

Shooting from CQB distances out to 200 meters and beyond can greatly be aided with the use of red-dot or holographic electronic optics. They are much easier to shoot with than traditional iron sights.

When adding a red-dot or holographic optic you will want to:

• Choose the best optic for your needs.
• Install your electronic optic onto your rifle and add backup sights just in case your electronic optic fails. (Don’t forget to use Loctite thread locker on all the screws.)
• Choose the best “battle sight zero” for your rifle, and then zero it at the range.
• Co-witness the backup sights with the reticle of the electronic sight.
• Carry spare batteries with the rifle.

Flat-Top AR15 Rifles With Removable Carry Handles:

Most AR15 style rifles built in the past ten to fifteen years do not have a built in carry handle / rear sight assembly, but rather a “Picatinny rail” that allows the user to have a choice as to mount holographic sights, red-dot sights, magnified optics, simple rear sights, or even a removable carry handle / rear sight assembly. These are referred to as “flat top” rifles. In the past, anyone wanting to mount optics on top of their AR-15 style rifles were forced to use some type of adaptor to mount their optics on top of the fixed carry handle. This set the optics too high to take advantage of the 5.56x45mm NATO rounds fairly flat trajectory, and it set the optic too high for the shooter to get a good cheek weld on the stock. The flat-top design allows you to mount your optics so that the aiming reticle is the same height above bore as the tradition fixed “iron sights”.

Some flat top rifles are sold with a removable carry handle that looks exactly like the older fixed carry handles, except that they can be easily removed with two knobs. Some rifles are sold without the carry handle as manufactures realize that most end users will want to remove them to customize their rifles with optics and accessories. If you choose to simply use the carry handle then don’t mount any optics to the top of it. This defeats the purpose of the removable carry handle. Remove it and mount the optics to the rifle’s rail.

Red-Dot Sights and Holographic Sights:

Savannah Arsenal’s Tactical Rifle Optics Page

More details on the subject of red-dot and holographic sights can be found on the linked page above, but without being repetitive with the other page I would highly recommend the Aimpoint “PRO” (Patrol Rifle Optic) red-dot sight (pictured right), or the Eotech’s 512 holographic sight.  Both are high quality optics that are purpose built for AR15 style rifles and are the correct height to co-witness with backup sights (discussed further in the article).

Always keep spare batteries for the optic with the rifle. I really like Magpul’s MOE grips (pictured right) as they have a compartment where you can store spare batteries for your optic or weapons light. I place the battery in a small plastic arts & crafts “crack bag” before storing it in the grip. (If you replace your grips, be very careful as there is a very small spring and pin that may fall out when you remove the original grip. Be careful not to damage the spring when installing the new grip. Be sure to add a dot of Loctite to the screw that holds the grip to the rifle’s receiver.)

Be sure to add a Backup Iron Sight (discussed next) as batteries can go dead and electronics can fail or be destroyed. With backup sights you will be able to stay in the fight.

Backup Iron Sights (BUIS):

BUIS is an acronym for “backup iron sights”. This is nothing more than a catchy label for backup sights that you can use when and if your primary electronic or magnified optic is damaged or fails. “Iron” simply refers to their metal parts to differentiate them from electronic optics, although none of them are made from iron, but rather aluminum, steel, and plastic. Backup sights can simply be a rear sight that sits on a flat-top receiver behind the optic, or it may be a set of both front and rear sights for an ORC (Optic Ready Carbine: a carbine with only rails on top and no front sight base that is ready for customization by the end user).

If you run some type of aiming device (holographic sight, red-dot sight, or magnified optic) on your rifle then you need to have a backup sight(s) on your rifle. Murphy’s Law dictates that your electronic optics will break or be damage, your scopes will break or fog up, and your batteries will go dead at the worst time. If this happens and you don’t have a backup system for aiming, then that weapon is out of the fight. You soon will be too.

One day, after making a long drive to the range to shoot my M4, I discovered that my Eotech’s batteries were dead. Although I was ashamed for not having an extra set of batteries with my rifle or in my range bag, I was still able to utilize the rifle’s backup sights and enjoy a long morning of shooting. Fast forward to the present: Besides installing backup sights on all of my rifles, I store an extra set of batteries in each rifle’s Magpul MOE aftermarket pistol grips, and keep extra batteries in my range bag.

Stay away from cheap Chinese made “Airsoft” quality parts and gear, such as Aim Sports, Promag, Leepers, UTG or NcStar. Save your money and buy quality gear. Your life may depend on it. As always, when you install any parts, be sure to use Loctite thread locker on the threads of the screws to keep your parts from loosening up when you shoot.

Manufactures of Quality Backup Sights include:

• GG&G
• Magpul
• Midwest Industries
• Troy
• Yankee Hill Manufacturing

If you are going to install backup sights on a Bushmaster brand carbine, be sure to read:

Backup Sights on Bushmaster Brand Carbine With Removable Carry Handle

What Distance to Zero Non-Magnified Optics & Sights:

Battle Sight Zero:

Simply defined, “Battle Sight Zero” is a theoretical “set it and forget it” setting for your iron sights or non-magnified optics. You will want your sights set at a distance that will provide the flattest trajectory, and thus the least deviation in point-of-aim and point-of-impact at varying distances. Fortunately for those using .223 Remington / 5.56mm NATO rifles, there is a distance that you can zero your rifle and enjoy a very flat trajectory out past 200 yards away.

