Thread: Using iron sights

My first experience with irons was awesome. managed to pop a few goats and pigs.

I have had to replace that rifle and got a gevarm E1. haven't managed to find any scope rings online so will be using irons.

Any tips for using them to their max capabilities? I mostly just lined them up. focussed on the front post and send it.

cheers

I’m no help to you.
Have a set on one of my rifles and learning to use them, will be watching with interest.

Your eye can only focus on one thing. So out of the 3 (rear sight, front sight & target) try to keep the front sight in sharp focus.

Not all iron sights are born equal. Peep sights such as the Skinner are fantastic. Human brains have an inbuilt knack for centering the front post in a circle.

V-notch sights are ok. Full buckhorns are a pain, because they obscure so much of the target.

Get yourself a "sight black" pen, and paint the front blade, unless you are using a colored fibre optic type post.

If you struggle to see the post inside the target, try "lolipoping" the sights. Set it up so that it is zeroed while aiming at the bottom of the target, 6-o'clock hold.

Irons sights rock, with some practice you will be amazed at how far away you can hit a target.

Something else to try is to keep both eyes open when using iron sights. It feel strange at first, but gives you much better FOV and depth perception.

If at all possible, have the front blade narrower than your target. With service rifle I made front sight posts that were as close to the legal minimum as possible. It really helps if you can see some of the target on either side of the post.

And another thing, sight radius is your friend. The difference on lever guns between the semi-buckhorn on the barrel in front of the action vs a peep at the rear end of the action is dramatic. Every inch you gain in sight radius has an exponential affect on accuracy.

Join a service rifle club and start shooting with a Lee Enfield. It will take your iron sight shooting to the next level

@ebf so would the sight picture look something like this?
Please excuse the s&@t drawing, but trying to get the idea of how to set it up for what you have said.

Yup R, that's it It is useful for shooting at round black circles like the NRA target, when using black sights.

Or if you are shooting at a rectangular target like the service rifle Fig 12, and the front blade is wider than the target, you can get better lateral alignment by using a 6 o'clock hold.

The sights are quite good on gevarms, the ladder for ajusting elevation isnt calibrated its suck it n see but mines set on the first notch and is good for 25-50 yds.

For those of you who are interested in getting some decent peep sights, Skinner make 2 versions that fit the vast majority of rifles.

The "rimfire" version fits onto a 3/8 dovetail, and will work on most semi 22s as well as Baikal single shots etc.
RIMFIRE GROOVE SIGHTS

The "860" version fits onto a whole heap of modern rifles as that is the spacing for the rear base screws.
Works on Ruger 10/22, Savage 110 & 10, Browning A-bolt, Winchester 70...
Marlin peep sights - scroll down to the bottom end of the home page

A bit of twink on the tip of the front sight works well in low light. Do they even still make twink?

I found I would lose the rear sight in tight ,dark bush when using ghost ring set up but not so much with the shallow v I use now,hi viz front sight helps a lot as well.i mostly bush hunt .no doubt Carlson highway will come along soon and give good advice on the topic..

Originally Posted by ebf

Your eye can only focus on one thing. So out of the 3 (rear sight, front sight & target) try to keep the front sight in sharp focus.

Not all iron sights are born equal. Peep sights such as the Skinner are fantastic. Human brains have an inbuilt knack for centering the front post in a circle.

V-notch sights are ok. Full buckhorns are a pain, because they obscure so much of the target.

Get yourself a "sight black" pen, and paint the front blade, unless you are using a colored fibre optic type post.

If you struggle to see the post inside the target, try "lolipoping" the sights. Set it up so that it is zeroed while aiming at the bottom of the target, 6-o'clock hold.

Irons sights rock, with some practice you will be amazed at how far away you can hit a target.

Something else to try is to keep both eyes open when using iron sights. It feel strange at first, but gives you much better FOV and depth perception.

If at all possible, have the front blade narrower than your target. With service rifle I made front sight posts that were as close to the legal minimum as possible. It really helps if you can see some of the target on either side of the post.

I will try all of that

Cheers. A lot of good stuff to mull over.

Originally Posted by ebf

And another thing, sight radius is your friend. The difference on lever guns between the semi-buckhorn on the barrel in front of the action vs a peep at the rear end of the action is dramatic. Every inch you gain in sight radius has an exponential affect on accuracy.

Join a service rifle club and start shooting with a Lee Enfield. It will take your iron sight shooting to the next level

Do I need a full set of wood for that? I have thought of getting an old spotter.

Originally Posted by Marty Henry

The sights are quite good on gevarms, the ladder for ajusting elevation isnt calibrated its suck it n see but mines set on the first notch and is good for 25-50 yds.

Not at home right now. But I believe mine are just a front post. And fixed flat bar with a notch in it.

Originally Posted by The bomb

I found I would lose the rear sight in tight ,dark bush when using ghost ring set up but not so much with the shallow v I use now,hi viz front sight helps a lot as well.i mostly bush hunt .no doubt Carlson highway will come along soon and give good advice on the topic..

Carlsen has sadly been ban hammered.

Cheers for all the advice. I will have to keep an eye out for a centrefire with irons.

Originally Posted by Cigar

A bit of twink on the tip of the front sight works well in low light. Do they even still make twink?

I'm one of those, too.
Twink probably gives dolphins cancer or something, but CRC do paint marking pens, avail at your friendly local engineering shop.

glow in the dark powder and clear nail varnish work good too.

Originally Posted by Russian 22.

Do I need a full set of wood for that? I have thought of getting an old spotter.

SR rules are in a bit of flux at the moment. Most of us used ARs up till CHC.

In Welly it is pretty much shoot what you bring at the moment. Not sure what the AKL boys are doing.

Couple of the Clevedon boys on here. They have a winter series as well. Get hold of the ASRA guys and I am sure they can give you the details.