Built around a rugged windage and elevation adjustment tool for the front sight of AK-pattern firearms, the Midwest Industries AK Multi Tool is a great range-bag-companion for the AK owner.
Constructed of heavy-duty, nickel-plated 4140 steel, the tool provides a gas tube wrench, handguard cap lever wrench, and multi-function knubs for muzzle brake detents or recoil button compression in addition to the windage and elevation adjustment tool.
The tool comes with a clear set of directions for those who are new to adjusting the sights on an AK. It is made in the U.S.A., and cost $84.95 at midwestindustriesinc.com at the time of this writing.
If you own an AK and are looking for a rugged and versatile tool for sight adjustment and other AK-specific tasks, the Midwest Industries AK Multi Tool would be an excellent choice.
Background
Back in 2016, I purchased my very first AK pattern rifle. It was a Saiga 223. That rifle is still my primary home defense firearm today. The Saiga 223 is a sport version of the famous (or infamous) Kalashnikov automatic rifle (AK) and is chambered in 5.56 NATO. Saiga rifles are manufactured by Ishmash in the Russian city of Izhvesk in the factory where Mikhail Kalashnikov designed the original AK-47.
I bought the Saiga because I wanted a rifle with the reliability of an AK chambered in the highly accessible .223 Rem/5.56 NATO cartridge. Saigas have become rather rare in recent years. I could probably now sell mine for three times what I paid for it. If I was buying an AK chambered in .223 Rem/5.56 NATO today, I would probably buy a Zastava ZPAPM90 instead. It has better balance than a Saiga as well as better magazine availability.
On my first trip to the range with the Saiga, I quickly discovered that the sights were not properly zeroed and that I did not have an appropriate tool to adjust them.
I did some research, and then ordered an inexpensive, foreign-made AK sight adjustment tool online. That tool broke the very first time that I tried to use it. Sometimes you get what you pay for.
I did some more research, and then ordered an American-made AK sight adjustment tool. That tool functioned adequately, but it was nothing to write home about.
Recently, I ran across the Midwest Industries AK Multi Tool online. The tool was obviously constructed around a hefty chunk of metal. It appeared to be over-engineered for a lifetime of reliable service.
I had recently reviewed a Zastava ZPAP M70 Underfolder on SurvivalBlog. The manual for the M70 suggested having the rifle zeroed by a qualified armorer. I recommended instead that the M70 owner purchase an AK sight adjustment tool and learn how to use it. I wondered if the Midwest Industries AK Multi Tool might be a good tool to recommend to AK owners.
I contacted Midwest Industries and asked if they could provide me with a sample of the tool for testing and evaluation. They were kind enough to agree. Not long afterward, a 10 x 8 x 4.5 inch box arrived via UPS Ground from Midwest Industries Inc., W29254498 Hillside Rd., Waukesha, WI 53189-9592.
First Impressions
The shipping box contained a card with a sale offer on a couple of AR handguards, a can-cozy, a couple of Midwest Industries decals in two sizes, and the AK Multi Tool in a clear plastic clam pack.
The tool was even more rugged than it appeared in its pictures online. Due to its strength, toughness, and resistance to wear, 4140 steel is commonly used to make objects like crankshafts, piston rods, aircraft landing gear, drill collars, molds, dies, and other tooling equipment. Made with 14 ounces of 4140 steel, the AK Multi Tool is designed to stand up to hard use.
That extra strength is important, because an AK front sight that has not been adjusted for a while can feel like it is welded into place. An especially tough tool is needed to break the sight free and allow it to be drifted or raised and lowered.
The sturdy and removable wrench provides the leverage needed to break a stuck sight free. The windage adjustment screw of the tool turns as smoothly as butter. Indicator marks on the side of the screw provide an objective reference point for how far the sights have been adjusted.
The Instructions
A set of clear instructions guide the beginner in the task of AK sight adjustment:
1. “Look at the front sight from the rear of the gun [for windage] or top of sight for elevation.”
