Temporary Sight

[JohnTulle]

For what it's worth, I came across an idea for a temporary rear sight at Four Moons Rendezvous last week.

A shooter next to me was using a tiny button magnet as a rear sight post on his smoothie. It was probably around 3/32" diameter or smaller. He was not shooting competition, but getting to know his gun and the hold, etc. I was doing the same for an English fowler I had just finished but didn't get to borrow it. I didn't see him after that so I don't know how it worked out.

Just thought I'd pass it along for your interest.

Has anyone else done this?

John

 

[Grizzled Roberts]

All of the smoothbore matches I shoot go by the NMLRA rules. No rear sight above the plain of the barrel. If you were shooing in one of these matches and you put a magnet on your barrel this is cheating. If you want a rear sight on your smoothbore go ahead and put one on your smoothbore
Then you will have a smoothrifle not a smoothbore.

 

[JohnTulle]

I did mention he was not part of any competition...

 

[Dausener]

I've thought about trying a temp sight too, just to see if it improved my groups. If it does, a permanant one would not be out of the question. I don't shoot competion either. :v

 

[CrackStock]

I have also thought about using a temporary sight so that I could perfect my loads while removing poor sighting as a variable. Once I had the load and point of impact sorted out, I would make my shooting habits conform to what the gun is doing.

CS

 

[wahkahchimaol.com]

I put a temporary Thompson Center peep sight on my 12 gauge smoothbore snaphaunce and it really helped me get my position right. When I took it off my position and results were much better than before I added it.

 

[Rokon]

Another temporary fix is to use Super Glue to cement a commercial rear sight to the top of your barrel. When you're through with it, take a heat gun to it and remove it.

 

[burch]

Anyone gotta pic of this magnetic button or something similar. I`ve also thought of trying a temporary rear sight until I get my loads dialed in. Then adjust my cheek weld to it. I`m also wondering where on the rear of the barrel you should place it ? :idunno: I have some crappy eye sight :cursing:

burch

 

[Snow on the Roof]

I use a Johnson style peep sight mounted apx 3" forward of the breech. With the apperature open it works like a ghost ring. To afix it I just use 3M Blue tape. Works well enough for temporary use and does not marr the finish of wood or metal at all.

Snow

 

[JohnTulle]

The small button magnet I saw someone use was about the same size and shape as a small hearing aid battery, smaller than the top barrel flat. Maybe just use that with some double faced tape.

I don't know how it worked out as a rear sight.

John

 

[matt denison]

Go to your refrigerator, take down one of the magnetic thingies and re apropriate the magnet. Also some of those magnetic things will be made of rubber magnets, you know, like magnetic business cards. Cut off a corner and use that to hold a sight temperarilly (sp :grin: )

 

[Leatherbark]

All of the smoothbore matches I shoot go by the NMLRA rules. No rear sight above the plain of the barrel. If you were shooing in one of these matches and you put a magnet on your barrel this is cheating. If you want a rear sight on your smoothbore go ahead and put one on your smoothbore
Then you will have a smoothrifle not a smoothbore.

Does a paint mark on the top of the barrel flat constitute a sight above the plain of the barrel? I ask because the paint mark may be .001 of an inch tall? Is there a height limit a NMLRA smoothbore matches?

Bob

 

[Many Klatch]

Leatherbark, you can file a notch in the tang and that is below the barrel. Or you can fabricate an oversize head tang bolt and as long as that is below the plane of the barrel that is OK. All of my smoothbores have oversize head tang bolts and notches in the tang, it helps immensely.

Many Klatch

 

[burch]

I don`t shoot matches so `im leaning toward a rear sight for mine. It shoots about 4" low @ 25yrds. I have to accually line the bottom of the front sight base where it touches the barrel to get it up any and still hits low. Am I right in assuming a higher rear sight would cure this problem and get my point of impact up where it needs to go. I`d really like to use a buckhorn sight but i`m wanting to hear your opinions. I`m not sure if the buckhorn sight might be too high or not. I`m trying work out the magnetic deal mensioned. That would be real nice so you could also find out where to place your sight.

 

[Many Klatch]

Sounds like you need to bend your barrel a bit to get it to shoot where you want. Most smoothbores shoot high because the breech is so much thicker than the muzzle and bending the barrel helps even this out but you may have to bend your barrel the other way.

How many shots do you have through your smooth bore? It may take 100 shots before you become familiar enough with the gun to even start sighting it in.

The holds that I use on my smoothbores vary with the guns but as a rule I have to be able to see the base of the front sight before I can be sure that the top of the front sight will be on target.

Many Klatch

 

[paulab]

A higher front sight will move the point of impact down even more.