Do you have the all-too-common canted AK sights on your beloved rifle? Keep reading to learn how to fix the dreaded canted front sights, as well as misaligned rear sights, with our easy-to-follow tutorial.
Canted AK sights are one of the most common issues that plague AK-47 rifles- even in modern AKM production models.
There are many things to consider when talking about canted AK sights and we’re going to break down exactly what a canted AK sight is, how to check if your AK sights are canted, and how to fix it yourself (no gunsmith needed in many cases).
There are several areas of your AK’s front and rear sights that can be canted. The most common is the front sight block, sight post, or ears, followed by the rear sight block and sight leaf.
Less commonly, the AK barrel trunnion itself is canted and, in this case, the manufacturer will cant the front sight on purpose to allow the rifle to zero.
Sometimes the rear sight block can be canted, or, the sight leaf has uneven pins or the notch is off-center. In some cases, a canted AK sight is obvious upon inspection but in a lot of cases, it requires a boresight to determine if it’s canted.
So what exactly are canted sights on an AK? An AK sight is canted when a centered sight post and sight leaf do not shoot at the point of aim.
This can usually be remedied by using a sight tool to drift the post left or right until the sight can be zeroed.
So long as you can zero the sight before reaches the end of its drift then technically you do not need to proceed to make any further adjustments to correct a canted sight.
For some people, having your sight post too far left or right of the ears is just something they can’t look past- no pun intended.
For those of us who like seeing a perfectly centered post on our AKs, keep reading on to find out what you can do to fix this all-to-common issue.
How to Check for Canted Sights on an AK
The simplest way is to eyeball it when you’re picking it up at your FFL by holding it straight and looking down the entire length of the rifle to see if the front sight post and rear sight block look to be lined up as straight as possible.
If it’s hard for you to tell anything is off-center and canted then even if it turns out to be slightly canted it will be an easy fix.
If it looks noticeably bad though, it might be a good idea to refuse the pickup and get another AK sent out or get a refund.
Really canted iron sights are a pain to fix and most people won’t be up to the task or have the tools and know-how to do the job right. Hiring a gunsmith isn’t a cheap option either so steer clear if it looks like something you can’t fix yourself.
Of course, if looks don’t bother you much, and you plan on using optics, perhaps you could let it slide- but– if you find out later that it can’t be zeroed, then you won’t be able to rely on your iron sights if your optics ever fail!
Need a front sight tool for your AK that is well-made and costs well under $10? We found a great tool on Amazon that will get the job done and is easy to use!
FIRECLUB AK Front Sight 7.62x39mm Adjustment Tool $4.30 On Amazon
How to Fix Canted Sights on an AK
It turns out that slightly canted sights have a pretty easy and non-intrusive fix with just a few basic tools and a laser boresight.
I found this YouTube tutorial below to be the best way to address canted sights without the need to remove the front sight pins.
How I Fixed My ZPAP and How to Remove Rear Sight Leaf!
When I purchased my ZPAP last year I noticed the rear sight block appeared to be canted. It wasn’t terrible and it didn’t affect my zeroing in the rifle but it was a bit unsightly and I wanted to fix it.
During my research, I stumbled across the YouTube tutorial below and discovered my rear sight block wasn’t canted at all.
It turns out I had the exact same issue with my sight leaf that was shown in the video and all it required was a bit of sanding to even out the leaf pivot pins. Now everything is straight like it should be. Nice!
Source: GinBoy2003 makes a good tutorial on how to fix the sight leaf issue on your AKM or Yugo ZPAP AK-47.
Hopefully, this article helped you discover and learn how to spot a canted sight and how to fix it with some simple and easy-to-follow instructions.
Most people who are handy with tools and aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty will be able to address this all-to-common AK issue. Thanks for tuning in and check back often for more AK tips and fixes!
