This amazing device is a boresighter designed by NPZ to quickly get a rifle and scope on paper without firing any rounds. It is an optical system and does not use a laser in the bore, nor do you need to be outside at any specific distance or at the range to do the sighting in. You can use OVU-1 basically anywhere and it requires nothing other than the rifle, the scope and itself.

If you have a lot of optics the good news is that this is probably the most effective accessory for AK optics you can own.

The bad news is that there are basically none available in the US and it is not clear how to order them from NPZ. I personally only know of one other than my own and have not heard of any others


The device is designed for the both AK pattern and SVD rifles: AK74, AK105, AKSU, AK47, AKM, AK103, AK104 and the SVD, Tiger and NDM86.

It comes with three different diameter bore inserts which are used for the caliber and type of rifle that you are zeroing. You select the bore insert appropriate to the caliber in question, insert it into one of three ports in the OVU-1 and then insert into the rifle barrel at the muzzle. This puts the OVU-1 boresight pattern at the correct height over bore based on the type of rifle you are zeroing.
As mentioned elsewhere on the site the reason that OVU-1 is so effective is due to the extensive engineering with how the AK and SVD side rails are designed, as well as the ultra consistent height over bore that the Russian optics use. This is all part of the 60 year old master plan for using optics on Russian rifles, and OVU-1 is designed as part of that complete system.

Most optics for the SVD use port 1, which is for optics with the lowest height over bore. AK rifles typically use port 2 which is in the middle, and NPZ manufactured night vision optics use port 3 which is the tallest over bore. Night vision optics typically have the highest height over bore because they can be used on heavy machines guns like DsHK as well as RPG rocket launchers and the classic AKs and SVDs

OVU-1 in port 1 or slot 1, the lowest height over bore position

How does OVU-1 work?

When you first view the scope reticule against the boresight pattern you will see that you are usually not in the center of OVU-1. You adjust the scope reticule to center mass of the OVU-1 boresight target, then take the rifle to live fire for zero confirmation. Regardless of the optic type you should immediately be on paper with the first round and relatively close to POA=POI at 100m. Zero is then confirmed with live rounds as you would normally

After zeroing is confirmed you place the OVU-1 back in the rifle and view the scope reticule against the boresight pattern again. It is likely the reticule will not be in the center of OVU-1 and in a different place than when you started.
Simply record the numbers corresponding to the reticule position after zero is confirmed. This would be your final zero numbers and is recorded per rifle and scope combination. You can quickly verify your zero at a future time by inserting the OVU-1 and checking to see if your reticule is on the same numbers

You should also then be able to take a different scope, move the scope reticule to the same numbers and it will be very close to a real live fire zero. I will be testing this as time permits

In all my years of working with Russian optics I have never found anything so instantly useful and effective as OVU-1. Due to the number of optics I handle OVU-1 is like a gift from heaven and I am extremely thankful to have my hands on one

OVU-1 in the transit case

Showing the three rods which are inserted into the bore
Each rod can only index one way into the OVU-1 ensuring you get correct alignment each time.

The rods are held in place by the set screw linked to the chain.
They also have two small flanges which are compressed by the diameter of the bore in the rifle to give a tight fit.
This also allows the rods to fit calibers not exactly the same as the Russian rifles. For example, the 5.45 rod fits .223/5.56 rifles just fine, and the 7.62 rods fit .308 as well
Left to right: AK74 5.45, AK47/AKM/AK103 7.62 and on the right SVD 7.62

Insert into the barrel and look down the optic as though you were ready to fire the weapon. You will see the boresight pattern through the scope.

Once you have acquired the OVU-1 boresight pattern you move the scope reticule to center mass of the pattern. This will put you on paper at 100 meters. It will not give you a perfect bulls-eye. You will check the zero with live fire and adjust from there for final zero confirmation



OVU-1 is designed to work for most, if not all, Russian designed optics due to the 3 positions available for the boresight rods. Position 3, the tallest port at the bottom of OVU-1, is compatible with the typical night vision devices produced by NPZ


You can see here with 1PN58 has been zeroed to the center of the OVU-1 boresight pattern. As with daylight optics final adjustments will be made at the rifle range with live ammo, but this will ensure you will be on paper with the first round fired. I was able get 1PN58 zeroed with three rounds total




While not designed for them OVU-1 works for ARs as well. I have found that there is an almost exact relation between optic height over bore for both ARs and AKs, which allows OVU-1 to be used on either. I've helped friends sight in their .308 ARs using the 30 cal rod, my own Ruger SR556 as well as Auzie's AR shown here.

With a red dot it is slightly harder to see the OVU-1 pattern but still completely workable, and every bit as useful as a magnified optic.
You can also see here that the RS-M red dot is mounted to the ZenitCo B33 topcover. It does not matter how the optic is mounted as long as height over bore corresponds to the height of OVU-1


I really wish these were widely available in the States. When combined with the BelOMO KHPm irons boresighter you have the ability to get your optics and irons zeroed quickly and with the minimum of live rounds. Both together are a fantastic combination.