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3/20/2005 4:38:22 PM EDT
OK.  I am just full of questions here today. I have a MAK-90 that I have had for several years but have just recently started to shoot.    In trying to get it sighted in I noticed that I had to drift the front site way too far.   Closer inspection showed that my front sight base was canted to one side.  I have read about this in the past but didn't pay too much attention since I didn't think I had the problem.  Is this easy to fix?? Can I drive out the pins that hold the base and rotate it?   Will I be able to drive the pins back in??  Any help would be appreciated because this thing is waaaaaaay off as it is.  
Thanks
Kevin    
3/20/2005 4:43:38 PM EDT
[#1]
Ok, I just did this.

Tap the pins out with a pin punch. Put the rifle in a vice and tap the FS until it's straight. Get a 3mm drill bit and run it through the two pin holes. Tap or press the pins back in.

My cant wasn't too much, so I was able to use the original pins. If the cant was significant, I could see the need to use larger diameter pins.

If you destroy the original pins, you can make new ones from 3mm bar stock from Home Depot, or buy new ones from K-var, Global, or someone.

3/20/2005 5:15:45 PM EDT
[#2]
With mine sighted-in correctly the front sight post is way over to the left (as viewed from the rear of the rifle!).  I've looked at the front sight assembly umpteen times and it looks perfectly straight to me --- if there's any cant I'm sure not seeing it.  Makes me wonder if this is a common thing on AKs??
3/20/2005 6:18:54 PM EDT
[#3]
Maybe I should look again but I swear mine is canted.   It is somewhat difficult to get an accurate frame of reference but I will probably look again before I go knocking pins out.   Thanks for the input folks.  
Kevin
3/20/2005 9:35:16 PM EDT
[#4]
All the 9 Chinese AK rifles I have none have the front sight post dead center in the sight protector. A couple are close to being dead center but are still off slightly to one side.
If you look at the front sight from the muzzle end of the rifle you will see a witness mark on the windage drum(the part the post screws into) and the front sight base. The two lines should line up as they were made with a special punch tool when the rifle was sighted in at the factory.
I have only had to adjust the windage on one Chiense AK  that I bought used. After sighting it in and adjusting the windage while cleaning it when I got back from the range I noticed the witness marks were lined up perfectly. You can see the witness marks in the pic and that the sight post is off to one side.

3/20/2005 9:47:17 PM EDT
[#5]
Yep... that's the way mine is.  I noticed that the sight post was over to one side when I bought it (new), and I also noticed the witness marks (which were, of course, lined up).  On my initial inspection/cleaning of the rifle (before ever firing a shot), I moved the front sight post (and drum) back to where it looked centered in the sight base.  Figured I'd start from there and make adjustments as necessary at the range.  So, I took the rifle to the range, fired it and sighted it in --- and when properly sighted the front sight post (and drum) wound up exactly where they had been set from the factory with the witness marks lined up again.  DOH!!!  
3/21/2005 4:41:48 AM EDT
[#6]
My witness marks line up when the front site is all the way over.  It's more or les sighted in correctly but the site is all the way to the side of the ring.   They DID site it in but were compensating for the canted site when doing so.   It just seems to throw my site picture off since it is so far over.   Don't know what I will do now.  
3/21/2005 6:19:40 AM EDT
[#7]

Quoted:
With mine sighted-in correctly the front sight post is way over to the left (as viewed from the rear of the rifle!).  I've looked at the front sight assembly umpteen times and it looks perfectly straight to me --- if there's any cant I'm sure not seeing it.  Makes me wonder if this is a common thing on AKs??



I have a Saiga in .223 that is the same way, but I know the problem. The bore axis is not concentric with the outside of the barrel, making it shoot off. Fine Russian craftsmanship, a fine example it is.
3/21/2005 6:50:32 AM EDT
[#8]

I took mine off, then repositioned it and drilled with a 1/8" bit and installed new 1/8" split pins.

Before, with the drum pushed all the way to one side, it shot 3" to the left at 50 yards.

3/21/2005 11:38:43 AM EDT
[#9]

The bore axis is not concentric with the outside of the barrel, making it shoot off.


I can buy into that theory.  Everything else looks straight and "proper" on my rifle, so I don't really know what else it could be.
3/22/2005 12:05:37 PM EDT
[#10]
Don't  forget about the Rear Sight base,  sometimes they are slightly canted too-- it can be adj. by knocking out the pins and moving it either left or right until it hits the trunion. If your FSB and gas block are aligned I'd try the RSB first before the FSB.
3/22/2005 4:28:04 PM EDT
[#11]
This web site will tell you everything you need to know. Heres the link.http://www.gunsnet.net/Linx310/index.shtml
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