Find The Flattest Trajectory:

It is important to zero the elevation of the sights with a single setting that will take the most advantage of the flat shooting trajectory of the 5.56mm/.223 caliber rifle round. The following graphs compare the trajectories of bullets when zeroed at 25, 50, and 100 yards.

100 Yard Trajectory:

The first chart shows the trajectory of a 5.56mm NATO round when fired from an AR15 style rifle. The dash line represents the shooters point of aim. The bullet departs the barrel approximately 2.5″ below the point of aim. It’s flight path reaches the shooters aiming point at 100 yards (point-of-aim (POA) = point-of-impact (POI). The bullet then drops back down to 2.5″ below POA at 200 yards, and plummets drastically after that. This isn’t a terrible zero if you never plan on shooting past 200 yards as the bullet will impact somewhere within the distance of the barrel to the top of the rifle’s sight base. Not terrible, but you can do better.

25 / 300 Meter Trajectory:

The next graph represents the traditional military method of zeroing the rifle at 25 / 300 meters (meaning that you zero the rifle at 25 meters and can expect POA = POI at 300 meters). This was traditionally done with adjustable rear sights, such as those found on rifle’s equipped with carry handles, set on the 300 meter setting, but the target set 25 meters away. This is a TERRIBLE zero setting. At 100 meters (91 yards) the your rounds will impact over 4″ above your POA. At 175 meters the bullet impact will reach its peak apogy at roughly 6″ above your POA. The USMC has finally accepted that this isn’t the most efficient way to zero an AR15 / M16 style rifle. Do not use a 25 meter “set it and forget it” zero.

50 Yard Zero:

The next graph illustrates the ballistic trajectory of a 5.56mm NATO round with a 50 yard zero. This zero is commonly referred to as “Improved Battle Sight Zero”. As with the graphs above, you can see that the bullet leaves the rifle 2.5″ below the point-of-aim (POA). The bullets trajectory will pass through the shooters point-of-aim at 50 yards. At 100 yards it impact approximately 1.5″ high. It will reach its peak apogy of 1.8″ at approximately 140 yards. Around 220 yards the round will again pass through the shooters (POA). At 250 yards the round will impact approximately 2.5″ below POA. This data shows that on its flight from the rifle’s muzzle out to 250 yards, the bullet will hit somewhere within plus or minus the height of the rifles front sight base (+/- 2.5″). That’s pretty darn flat.

Recommendation:

The final graph compares all three trajectories. The 100 yard zero isn’t terrible, but you can do better. The 25 / 300 meter zero is terrible. The 50 yard zero will provide the combat shooter with the flattest trajectory out to approximately 250 yards, and is the recommended distance to zero your iron sights and non-magnified optics as a “set it and forget it” Battle Sight Zero setting.

Battle Sight Zero For Red-Dot and Holographic Optics:

Simply zero your rifle for point of sight / point of impact at 50 yards. Make adjustments until bullet impact is right on the red dot. For shots at 300 meters simply hold over approximately one dot.

As discussed earlier, if you are going to install any type of electronic aiming device, it would be prudent to install some type of backup sights. You will also want the backup sights to be zeroed at 50 yards. With the optic and the backup sights properly installed and zeroed, it will look like the aiming dot of the optic is bisected by the top of the front sight post. The sights and optic will then be considered “co-witnessed”.

Co-Witness Iron Sights and Optics:

Weaponevolution.com’s Guide To Understanding Co-Witness

The easiest way to co-witness your optic and backup sights will be to carefully zero your optic first on the range so that your bullets are hitting exactly where you aim at 50 yards. You want to zero your optic first because it can be more finely adjusted than most backup sights. Next you will zero your backup sights. If your optic is correctly zeroed then you won’t have to fire a single shot to zero your backup sights. With the majority of backup sight you can not adjust the elevation of the rear sight. You must use a front sight post adjustment tool to raise or lower the front sight until it appears, when you are looking through the front and rear backup sight, that the optic’s reticle is horizontally bisected by the tip of the front sight post.

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Uses of Paracord:

More Uses of Paracord:

1. Tie tarp to trees
2. Lanyard to hold items (knife, keys etc)
3. Emergency para cord wrist band,
4. emergency snare (from one of the strands inside)
5. Fishing line (from inner strands)
6. Boot laces
7. Dog lead
8. Wrap knife handle
9. Bow drill
10. Clothes line
11. Emergency repair for sail while sailing/canoeing
12. Belt for your trousers
13. Hang kettle/cooking pot over a fire
14. Emergency sewing thread (from inner strands)
15. Make a fishing net from inner strands
16. Make into a net hammock
17. Improvise a sling
18. Perimeter trip wires (attach to tin cans or anything to make noise)
19. Watch strap
20. Carry gear on your back when you don’t have a rucksack
21. Hanging your hammock
22. Emergency Tourniquet
23. Tying down & Securing the straps & belts of rucksacks when traveling
24. Replacing a drawstring cord in a rucksack or on gaiters
25. Tent guy lines.
26. To lash poles together to make a shelter
27. To lash a blade to a long pole in order to use as a spear (for emergency hunting).
28. Creating a snare
29. Replacing a broken handle on a  knife or machete
30. Hanging a kill or your rucksack out of reach of animals at night
31. Mooring your boat to a dock
32. Teaching yourself to tie lifesaving knots
33. Use it to make improvised snow shoes
34. Create trot lines for fishing
35. Create a gill net for fishing
36. Lash together multiple pieces for a stronger cord

Real vs. Fake:

Colors:

Bracelets & Necklaces Sizes:

Paracord Bracelets:

Breakaway Necklaces:

Keychain Fobs & Monkey Fists:

Knife Handle:

This post is a rewrite from a couple of years ago.  A couple of use made alcohol stoves using the first video below.  After making and trying out the stoves we made some interesting discoveries.

