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Let's talk about sights


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I prefer the smaller front sight and the semi buckhorn.  One of the clubs here in MN is offering a sharpshooter option wherein the normal rifle targets become the pistol targets and a second set of targets for the rifle are placed 30 to 40+ yards away. A smaller front sight allows easier aiming and is just as good close in.  The semi buckhorn doesn't add or detract to movement in my experience.

 

Tex

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I use the biggest one I can get. Doesn’t seem to affect my accuracy. If I miss it is not because of the site. I prefer the ones sold by Shotgun Boogie. I don’t pay any attention to the rear site only the front. 

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Really depends on the kind of shooting...obviously.

 

Bigger lets you hold onto your front sight better...but if it covers the whole rifle target then you need to do one of two things.

 

1. Get a smaller bead

2. Find a more reasonable club

 

As far as the rear sight, I see zero reason for a Semi-Buckhorn.

 

Phantom

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I built competition rifles for about 25 years.  I have always preferred a FLAT rear sight to allow faster target acquisition side to side.  I also preferred larger front sight beads for faster sight pickup.  Never liked the semi-buckhorn.  Always seemed clunky.  Beyond all that, it will actually come down to personal preference.  Run Whatcha Brung.

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Okay, let me add more context to the original questions. For hitting bonus targets (i.e. a stationary clay bird) or running a knockdown plate rack, what sights do you prefer? I know one issue I have at times is lifting my eyes/head to search for the next target on a plate rack or a mover.

 

With the above having been stated, do you still have the same preferences with front and rear sights?

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4 hours ago, Phantom, SASS #54973 said:

Bigger lets you hold onto your front sight better...but if it covers the whole rifle target then you need to do one of two things.

 

1. Get a smaller bead

2. Find a more reasonable club

 

As far as the rear sight, I see zero reason for a Semi-Buckhorn.

 

Phantom

Ding - Ding - Ding      We have a winner.

 

As for the rear sight - ANYTHING that breaks your direct line of sight will slow target acquisition.  Because your eye(s) will attempt to change focus for the different distance.  

And since your eyes move MUCH faster than your rifle barrel; the ears on that buckhorn sight will cross your line of sight as your barrel swings on every target transition.

 

This is a game of 10ths and 100ths of a second. 

Considered individually - every one of these 10ths seem insignificant; but our game is made up of thousands of these opportunities - anyone remotely serious will not willingly discard any of these potential gains.

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Howdy Wyatt,

 

I use the the sights that came on my rifles. They are all blade fronts and flat rear sights. It does seem that folks like big front sights and flat rears. As a point of interest for those who occasionally shoot longer ranges with big or small beads and even blades. For fine work, at the appointed distance sights should be set so that the bullet strikes at the top of the bead. Then the size of the bead makes no difference. For fast cowboy work, who cares? I might also suggest a tang sight like the Lyman or Marbles. fold it down for fast near targets, then up and sighted for distance.

 

Rev. Chase

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Hey Wyatt,

Schwaby & I like the flat top rear sight and a big front bead.  As Creeker stated the semi buckhorn is a speed limiter for the reasons he stated.  Headshot Hannah is a fairly newer shooter that I think you've shot with.  Her rifle runs have really picked up since she had the semi buck horn filed down to a flat top (after she got her fundamentals down of course).

Having said that, I know the places you shoot (in the northeast) aren't always conducive to a larger front bead.  So, my question to you would be are you mostly going to be shooting in those places or are you going to be branching out to more distant shoots (ie, in the south, midwest, west, etc)?  Either way I would definitely go with the flat top rear sight, but if you are sticking to the normal shoots you go to you may want the smaller bead for the claybirds, "bonuses", further out plate racks, etc that you will find more prevalent in the northeast.  If you plan on branching out & going to more distant shoots you may want the bigger bead front site, as we have found in our travels the targets are, in our opinion, more reasonably placed without the multiple gimmicks & excessively wide swings between targets.  Don't get me wrong, I like a "balanced" match that is 1/3 really easy, 1/3 avg, 1/3 a little more challenging but thats getting off topic.  Just my 2 cents worth.

Roper & Schwaby

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9 hours ago, Renegade Roper said:

Hey Wyatt,

Schwaby & I like the flat top rear sight and a big front bead.  As Creeker stated the semi buckhorn is a speed limiter for the reasons he stated.  Headshot Hannah is a fairly newer shooter that I think you've shot with.  Her rifle runs have really picked up since she had the semi buck horn filed down to a flat top (after she got her fundamentals down of course).

