zero
There is a lot of chatter regards zeroing the AK (x39mm) out there and we are adding to it here. Here's my addition.....
Read the Soviet Army official procedure. What I saw as most interesting in procedure, summarized by me, is:
-shooting is done at 100M w/ the sight set on "3"
-point of impact should be 25cm (about 10") ABOVE point of aim
-the AK should shoot into a group of less than 15cm (about 6")
-move the slider to 100M and the rifle is considered zeroed for all
settings as selected
As O'Heir noted 300-400M (or yards) is a pretty optimistic goal for accurate shooting with the AK. Yes the slider goes to 800, but that is intended for area fire not select targets. If the issue AK is accepted with +6MOA accuracy by the Soviets, at 400M a group could be larger than 24" and at 800M, 48" (that is a 4 FOOT) group. I'd add that while the x39mm round is indeed a 100-200 yd deer /game cartridge, in combat terms, it is effective and lethal well past that. It certainly is dangerous to more than just paper beyond 200.
Regards the battle sight setting. It is commonly stated that if rifle is zeroed "on" at 100M, the battle sight will yield hits out to 400M. That is likely true, but the key word is HITS, and only if the target is torso sized and exposed. I suspect the battle setting is "on" at slightly less than 300M, with a center hold on an exposed torso yielding a tad low hit at 300M and lower still at 400M. My take on all of that is the battle setting is not something that the rifle is "zeroed to", but rather, the rifle is zeroed to a known distance, say 100M, and the rifle/sights are set at the battle setting to yield hits on an exposed threat over the useful combat trajectory, about 400M. (again, dangerous well past that)
Okay, so the disclaimer, I've never worked out the AK (x39mm) sight settings at the range. But I do own/hunt/ shoot 3 different x39mm rifles and one of them is an AK clone in x39mm. All wear optics now, but originally, I used two of them with the factory iron sights. Regardless, I zeroed them all "on" at 100 yds, then with irons, and now with the optics, and have left them there. Why? Because I do not shoot the rifles at most anything past 100, and a good bit at stuff under 100. The 100 zero allows me to hold on and hit at my point of aim at the distances I employ the rifle.
If you insist on a 300 (or 400, worse) "on" zero, whether with the slider markings or the battlesight, you will have to accept a midrange trajectory of about 10" -12" ABOVE your point of aim at 100 if you leave the slider at 3- or D , for routine carry. That is just not acceptable to me, but hey, it's your rifle. But I cannot imagine holding UNDER a medium sized target (say a coyote, or 12" gong" ) by more than a foot, to hit it near center when it is 100 yds away.
My advice parallels Dfaris. Get on paper shooting at 25 yd/M with the sight at "1". Refine your zero at 100Y/M with the sight still at "1". Why 100? because the AK and its ammo may not yield small enough groups beyond that to really fine tune the zero. Remember, the Soviet Army said 6MOA (5.9") was acceptable accuracy at 100M. If you want to then move the slider to battle setting, and live with it, do so, but shoot the rifle to see just how high you will be at 100 and take notice. For grins, I'd work with the slider and see just what 3-4 and D settings would give me at those extended ranges, , but I would want a solid 100 zero at "1" .
