How far do you shoot with open sights?

[Jim Watson]

There seems to be some confusion as to what an "open sight" really is.

I do not call the vernier or micrometer aperture sights on real deal target rifles or post '03 military rifles "open sights." They are "iron sights" but they are not open. To me and the oldtimers I learned from, an "open sight" is the notch sight out on the barrel of a close range hunting or plinking rifle.
My CAS Winchester '92 has open sights; my BPCR Winchester Single Shot has peep sights. I shoot the one at 25 yards, the other at 500 metres.

 

[MyRoad]

50 yards. Over that, and for me there is no precision. With a good peep sight, I'll play around at 100 yards, and I don't mind practicing in case I ever want or need to make a shot of that distance, but it has an element of guess work to it. With my eyes 100 yards with standard irons is all minute-of-pie-plate.

 

[lionking]

I have no experience shooting past 200 to 250yds with non magnified (scope) sights.Can someone explain to me criteria as in appropiate targets and groupings that would be used or expected.

Fact is for me its hard for me to even see a man sized target at say 500yds Im not sure how I would even be able to hit a target with open or iron sights at that range.Obviously there are better shooters than I who can and have experience so details and advice would be appreciated.

A man sized target at that range looks like a little "blip" on the horizon,man if you guys can hit that at 500yds even with aperature sights than hats off to you.

 

[possum]

300 yds here on post is the fartherest that is set up on our ranges, I have done it many times and with ease but it does tend to get a little boring after a while!

 

[Mr White]

600 is the is the farthest I practice at. That's the longest distance in a standard high power match. I've shot out to 800 before but not very often.

Out past 300, you gotta be good a reading and doping for the wind if you want to shoot good groups out there. I shoot lots of 7s and 8s at 3 and 9 oclock at 600.

 

[SoCalShooter]

Been shooting to 600 yards, feel comfortable doing it and wished our range was 600.

RE: lionking: if your rifle is setup correctly all you have to do is put that front sight on the target, hitting a man sized target at 600 yards aint that difficult just requires knowing your weapon, understanding windage and drop and lots of practice.

 

[Fosbery]

1000 yards.

 

[Fatelvis]

Targets: 600 yds.
Big game: 150 yds

 

[nbkky71]

Usually 600yds is the max. Got to shoot at Camp Butner, NC last weekend at 800yds.

 

[RH822]

Back when my eyes still kind of worked I could go out to around 400 meters, now I am limited to about 200 meters max. I can't make out the details like I used to.

RH

 

[usmccpl]

I shoot once a year at 500 meters with an unscoped rifle.



one shot one kill

 

[Oldnamvet]

500 meters used to be no problem when I was in the Army many years ago. Now 100 yds is a stretch. Old eyes, cataracts, detached retina, all have contributed to my shooting more shotgun than rifle anymore. There you don't use any sights, just point.

 

[Bwana John]

I have shot a 1000 yard match with my M-1a and surplus ammo.
(I thought it was going to be a Service Rifle match)

It was a perfect day with very little wind, I was able to keep most shots on the paper, and about half in the black.

Usually the prone, slow fire, 600 yard stage in Hi-Power Service Rifle is the farthest I shoot with open sights.

 

[Bridger]

Only 200 yards so far. BUT, the range I've been shooting matches at will open up the 300 yard line next season. And I hope to get out to some matches at Camp Smith, NY next year and use their 600 yard line!

 

[enfield]

It depends totally on the size of the target.

 

[vmfrantz]

800 yards

 

[KHawk]

My club range max targets are 200 yds. We use both scopes and iron sights at that distance. Back in my Army days, the long targets were 350 yds and we were shooting M14's. I guess I just gave away my age!

 

[JohnKSa]

The longest range I have access to is 300yards.

I have shot my open sighted Model 38 Swedish Mauser at that distance on one occasion. I would have won the match (informal company gun club rifle shoot) but I donated a perfect bullseye to the shooter to my left.

 

[Stiletto Null]

Longest distance I've shot was 100yd, and I managed to get decent groups (headshots on a full silhouette) on my M39.

I've also tried an M48 and SKS at 100yd, but those were a while ago, and for various reasons (parents...) I have not been able to shoot those in a while.

 

[Beetle Bailey]

With open sights (M48 Mauser, M39 Mosin Nagant) I almost always practice at 100 yards. 200-300 yards is do-able on steel plates, but further than that I start missing more than I hit. BTW, that's from the sitting position.

 

[Metapotent]

I did 600yds with Black Hills 68gr Heavy Match HP .223 ammo through an AR. That was pretty difficult, it took about 20 shots to get on target because at the time I had no clue what the ballistics were like with that ammo and I was even less experienced with A2 iron sights. The target was a 3ft square pink piece of poster board. I got about 22/40 rounds on target. But I got 20/20 with my AR-10.

 

[1911 guy]

At what with what rifle?

Squirrels with a .22 rimfire, about 50 yards. Beyond that the front sight covers them up.

Squirrels with my flintlock .36, about the same, give or take a few yards.

Deer with a .50 percussion, 100 yards. A roundball looses too much oomph to shoot much beyond that and get good kills.

Woodchucks and paper with an AR? As far as I've got a backstop. I've whacked 'chucks out to about 250 with irons, but I'm rusty this year, haven't got out much, been playing with handguns too much. Paper has been punched out to about 500, but my groups tend to be more beachball sized at that range anymore.

 

[_N4Z_]

M39 Mosin Nagant) I almost always practice at 100 yards. 200-300 yards is do-able on steel plates, but further than that I start missing more than I hit. BTW, that's from the sitting position.

Sounds about the same as me.

Those m39's are good to go from the sitting or standing, but bench rest them and they'll really put a hurtin on the shoulder.

 

[Starter52]

100 yards with my fixed-sight .30-30 Winchester. 75 yards with my N-frame S&W revolvers. 8" gong targets.

 

[dfaugh]

With typical open sights, about 25 yards.

Seriously....Due to old age, and other, vision problems, although I've never been very good with iron sights.

Witha peep or ghost ring, maybe 100 yards, depending.

Yes, every rifle (and the shotgun I use for deer, red dot) I own has a scope on it. Only way I can shoot anything resembling accuracy. Very envious of anyone that can actually shoot a good group using irons.