2. “To move bullet impact to the right, drift the front sight to the left.”
3. “To move bullet impact to the left, drift front sight to the right.”
4. “To raise the bullet impact, screw the front sight clock-wise.”
5. “To lower bullet impact, screw the front sight counter clock-wise.”
6. “Each hash mark will move bullet impact approximately 1.0 MOA depending on barrel length.”
At the Range
The sun struggled feebly to shine through high clouds on an early afternoon in mid-autumn. The air was still with a temperature in the mid-40s Fahrenheit.
I took the Saiga 223 to the improvised range behind the pole barn. It had been a while since I had last checked the zero on that particular rifle.
I set up a target stand in front of the backstop and a table 50 yards away. I placed a rifle rest on the table.
I loaded three rounds of TulAmmo .223 Rem 75 grain HP steel case into a magazine, inserted the magazine into the Saiga, chambered the first round, and fired all three rounds at the center target. The group centered about 1 inch high and 1 inch to the left of the point of aim.
I drifted the front sight slightly to the right and turned it slightly down (counter-clockwise). The next three-shot group seemed nicely centered, but was now a little low.
Over the course of four more three-shot groups, I tweaked the elevation until it was just right.
It was nice to get out with the Saiga again. I had neglected it for too long.
Cleaning
During field stripping and reassembly, the AK Multi Tool had two especially useful functions.
The first involved the handguard cap lever wrench. It was handy for pushing in the recoil spring guide button while removing and reinstalling the receiver cover.
The second involved the gas tube wrench. It is the ideal tool for moving the gas tube lever in order to allow the gas tube to be removed and reinstalled. I had always used a pair of pliers to move the gas tube lever in the past. A pliers is not the ideal tool for the job, but it was the best that I had. It is much easier to use the gas tube wrench, which is the ideal tool for the job. There is much less risk of slipping in my grip on the pliers and damaging the finish on the rifle or the skin on my fingers.
Midwest Industries, Inc.
In addition to the AK Multi Tool, Midwest Industries (“MI”) manufactures or carries a host of other firearms accessories.
They make or carry accessories for AK, AR-15, AR308, B&T, BRN-180, CZ, FN, Henry, HK, IWI, Kel-Tec, Marlin, Remington, Rossi, Ruger, SIG Sauer, Smith & Wesson, Winchester, and other firearms.
These accessories include stocks and braces, bipods and mounts, cases and chest rigs, furniture, handguards, light mounts, lower parts and receivers, M-LOK accessories, magazines and loaders, muzzle devices, optics and scope mounts, tactical lights, and tools and cleaning supplies.
Midwest Industries states that they were “founded in 2003 by two partners in the precision machining industry, united by a lifelong belief in American-made products, American values, and the Second Amendment.”
4140 Steel
4140 is a tough steel alloy with high torsional strength that is highly resistant to metal fatigue, abrasion, and impact. It is composed of 96.7-96.85% iron, 0.8-1.1% chromium, 0.75-1.0% manganese, 0.38-0.43% carbon, 0.15-0.3% carbon, 0.15-0.25% molybdenum, 0.04% sulfur, and 0.035% phosphorus.
Conclusions
The Midwest Industries AK Multi Tool is the best AK sight adjustment tool that I have ever used. Extra features like the gas tube wrench make it even more valuable. It is rugged, easy to use, and precise.
It is not the most inexpensive AK slight adjustment tool on the market, but the best rarely is. If you want an AK sight adjustment tool that is even more rugged than an AK, the Midwest Industries AK Multi Tool may be what you are looking for. I highly recommend it.
Disclaimer
Midwest Industries, Inc. provided me with a sample of their AK Multi Tool for testing and evaluation. Zastava has allowed me to review several of their firearms in the past, including the ZPAPM90 and the ZPAPM70 Underfolder. I tried not to allow the kindness of these vendors to interfere with my objectivity in this review, and I believe that I have succeeded. I did not receive any other financial or other inducement to mention any vendor, product, or service in this article.
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