What we discovered:

• Using 50% alcohol as fuel works miserably (half of the fuel is water).
• Using 91% alcohol these little stoves work exactly as advertised!  We tested our stoves with 91% alcohol that is available at any drug store or Walmart.  I was able to bring 16 ounces of water to a hard boil in 8 minutes. It will take much less time to heat up a can of food.
• The 91% rubbing alcohol lights easily and burns plenty hot in your stove, but it isn’t a clean burn.  Using it in your stove will leave black soot on your cooking pot that is very hard to clean off.  After conducting some internet research I discovered denatured alcohol.  It is sold in one quart size cans and is available in home improvement stores where you find paint thinner, mineral spirits, etc.  It’s very inexpensive.  The label states that it is a clean burning fuel for alcohol stoves.  It won’t dirty up the bottom of your pot.  In a pinch you can use rubbing alcohol in your stove, but you will be better served by keeping a couple a cans of denatured alcohol in your inventory for your stove and save the rubbing alcohol for first-aid.  You can carry a three day supply in a small plastic bottle with your stove in your bug-out bag or camping pack.
• When you initially light your stove, let the alcohol burn for 30 to 40 seconds before you place your pot on top of the stove.
• When you are through cooking or boiling water it is easy to blow out the flame or smother it by covering the stove with a cup.  The stove will quickly cool and you can pour any unused fuel back into your small fuel bottle.
• In the first video below they use a knife to cut out the top of the can.  I used a handheld can opener and it worked great.

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When guns are fired, gun lubes leak out, are blown out, and are quickly cooked off of gun parts. If the gun isn’t used for a while, gun oil starts to varnish and needs to be cleaned out and reapplied so that the workings of the firearm don’t get gummed up. (I’ve seen a number of shooters spotlessly clean their firearm, put it away in the safe for a year, and then wonder why it doesn’t properly function the next time they try to run it hard). With handguns I still use wet gun lubes such as Breakfree CLP, and with rifles I continue to clean them with Breakfree CLP, but now I wipe them dry and lube moving parts with a Lithium based grease. In warmer climates a greased AR or AK will run like a scalded dog, but at prolonged temperatures below 40 degrees Fahrenheit the grease may start to loose its viscosity and make the gun run sluggish, causing the gun to not feed correctly.

Is there something out there better than traditional gun oils?

How about 10W40 motor oil?

I’m about to thoroughly clean a Glock and AR, lube them with 10W40, and shoot them for a year, with the intent of firing 1000 rounds through each without cleaning or reapplying lube. That will be plenty of rounds to potentially blow out and cook away most of the lubrication, and gum up the gun with any residual oil left over. I’ll check back in a year with the results.

• Added Backup Iron Sights on Bushmaster Flat-Top Carbines to the blog.
• Added Adding Zero Magnification Electronic Sights To Flat-Top AR15 Rifles to the blog.
• Added Survival / Prepper Uses of 550 Paracord to the blog.
• Added Beer Can Alcohol Stove (rewrite) to the blog.
• Added Gun Lubes Suck to the blog.
• Heavily modified the AK47 / AKM / AK-74 page, including detailed information on 7.62x39mm Soviet ballistics, and tips and techniques for sighting in your rifle.
• Consolidated all of the Food pages into one, simple to use Food page.
• Created the Firearms Essentials page.
• Heavily modified the Ammunition Essentials page.
• Added pages about military small arms, including Submachine Guns, Machine Guns, Grenade Launchers, Rocket Launchers, and Hand Grenades & Mines.

Filter Through The BS On The AK:

I have owned several Kalashnikov rifles through the years, but until recently I have never truly understood what they are capable of, specifically with regards to the sights and the ballistics of the 7.62x39mm Soviet round. There is a lot information available on internet bulletin boards and video websites, but much of it is contradictory, or just flat-out wrong. If enough people tell the same untruth on the internet with enough conviction and false authority, then it becomes truth. The problem is that the internet truths don’t necessarily make bullets hit where you want to. I’ve spent considerable time researching how to zero and employ Kalashnikov sights, and what trajectories to expect from the different sight settings. I have compared different techniques with ballistic charts and tables, and spent time on the rifle range proving and disproving the zeroing techniques and trajectories. I found that there some very smart people with some really slick techniques. There are also a lot of very credible sounding people who actually have no idea what they are talking about. Their techniques can’t be proved with ballistic charts and tables, or replicated on the range. I’ve carefully filtered out the BS and have provided a thorough explanation of Kalashnikov sights, the zeroing process, and ballistic trajectories from the different sight settings.

