Setting Sights.

[BulletFactory]

I just got a new front sight for a Socom 16, M1A, and I need to set up the sights. Trouble is, I really don't know how. Its my first rifle, so Im not familiar with the process.

If I use the windage to set it up at 50 yards for instance, its going to be off at 25 and 100 yards. How do I set the rear sight at zero, so that the thing will shoot straight at 25 50 100 and 200 yards, needing only a change in elevation?

[Mk42gunner]

Your rear sight should be the same as the sights on an M-14. There is a set of graduated marks on the rear of the sight, and a witness mark on the action. Set the sight centered, and the front sight centered on the base and you should be good to go.

On an M-14 (22" barrel) the standard rear sights had one minute values per click; with your shorter sight radius, I don't know how much larger the value would be.

The standard base line zero that I always started from with an M-14 was with the rear sight centered and eight clicks up from bottom. Then shoot a group and adjust from there. After zeroing the rifle it is easy enough to count the clicks and move the yardage marker on the rear sight; but once again with your shorter sight radius the yardage markings probably won't be correct.

We mostly shot quals at 25 yards when I was a rangemaster in the Navy, it is a lot easier to find a 25 yard range than a real rifle range. The windage is fine until you get out far enough that the drift from the rotation of the projectile needs to be compensated for.

Robert

[BulletFactory]

Thanks. Luckily for me, I have a public hunting area with a field that you could get a 450 yard shot in. It would be nice to become confident it taking an animal at any point in such an area.

The paper that came with the rifle said something about moving the front sight .008 and that would move the POI 1 inch at 100 yards. I dont know quite how to measure and control such a slight adjustment. Its an 18" barrel.

[Mk42gunner]

For the measurement, a depth micrometer would be ideal; since most of us don't have one of those laying around, the depth portion of your dial calipers will suffice.

Your comment about moving the front sight got me curious, so I went and found a picture of the front sight of a SOCOM. The front sight is different from an M-14, but not that different; It isn't really meant to be moved for normal sight adjusment. I will still stand by my reccomendation above, center the front and rear sights and shoot a few groups. Then if necessary, you can move the front sight.

Robert

[Larry Gibson]

Google FM 23-8 and get a copy. It will tell you all you need to know about adjusting the sights correctly and marksmanship with the M1A/M14. With the SOCOM's shorter sight radius the adjustments will be more than the moa of a regular M1A/M14. However the basics are the same.

To start with get an allen wrench that fits the front sight allen screw. Center the rear sight for windage using the witmess marks. Put a target at 25 yd/meters and shoot a 3 shot group using quality US spec ammo (there is a lot of foreign stuff that is not up to US specs), Winchester white box is good to use. Move the front sight right or left to move the group (moving front sight right moves group left) so it is within 1 click of windage right or left of center. Then tighten the allen screw. Adjust elevation at 5 - 7 clicks up from bottom and shoot a group. Hopefully the group is less than 1.8" above the point of aim. Slowly file the front sight down raising the the center of the groups until the center of the group is 1.8" above the point of aim. That gives you a close to 250 meter battle sight zero. The 5 -7 clicks also allows enough to go down to a 100 meter zero. also your stock weld will be right with the sights not being up too high. The manual will tell you then how to adjust the elevation drum so the ranges index to the zero. Read the manual.

Larry Gibson

[BulletFactory]

Your comment about moving the front sight got me curious, so I went and found a picture of the front sight of a SOCOM. The front sight is different from an M-14,
Robert


I didnt like the tritium sight, the front post was way too wide, so I traded with someone here for an iron sight. I then filed the front sight center post down to a point without changing its height, and then parkerized it to get the color back.

This is why I have to find the zero again.

[BulletFactory]

This is part of what's confusing me. I wound up overtightening the sight and rounding off the "clicker tab" on the elevation knob. Those are 50 bucks.

http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g381/_Censor****_/sights.jpg

[Mk42gunner]

Wow, never heard of that happening. Over the years I "owned" several hundred M-14s and never rounded or bent anything on the rear sights. They can be touchy as to the torque needed to hold adjustments, but that is the slotted nut on the right side, in the center of the widage knob. You want enough tension on the nut so you can't push the aperture down with your thumb, but you can still rotate it easily.

I suggest going to a gunshow and looking for an elevation pinion for an M-14. Just about every gun show I have been to has at least one guy with a table ful of milsurp parts for everything from the Trapdoor Springfield until now.

Robert