rear sight

[teakmtn]

I have purchased a new flint longrifle and can hardly make out the sights. The notch in the rear sight is so very fine. What would be the problem to taking a jewler's file and makeing the notch a bit wider? When would you consider moving the rear sight forward along the barrel? Otherwise, the rifle holds like a dream and shoots better then me when I can hold long enough for everything to come into focus. By the way I have a Lyman's GPR and see those sights perfectly. Thank you for your thoughts.

[smylee grouch]

What kind of notch are you talking about, square, v shaped, round ? Use a three corner file for v shaped notch, small round tapered needle file for round notch, and carefully use a flat needle file for the square notch. Thats what I use anyway.

[SCLoyalist]

Nothing wrong with taking a file to a sight, just keep in mind that whatever you file away can't be put back.

I'd suggest, before filing, seeing if you can make a temporary test sight out of cardboard or sheet metal of the intended shape and height, temporarily attach it to the barrel with a piece of tape or spot of household cement and see if that gives you a usable sight picture while dry-firing.   Then modify your actual sight to your heart's content.

As to moving the rear sight forward, that's usually a compensation for aging eyes.   If you're a bit farsighted, sometimes a pair of low power reading/computer glasses, like about 0.5 or .75 diopter, will sharpen up both front and rear sights without having to relocate the rear sight.   Or, a Merit Optical device (or piece of electrical tape with a small pinhole stuck to the front of your glasses is a popular alternative) might work for you.

SCL

[Kermit]

SCL is on the right track. It's amazing what a tape or Merit-type pinhole will do for old eyes. So will the cheap reading glasses in low power. Not too strong; you want the front sight to be sharp even if the rear blurs a little. If buying reading glasses, look for ones with large lenses, avaitor style prefered, so you are still looking through the lens when you are head down in shooting position.

[smokinbuck]

Kermit,
I definitley would try a merit disk before operating on, or moving, your rear sight. It has helped me immensley, almost lke shooting a peep.
Mark

[teakmtn]

Thanks fellows for the ideas. I'm gonna try the tape and pin hole trick before I mess with the sights. It's mostly the old guy eyes problem. but I got a question re the low power reading glasses idea. Wouldn't that cause the target to be out of focus? Also, thinking about it the tape and pin hole might not be best for hunting. what to do, what to do...

[Daryl]

 \



I have discovered this English style of sighting, is excellent not only for hunting, but for target work as well. Do not believe those who say these are close range sights only - they either haven't used them, or they shoot poorly.

[SCLoyalist]

but I got a question re the low power reading glasses idea. Wouldn't that cause the target to be out of focus?

I don't think it's possible optically for rear sight, front sight and target to be simultaneously in sharp focus.   My focus priorities (high to low) are front sight, rear sight then target.   Low power glasses work for some people, don't work for others, depending on eyeballs.

1.0 diopter is about the lowest power I've found at locally at places like Walmart, and they do make the target a bit too smudgy looking.  I've found lower powered ones (.25 to .75 diopter) that work (for me) online at speert.com and eyefatigue.com;   cost around $25 to $30.

Use the site's search function for 'rear sight notch' and you'll find several threads that discuss possible answers to your original question, including the English system Daryl suggests.   

Good luck, SCL

[Smoketown]

Try this ...

http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=26410.0

Also, I beileve that Creedmoor Sports has them too.

http://www.creedmoorsports.com/shop/Eye_Protection/

Cheers,
Smoketown

[Kermit]

I was at our club range years ago and a fellow was sighting in and couldn't see his hits. A wiser and older shooter stepped up behind him and made a fist and peeked through his curled fingers and called the hits. I was amazed. Try it. Your fingers might and might not work. Make an "o" with your thumb and forefinger, like the "OK" sign. Now close the finger inside the thumb until you can see just a tiny opening about where the first and second knuckle will come together. See a tiny hole? Hold it up in front of your dominant eye and look at some distant object. Look bare-eyed and through your fist peep hole. See if the distant object sharpens. Works for me. My left hand makes a better aperture for me. Try both fists to find out if you've got one that works. Poor man's field spotting scope.

It's the same thing with your eyes in bright and dim light. You'll have noticed that sights are sharper in bright light. It's because your eye's pupil has closed down much smaller, creating a tiny viewing aperture. Adding a tape hole or Merit disk does the same thing. It mimics a small pupil.

Those of us who mess around with pinhole photography understand aperture size and "depth of field." Shooting photos with a tiny aperture you can get an image that is in sharp focus from VERY close to infinity. I won't confuse you with a discussion on "circles of confusion."