First we discuss the iron sights on the Kalashnikov series of rifles, including comparing them to AR-15 / M4 sights, and then how to use and adjust them. While the sights may appear simple and self-explanatory, there are some nuances that I discovered while researching and experimenting with this subject. Popular belief states that AK sights are crude and ineffective. You might just learn to love them once you really learn how they work.

Next we take a look at several possible techniques to zero the sights for the Kalashnikov. There are several options that will work, but I have also included some techniques featured on YouTube that are faulty and will not work. I explain why certain ones that work, as well as explain why other techniques won’t work. You will be amazed at some of the cool techniques that work, and learn why some of the techniques don’t.

Finally, we discuss the ballistic trajectory profiles of the different sight settings, including the “Battle Setting”. I have been amazed at the amount of internet disinformation about Kalashnikov ballistics, especially regarding the “Battle Setting”. Is it the same as the 300 meter setting? If not, then what is it? Rather than simply repeat what I have read or watched on the internet, I show you the ballistic trajectory tables, as well as the results from actually shooting at the range. I’ll reveal what will help you choose the sight setting that best suits your needs for shooting at various known distances, as well as general self-defense / combat shooting.

If you don’t have the patience to really learn the “how and why” of Kalashnikov sights, the zeroing process, and trajectories from the different sight setting, skip down to the Recommendations at the bottom of the page and get an easy list of how to sight in your rifle and what sight setting to use.

Kalashnikov Sights:

Kalashnikov vs. M-4 Sight Radius:

Many times when the uniformed complained about Kalashnikov sights and accuracy, they reference the sight radius (distance between the front sight and the rear sight) as they feel that it is too short. As the photo to the right shows, the sight radius of a Kalashnikov and a M-4 carbine is the same. That argument is invalid.

Kalashnikov Rear Sight:

The rear sight on Kalashnikov and SKS rifles have markings for shooting at different distances measured in meters (not yards). The adjustments are intended to change the ballistic trajectory so that point-of-aim and point-of-impact are the same at the respective distance selected on the sight (“1” = 100 meters, “2” = 200 meters, etc.). The rear sight is adjusted by moving the slide up and down the sight until reaching the desired distance setting. The slide is considered set for a specific setting when it is matched with the line under the number. Both sights in the photo to the right are set to the “battle setting”.

Rifles from different countries of origin use different letters or Cyrillic symbols to designate the “battle setting”. Once the rifle is properly zeroed, the battle setting is used in concentrated periods of combat when time does not permit setting the sight. The internet is full of armchair commandos stating that the “Battle Setting” and the 3oo meter setting (“3”) are the same. This is incorrect as the two different trajectories are not even close. Their ballistic trajectory differences are discussed further down.

The rear sight is not used to zero the rifle. As stated above, you set the rear sight to correspond with the distance to your target, but both the windage and elevation adjustments made during the zeroing process are accomplished with the front sight.

Kalashnikov Front Sight:

With the zeroing process for AK type rifles your goal will be to adjust your front sight so that with the rear sight to “1” your point of aim / point of impact will be the same at 100 meters (109 yards) away, on “2” your point-of-aim / point-of-impact will be the same at 200 meters (218 yards), etc.

When zeroing any type of weapon, remember the acronym F.O.R.S. Front – Opposite, Rear – Same. If you adjust windage and / or elevation with a weapon’s front sight, then you will want to move the front sight post in the opposite direction that you want your bullet impact to move. If you adjust windage and / or elevation with the weapon’s rear sight, then you will want to move the rear sight in the same direction that you want your bullet impact to move. In the case of Kalashnikov weapons, you will set your rear sight to the number corresponding to the distance that you will be zeroing (“1” for 100 meters), and then zero the weapon by adjusting the front sight.

If you want to move the bullet’s impact up, then the front sight should be screwed in (down). If you want to move the bullet’s impact down, it should be screwed out (up). If you want to move the bullet’s impact to the left, then you need to move the front sight to the right. If you want to move the bullet’s impact to the right, then you need to move the front sight to the left.

Moving the front sight left, right, up, or down 1mm changes the point-of-impact 26 centimeters at 100 meters from the target. One full turn of the front sight post moves the point-of-impact 20 centimeters when firing at 100 meters.

Techniques for zeroing the Kalashnikov are discussed further down.

You will need an inexpensive, but essential AK sight adjustment tool (pictured right) on the front sight to finely adjust bullet’s point-of-impact.

The following YouTube video demonstrates how to use the sight adjustment tool.

Kalashnikov Sight Picture:

You eyes can only focus on one distance at a time. When shooting with iron sights on any type of firearm you have a choice of focusing on the rear sight, front sight, or the target, as they are each a different distance from your eye. As the picture above demonstrates, always focus on the front sight. The rear sight and the target will appear slightly out of focus.

The relative width of the front sight post is 25cm (10 inches) at 100 meters, 50cm (20 inches) at 200 meters, 75cm (30 inches) at 300 meters, etc. At 100 yards the front sight is approximately 9 inches wide.

