Hunting sight configuration

[roundball]

The rear sights on my Early Virginias and Late Lancaster are from Track, and show in Photo #1.
In a hurry to get them all sighted in during the past couple years for various hunting seasons, I simply ended up filing the rear notch down some and adjusted POI with the front sight showing ”˜halfway’ up the rear notch.
Now that I have them all settled in and have hunted them a couple seasons, this year I’m taking on the projects of fine tuning the rear sights, primarily with an eye towards making them smaller on the barrel overall”¦as this rear sight is really pretty large.

First step was filing the ”˜ears’ on top of the rear sight down flush and that reduced the overall size and appearance some.
The next step I’m thinking about is to file the top of the rear sights down to the halfway point of the notch where I’ve been aligning the front sight anyway”¦with the top half of the rear sight basically not being used. I’d make a scribe mark halfway up the notch and file down to that level.

The end result sight picture would be like Photo #2...should make the rear sights much smaller, and probably improve accuracy being able to precisely align the top of the front sight with the top of the rear sight same way every time.
If anyone uses or has used the configuration in Photo #2, I’d appreciate hearing the pros & cons before I start my next step.

PHOTO #1

PHOTO #2

 

[George]

I don't use that configuration on any of my ML guns, Roundball, but it's the standard patridge sight, square front post and square rear notch. I suspect a majority of shooters use some form of it. I have it on a couple of modern pistols, and have used it extensively, there.

Spence

 

[jamesthomas]

Thats exactly the kind of rear sight I have on my rifle. I left the ears on and used the flat side of a triangle file to make the kind of notch you show, works great cause the light that shows through on both sides of the front sight help line it up better. :thumbsup:

 

[roundball]

Thats exactly the kind of rear sight I have on my rifle. I left the ears on and used the flat side of a triangle file to make the kind of notch you show, works great cause the light that shows through on both sides of the front sight help line it up better. :thumbsup:

Yes, but what sight relationship do you use:
Front sight level with the top of the rear?
Or front sight held at a point somewhere "down in" the rear slot?

 

[nchawkeye]

I've got the same rear sight on my .54 and .40...I filed a larger rear notch (both deeper and wider) and then filed the front sight to where I wanted it...That sight is a casting and as it comes it is suppose to be filed before used...

So, they are both adjusted like you have in your picture, front sight level with rear sight was how I was always taught...

I have my .54 where she shoots about 2 inches high at 50 yards with this hold...

 

[roundball]

Yes, they're meant to be filed of course, and they have been for a couple years now.
Just thinking about this year's projects and fine tuning the rear sights to possibly get rid of excess upper metal on them is what I'm considering.

For me weekly range sessions are always more meaningful if there's something new to do / experiment with, and I'm getting ready to crank them back up now that deer season is over.

 

[wvbuckbuster]

What I do and have been for years is to have front sight even with the top of the back sight. That is more consistant and is quicker to line up. Works for me.

 

[Rat Trapper]

Thats exactly the kind of rear sight I have on my rifle. I left the ears on and used the flat side of a triangle file to make the kind of notch you show, works great cause the light that shows through on both sides of the front sight help line it up better. :thumbsup:

Yes, but what sight relationship do you use:
Front sight level with the top of the rear?
Or front sight held at a point somewhere "down in" the rear slot?

Roundball,
My TC Seneca has a front sight like you posted, I use it like a pistol sight, level with the top of the rear. With my glasses on I can still see this type of sight.

 

[Little Wattsy]

Thats exactly the kind of rear sight I have on my rifle. I left the ears on and used the flat side of a triangle file to make the kind of notch you show, works great cause the light that shows through on both sides of the front sight help line it up better. :thumbsup:

Yes, but what sight relationship do you use:
Front sight level with the top of the rear?
Or front sight held at a point somewhere "down in" the rear slot?

I use the same as well and like mine "level". That way there is no guessing in a hurry up hunting situation (ie 1/3, 1/2, 2/3rds down etc) AND just this last year I had occasion to lend my MLer to a NON-MLer hunter to shoot a deer and THAT very question came up; easy to explain and easy for him to do... He whacked a deer that very morning one shot and deer down.

 

[jamesthomas]

Top of front sight level with the rear sight,just like the picture.

 

[smo]

I have one m/l with that type of sight on it. I was taught to shoot with a bead sight on the front and a v notch in the rear sight. When I was younger this woked great as I could pull down to a fine bead in the bottom of the notch. Now days I can't see the bead all the time and the blade type front sight blocks the target.I have tried using the 6 o'clock hold but I just can't get over the thought of the sight not pointed at the spot i'm going to hit. :youcrazy: :idunno: :shake:

To answer your question I have my rifle set up so the top of the front sight is level with the top of the rear sight just like in the 2nd pic... But i'm thinking of changing that :shocked2: :shake:

 

[Spikebuck]

Roundball, For the guns I have with a notched rear sight, I set them up exactly as you show in picture two with some light showing on both sides of the front sight and aligned so both are flush at the top of the notch. That's just the way I was always taught and it makes sense too to eliminate guessing where the front sight should be aligned.

I have tried having the rear sight filed really low so that some of the front blade sticks up above a bit, kind of forming an upside down "T", but found that it wasn't as accurate, I'm sure because one then has to guess how much of the front blade sticks above. I thought the advantage of doing that would be to allow more visibility on the target instead of the rear sight covering it up some, but it just didn't work as well for me.

 

[AWsaddles]

I used to line up halfway up the notch but in the last few years I have gone to the other method with front sight level with top of back sight. I like it because I see more of the target in relation to sight so I can be a little more precise.

 

[Stumpkiller]

Level. muzzleloaders, centerfires, pistols, anything using a patridge style sight. Target on top (not a 6:00 hold).

With a front bead I hold the bead in the "U" notch and target is top radius of the bead (rather than bead in center covering impact spot).

 

[dbutch]

pro ...fast level sight picture

con..blocking 1/2 of target.

Don't take your sights down to far...heat mirage issue.Don't ask!

 

[Walks with fire]

Yep; that's how I do it too. If I need to go a little longer range I just raise the bead proud of the U a little more. Rear blade and front sight cover nothing.