Author Topic: Rear sight advice needed (Read 1896 times)

hortonstn · « **on:** October 14, 2020, 02:33:28 AM »

I've built several rifles with swamped barrels usually Lancaster style always seem to have this problem
I use the tallest rear sights sold by track or Mbs and usually the normal ft sight
I cannot get the rear sight tall enough to sight in without filling the ft to almost nothing
I like to use a 6 o clock hold
What am I doing wrong?
Any help appreciated
Thanks

smallpatch · « **Reply #1 on:** October 14, 2020, 02:37:11 AM »

Rear sight placement?

rich pierce · « **Reply #2 on:** October 14, 2020, 02:42:08 AM »

Dane raises a good question. Is the rear sight way forward into the taper? I’d measure barrel thickness at both rear and front sight locations.

TommyG · « **Reply #3 on:** October 14, 2020, 02:45:46 AM »

Seems to me it could be in the height of your comb and how you are anchored on the cheek. Hopefully some of the more experienced guys will chime in. But if your sight picture is looking down the barrel instead of somewhat parallel to the bore, I would think that would cause this condition.

flinchrocket · « **Reply #4 on:** October 14, 2020, 02:48:29 AM »

https://www.muzzleloaderbuilderssupply.com/mbs3cart/agora.cgi?cart_id=579059.1543&next=25&product=Sights

Go down to 24606

john bohan · « **Reply #5 on:** October 14, 2020, 03:43:47 AM »

I just shot my new rifle and have the same problem, I located the rear sight about 9 in. in front of the breech and after filing the front down to an eighth in.I still was 6 in low at 25 yds. I ordered new sights from TOW.

hortonstn · « **Reply #6 on:** October 14, 2020, 04:06:35 AM »

Colerain c wt rear sight 9 inches in ft of breech 54 cal

rich pierce · « **Reply #7 on:** October 14, 2020, 04:27:40 AM »

These results are mystifying. It’s theoretically possible the bore is bowed in the middle though centered at the ends an the curve is pointing down. Not much to do but get it make a tall rear sight. I’d splice in a piece into the top of the current sight meanwhile.

Or solder a thin steel plate to the rear edge of the rear sight.

Herb · « **Reply #8 on:** October 14, 2020, 05:59:31 AM »

Sights for Hawkens are too low. I have made my own. Also soldered a filler between the horns to raise the back shelf. Am now up to soldering a plate onto the bottom to make one taller.

Curtis · « **Reply #9 on:** October 14, 2020, 07:15:11 AM »

I try to set my sight so the tops of both sights are the same height from the center-line of the bore. On a swamped barrel, moving the front sight away from the muzzle will lower the sight, moving the rear towards the breech will raise it. Make a mark on the center of a side flat, set the sights on top of the barrel and measure, taking account for any difference in the sight base height and what it will be after fit into the dovetail. I try to work that out before cutting any dovetails. Seems to help a great deal.

Good luck Stan!

Curtis

Bill Raby · « **Reply #10 on:** October 14, 2020, 04:15:25 PM »

Curtis had the answer. If the front and rear sights are both the same height, then put them where the barrel is the same width.

hortonstn · « **Reply #11 on:** October 14, 2020, 04:40:54 PM »

rich pierce · « **Reply #12 on:** October 14, 2020, 05:01:28 PM »

It’s a mystery. Only a curved bore could explain it to me. In your sight picture, you do set the top of the front sight level with the top of the rear, right? No offense intended, just exploring all possibilities.

D. Taylor Sapergia · « **Reply #13 on:** October 14, 2020, 07:05:18 PM »

Filing your sights to allow for a 6 o'clock hold will work for one diameter target at one distance (range). How do you use a 6 o'clock hold on a horizontal string cut or a tack drive? Or on a running deer?

With the measurement of the rear sight from the top of the notch to the centre of the bore being the same as the front sight measured the same way, there should be very minor filing required to bring the group to centre.

577SXS · « **Reply #14 on:** October 14, 2020, 07:30:48 PM »

Sight height should be measured from the center of bore. With a swamped barrel the front sight needs to be set back an inch or so from muzzle to keep it from being so low in profile. The rear sight needs to be far enough away from your eye to be able to focus on it, this usually puts rear sight in the smaller swamped area of barrel. This would make you need a tall rear sight if its sitting on the slim part of barrel. If you make sights level with center of bore you shouldn't have to do a lot of adjusting of the heights of the sights to get it sighted in. If all of this is correct and you are still shooting low then it may be the crown of muzzle isn't square to the bore.

Daryl · « **Reply #15 on:** October 14, 2020, 08:06:59 PM »

Quote from: D. Taylor Sapergia on October 14, 2020, 07:05:18 PM

Filing your sights to allow for a 6 o'clock hold will work for one diameter target at one distance (range). How do you use a 6 o'clock hold on a horizontal string cut or a tack drive? Or on a running deer?

With the measurement of the rear sight from the top of the notch to the centre of the bore being the same as the front sight measured the same way, there should be very minor filing required to bring the group to centre.

I could not understand the problem, but after reading Taylor's response, I saw the 6 'o clock hold and instantly thought - what bullseye size and what distance?
I concur with his sight setup.
If this sighting is for a particular 'event', always the same and always on the same target. you've been shown how to get a higher rear sight by Rich and Flinchrocket.

Scota4570 · « **Reply #16 on:** October 14, 2020, 11:04:50 PM »

Not sure if this will be helpfull....Current practice in high power rifle competition is to shoot C.O.M. A 6 O'clock hold on a bulls eye target is subject to vertical stringing depending on lighting conditions. A sight blade as wide as the black tightens the group horizontally.
Another factor is that the exact spot the front sight is located when the shot breaks is less important than other factors like sight alignment, follow through and not flinching. Many beginner pistol shooters make smaller groups on a blanks sheet of paper than then they have an aiming point of this reason. I now sight in all my guns to impact a the top of the front sight. I makes life easier when you have many guns.

hortonstn · « **Reply #17 on:** October 15, 2020, 01:27:18 AM »

Thanks for your help I have it under control
Taylor I shoot the same match every Sunday it's a 60 yd benchrest game with a 3 inch circle for the target the center is the size of a nickel that's why I shoot a 6 o'clock
We shoot against heavy guns and usually come out pretty good
I'm trying to get more folks interested in flintlocks so far I've converted about 4
We are a small club about 30 shooters on a good day without any young interest I'm afraid
We are in trouble
Thanks for all your help
Paul

rich pierce · « **Reply #18 on:** October 15, 2020, 02:28:43 AM »

Paul, 30 shooters is a good healthy number anywhere. Hope your gun turns out to be tough on the x ring.

Daryl · « **Reply #19 on:** October 15, 2020, 08:16:24 PM »

Thanks for the explanation, Paul. That certainly makes sense now. A 3" bull at 60yards is quite small. I'm sure I'd have difficulty with that size now,
at that range. Even 4" at 50yards is getting pretty small for me, yet with apertures, 4" at 100 meters is perfect.
I take it this is an open sight contest. Any chance of a U shaped rear sight notch to act as an aperture as some use in chunk shoots?

hortonstn · « **Reply #20 on:** October 16, 2020, 01:19:42 AM »

Yes Daryl it's open sights rarely does the same person win every week but we have some great scores
The circle is 3 inches outer ring is a 11 second ring is a 12 and the center is a 13 perfect is a 39
We have shooters who have shot 39 several times it is a real challenge along with the BS
It's a white target on black tar paper

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Author Topic: Rear sight advice needed (Read 1896 times)