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Methods To Sight In The Kalashnikov:

The basic premise for zeroing the iron sights of any battle rifle is that you will set your rear sight to the corresponding number that represents the known distance (in yards or meters, depending on the vintage of the firearm) that you will be shooting your zeroing target. Once the rifle is set up to shoot point-of-aim / point-of-impact at that distance, the rifle should also shoot point-of-aim / point of impact when the sights are adjusted to the corresponding setting for other distances. Example: When the rifle’s setting is on “1” and you shoot at 100 meters, you should hit right where you aim. If you know that you are 200 meters from your target, you simply move the sight to the “2” setting and you should hit where you are aiming.

A new firearm (or a used one that was previously owned by someone who didn’t know what they were doing) may have sights that are so far off that they may not hit anywhere on the target at 100 meters. This can be very frustrating as it wastes time and expensive ammunition. As with the zeroing process of any firearm, it is easier to start at a much closer distance, and once the windage is centered and elevation is reasonable close, only then move the target out to 100 meters for the AK, or the appropriate distance for whatever rifle you are zeroing. Also, for zeroing purposes, the closer that you are to the target, the less human factors (shaking, bad marksmanship, etc.) come into play. The slang term for shooting close range to center your hits before moving out to longer distances is called “getting on paper”, meaning that you will be assured of your rounds hitting somewhere on the paper target at further distances.

Below are five techniques on different ways to zero the AK type rifle. They all have the eventual goal of getting to the rifle to hit point-of-aim / point-of-impact at the respective sight setting and distance to target. Some are legitimate techniques that work and are labeled with a “Win” in the title. A few of the techniques (some supported with YouTube videos) don’t really work correctly, and I have pointed out the flawed logic so that you might better understand the concept. These techniques are labeled with a “Fail” in the title.

Battle Sight Procedure: Simple = WIN!

This procedure zeros the Kalashnikov sights at the closet distance of all the procedures.

When a Kalashnikov is properly sighted in, and when the sights are set to the most rear “Battle Sight” position (pictured right), the bullet will initially cross the point-of-aim at 18 meters (19.5 yard).

Technique:

• Set your target at precisely 18 meters (19.5 yards) from the muzzle of the rifle.
• Set your rear sight to the “Battle Setting” which is the furthest rearward setting and is indicated by a Cyrillic character, or a “P”, “N”, or “D” (as pictured right).
• Fire three to five carefully aimed rounds at the center of your target.
• Using your AK sight tool, adjust the front sight (technique discussed above) and make three to five carefully aimed shots until your bullet holes bisect the top of the front sight post.
• Your final test to verify the rifle’s zero will be to set the rear sight to the 100 meter setting and finely adjust the bullet’s impact at 100 meters distance using the front sight. Remember, moving the front sight left, right, up, or down 1mm changes the point-of-impact 26 centimeters at 100 meters from the target. One full turn of the front sight post moves the point-of-impact 20 centimeters when firing at 100 meters. You can still use a 100 yard range as technically speaking the rounds should impact a mere .15″ above point-of-aim, which practically speaking is much less than the expected variation from the shooter or ammunition.

Once zeroed, you can leave the rear sight as it is and enjoy the “Battle Sight” ballistic trajectory discussed further below, or move the sight to any other numbers and expect hits based on that number’s respective trajectory (discussed further down).

I have read numerous comments from Armchair Commandos stating that the Battle Sight and the 3oo meter setting (“3”) are the same. They are not. Their differences are discussed further down.

25 Yard / 200 Meter Setting Procedure: Simple = WIN!

When a Kalashnikov is properly sighted in, and when the sights are set to the 200 meter setting (“2”), the bullet will initially cross the point-of-aim at 25 yards (not meters!). The bullet will again cross the point-of-aim again at 200 meters. More on this ballistic trajectory is discussed below.

Technique:

• Set your target a precisely 25 yards (not meters!) from the muzzle of the rifle.
• Set your rear sight to the “2” position.
• Fire three to five carefully aimed rounds at the center of your target.
• Using your AK sight tool, adjust the front sight (technique discussed above) and make three to five carefully aimed shots until your bullet holes bisect the top of the front sight post.
• Your final test to verify the rifle’s zero will be to set the rear sight to the 100 meter setting and finely adjust the bullet’s impact at 100 meters distance using the front sight. Remember, moving the front sight left, right, up, or down 1mm changes the point-of-impact 26 centimeters at 100 meters from the target. One full turn of the front sight post moves the point-of-impact 20 centimeters when firing at 100 meters. You can still use a 100 yard range as technically speaking the rounds should impact a mere .15″ above point-of-aim, which practically speaking is much less than the expected variation from the shooter or ammunition.

Once zeroed, you can leave the rear sight as it is and enjoy the 200 meter ballistic trajectory discussed further below, or move the sight to any other numbers or the “Battle Sight” setting and expect hits based on that number’s respective trajectory (discussed further down).

Official Soviet Procedure: Complicated, but clever = WIN!

Spoiler: Very slick technique, but it is better as a way to verify proper zero at 100 meters after initially zeroing the rifle at a closer distance.

The zero method is for use with 7.62x39mm Soviet chambered Kalashnikov rifles. It will not necessarily be appropriate for 5.45x39mm Soviet.

The specific target for zeroing issued by the Soviets consisted of a black rectangle 35cm tall and 25cm wide (14 x 10″) centered in a white background 1 meter high by 1/2 meter wide (39.3 x 19.6″). The aiming point is the middle of the black rectangle’s lower edge. In the case of the video above the simply painted the appropriate size target box on a IDPA target.

