buckhorn sights

[2172]

Here's where I really show my ignorance. I've never used a buckhorn sight...I bought one to put on a gun, and couldn't figure out where to hold the front sight...do I just line up the front sight with the notch in the buckhorn for on-center, and then Kentucky windage how high in the arms of the buckhorn I hold, or what? I've had a GPR for almost two years, and have rarely shot it for this reason..and because I like the Lyman Deerstalker so much..
Hank

 

[crockett]

If there is a notch in the bottom of the buckhorn, you are supposed to hold the blade there, like any other sight. If this means you have to file down the front sight until it looks out of place, then you may have to hold the blade in the notch with the top dead center- like a peep sight. Elmer Keith put thin lines of gold on revolver front sight blades for long distance shooting but I never heard of it on the muzzle loaders.

 

[donk]

I shoot a Pedrasolli Blue Ridge 50 cal with buckhorn sights and I have alway sighted it like any other sight in the notch at the bottom of the sight.

 

[LRB]

I have never understood why they came about. I just see no purpose for them.

 

[Slamfire]

I have never understood why they came about. I just see no purpose for them.

I agree, and the full buckhorn rear covers up most of the great outdoors when you are aimin' the gun. The Semi buckhorn leaves the sky visible. :cry:

 

[MikeChapin]

I have buckhorns on two rifles. I sight with the bottom notch as normal most of the time. I do bring the sight up to the buckhorns when I'm shooting long range silouettes. I use the bottom notch to make sure it's centered and bring the front sight even with the buckhorns to hit the bears, turkeys and rams. Sometimes it works.

 

[2172]

Thanks to all. I've already taken a lot off that front sight...I like the idea of Keith's putting some kind of indicator on the front sight...I won't try that, but I might just put a pair of slight notches in the horns themselves as a kind of indicator...I haven't been shooting this rifle for a while, and will take it to the range in the next week or so, and see what works..Hank

 

[weirdjack]

I have never understood why they came about. I just see no purpose for them.

Two purposes come to mind:
1. As an elevation tool. Rest the blade in the lower notch for normal ranges, then rest the blade between the horns for long ranges. Takes some experimentation to determine where to hold it for various ranges, but it works better than guessing.
2. As a combat sight. Use the horns as a sort of "ghost ring" rear sight for quick short range shots. The eye centers the blade in the horns' "ring" for quick shots. You won't be shooting a 10X dead on, but you won't be dead either.
Jack

 

[silverfox]

Wierd Jack has it about right. Use the notch in the bottom for most shooting. Then as he said you can use the horns almost like a peep site to increase the range alittle and use the top of the horns for long range shooting. This can work out very nice just depends on how far you set the bottom notch to be dead on at. I have one that is dead on at 50yd, Peep site it to 100Yd and top of horns is good to about 150yd. This of course depends on how tall your site is to begin with, also some of the horns are'nt the same hight on both sides. It's something to work on and when it comes out right you have learned how to use a popular site.
Fox :thumbsup:

 

[boar]

Hank Heres the purpose of the sight if deer is standing use the bottom notch if running just get front blade in v of the sight and take your shot they were made for quick moving shots mostly on large aminals most old lever actions had them hope this helps Dilly

 

[Deadeye]

Wierd Jack, you are weird because you have common sense, as you can see by this thread, something few have these days.
Full buckhorn sights are excellent for muzzleloaders and other guns with high trajectories.