When target shooting with an aperture (peep) sight (.040 to .060), do you bother to center the front sight in the rear aperture, or do you just concentrate on the front post, or globe, being where you want it on the target? I guess this would depend somewhat on whether you are doing rapid fire or slow fire. I find myself doing a little of both in slow fire, but I was curious as to what others do. I am shooting service rifle for the first time with a newly acquired Armalite M15A2. I have never competed in rapid fire before.
Aperture sight shooting
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I will give my advice. I am not the most experienced here though.
You want to focus on the front sight. There is some debate as to exactly where on the front sight. Some say tip and others advise down from the tip a little.
The rear is there as a reference. So the front should be centered in it the same every shot. You should be aware of the rear but concentrate on the front. The front should center naturally in the rear.
Think of the rear as a device to check if your cheek weld and eye placement are correct and the front as a device to check your point of aim.
You want to focus on the front sight. There is some debate as to exactly where on the front sight. Some say tip and others advise down from the tip a little.
The rear is there as a reference. So the front should be centered in it the same every shot. You should be aware of the rear but concentrate on the front. The front should center naturally in the rear.
Think of the rear as a device to check if your cheek weld and eye placement are correct and the front as a device to check your point of aim.
243winxb
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Yes, Just concentrate on the front post being where you want it on the target. Your head position should be at the same distance from the aperture for each shot.
Hangingrock
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On my target match rifles I have a front and rear aperture sight system. The sight picture is three concentric circles with the 3rd circle being the Bullseye.
For service rifle with the rear aperture only the front is centered in the aperture. I use center mass sight picture. Head position is important for consistency.
With my Winchester 94 the rear sight is a Lyman receiver sight with the front sight blade having an ivory bead. The bead is centered in the aperture. It should be noted on the M94 that the front sight hood is removed.
For service rifle with the rear aperture only the front is centered in the aperture. I use center mass sight picture. Head position is important for consistency.
With my Winchester 94 the rear sight is a Lyman receiver sight with the front sight blade having an ivory bead. The bead is centered in the aperture. It should be noted on the M94 that the front sight hood is removed.
chrome_austex
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I carefully center the front sight in the rear aperture, as often as I can.
Even a little error at the rear aperture adds up to a significant amount over rifle distances. For example, 0.02" error on an 18" sight radius = ~4" of error at 100y. Most people won't be off by 0.02" in an 0.04" aperture (you'd have to be on the edge of the rear aperture), but you can see how its a factor.
Error (measured in factions of an inch from perfect alignment) at the rear aperture and front post should be about equal in how much they'll throw off the target. Your maximum error at the rear is nicely limited by a small peep aperture, but its still there.
In rapid fire, getting that front post positioned correctly is going to be the biggest gain, but anything you can do correctly at the rear aperture will help. In slow prone, you should strive to align both well with every shot.
Even a little error at the rear aperture adds up to a significant amount over rifle distances. For example, 0.02" error on an 18" sight radius = ~4" of error at 100y. Most people won't be off by 0.02" in an 0.04" aperture (you'd have to be on the edge of the rear aperture), but you can see how its a factor.
Error (measured in factions of an inch from perfect alignment) at the rear aperture and front post should be about equal in how much they'll throw off the target. Your maximum error at the rear is nicely limited by a small peep aperture, but its still there.
In rapid fire, getting that front post positioned correctly is going to be the biggest gain, but anything you can do correctly at the rear aperture will help. In slow prone, you should strive to align both well with every shot.
P-32
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I have shot High Power for a lot of years. I was taught to focus on the front sight. The aiming black will be a little fuzzy but focus on the front sight. As for the rear aperture, I look through it, I don't try to line it up with the front as your eye will do this automaticly if you don't think about it.
To get the same spot weld I place my nose so it is just touching the charging handle. When shooting a wood gun, my nose normally gets wacked by my thumb. I place the front sight to just touch the aiming black at 6 o'clock. There are variations on this, flat tire, frame hold, and Navy hold which is where the front sight is centered in the aiming black.
To get the same spot weld I place my nose so it is just touching the charging handle. When shooting a wood gun, my nose normally gets wacked by my thumb. I place the front sight to just touch the aiming black at 6 o'clock. There are variations on this, flat tire, frame hold, and Navy hold which is where the front sight is centered in the aiming black.
wanderinwalker
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Glad I'm not the only one with the "nose-meets-thumb" issue with wooden-stocked rifles!
Aperture sights IMO are incredibly easy to use and almost as easy to overthink. All you need is a way to consistently index your eye behind the rear sight, such as putting the tip of your nose on the charging handle on an AR. Focus on the front sight, HARD. Your eye will line it up in the middle of the aperture without any thought.
Where you place the front sight in relation to the fuzzy round bullseye is purely dependent on preference and what you can see reliably. I use a high-flat tire to Navy (center of mass) hold most of the time, but I will go to a 6 o'clock shooting slow prone if the light is really good.
TCU
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everyone is pretty much correct. Your eye will automatically center the front sight and then concentrate on the front sight post and the target will be blurry. Make sure you sight black it or burn the tip with a lighter, so you get the carbon to reduce glare. Also if you stare at something green before you sight in, it relaxes your eye and makes it easier.
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