Procedure:

• Place your confirmation target at 100 meters (109 yards).
• Set the rear sight at the “3” setting (300 meters).
• At 100 meters the front sight post will appear the same width as the black target box. It will be easy to line up the sights so that the black box sits perfectly on top of the front sight post. The edges of the front sight post and the black box should line up perfectly.
• From the prone position with the firearm supported on a sandbag or beanbag, fire four well-aimed shots at center of the bottom edge of the black portion of the confirmation target.
• Control point or required point of impact shall be 25cm (approximately 9.5″) above the point of aim.
• The group should be no larger than 15cm (5.9″). One flier permitted. The center of the group shall be no farther than 5cm (1.97″) from the control point. If not, adjust the sights and repeat until it is.
• Set the rear sight to the “1” position (100 meters). The rifle is now zeroed.

The premise behind this zeroing procedure is that it easy to finely line up the top of the front sight post with the bottom and sides of the black target box because the relative width of the front sight at 100 meters is 10 inches wide. This provides simple, easy, and precise shooting with a Kalashnikov’s crude sights.

The ballistic chart pictured right shows the bullet’s impact at 100 meters (109 yards) with a rifle zeroed at 300 meters. The rifle is correctly zeroed if the rounds impact 9.5″ above point-of-aim. This is because a properly zeroed rifle with the rear sight set on “3” will hit 9.5″ high on a target at 100 meters (as seen on the ballistic table pictured right.

Many ranges in the United States are 100 yards long, which is 9 yards short of being 100 meters. To use this technique at 100 yards I calculated the relative size of the front sight post to be 9″ wide and scaled down the size of the target box to 23 centimeters wide (9″). Using the table from Ballistic I discovered that when shooting at 100 yards with the “3” setting, your bullets should impact 8.8″ above the bottom of the black target box. I tried this with a rifle already sighted in using a Post-It note as the confirmation target. It worked perfectly. All of the rounds hit within the Post-It note.

The video above does not address 5.45x39mm Soviet ballistics, but the Ballistic app shows that with the rifle properly zeroed and the rear sight set to “3”, the bullet should impact 5.43″ high at 100 meters (109 yards), and 5″ high at 100 yards. I can not verify if the front sight on a AK-74 is also 10″ relative width at 100 meters. You are on your own. Your observations and experience are appreciated. Please comment at the bottom of the page.

After experimenting with this technique at the range I found it to be an easy and clever way to verify zero, but I felt that it would be easier to initially zero the rifle at a closer distance, and then later verify zero at the further distance using this technique.

Set your sight to the “2” setting and zero the rifle at 25 yards (not meters). You can then use the above technique to check your zero at 100 meters.

Using A Laser Bore-Sighter To Zero Your Kalashnikov: WIN… sort of.

This technique is similar to the “Battle Sight Technique” discussed above, except that you will first use a laser bore-sighter to get your hits on paper at close range before you ever fire a shot. This should help you not to have to expend very much of your expensive ammunition in the zeroing process. Once the laser and the sights are aligned, you will remove the laser and shoot a few rounds at the same target to verify that the rifle is hitting where you want it to be. Then you will move the rear sight to the 100 meter (109 yard) setting, shoot at a target at 100 meters, and finely tweak your front sight until the rifle hits point-of-aim/point-of impact at 100 meters on the “1” setting.

Procedure:

• Set your rear sight to the “battle setting” which is the furthest rearward setting and is indicated by a Cyrillic character, or a “P”, “N”, or “D”.
• After confirmation that the rifle is unloaded, remove your rifle’s muzzle device (recoil compensator or flash-hider) and insert your laser bore-sighter with the appropriate chuck into the end of the barrel.
• You will use your front sight tool to adjust windage and elevation on the rifle’s front sight. Adjust that when the rifle is aimed at a target at the appropriate distance listed below, the laser dot is bisected by the top of the front sight post, as if you are aiming center of the dot.
  • For an AK-47 (7.62x39mm Soviet) you will want your target 18 meters (59 feet).
  • For an AK-74 (5.45x39mm Soviet) you will want your target 15 meters (49 feet).
  • For an AK-74U you will want your target 25 meters (82 feet).
• After the front sight has been adjusted for the laser, re-attach your rifle’s muzzle device.
• From a bench rested position using a sandbag or beanbag, carefully shoot 3-5 rounds at the same target that you used your laser when adjusting your front sight. You may choose to tweak the point of impact using the front sight tool.
• Your final test to verify the rifle’s zero will be to set the rear sight to the 100 meter setting and finely adjust the bullet’s impact at 100 meters distance using the front sight. Remember, moving the front sight left, right, up, or down 1mm changes the point-of-impact 26 centimeters at 100 meters from the target. One full turn of the front sight post moves the point-of-impact 20 centimeters when firing at 100 meters. You can still use a 100 yard range as technically speaking the rounds should impact a mere .15″ above point-of-aim, which practically speaking is much less than the expected variation from the shooter or ammunition.

The reasoning behind using the “Battle Setting” and lasing the target at 18 meters (59 feet) is because with the rifle properly sighted in and the sights set on the “Battle Setting”, the bullet will pass through point-of-aim at 18 meters. Further explanation of the “Battle Setting is found further down this page.

