Using your thumb as a rear site

[lbothell]

So a while back when I started shooting a BP gun without a rear site I talked to this old timer about how to get more consistent with shooting my smooth bore he told me to put my thumb on the top of my barrel with my left hand (I’m a right handed shooter) and this will help with my elevation once I know about what the gap is. I did this to shoot my first deer and it definitely worked even though I didn’t hit were I was aiming hahaha but a clean kill all the same! Anyone else do this with much success??

 

[Bon Sauvage]

Yes. I drilled a hole through my thumb and now use it as a "peep" sight.

 

[TDM]

So a while back when I started shooting a BP gun without a rear site I talked to this old timer about how to get more consistent with shooting my smooth bore he told me to put my thumb on the top of my barrel with my left hand (I’m a right handed shooter) and this will help with my elevation once I know about what the gap is. I did this to shoot my first deer and it definitely worked even though I didn’t hit were I was aiming hahaha but a clean kill all the same! Anyone else do this with much success??

Not sure I can fully picture were your putting your thumb, but if it works, that's great!

 

[64Springer]

A thumb seems bulky and would get in the way.

Holding two fingers up like a peace sign gives you an instant v notch rear sight.

 

[lbothell]

Not sure I can fully picture were your putting your thumb, but if it works, that's great!

Well I can see how this might be a little confusing hahah I’m basically putting the top of my thumb on the top of the barrel and using it as a reference point kinda like you do when you shoot a bow it’s just another anchor. It helps with elevation especially since my gun shoots low if I try to just line up with the top of my tang

 

[TDM]

Ok, I see. Thanks.

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

Oh boy

 

[smo]

All it does is force you too raise your head up…
If I understand what you’re doing..

 

[hanshi]

If it works for you then it works. I just had the builder install a rear sight on my gun when he built it. That works even better and allowed me to take a nice shot on a running deer.

 

[lbothell]

If it works for you then it works. I just had the builder install a rear sight on my gun when he built it. That works even better and allowed me to take a nice shot on a running deer.

Yes I would like one myself to be honest haha

 

[lbothell]

All it does is force you too raise your head up…
If I understand what you’re doing..

Exactly!

 

[chorizo]

Bet that old timer was a real skinny guy from not eating much meat.

(or he had a real wicked sense of humor, which is more likely)

 

[waksupi]

Your entire breech is your rear sight. You just need to shoot enough to build the memory of your sight picture.

 

[lbothell]

Your entire breech is your rear sight. You just need to shoot enough to build the memory of your sight picture.

That was his point, I was having a hard time being consistent with my site picture so he told me to use my thumb as a starting point to get me close. It worked well, and the more I shot the less I had to do it, but getting out of shooting for a while I was rusty and the thumb trick has helped get me more consistent again. It was actually the owners dad of Dixon muzzleloader shop here in Pa. before he passed he helped me a lot on learning how to shoot. From what I gathered he still has a couple records for shooting so I wasn’t going to question him to much weather he was joking or not it works.

 

[RAEDWALD]

For French army early percussion rifles for the common infantry there was no rear sight for extended ranges unlike those for marksmen. The instructions for longer ranges were for the thumb to be placed over the barrel with the dip at the base of thumb for intermediate ranges and the joint placed in the middle for longer ones. So the thumb as a rear sight has actual history. I doubt if you could get away with it for no rear sights competition shooting though.

 

[lbothell]

For French army early percussion rifles for the common infantry there was no rear sight for extended ranges unlike those for marksmen. The instructions for longer ranges were for the thumb to be placed over the barrel with the dip at the base of thumb for intermediate ranges and the joint placed in the middle for longer ones. So the thumb as a rear sight has actual history. I doubt if you could get away with it for no rear sights competition shooting though.

Thank you for sharing! I knew he wasn’t BSing me bc it worked so well I do appreciate you posting this

 

[Flintandsteel]

I kind of equate using your thumb, the same as having a loose rear sight. It’s NEVER going to be in the same place twice.
Use the breech of the barrel, it’s always the same.

 

[Flintandsteel]

Ya might figure it would be the French!