Jump to content
SASS Wire Forum

A Soule Sight Question


Tequila Shooter

Recommended Posts

Ok, I’m just getting into long range BPCR shooting and realized I have what is probably a question with a simple answer that I just haven’t figured out.  I understand that at 100 yards each MOA of elevation is equal to about 1 inch and 2 inches at 200 yards, etc.  Looking at the picture below, if at 100 yards the elevation is say 50 (just a random number), is there a way of knowing what it would be at 200 yards or at 300. 

 

89FA62A5-515F-4034-8CD0-357BE18D7613.thumb.jpeg.21b22fb2f6023b58171231a83119087e.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This might help. A pdf document is also attached.

 

(Photo 01 - Soule Sight)

A Soule type rear sight is adjusted in the following ways:

 

WINDAGE:

Adjustments are made by turning the windage knob on the base of the rear sight. It is built on a left-hand thread therefore; clockwise turns move the sight body to the left. Counterclockwise turns move the sight body to the right.

The windage knob features large and small index marks on the right side. Rotating the assembly from one large mark to the next results in 1/2 minute if angle adjustment. Moving from a large mark to the nearest small index mark provides 1/4 minute of angle adjustment. One entire revolution of the windage knob equals 2 1/2 minutes of angle.

 

ELEVATION

Adjustments are made by turning the elevation knob on the top of the rear sight. Before making ANY vertical adjustments of the rear sight, be sure to loosen the sight disks 1/2 turn. Failure to do so will result in damage to the sight.

The rear sight ladder or staff is indexed in increments of 5 minutes of angle. The elevator is indexed in increments of 1 minute of angle. Note how the smaller index marks on the elevator do not align themselves with any index mark on the staff at this point.

In the example the elevator is set to the “25” index mark

(see photo "figure A)".

To move the elevator up one minute of angle (to “26”), turn the elevation knob clockwise until the first small index mark on the elevator aligns with the “30” index mark on the staff

(see photo "figure B)".

 

To continue an additional minute of angle (to “27”), turn the elevation knob until the second small index mark on the elevator aligns with the “35” index mark on the staff

(see photo "figure C)".

 

To continue in increments of one minute of angle, continue the adjustment procedure as explained, always aligning the next index mark on the elevator with the very next index mark on the staff.

When a full five minute cycle of angle has been finished the first line on the elevator will align with the next 5 minute mark on the staff. (In this example, the “30” index mark.)

 

What are minutes of angle?

The term "minute-of-angle" (MOA) is used regularly by target shooters at the range, but is probably understood, thoroughly, by few. Defined loosely, one MOA = 1" at 100 yards; so, if you shot your rifle 5 times into a 100-yard target and every shot went into a one-inch circle you had drawn on the paper, then your rifle could be said to shoot 1 MOA. Likewise, if every shot goes into a two-inch circle at 200 yards, then you're shooting 1 MOA. A 10-inch group at 500 yards would be 2 MOA.

Is 1 MOA actually 1" at 100 yards? It is actually 1.047197580733 inches at 100 yards. Apparently, it is just a coincidence that 1 MOA happens to be REALLY close to 1" at 100 yards. It is, however, quite convenient.

 

The advantage in using a sight calibrated in minutes if angle is simple. It makes absolutely no difference what firearm the sight is mounted on; it can be easily and repeatedly adjusted no matter what caliber you are shooting. If you are hitting 2” low at 100 yards you will move you sight 2 MOA up and you’ll be at point of aim.

The other advantage of MOA is in further distances. If you know your ballistics for your chosen round, you can be pretty accurate in setting you sights for longer distances. For example, if you are sighted in at 100 yards and want to shoot at 500 yards, here is what you can do. Look at your ballistic chart. At 100 yards, note the height above the sight plane that the bullet is for a 500 yard impact. If it’s 45 inches, move your sight up 45 MOA and you’ll be in the ballpark.

01.png

02.png

03.png

04.png

Vernier sights.pdf

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's where your knowledge of exterior ballistics comes in.  A ballistics program is your friend.  If the program tells you that you should have 37 inches of drop between 200 & 300 (for example), it's a simple mathematical calculation to determine how many moa's that is.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You really have to go shoot it and see. I set up a 4' x 4' portable target every fifty yards from 100 to 500 yards, shot a hundred rounds, and wrote the settings in a notebook.

 

535 grain Postell, 65 grains volume Swiss 1.5, .030" wad, CCI-200 primers. Lee Shaver Deluxe long range Soule, bubble level front globe.

 

100 - 21

150 - 27

200 - 34

250 - 41

300 - 47

350 - 56

400 - 66

450 - 73

500 - 83

 

Pretty close to what Uriah posted - 62 points between 100 and 500, compared to his 63.5.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Key is finding your “zero”. 
I use a 100 yd target got my zero. This will vary from rifle to rifle, and load to load. 
for example, with my standard loads

sharps 100 yd zero is 25

hiwall it’s 15 then you add MOA for there. A ballistics calculator (I like Bullet drop but there are lots of them available) will give you the answer at each distance increment. It won’t be 100% as wind and other atmospheric influences will make a slight difference, but not much. 
also, 1 MOA is 1”/hundred yards with a 30” barrel. If your barrel is longer or shorter it will make a difference 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Who made the sight you are using?  Most are scaled correctly to be approximately 1MOA per point if using a 30-32” barrel. Others have a scale that doesn’t correspond to anything useful. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For a quick and dirty rule of thumb, with my 45-70 loaded with about 60 grains of 1 1/2 Swiss BP and a 500 grain bullet and a 30 inch barrel, I figure about 15 mins of elevation per 100 yards out to about 600 yards.  Then I use about 17 to 19 mins elevation up for 700 to 900 yards and then go up 20 mins from the 900 setting to get out to 1000 yards.  All of these numbers can be affected by temperature, humidity, ground elevation and wind.  If I don't hit the target, the bullet will at least dig dirt near the target and I can adjust my sights to move to the bullet onto the target.  At the longer distances, spin drift and rifle cant (as in holding it leaning to one side or the other) will skew bullet's flight  and move bullet impact some distance from where you think it should go.  Your job, as a rifleman, is to figure this out for your rifle and how it will preform at the target range and and given weather conditions.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, Buckshot Sheridan said:

Who made the sight you are using?  Most are scaled correctly to be approximately 1MOA per point if using a 30-32” barrel. Others have a scale that doesn’t correspond to anything useful. 

 

MVA

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Johnny,

 

100yd zero

200  13 moa

300  27 moa

400. 43 moa

500  60 moa

600  80 moa

 

38-50 Rem-Hepburn 1200 fps 363 gr bullet, .357 BC

 

That should get you close. 1-2 moa off, for the shorter range. Higher fps for your load.

 

Uriah

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Johnny and others,

 

I like to set up my rifles, so they shoot 1-3 moa RIGHT with the rear side and front sight at zero settings (100-200 yds)

With a right hand twist barrel, the spin drift will be to the right. I like to set up my rifles for a mechanical zero at every given range based on the spin drift. And go from there with my wind drift.

With my rifle shooting to the right, I only have two dial in the LEFT spin drift for the mechanical zero.

In my estimation, a rifle, shooting to the left at 100 yards, is the worst situation, for mechanical zero at long range.

 

I have a front side that is adjustable for the wind. I have it set to 3 moa RIGHT, 200 yds, with both sights set at zero.

That way, I never cross the zero mark with my front sight. It takes a lot less thinking out of it.

 

Uriah

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.