SKS shoots to the right

[JAMESGR]

I have a Norinco SKS that I sighted in at 100 yds. Ammo used is Tula 125 gr soft point and WPA 125 gr HP. The rifle shoots both 10 to the right at 100 yds. To get POI near the center of the target I've moved the front sight blade AS FAR TO THE RIGHT as it will move.
Has anyone else experienced this type problem???
Any ideas on how to fix the sights so the blade to the center of the sight hood????
Will a bad muzzle crown cause this type problem????
The barrel is free of contact with the wood fore end of the stock, so I don't think that is the problem.
Grateful for any suggestions as to a solution.
Thank you
JAMES
JAMESGR

[Der Gebirgsjager]

[QUOTE=JAMESGR;5496041]Will a bad muzzle crown cause this type problem????

It could. Does the crown look nicked or chewed up?

DG

[LAGS]

I had an SKS with the same problem.
I took out the Pin that holds the front sight base to the barrel.
I then rotated the front sight base to the right.
My sight base was soldered in place also.
So I heated it up to make it break loose.
Once the rifle was sighted in with the front sight centered inside the sight base.
I then re heated it to get the solder to bind again..

Once I was sure the sights were sighted in at the yardage I preferred , I then drilled out that pin hole and installed a slightly larger pin in the hole to lock everything back in.
But I agree also,
Check the barrel Crown.
That can effect accuracy.

[rbuck351]

I have a Norinko SKS that had he worst crown I have ever seen on any gun. At 50 yds it would not keep all bullets in a 2 foot circle. I cut off about 1/4" of barrel and recrowned it. Now it shoots about 3" at 100 yds. Still not a target rifle but it is usable now.

[jdfoxinc]

You could always do a native American fix. Find a tree with a narrow fork and bend the barrel until it shoots to the desired poi.

[Grayone]

I had an SKS with the same problem.
I took out the Pin that holds the front sight base to the barrel.
I then rotated the front sight base to the right.
My sight base was soldered in place also.
So I heated it up to make it break loose.
Once the rifle was sighted in with the front sight centered inside the sight base.
I then re heated it to get the solder to bind again..

Once I was sure the sights were sighted in at the yardage I preferred , I then drilled out that pin hole and installed a slightly larger pin in the hole to lock everything back in.
But I agree also,
Check the barrel Crown.
That can effect accuracy.

This is the correct way to fix this issue.

[rond]

Try moving the front sight to the left

[LAGS]

The front sight is moved in the Opposite direction to where you want the bullet to go.
IE.
If it is shooting to the right , and you want the bullet to go left more.
You move the front sight to the right.
The rear sight is moved the direction you want the bullet to go.

[JAMESGR]

I checked the crown of the rifle looks good. I pin gauged the bore and it is 0.301 inches. Is this really small or a normal bore size for the SKS???? My cast bullets are sized 0.310. I don't think that would cause the bullets to fly hard right. Any thought on this????? I don't have anything soft enough to slug the barrel today. I'll have to cast a couple of bullets from pure lead tomorrow and check the groove diameter.

I thought that I might need to remove the pins and tap the front sight to the left.

Since the rear sight groove is so small I'm wondering if I might be aligning more on the left side of the rear sight. So, I'm going to widen the rear sight groove a little bit, probably let a gun smith friend remove the front sight pins and help with the alignment.

Thanks everyone, I was thinking I might be the only one with this problem.
I'll keep you updated
JAMES
JAMESGR

[LAGS]

I have widened the rear sight groove to correct minor adjustments.
But that is mostly done on my Fixed Sight pistols.
But I also have widened the groove just to make the front sight more visable.
The grooving on your rifle will not cause consistant accuracy like yours just shooting to the right.
A loose fitting bullet will mostly shoot random inaccuracy and not just pattern in one direction.

[Gtek]

SKS, AK, AR, VZ style all have very tall front sights from bore center line, increasing degree of angle amplifies the point of impact. How bad of angle is how one must approach fix, when you run out of adjustment one has to get creative with the specific platform. SKS depending on barrel OD machining, you may be able to move sight base back a touch and re-cut pin grooves.

[LAGS]

You are correct Gtek.
The sights sit so high above the barrel.
That makes the side to side change when rotating the sight base sensitive.
Moving the sight base say 1/32 of an inch at the barrel , will move the actual sight blade maybe almost a 1/4".
That is why I mentioned to move the sight base and then take it out to the range and check the accuracy before refitting and installing the base pin.
If the sight base is not soldered to the barrel you can just crazy glue or epoxy the base to the barrel to keep it from rotating.
Put a index mark on the barrel and base for future reference for installation of the pin.
Especially if you intend to remove the glue to solder the base indexed in place.

