Author Topic: buck horn sights  (Read 4681 times)

ottawa

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buck horn sights
« on: August 23, 2008, 07:05:04 PM »
I ve recently inherited a mountain hawken or a great plains rifle in .45cal that has this type of rear site do you use them like an aperture site?  how do you use them?
If anyone remembers my asking a bout chunk gun shooting this is the rifle former owner claims 300yards hits on a 20in bull no X's though

Offline T*O*F

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Re: buck horn sights
« Reply #1 on: August 23, 2008, 07:14:16 PM »
I has always been my contention that the buckhorn sight was multipurpose.  You could use the notch for regular shots.  If you centered your target between the horns, you gained elevation for long shots.  If you used the sides of the horns, you could attain lead for shooting at running game.
Dave Kanger

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Candle Snuffer

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Re: buck horn sights
« Reply #2 on: August 24, 2008, 03:14:38 AM »
As Dave said, that has always been my understanding.  I see no reason that 300 yard 20 inch bullseye hits couldn't be made with this rifle, and many others for that matter.  I would never take a shot at game that far away, but a target is a totally different story.  Good luck with the rifle.

BrownBear

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Re: buck horn sights
« Reply #3 on: August 24, 2008, 05:44:24 PM »
I've tried many styles including originals on a wide range of guns, including cartridge guns.  I was pretty systematic in attempting to use them as already described for increasing range as well as for leads.  Probably reflecting my limitations as a shooter more than the limitations of the sights in those applications, my results weren't so hot.   One of the biggest flaws or traps was my tendency in low light or very fast shooting to instinctively use one as an aperture site irrespective of the range involved, which of course threw my shots high.  For leads, which were usually needed very quickly, I found them to provide an extra layer of complication in aiming, compared to simply aligning the sights normally and using reference points on the animal for establishing my lead.

Again, that all reflects my own limitations I think rather than an indictment of the sights.  Way too many good marksmen over the years have used them as described with great effect for me to be critical.  But for my own shooting methods I prefer a primitive sight or a receiver sight. 

Online Herb

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Re: buck horn sights
« Reply #4 on: August 24, 2008, 08:23:25 PM »
I'm with Brown Bear on this.  I never have learned how to use them well.  Have even pinched the horns closed to make what is known as a "closed buckhorn" sight, which is then an aperature, but then the rifle shoots too high, if it had been zeroed with the original flat of the rear sight.  So as has been said above, put the top of the bead flat with the rear flat (notch) part of the sight.  If there is not enough notch, file a wider one.  If it shoots too low, file the front sight down a little (thickness of a dime or less) to elevate the muzzle.  Or hold the front sight above the rear flat.
Herb

Harnic

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Re: buck horn sights
« Reply #5 on: August 25, 2008, 05:27:37 AM »
I built a closed buckhorn sight for my fullstock flint Hawken because I can't see open sights clearly enough anymore.  I took a chainsaw file & opened up the notch to accept a ring cut from a 22 liner.  Works great!