Having said that, I know the places you shoot (in the northeast) aren't always conducive to a larger front bead.  So, my question to you would be are you mostly going to be shooting in those places or are you going to be branching out to more distant shoots (ie, in the south, midwest, west, etc)?  Either way I would definitely go with the flat top rear sight, but if you are sticking to the normal shoots you go to you may want the smaller bead for the claybirds, "bonuses", further out plate racks, etc that you will find more prevalent in the northeast.  If you plan on branching out & going to more distant shoots you may want the bigger bead front site, as we have found in our travels the targets are, in our opinion, more reasonably placed without the multiple gimmicks & excessively wide swings between targets.  Don't get me wrong, I like a "balanced" match that is 1/3 really easy, 1/3 avg, 1/3 a little more challenging but thats getting off topic.  Just my 2 cents worth.

Roper & Schwaby

When you talk Roper, I always listen (you too Schwaby)! I think you hit on all the important points. I have the flat rear sight and have for a while. I just have to see about the front. With the huge sure hit front sight. I am always trying to gauge if the issue is my ability or my choice of options and fit. For now, I am still blessed/cursed with having to work a schedule that limits my travel. I might go to a bit smaller front sight or just see if I can break myself from looking off the sight to see the smaller targets.

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  • 4 weeks later...
On 9/24/2024 at 7:28 AM, Renegade Roper said:

Hey Wyatt,

Schwaby & I like the flat top rear sight and a big front bead.  As Creeker stated the semi buckhorn is a speed limiter for the reasons he stated.  Headshot Hannah is a fairly newer shooter that I think you've shot with.  Her rifle runs have really picked up since she had the semi buck horn filed down to a flat top (after she got her fundamentals down of course).

Having said that, I know the places you shoot (in the northeast) aren't always conducive to a larger front bead.  So, my question to you would be are you mostly going to be shooting in those places or are you going to be branching out to more distant shoots (ie, in the south, midwest, west, etc)?  Either way I would definitely go with the flat top rear sight, but if you are sticking to the normal shoots you go to you may want the smaller bead for the claybirds, "bonuses", further out plate racks, etc that you will find more prevalent in the northeast.  If you plan on branching out & going to more distant shoots you may want the bigger bead front site, as we have found in our travels the targets are, in our opinion, more reasonably placed without the multiple gimmicks & excessively wide swings between targets.  Don't get me wrong, I like a "balanced" match that is 1/3 really easy, 1/3 avg, 1/3 a little more challenging but thats getting off topic.  Just my 2 cents worth.

Roper & Schwaby

PM Sent

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I’m a bit of an Odd Ball (Goof Ball?).  I run a Beech Front Sight and a Tang Sight with the diopter removed.  This gives me a longer sight radius for bonuses, but FOR MY EYES it works great by putting the circle in the circle in the circle.  Or as long as I register steel inside of the globe, I go bang.   Just MY preference having used the other styles of sights.

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On 9/22/2024 at 11:06 AM, Wyatt Hurts SASS#72737 said:

Pro's and cons of a larger front sight vs smaller one. Thoughts on a flat top rear sight for unimpaired movement target to target vs a semi buckhorn as a pseudo ghost ring

I really only want to talk about the title of this topic... "Let's talk about sights."   I prefer landscapes, desert, mountains, or lakes... seascapes are nice also, sunrises and sunsets are particularly awe inspiring.

 

Rifle sights?  Not so much.  For precision work, in the past I've been partial to tang peep and globe front sights... but in the past year, I've found I like a good scope as well, maybe even better in a couple of instances.  As far as rear barrel sights go, there are several options, and a hundred thousand times as many opinions as to which is "best".  For me... as long as the "groove" in the rear sight is wider than the front post, I'm good.  I do prefer a semi-buckhorn over the full-buckhorn, and don't find the semi-buckhorn's ears to be detrimental to shooting at my speed.  I've heard others express opinions that only a flat rear sight allows them to shoot fast... and I've also heard that a tang peep allows another shooter to shoot at his fastest.  I can't shoot worth doodily squat with both eyes open (one doesn't have a great deal of dominance over the other),  Even wing-shooting I have to have my less dominant eye closed...   Plus, being predominantly a BP shooter, smoke obscures far more than a silly "ear" on an anything buckhorn rear sight.

 

All of which is a long winded way of saying, that what you're asking is best answered by yourself... after trying as many different options as you can find in your neck of the woods.    At which point, you'll have the absolute definitive answer... for you.  

 

 

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I prefer a small to medium brass bead and the semi-buckhorn rear sight. For me the semi-buckhorn is faster/better than a flat top and yes, I’ve spent quite a few trigger pulls behind each. It really comes down to personal preference. Try a bunch of stuff and see what works best for you. As for the big front beads covering that target on longer shots, if you set them up for a 6 o’clock hold, you won’t have that issue. Again, do what works for you. 

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