Longer ranges with open sites

[Jim PHL]

I was shooting today at one of those target sheets that has five targets on one page. (Four corners and one in the middle like the five on a dice.) Each of these targets are only about 4". Each of the five has about a quarter-sized red center + 1 ring, another 2 or 3 rings black and then the outer circle-(just a line so the ring is actually the color of the paper).

When running this target as far as possible on the range I was at (50'), the front site more than covered up the entire circle. I was acheiving hits inside the circle but with the site covering so much of the target, that was about all I could expect. Is better accuracy attainable with this type of site or would I need to change the sites to something with better potential for accuracy?

BTW, this is a stock Ruger 22/45; 5.5" barrel and their stock adjustable sites. At closer distances the sites were dead-on with the post covering the center of the target. I was in the red with most shots and this was my first time shooting this new gun. Would an option be to adjust them so my POA is on top of the post, rather than under the post? Or would this only give me a minor correction?

If that is about all I can expect with these sites, that is an acceptable answer. With my centerfire guns I am OK with paper-plate accuracy out to 50 ft. I was hoping to be able to do a little better with this new plinker.
I don't forsee, at least in the near future, adding a scope or optical. I DO think it's very cool that Ruger actually includes a rail attachment you can mount on the pre-drilled barrel. Just remove the existing flush screws and screw on the rail with other screws included and you are ready for quick mount attachments!

 

[mavracer]

Would an option be to adjust them so my POA is on top of the post, rather than under the post?

yes and at longer distances for precision keep the sights focused put the blurry bullseye on the center of the front sight.

 

[DrDeFab]

Do this: http://www.chuckhawks.com/sight_improvements.htm

Makes a huge difference for a small investment. The only tools needed are a 60 deg. dovetail file (at least one safe edge) and sight pusher (or reasonable substitute.)

 

[BlindJustice]

I use that sort of target at the range - I found a target I add to it. THe target I add is a 8"-9" diameter black circle
target which peels off it's backing and I cover the middle of the
five X pattern. This peel off is kinda nice because strikes
with my .38/.357 or .45 cut a hole that has tears in the paper
with the white underneath showing so it is easy to spot for my
old eyes. and the bigger target at the longer ranges gives some
fudge factor.

 

[1SOW]

Yes

Would an option be to adjust them so my POA is on top of the post, rather than under the post? Or would this only give me a minor correction?

I prefer my sights set where the top of the front sight 'splits' the bullet hole in half.

No I can't shoot that well, but my point of aim is essentially the same for any kind of target....large or small. Small is actually easier to be more accurate because of the precise POA. Shoot at a 12 gage shell on the 25 yd dirt backstop = same POA. It sometimes works.

 

[BamBam-31]

When you're shooting something like bullseye, it's actually better to get a "lollipop" sight picture. That is, the sights should be adjusted to where the entire 4" black circle should sit on top of the front post, kinda like you're dotting the "i" w/ the bull.

Thing is, when you're focused on the front sight and the bull's blurry, it's easier to get a clean sight picture centering the 6 o'clock edge of the bull w/ the top edge of the front sight than it is to get the red center of the bull lined up w/ the same spot on your front sight. Also, since a circle and a tangent line intersect at only one tiny point, and that tiny point is smaller than the red center, you have the ol' aim small, miss small coming into play as well.

Of course, this is talking about shooting tiny groups at the range w/ pistols w/ adjustable iron sights. If we're talking a working gun, fixed sights adjusted to point of aim = point of impact are in order.

BTW, at 50', using decent ammo, the 22/45 should be able to keep most, if not all, the shots inside that quarter-sized red bull. My suggestion is to stick to irons first--refine your whole sight alignment, breathing, trigger squeeze process. Going to optics like a red dot will make it much easier to shoot smaller groups at distance (since you no longer have to deal w/ multiple planes vying for your eye's focus), but you'll probably end up hosing more while Shooting less.

 

[Owen]

I actually like a low 6 o'clock hold, so there is a line of white between the black on the top of the front sight.

Also at extended ranges, the black becomes quiet large. The 600 yard prone target must have a black that's 3 feet across. (If I wasn't so lazy, I'd look it up)

 

[1SOW]

I agree with BamBam-31 about lolli-pop bullseye targets where the target doesn't change.
If it's set up this way and you put three completely different targets up, you really have no idea where to aim for an accurate hit.
I used to shoot bullseye .22, but now shoot USPSA steel (round,star-shaped,Texas shaped +), paper, poppers and other types of targets. Unless you are consistently using the same target, POA =POI is more versatile.