Accuracy of the AK-47

R

rock_jock

New member
I watched the movie "Full Metal Jacket" a few weeks ago and a thought occurred to me. There is a scene in which a young Vietnamese sniper girl is picking off Marines in an abandoned city. She is firing from a bombed-out building and achieving pinpoint shots at distances up to 250-300 yards. So, I'm thinking that an AR-15 could probably get this kind of accuracy (albeit with a great deal of skill) because it is not unusual to have an AR-15 meet 1 MOA, and I think you would need that kind of inherent accuracy to make shots from that distance. However, having never fired an AK-47, I'm wondering if it even possible to approach 1 MOA, or is this just more Hollywood hype?
 
I'd recalibrate your eyes, there. I'd pin it at between 75 and 100 yards. At that range, you can expect to hit a target the size of a leg... which is what she was shooting at.
 
I'm not an AK expert, but I have some experience with them.
The Romainian & Bulgarian guns are the best. They will shoot about 3 1/2 MOA ( 3 1/2 inches at 100 yards) with the right ammo. The Egyptian Maadi's are the worst, they shoot about 8 to 10 MOA. The Chinese guns are about in the middle.
I'm told the Egyptian guns come closest to the Viet Nam era AK 47's, but have no personal experience with them.
 
My Egyptian Maadi will easily shoot half of group size that D. Foster mentioned and thats standing-offhand-rapid-fire at 100 yds. They do well for envelop they were designed for. From a sitting,support position I'm getting 2-4" at 100 yds. This is after changing out rear sight with an RPK adj.
 
I've gotten my Bulgarian SLR-95 down to 2 MOA per 5 shots, but it took match-grade handloads using new Lapua brass, Accurate 1680 powder, moly-coated Winchester 123gr FMJ bullets, (weight-sorted) and Federal 210 Match primers. The Bulgarian guns don't have that nice side rail scope mount system, otherwise I'd hang some glass on the little guy and see if I could get it grouping tighter. But for an ultimately reliable autoloader, the AK's lack of MOA accuracy can be overlooked, IMHO. Although, I'd like to see some enterprising individual build one on a Douglas or Krieger barrel, tweaking the gas system, trigger, free-floating and bedding, basically pulling out all the stops, and see what they could do with it. The 7.62x39 cartridge has great potential for accuracy, Saeed, the sysadmin over at accuratereloading.com, built a Remington 700 in that chambering and his results are impressive.
 
Can't help but bring this up ... ;)

Yesterday I had a chance to shoot a Polytech pre-ban AK. We had put two watermelons on a hill, about 100+ yards out. Friend (17 years old) with a Remington 700 and scope tried to hit one watermelon, and couldn't do the job in 8 shots.

I hit it with my first shot. ;) And, he said 'Don't shoot the other one!', and suggested I hit the biggest piece left from the first one ... which I did .... with my second shot. :)

Of course, I told him I shoot like that all the time. ;) Truth is, my eyes aren't that great, and I'm not sure AK's are that accurate (certainly not more so than a Remington 700) ... but, it was a fun day. ;)

Regards from AZ
 
Yes, he certainly does. I think I forgot to mention that ... ;)

Actually, we began adjusting it after this incident. However, my reputation was already set for the day at that point. ;)

Regards from AZ
 
Pardon my ignorance, but will a proper break-in procedure for an AK (say a Romanian SAR-1) ensure that it will reach the best theoretical accuracy of that rifle?

I've read that (im)proper break-in can make a 1/2 MOA gun shoot 1 1/2. I wonder how much truth to it there is OR how relevant it is to functional instruments like an AK.

Skorzeny

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For to win one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the acme of skill. To subdue the enemy without fighting is the supreme excellence. Sun Tzu
 
I think AK system in not designed with accuracy in mind. I have yet to see a standard AK shoot better than 4 MOA and even that takes some doing with proper ammo, solid rest, etc. My MAC-90 will do about 6 MOA with good ammo. Even the Dragunov sniper rifles (modified AK action) will do no better than about 1 1/2 MOA.
 
I've got a SAR-1 (romanian 7.62x39) and if 1" at 100 yards is 1 MOA I'd get about 8 or maybe 10 MOA. Now with a scoped ruger 10/22 I can hit a half dollar at 100 yards standing and unsuported (me not the 1/2 dollar) :D

I could hit a man easily but not shoot the cigar out of his mouth.

shiro
 
I don't normally shoot for groups with my MAK-90, but some other target objects might give a decent feel for it.

1-1/2 to 2 inch diameter pipe at 200 yards with no problems.

Desert hares at all ranges up to 100 yards are no problem as long as they pause for a second or two.

12 inch metal plates at 300 yards are pretty easy to hit.

I don't think a barrel break-in procedure will make a difference in a chrome lined barrel like an AK.

In the movie, you're assuming that she was aiming for particular body parts instead of just trying to make hits. The range appeared to be at, or slightly less than, 100 yards.
 
Destructo6:

That was my guess. I thought that because an AK variant has a chrome-lined barrel, a thorough "break-in" procedure would not really do much.

Does anyone else share that thought?

BTW, how do Ruger Mini-14 (.223) and an AK sporter (say, Romanian SAR-1) compare in accuracy?

Skorzeny

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For to win one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the acme of skill. To subdue the enemy without fighting is the supreme excellence. Sun Tzu

[This message has been edited by Skorzeny (edited September 19, 2000).]
 
My mak 90 in 223 shoots a lot better than my early model mini 14. But I don't rteally like the sights on either of them,

Mak 90 2-3 moa depending on how settled I am .. that s a long shot with coarse Iron sights. I think with a scope I could get it down to 1 moa.

Mini 14.. best I've ever shot is about 4 moa.. but I really hate post and hole sights.. buckhorns are better for a steady hold.Even with a scope I never got better than a three inch group at 100 yards.
 
How reliable are AK clones chambered for the .223?

I've read and heard that some AK's in .223/5.56mm have much to be desired in reliability quite unlike their 5.54mm or 7.62mm cousins.

How much truth is there to that? I ask because I am thinking about buying a Romanian SAR-1 (7.62) or SAR-2 or 3 (whichever is the 5.56).

Skorzeny

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For to win one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the acme of skill. To subdue the enemy without fighting is the supreme excellence. Sun Tzu
 
Did anyone notice the rifle shown from the snipers perspective in FMJ is NOT the same gun she has when they finally reach her and kill her? When it's pointing through the window, it has a looped front sight, and a very thik cocking knob that is attached to the bolt carrier. Maybe I was imagining things, but I am pretty sure that's what I saw, which would make that an SKS she was using to do the actual sniping. At any rate it as definitely different from the AK-47 she is using when they find her. I'm not sure if this was a mistake, or if she just had more than one gun up there with her.

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The Alcove

I twist the facts until they tell the truth. -Some intellectual sadist

The Bill of Rights is a document of brilliance, a document of wisdom, and it is the ultimate law, spoken or not, for the very concept of a society that holds liberty above the desire for ever greater power. -Me
 
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