Sight Picture Question

[Muddy Creek Sam]

Howdy all,

This may be a seriously stupid question to some, but here goes anyway. I have a Pedersoli Soule Sight and a lyman 17A hood with a Lee Shaver insert set 32" apart on my new 1885. I am seeing a full 5" circle of the target at 100 yards with a center circle in the front sight. I have the insert set coming, and do not know the size of the insert circle. What do you suggest to get a more precise sight picture?

Thanks,

Sam (who is learning so much from you all) :D

[montana_charlie]

If you choose a front insert that seems to exactly outline the black bull on the target, that is 'too tight'. Your eye can't center all the various 'circles' unless there is enough 'room' around all of them to make the adjustments.
Pick an insert which leaves a substantial ring of white around the bull. How much of a ring?
Trial and error will tell you what works best for you...in that light condition, at that distance, on that day.

If you always shoot at the same size target, at the same distance...you may find a particular insert will work well on most days.

CM

[Doc Highwall]

I will second what charlie says. What I have learned and teach shooters is this. Lets say you are shooting at the 100 yard small bore target that measures 8" in diameter or 8 minutes of angle. What you will do your best with is a front aperture that will allow at least 2 minutes of white around it in perfect light conditions and up to about 4 minutes max. With the tests that I have done with my eyes I have found that I shoot my best with 3 minutes of white around the aiming black in perfect light conditions, meaning that the target has the sun on it's face coming from behind me. Now when the light conditions get less then perfect I use a larger front aperture up to 4 minutes of white around the aiming black. This means that with a 8 minutes of angle target plus 2 minutes of white on each side that the opening will be 12 minutes. With your sights being 32" apart and your eye about 4" from your rear sight makes your eye 36" from the front sight you will need a front aperture of .125". This would be the smallest I would use for perfect light conditions.

[c3d4b2]

The general rule of thumb is the front sight aperture should be approximately 2 times the the diameter of the aiming black. Of course everyone's eyes are slightly different and this may not be best for your eyes.

[GP100man]

Muddy Creek Sam

ya gotta shoot in the mornin time !!!LOL
set up the bench then get a cup of coffee & set on the porch while waitin on the sun to get over the top of the house.

[Muddy Creek Sam]

GP100man,

Got to take Katie to the Doc in the am, Maybe Thursday if it don't rain. I could try shooting of the porch again.

Sam :D

[Don McDowell]

Picking a front sight insert is about as much personal preference as boxers or briefs. A person just needs to try different ones until one that pleases is found.
Here's one of my favorites.
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f358/Ranch137/Lymanrect.jpg

[Dale53]

Actually, there are some physiological reasons to pick a proper size front sight. The aforementioned twice the size of the black has been determined by opticians to work best for most of us. It will seem VERY large. However, too small an aperture fatigues the eyes and after a short time won't work well.

From a solid position, if you put the left side of the front sight circle against the left side of the bull then the center of impact will be on the right side of the bull. THAT will give you a mathematically correct sight picture. It may take a bit of accommodation ( as we will naturally think it is too large) but after a bit of practice you'll find that it works VERY well and minimizes eye fatigue.

FWIW
Dale53