[Larry Gibson]

I checked the crown of the rifle looks good. I pin gauged the bore and it is 0.301 inches. Is this really small or a normal bore size for the SKS???? My cast bullets are sized 0.310. I don't think that would cause the bullets to fly hard right. Any thought on this????? I don't have anything soft enough to slug the barrel today. I'll have to cast a couple of bullets from pure lead tomorrow and check the groove diameter.

I thought that I might need to remove the pins and tap the front sight to the left.

Since the rear sight groove is so small I'm wondering if I might be aligning more on the left side of the rear sight. So, I'm going to widen the rear sight groove a little bit, probably let a gun smith friend remove the front sight pins and help with the alignment.

Thanks everyone, I was thinking I might be the only one with this problem.
I'll keep you updated
JAMES
JAMESGR

.301 is pretty much normal bore size.

The front sight base is pinned and soldered on as LAGS mentions so you won't be able to tap it over even with the pin removed. LAGS has given you the proper fix.

[JAMESGR]

I was hoping the sight wasn't soldered in place. Oh well. I'll print LAGS'S post and go from there.
Thanks for the help, I'll keep ya'll posted.

JAMES
JAMESGR

[LAGS]

It doesn't take much to get the soldered sight base loose.
Just use a propane or Mapp gas torch and heat the ring that wraps around the barrel.
I clamp the barrel in a vise , heat the band and use a pair of pliers to rotate it.
After heating it up , you do not have to quench or rapid cool the metal.
You also do not have to pull the whole sight base off the barrel.
Be sure if you have a colored Plastic front sight you remove it before heating up the base.
You can estimate the amount of rotation you will need by measuring the front sight that is moved to the right , to the position it will then be once placed back in the center of the sight base.
Good luck.
Let us know how it works for you.

[Larry Gibson]

Also keep in mind when you break the solder loose and rotate the sight slightly the solder will set again when it cools. If you need to move the sight more or less you have to re-heat and break the solder loose again.

[405grain]

The front sight post on an SKS is basically just a screw with one end turned down to form a post. If I were having a problem with setting the front sight all the way over with a sight pusher and still needing some more windage, before I removed and altered the sight base I'd first try making a new sight post with the post on top offset. Whatever size metric screw that is, I'd clamp the screw head in a vise, then use some files to turn the end of the screw into a sighting post. I'd make the post all the way over to one edge of the screw. Then I'd cut the head of the screw off so the sight post would be the correct length. I'd use some red loctite when I threaded the sight post into the sight base, and leave the tip of the sight post in the direction where I needed to correct the windage.

As I'm writing this I realized that I'd need to measure the distance from the top of the front sight guard to the top of the old sight post so that when the new post is installed it will be at the same height, and won't cause the elevation to change much. Will this work? I don't know - my SKS shoots fine so I haven't needed to try. It just sounds like it might be an easy fix if it works. If not, then try moving the scope base.

[JAMESGR]

Well I FINALLY got the pins out. getting new pins in will be FUN. I'll do like LAGS and enlarge the hole and install slightly larger pins.
I put the barrel in a vise with leather softeners. Then heated the sight area tried moving the sight with vise grip pliers. I don't think I moved it any. Solder should melt at about 500 degrees or so. I probably didn't have the solder hot enough.

LAGS did you have to use a lot of pressure to get the sight to move or just a lot of heat??????
Rained all day here, so, no way to check movement. But looking at the paint marks I put on before starting I've not moved the sight.

405 grain, I didn't think of that idea before I started. I'll file this back for future reference.

Thanks for all the help, I'll keep ya'll posted

JAMES
JAMESGR

[LAGS]

You have to get the metal up to about 650 ° to get the solder to melt.
Just apply the heat evenly around the sight base.
You don't have to get it red hot or anything.
It is just that the barrel and base absorbed heat so it takes a little while to get the solder area warm enough to melt.
Be patient.
When you get the sight base moved and you test fire it.
You only have to redrill the pin hole just a TINY bit larger.
All you are doing is reaming out the hole back to round.
I used the shank of the drill bit for the pin.
That way it matches perfect.
But if it is the right sized hole , you can use a Roll Pin to anchor the base to the barrel.
I often use the red plastic front sights just to make them more visible for my old eyes.
Now,
By chance , Do you have a laser bore sighter.
I use one to see where the alignment is before I move the sight base.
And then check it once the base is moved and the sight is re centered in the base.
It also helps with setting the elevation of the front sight.

[turtlezx]

i like 405s idea the best you rotate the front hood and the whole sight will be crooked