HOW THE AK 47 RIFLE SIGHT WORKS

 

How the AK 47 Assault Rifle Sight Works

In an AK 47, like most firearms, the barrel appears straight, but the alignment of sights is carefully designed to account for the trajectory of the bullet, which is not straight due to gravity. The relation ship between the foresight, rear sight, the straight barrel, and the bullets trajectory is essential to understand how the AK 47 sight works. Before going that we must know about what is line of barrel and what is line of sight?

A.    Line of Barrel: This is the straight path along which the bullet initially travels as it exits the barrel. It starts from the center of the bore and extends outward in the direction the barrel is pointed. The line of the barrel is purely geometric, representing the physical alignment of the barrel.

B.     Line of Sight: The line of sight is the imaginary straight line that extends from the shooters eye, through the rear sight, over the front sight, and towards the target. Unlike the line of the barrel, the line of sight is usually angled slightly downward relative to the barrel. This is because the sights (both rear and front) are positioned above the barrel, creating a geometric difference between the two lines.

C.    Barrel and Line of Barrel:

·        Straight Barrel: The AK 47 has a straight barrel, which means that when a bullet is fired, it leaves the barrel in a straight line initially, following the direction in which the barrel is pointed.

·        Trajectory: Due to gravity, the bullet begins to drop as soon as it leaves the barrel. Therefore, while the barrel is straight, the bullets path (trajectory) will curve downward over distance.

D.    Sights of the AK 47:

·        Front Sight or Fore sight: The front sight on the Ak 47 is a post mounted at the end of the barrel, near the muzzle. It serves as the primary aiming reference.

·        Rear Sight: The rear sight is typically an adjustable iron sight located further back on the rifle, closer to the shooter. On the Ak 47, the rear sight is often a V notch elevation sight.

E.     How the Sights Work:

·        Alignment: The shooter aligns the front sight post with in the notch of the rear sight. The goal is to ensure that the top of the front sight post is level with the top of the rear sight notch and centered horizontally.

·        Sight Picture: When properly aligned, the line of sight (the imaginary line extending form the shooters eye through the rear sight, over the front sight, and toward the target). This line of sight is not parallel to the line of barrel because in Ak 47 the rear sight is elevation and fore sight is fixed, so when the sight is elevated, it creates an imaginary parabolic line through the fore sight towards the point of Aim.

F.     Intersection of Line of Sight and Line of Barrel:

·        Line of Barrel: As mentioned, the barrel is straight, and the bullet exits the barrel in the direction it is pointed.

·        Line of Sight: The line of sight, however, is angled slightly downward relative to the barrel. This is because the sights are set above the barrel, and they are set above the barrel, and they need to account for the bullet drop over distance.

·        Intersection Point: The line of sight and the line of the barrel intersect at the zeroing range, which is the distance at which the rifle is sighted in (e.g., 350 meters). At this point, the bullet crosses the line of sight.

G.    Point of Aim and Point of Impact:

·        Point of Aim: This is where the shooter is aiming using the sights. For example, if you aim at the center of a target at 100 meters, that is your point of aim.

·        Point of Impact: This is where the bullet actually hits. When properly zeroed, the point of impact should coincide with the point of aim at the zeroing range.

·        At Closer Ranges: At ranges closer than the zeroing distance, the bullet will strike below the point of aim because it has not yet risen to cross the line of sight.

·        Beyond the Zeroing Distance: At ranges further than the zeroing distance, the bullet will strike below the point of aim again, as the bullets trajectory continues to drop due to gravity.

H.    Adjusting Sights:

·        Elevation Adjustment: The rear sight of on an Ak 47 can be adjusted for different ranges, typically from 100 to 350 meters. Adjusting the rear sight changes the angle of the line of sight relative to the barrel, allowing the shooter to compensate for bullet drop at different distances.

·        Windage Adjustment: Through less common on standard Ak 47 models, some versions allow for windage adjustment, enabling the shooter to compensate for the wing pushing the bullet left or right.

Summary:

In the Ak 47, despite the barrel being straight, the sights are designed to compensate for the bullets downward curving trajectory. The front and rear sights are creating a line of sight that intersects with the bullets trajectory at zeroing distance, ensuring accuracy. Adjusting the sights allows the shooter to account for bullet drop and wing, ensuring the point of aim matches the point of impact at various distances.