What meter is zero

[Marshall-law]

I was shooting my M letter carbine New Years day at a Thunder Clap gong which is a 10"x10" plate. I set it up at around 120 steps so around 120yards +or- and  was shooting some winchester 123gr soft point ammo. I was shooting sitting in a chair with my elbow on my knees. I started out placing my sights right on target and notice it was shooting high then started working my way down till i started hitting the gong. Once I figured out about where to hold I could hit it about 3 out of 5 shots. Ive read Mosins were zeroed for battle [100 meter=300 meter] so are SkS zeroed for a certian battle meter or is mine just shooting high? Thanks, Robert

[1mlt]

I was shooting my M letter carbine New Years day at a Thunder Clap gong which is a 10"x10" plate. I set it up at around 120 steps so around 120yards +or- and  was shooting some winchester 123gr soft point ammo. I was shooting sitting in a chair with my elbow on my knees. I started out placing my sights right on target and notice it was shooting high then started working my way down till i started hitting the gong. Once I figured out about where to hold I could hit it about 3 out of 5 shots. Ive read Mosins were zeroed for battle [100 meter=300 meter] so are SkS zeroed for a certian battle meter or is mine just shooting high? Thanks, Robert

100m = 330feet
The SKS is a min-of-man firearm, not a MOA. You should expect 3-4" POA with this platform. IIRC, the extreme back setting of the rear site is the 'battle site' setting of 100-200m. Meaning, you should be able to hit a torso sized target with that setting within that range.

Your SKS could also be simply shooting high. To lower the POI, raise the front site post, or lower the rear site, or perhaps both to bring it down. Easiest is to raise the front post.

Marcus

[Marshall-law]

Thanks Marcus. I know the min of man thing. I guess I would like to know does most of you guys have to aim low to hit your target with your sights set at 100meters or did you have to monkey with front sight?

[1mlt]

Thanks Marcus. I know the min of man thing. I guess I would like to know does most of you guys have to aim low to hit your target with your sights set at 100meters or did you have to monkey with front sight?

To 'dial it in', monkey with the front site. Try and use a hard mount to stabilize the rifle for fine tuning. Don't over heat the barrel when doing this. Let it cool between shots for best accuracy.
Marcus

[Adam7]

Raise your front sight post. That should lower you point of aim.

[Dannyboy53]

Marshall I used an online ballistics calculator (selecting 300 meter zero) as a guide to setting our SKS sights. I started out with my rear sight on the "battle site" setting Marcus speaks of. Make a note of where the bullet crosses your line of sight at 25 meters in the data generated by the calculator, for example in the calculator I used it was approx 2 inches above the axis of the bore. I set up a target at 25 meters and adjusted our sights to strike two inches above the bullseye/point of aim and then shot at longer known distances (100 and 200 meters) to make fine adjustments.

Marcus' advice is critical at this stage, also if possible try to do this on a calm day when you are not in a rush. And remember these online ballistic calculators should ONLY be used as a guide, their data is generated in a controlled environment with a test barrel! For my wife and I this worked very well and we were pleased with the results. As long as you keep in mind these little critters are not tack-drivers!

I don't know if this is true but I have read the Russians gave their recruits a rule-of-thumb when shooting at various ranges with the SKS rear sight set at the battle-sight setting. At long distances aim for the head, at short distances aim at the belt buckle...makes sense considering the rise and fall of the projectile!

[Marshall-law]

Thanks for the advise. I'll work on the front sight.

[Garand1957]

Sadly nothing is simple with sights and ammo.
Not only will you have to tweak the front sight to get the rifle to hit POA at 100 yards but many times when you change ammo you will have to do it again.
Even between different types of Russian animal brand ammo you will find your POI and POA change.
One reason I buy ammo buy the 1,000 round crate or more. It helps avoid as many tweaks of the sights