I finally got to take my new to me m4 to the range today and decided to try the open sights first, well I started at 50 meters just to zero it, fired 3 shots and nothing on paper adjusted and tried again nothing, moved target to 25 meters nothing, had to crank the rear sight all the way to the left to get the shots on the paper. The rear sight is all the way to the left and the shots are about 5 inches from center. Bad rear sight? Someone at some point in time had the front sight off to install a free float rail could that do it?
Norinco m4 shoots hard left
- Thread starter maddogmax
- Start date
My guess would be that the front sight is FUBAR from being removed and replaced. Sounds like the original owner probably hammered the front sight off with no intention of ever putting back on. Ask the seller if that was the case, and if so ask for a refund. The other option is to have the seller flip you some cash for a nice quad rail and some flip up irons and call it even, unless your going for the retro look. You can also try to adjust the front site over to the right With a couple hard knocks from a mallet and see if it moves, then really tighten it down.
The entire front sight tower was likely re-installed crooked.
dangertree
Business Rep
- Location
- NL/ON/FL/PL
It's not easy to install the same sight back on the same barrel in any different orientation than it came off.
If it's off kilter now, I'd say it was off kilter in the first place.
dangertree
Business Rep
- Location
- NL/ON/FL/PL
For Govt Purpose, if it can be mechanically zeroed, that is, can be made to shoot to point of aim with the included sights, it's good to go. YMMV.
BigUglyMan
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- New Scotland
Owing to it's communist roots?
I think I’ll take the upper apart and check it over, install new roll pins and make sure the barrel is torque properly. I’m betting who ever put the front sight back on after installing the free float rail used the old roll pins the heads look a bit messed up.
I just think there's something more here. If the front sight's that far off, then it should show a lean to one side. If the barrel's bent, it won't show anything without close examination. Yes, I've had barrels bent from the factory. I had an M1 barrel bent in the thickest part of the chamber and it wouldn't zero, just the same way his is.
Many free float rails have a specific barrel nut that they attach to. That would require the removal of the OEM barrel nut.
If the previous owner tried to do this without the proper equipment it is very easy to bend or torque the upper receiver which would result in the rear sight being way off to one side.
This is the problem with home gunsmithing when people don't know what they are doing.
Boresighting.