Your rifle should now be zeroed for any sight setting and its relative distance: 100 meters on the “1” setting, 200 meters on the “2” setting, 300 meters on the “3” setting, etc. You may choose to leave the sight set to the “Battle Setting” and leave it there for general shooting. With that setting you can theoretically hit a torso size target out to 400 meters by aiming center of mass. Should you ever want to take a careful shot at a target at a known distance you can simply move the rear sight to the associated setting and shoot.

After using laser bore sighting devices for many years I have learned that they are very good tools for adjusting your sights very close, but not necessarily perfect. When you actually fire the weapon you will probably find the sights slightly off. Laser bore sighting devices will help you get your hits “on paper”, but you will almost always have to actually shoot and tweak your sights to get the sights set perfectly. This is why I gave this technique a “Win” with a “sort of” caveat.

Kalashnikov Zeroing Hints, Cheats, and Recommendations:

• Shooting at a distance of 100 meters, rotating the front sight post on complete turn moves the point-of-impact 7.87″.
• Use the acronym F.O.R.S. when adjusting any weapon’s sights. Front Opposite, Rear Same. For any firearm where you have to adjust front and rear sights to adjust zero, you move the front sight in the opposite direction that you want the bullet holes to move on the target, and you move the rear sight the same direction. Examples: If your firearm requires you to adjust elevation with the front sight, you will move the sight down to move bullet impact up. If you use the rear sight to adjust elevation, then you will move the sight up to move bullet impact up.
• You can set your rear sight to the “Battle Sight” position and zero your rifle at 18 meters (19.5 yards). You can then more your sight to the “1” and verify the zero at 100 meters (109 yards)
• You can set your rear sight to “2” and zero your rifle at 25 yards (not meters). You can then move the rear sight to “1” and verify the zero at 100 meters (109 yards).
• Use the “2” setting for initial zero and general shooting at 25 yards.
• Use the “1” setting for verifying zero at 100 meters, and when shooting at 50 yard or 100 yard ranges.

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7.62 x 39 mm Ballistic Trajectories:

What Is the Best Set It and Forget It Rear Sight Setting?

100 Meters, 200 Meters, or the “Battle Setting”?

I’ve never been able to get a good explanation of whether there is a particular setting on the rear sight on an AK-47 that could be selected so that you could simply “set it and forget it”, meaning that you could set the range on the sight, and then shoot at different distances with a minimum of rise or drop with bullet impact. There are plenty of YouTube videos that show you how to adjust the front sight so that you can match the point-of-impact with the appropriate elevation setting on the rear sight, but there is very little information on what trajectories you can expect with each setting. Like all rifles, you may set your sights to hit dead on at a particular distance, but when shooting at other distances with the same sight setting, your point-of-impact may be grossly different from your point-of-aim.

I used the iPad application “Ballistic” (pictured right) to create ballistic trajectory graphs for an AK-47 with sights sitting 2″ above the center of bore, firing 122 grain, 7.62 x 39 mm FMJ ammo. One graph is for the 100 meter sight setting with a 100 meter zero, one is for the 200 meter setting with a 200 meter zero, one is for the 247 meter “Battle Setting”, and one compared the ballistics of all three settings.

It is important to note that the sights on AK rifles calibrated for meters, not yards. While meters and yards are pretty close to being the same distance, the farther you get the more their difference becomes apparent. Because most rifle ranges in the USA are measured in yards, and because the bullet trajectory application on my i-product provides data in yards, I have gone ahead and provided you with the data distances in yards.

Zero your rifle at 100 meters (109 yards). After that you can expect a particular point-of-impact at a particular number of yards shown on the graph below. If the rifle sight is set to 100, make sure that point-of-aim and point-of-impact are 100 meters, not yards.

For reference, keep in mind that 100 meters = 109 yards, and 200 meters = 218 yards, etc.

100 Meter Zero Trajectory:

If you set your rifle’s rear sight to “1”, the you should expect the performance in the graph above.

• The 100 meter zero provides a very flat trajectory out to 150 yards.
• At 54 yards (49.5 meters) your point-of-impact and point-of-aim will be the same.
• The point-of-impact will continue to rise to .27” above point-of-aim between 79 to 85 yards. The point-of-aim will drop back down point-of-impact will once again be point-of-aim at 109 yards (100 meters).
• At 150 yards the point-of-impact will only drop 1.5” below point-of-aim.
• At 200 yards the point-of-impact will drop almost 5.5” below point-of-aim.
• You can expect a rise of just over ¼” over point-of-aim, and a drop of 1.5″ out to 150 yards.

Summary: The “1” setting is perfect for shooting on 50 yard and 100 yard rifle ranges.

200 Meter Zero Trajectory:

If you set your rifle’s rear sight to “2”, the you should expect the performance in the graph above.

• At 25 yards your point-of-sight and point-of-impact will be the same.
• At 100 yards the point-of-impact will be just over 3.5” above point-of-aim.
• Between 125 to 130 yards the round will reach its maximum apogee just over 3.8” over point-of-aim.
• At 200 yards the round will impact 1.4” inches high.
• At 218 yards (200 meters) the point-of-aim and point-of-impact will be the same.
• At 250 yards the point-of-impact will hit 3.4” below point-of-aim.
• At 300 yards the point-of-impact will hit -11.25” inches below point-of-aim.

