Fiber optic sights and sight picture

[Bill Siler]

Ok I’m sure this is a stupid question but got to ask it anyways.

I come from shooting Unlimited Compound bows and with a scoop and a fiber optic sight the fiber optic sight went into the center of the target. With a handgun I understand you line the top of the sight up with the center of the target.

So my question is with fiber optic sights do we center up on target with the fiber optic?

Sorry for suck a stupid question

Thanks Bill

 

[badkarmamib]

It depends on the gun. Different sight setups require different holds. I prefer POI to be in the center of the front sight "circle" if it has a dot or fiber, and to cut the center of the top of the post if it doesn't. Subjective, personal preference, IMHO, but that is what I set my sights for. You can change or adjust the sights to get what you want, or adapt to the way your gun wants to be aimed.

 

[egd]

As badkarmibob said it does often depend on the gun. It can also depend on the style of shooting you're doing. I too shot all kinds of archery shoots for 35+ years. In that you are taking a slow steady aim. In bullseye type (slow fire) you also take a slow aim. But if you get into the run+gun games (IDPA and USPSA) you have to shoot fast. Some people set up their guns to aim middle of front sight even with top of back sight cause it's faster, especially with a fiber optic front sight. It is a matter of preference.

 

[johnmcl]

Hi Bill,

There are no stupid questions, only stupid answers.

I think your shortest path to success is to configure your gun so that point of aim and point of impact is center of mass.

 

[Jim Watson]

What you do depends on the sight installation. Different guns may be set up for different sight pictures. Sights can be adjusted or replaced to suit your preference.
A 6 O'clock hold on a black bullseye is very precise... on that one target at its standard range.
A center hold works on anything.
Many colored sights, white dot, fibre optic, tritium night sight, are set up to "drive the dot." The point of impact is at the spot.

 

[ATLDave]

As others have indicated, it depends. I'm most familiar with the use of fiber dots in the context of practical/speed pistol games - USPSA/IPSC and the like.

In those games, extreme precision is only rarely needed. Reasonable precision is needed on a lot of shots, and only fair precision on a lot of others.

A very common setup/sight adjustment is to still have the bullet impact directly at the top of the sight post on a shot of whatever sight-in distance is chosen, but then to "drive the dot" on faster shots anyway. It is the rare USPSA shot where a bullet impacting 1" low or high of your aim point is really material to your score on the stage. For those rare shots, or shots at extreme distances, the shooter ignores the dots and uses the black portions of the sight, with a focus on the tip of the front sight.

 

[mavracer]

Again it depends on how the gun is set up. It'll also depend on distance and yardage.
My guns are typically set up to have a slight 6 o'clock hold at 25 yards at 7 yards impact is basically in the middle of the dot and at 15 yards it's right at the top of the sight and at 50 it's usually back to the middle of the dot for most pistol cartridges.

 

[9mmepiphany]

A very common setup/sight adjustment is to still have the bullet impact directly at the top of the sight post on a shot of whatever sight-in distance is chosen, but then to "drive the dot" on faster shots anyway. It is the rare USPSA shot where a bullet impacting 1" low or high of your aim point is really material to your score on the stage. For those rare shots, or shots at extreme distances, the shooter ignores the dots and uses the black portions of the sight, with a focus on the tip of the front sight.

This has worked for me also. When taking 40-50 yard shots, I go back to carefully aligning the tops of the front and rear blade

 

[Bill Siler]

Thanks guys this all helps a lot

Bill