Ballseye's Gun Shots 134: AK-47 - Does The AK Stand For...

...A Keeper? I took the Romanian WASR AK-47 to the range tonight for my first shoot with it since I got it 2 weeks and a day ago. It is only a 25 yard range (maybe 30 from what I heard tonight but I'll have to check further on that). Whatever the distance, that is what I had to settle for that is close to my house. That was okay with me, I don't plan on shooting much beyond 50 yards, maybe 100 at the most, with it and shooting at 25 still gave me a good feel for how it will do at further distances. I shot from standing, resting elbows on the bench.

My first 15 rounds were using Wolf 158 Gr. Soft Point, steel cased, polymer coated ammo. With the rear sight set all the way back, where I would imagine it should be for 50 yards, I shot a few to several inches low but pretty much centered from left to right. I then took 20 shots with Wolf 122 gr. Hollow Point steel cased, polymer coated ammo. Those shots were all to the left and a bit higher than were the shots with the soft point ammo. Funny how different weight ammo shoots so dissimilarly, same point of aim, same gun. See the pic.

I adjusted the rear sight to midway on the sight ramp. I shot another 40 shots with the SP ammo. The target fell off when bringing it back on the pulley. From what I could tell, the shots were all pretty much centered in a smaller than the palm of my hand group. Not great but probably sufficient for an AK. My final 5 shots were at a clean target. Pretty much dancing around the center of the paper. See the second picture.

I must say, I am pretty happy with this rifle out of the box. I may have to do dicker around with the front sight a bit, see if I can lower it some. I am none to familiar with AKs so I will ask my son for his advice and help. I may also do some checking online if he does not have time for the old man! One thing about the AK, I was really amazed by the low power of the recoil. My Yugo SKS kicks a lot more using the same ammo, and the Yugo SKS is a much heavier rifle so that is surprising. I can say right out, I got myself a good AK-47 that should prove to be a very good shooter. I am very pleased.

Besides shooting the AK, I also shot my issued SIG 229. I only shot at 10 and 15 yards but managed to fire about 110 rounds. I noticed that I am shooting a little to the left. I have to work on that to see if it is me or if the sights need to be adjusted. I am thinking I may need to adjust the sights but want to be sure. At 10 yards, I fired 50 shots, 2 hand hold, unsupported. I also fired 2 rounds, 1 hand hold, right handed, unsupported. Then 12 rounds, 1 hand hold, left handed, unsupported. At 15 yards, I fired everything 2 hand hold, unsupported. I did fairly well for an old fart whose eyes are not what they were even 3 or 4 years ago.

I suppose I really ought to clean the SIG tonight, before I go to work with it. A clean gun is a happy gun, as my buddy Pete G. used to say. It also tends to be more reliable if the SHTF.

All the best,
Glenn B