Author Topic: front sight  (Read 3748 times)

ken

  • Guest
front sight
« on: December 22, 2013, 04:16:50 AM »
How much of the front sight do you leave above the rear to get ready to sight a rifle in. This would be for a straight barrel. Want to get it there quicker.

Offline smylee grouch

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 7865
Re: front sight
« Reply #1 on: December 22, 2013, 05:06:43 AM »
Find the best grouping load first then file the sight down so the groups end up where you want the gun sighted in.

Offline Candle Snuffer

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 573
  • Traditional Muzzle Loading, Powder, Patch & Ball
Re: front sight
« Reply #2 on: December 22, 2013, 03:39:28 PM »
I agree with Smylee.

On new builds in the past, I always installed a 1/4" high brass front blade sight - regardless of what rear 'open iron' sight I was installing.  I always found this front sight height to be workable when starting the sighting in process.
Snuffer
Chadron Fur Trade Days

necchi

  • Guest
Re: front sight
« Reply #3 on: December 22, 2013, 08:52:20 PM »
Want to get it there quicker.
Leave it tall, it's not that tuff to file.
I bring a file, pad and bar clamp to the range and do it right there. I can shoot and get a front blade down to where it should be in under an hour.
It's much easier and quicker to file it down to where it should be than too un-file it back up.

Offline Daryl

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 15668
Re: front sight
« Reply #4 on: December 22, 2013, 09:27:55 PM »
If the front sight is the same height as the rear sight's top flat, most rifles will shoot just a bit low at 25 yards.

Some rifles, like high speed .36's .40's and .45's can even be perfect with that arrangement in sight heights.  Equal height cuts down on the amount of filing to get it into the middle.
Daryl

"a gun without hammers is like a spaniel without ears" King George V

Offline Artificer

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1660
Re: front sight
« Reply #5 on: December 22, 2013, 11:52:37 PM »
Very much agree with what Smylee and Candlesnffer wrote, but may I add just a bit more?

Normally we have two “loads” for a rifle, an accuracy load that is just enough or a little more powder to get the ball precisely in a nice tight group on a target and another load with more “Oomph” for hunting.  For example in my .45 cal flinter, the accuracy load is 42 ˝ grains and the hunting load is 80 grains.  Since I shoot, or at least used to shoot, more at targets than hunting – I set the sights for target and then “held off” for the hunting load after I shot it at other ranges to see where it grouped with the 80 grain charge.  Now some folks just use a hunting load (with more Oomph) for everything and target shooting. 

Bottom line is my suggestion is find what makes the rifle shoot the smallest groups for how you are going to shoot it most often and THEN file the front sight to hit on the target where you want the best groups to hit.
Gus

Offline George Sutton

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 755
Re: front sight
« Reply #6 on: December 23, 2013, 12:11:06 AM »
Quote

It's much easier and quicker to file it down to where it should be than too un-file it back up.


I've never had much luck with unfiling ;D

Centershot
« Last Edit: December 25, 2013, 12:57:57 AM by Ky-Flinter »

dagner

  • Guest
Re: front sight
« Reply #7 on: December 24, 2013, 08:31:20 AM »
 i usually have the front sight at same hight as rear for starters. for me it mever fails  to shoot around 2 inches low at  at 25 yards. low.warning this is for a straight barrel only.swamps can get tricky
dag