Shooting Lyman 48 / 17 A front

[Ben]

My shooting buddy Bryan had never shot metallic peep sights on a center fire rifle before.

I wanted him to try it today, we set the target at about 40 yards, the rifle was my Springfield 1903 , 4 groove military barrel, chambered in 308 Win. The load was 8.3 grs. Amer.Select with the RCBS 140 gr., gas checked with .014 " Amer Max Aluminum , Spire point , sized .310".

After a 60 second " briefing " on how to shoot peep sights, Bryan fired 5 rounds.

I'd say he is off to a good start, what about you ?

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Do you remember the " Old Wives Tale ", ....." Spire point cast bullets won't shoot accurately."

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[BruceB]

I have the same RCBS mould; it didn't show me much in my very brief trial with it in the looooong M1A thread, but Lyman's 311314 spirepoint did fairly well in a few loads. I'd actually bought this RCBS mould for trials in 7.62x39 rifles.

I think it's mostly a case of too-many moulds, not enough time.

You're doing your pal a great favor by introducing him to iron sights. They are amazingly effective devices, and FAR less "sensitive" than glass.... to weather, to hard handling, to mechanical malfunction. I have Lyman 17 front sights on at least four rifles right now, and other types of irons on many more. Many makers' iron rear sights also grace rifles in my racks. I truly like my scopes, but irons offer some qualities that scopes simply cannot match.....and vice-versa, of course.

At one time, I competed at 1000 yards with iron-sighted .303 #4 rifles. The bullseye was 29" at that range, and scores had to be 48 out of a possible 50 to have a hope of placing well.

[Char-Gar]

Back in the day, I fired lots of military rifle matches with high end receiver sights and globe front. I also had scopes that fit on some of these rifles. I could fire groups as small and scores as high with the receiver sights as I could the scope. The only advantage to the scope was it help in doping the wind by being able to see the mirage.

Folks who did not cut their shooting teeth on these sights, just don't realize what fine precision shooting instruments they are.

You got your friend off on the right foot with a fine rifle and sight combination. The bullets seems to work well also. Sometimes all the rules and principals don't seem to count for much.

[Ben]

I told Bryan today, " You're a good shot with a scope, but you owe it to yourself to try out these peep sights."

He said after shooting the group above ....." I had no idea that a rifle would shoot like that with peep sights . "

It is my opinion that many young shooters start out with a scope and never shoot iron sights and as a consequence never " Master the basics of shooting ."

Ben

[Mk42gunner]

It is my opinion that many young shooters start out with a scope and never shoot iron sights and as a consequence never " Master the basics of shooting ."

Yes Sir, you are correct. Too many people also shoot only from a bench or other rest and think they are great all around shots, with absolutely no practice from any other position.

If I could distill the basics of shooting down to one word, I think it would be consistency.

Robert

[Ben]

Yes Sir, you are correct. Too many people also shoot only from a bench or other rest and think they are great all around shots, with absolutely no practice from any other position.

If I could distill the basics of shooting down to one word, I think it would be consistency.

Robert

I can't disagree with a single word that you've said.

Very good !

Ben

[Frank46]

Ben, had an old Smith Corona 1903A3 fitted out with a 48 and 17 globe sight. Shot extremely well as my eyes were considerably younger than. Still have an unfired (by me) post '64 winchester match rifle in 30-06 that someday will get shot. Frank

[country gent]

In teaching training many juniors scopes are the rifle crutch and red dots lasers the handguns. I start all the juniors out with peep sights usually on one of my rifles ( a known rifle is much easier since then there is only one unknown in the mix) I have seen shooters who have never shot iron sights. Was chatting with a fellow in upper michigan (rifle zone for deer) he was looking at my rifle laying on the boyt case and told me I had better limit my shots to 50 yds or less with the iron sights. The rifle was my M1a match rifle that I competed with acrros the course and long range in 308. I just politly agreed and went on. Most look at iron sights as a throw back to old times and dont realize how accurate they can be. In all honesty its not always the equipment but the actual shooter behind the rifle.

[Char-Gar]

I told Bryan today, " You're a good shot with a scope, but you owe it to yourself to try out these peep sights."

He said after shooting the group above ....." I had no idea that a rifle would shoot like that with peep sights . "

It is my opinion that many young shooters start out with a scope and never shoot iron sights and as a consequence never " Master the basics of shooting ."

Ben

Back in the day many if not most boys learned the basic of rifle craft through Boy Scouts, 4-h, jr ROTC or other various groups. They learned how to use the shooting sling, basic positions, sight picture, breath control and trigger squeeze.

I see lots of younger shooters at the range, most trying to empty a hi cap magazine as fast as the can. It would seem the goal is to get at much dirt and brass in the air as possible.

[TXGunNut]

I installed a 17A and a Williams receiver sight on my old 94 in 32WS and have tons of fun with it. I don't have an eyeglass prescription/aperture combo yet that will let me shoot 100 yds yet but I like toying with the tacticool crowd and their optics @ 50.

[Nickle]

Yes Sir, you are correct. Too many people also shoot only from a bench or other rest and think they are great all around shots, with absolutely no practice from any other position.

If I could distill the basics of shooting down to one word, I think it would be consistency.

Robert

I've taught marksmanship. and we also believe it's best to learn the basics. Iron sights (peep preferred) and position shooting. I may shoot "from the bench", but, I also used to be a benchrest competitor. There is a difference.

It always gets me to see some dubber with his tricked up rifle shooting lousy groups from the bench. Sure is fun to drop to prone, sling up and clean his clock with a military rifle and iron sights. I've had a ball doing that with an M1 and M14 using irons. Especially standing at 100 yards, shooting a group with my hunting loads about half the size of those around me on the bench.

"The name of the game is the same." (Consistency) A quote from my father, past benchrest, high power and smallbore competitor. And, still alive at 87.

[Mk42gunner]

Nickle,

I agree that there is a difference between someone that knows what he is doing shooting from a bench rest and someone using a loosely rolled up sleeping bag as a rest.

One thing that will amaze the dubbers is when you call the shot before looking at the target.

The most annoying thing I had happen while teaching the M14: One time we had a young AOAN that couldn't hit an 8½ X 11 sheet of paper while sighting in (slung in, from prone) at 25 yards. This young ID10T had heard something about front sight, but had totally missed "look through the hole in the rear sight."

To this day I have no idea what he thought that big lollipop looking thing with a hole in it, in front of his eye was there for.

We eventually got him qualified, but it was a struggle.

Robert

[btroj]

Give a guy a big enough bull with irons and it isn't tough to shoot good groups. I was always amazed at how well I could shoot an AR at 600 with a post front sight

[Nickle]

One thing that will amaze the dubbers is when you call the shot before looking at the target.



That one is part of Step 6 of the 6 steps of firing a shot. If you didn't "call it" then you blinked when the shot broke, so you really didn't "follow through".

The 6 steps:

1. Sight Alignment

2. Sight Picture

3. Respiratory Pause

4a. Focus your eye on the front sight

4b. Focus your mind on the target

5. Squeeze the trigger

6. Follow through

I've been the Chief Master Instructor with Project Appleseed. Been too laid up to teach for a while, so I had to walk away from that, for a while. I should be back, though.