Summary: The 200 meter setting isn’t as flat as the 100 meter setting. Compared to the 100 meter setting, you will get a higher rise of bullet impact within 150 yards, but it’s only a rise of 3.8”. If you know that your shooting will be limited to 150 yards, then the 100 meter setting is best. If you will be running and gunning at various distances, ranging from point-blank and out through 250 yards, then the 200 meter setting will be better. It is combat accurate (+/- 4″) at closer ranges, but is more accurate at longer ranges. Another way to look at the 200 meter setting is that you can shoot out to 250 yards and impact will always be within +/- 4″ from point-of-aim.

Battle Setting:

The “Battle Setting” is sometimes mislabeled as “300 meter zero” or “350 meter zero”. It is not either of those, but rather a 247 meter / 270 yard zero. Remember, ” zero” is the distance where the point-of-aim is the same as point-of impact (you hit exactly where you are aiming). This setting has been mislabeled as a ” zero” over time, but it is simply a setting that can allow the shooter to make hits somewhere on torso size targets (either slightly above, equal to, or slightly below point-of-aim) out to 350 meters. As already stated, it is simply just a setting that allows hits somewhere on a torso size target out to 350 meters, but the rifle isn’t “zeroed” at that distance with that setting.

As depicted on the table below, the “Battle Sight” setting’s ballistic trajectory crosses the POA at 18 meters (19.6 yards), reaches it maximum apogee of just over 7″ above POA at around 150 yards, descends through POA at almost 248 meters (271 yards), and descends under seven inches below POA around 288 meters (316 yards). With this setting you can enjoy making hits within a 14″ diameter circle from the muzzle out to just past 300 yards without any hold-over or hold-under.

Farther than 300 meters (328 yards) you will be better served to set the rear sight leaf to the setting that corresponds to the range to the target.

In the following video, Rob Ski of Ak Operators Union, Local 47-74 discusses how to take full advantage of the trajectory of the “Battle Setting”. Because the “Battle Setting” trajectory places the bullet above point-of-aim from 18 meters (19.6 yards) all the way out 247 meters (270 yards) you will want to aim at the lower abdomen of your enemy. Out to a distance of 247 meters (270 yards), when aimed at the lower abdomen, all of your rounds will impact somewhere in the center or upper torso without the shooter worrying about any holdover. You can expect hits as depicted in the table above.

“Battle Sight” Setting vs. 300 Meter Setting:

Many “YouTube Commandos” claim that the “Battle Sight” setting is the same as the 300 meter setting. It is not. To prove it to yourself, first set a target up at any given distance (20 yards works great). Set your rear sight to the “Battle” position Shoot 3-5 carefully aimed rounds from a rested position (bean bag, sand bag, etc.). Move your rear sight to the 300 meter setting. Again, shoot 3-5 well-aimed shots. Your two groups will not hit the same spot. At 20 yards you will see that your two groups will be about 1/2″ apart. If the two settings were the same, then there would only be one group of shots.

The photo to the right shows a shot group fired at 18 meters (19.6 yards) with the “Battle Setting” . (No comments about the flier… thanks.) The rifle was already perfectly zeroed, so this photo proves that the “Battle Setting” is an 18 meter (19.6 yard) zero. Ballistic tables show that it will cross point-of-aim again at 247 meters (270 yards).

The photo to the right shows a show group fired at 18 meters (19.6 yards) with the “3” (300 meter) sight setting . The bullets impact approximately 1/2″ high, which correlates with 300 meter ballistic chart. (Again, no comments about the flier. I was under the influence of copious amounts of caffeine.) This photo proves that the “Battle Setting” and the 300 meter setting are not the same. Try it yourself.

In contrast to the “Battle Sight” setting (as seen in the chart below) the 300 meter setting’s trajectory first crosses the POA at approximately 13.25 meters (14.5 yards), reaches its apogee of 12″ around 164 meters (180 yards), drops through POA again at 300 meters (328 yards), and dips down past 12″ below POA at around 349 meters (380 yards).

Given a choice between the two, I would choose the “Battle Sight” setting over the 300 meter setting, unless I was shooting at a target that I knew to be exactly 300 meters away. It is interesting to note that if shooting at a target at a range 300 yards, both the “Battle Sight” setting and the 300 meter setting should impact 4″ from the POA. The “Battle Sight” setting will hit 4″ low, and the 300 meter setting will hit 4″ high.

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Recommendations:

• To zero the AK, set your rear sight to the “2” setting and zero the rifle at 25 yards (not meters). Verify your zero at 100 meters with the “1” setting.
• Use the “Battle Sight” setting for general / defensive shooting out to 300 meters and get hits within a 7″ diameter circle around your point-of-aim. This is your best “set it and forget it” setting.
• Use the “1” setting for shooting at 50 yard and 100 yard rifle ranges.
• Use the “2” setting for shooting at targets known to be in the 200 yard / meter range. It works perfect for 25 yard indoor ranges. Use it as your “set-it-and-forget-it” setting if all of your shooting will be within 200 meters (urban or jungle environment).
• Reserve the use of the “3” setting for when you are shooting at a target know to be at a range of 300 meters.

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