Author Topic: Shooting with open sights  (Read 3474 times)

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Shooting with open sights
« on: August 16, 2006, 01:20:30 PM »
I have a RWS 94 that I have yet to put a scope on. I find that I'm enjoying the open sight to much. I've been shooting at my field targets (getting ready for hunting) from 10 to 45 yards and at many different angles. At 30 yards and under I can knock down the target with ease, at 30-40 yards I will hit at about 70% anything greater it's  more luck than me. Now all of this is in the sitting position when I go to the standing position my accuracy drops but I still have a ton of fun. I'm really thinking of leaving this gun alone, does anyone else use open sights to shoot with?
Bart

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RE: Shooting with open sights
« Reply #1 on: August 17, 2006, 12:28:08 AM »
Good day;
I'm not greatly experienced in such matters but I would vote to remain with iron sights.
I use a peep sight on one of my rifles and find it (as you observe) fun and as accurate as a scope.
I've been thinking that shooters are too quick to go to scopes.
They hear that "old eyes" cannot utilize iron sights anymore and abandon them.
My experience is that there is better concentration and focus on the target with iron.
Besides, they are inherently closer (lower) to the receiver and, therefore, adjusted for a broader range of distance.
Don't succumb to the "old eyes" theory.  If you can see it - shoot it with iron.
Regards;
Mike


  • Guest
RE: Shooting with open sights
« Reply #2 on: August 17, 2006, 02:05:28 AM »
Quote
Don't succumb to the "old eyes" theory.  If you can see it - shoot it with iron.

That's the key phrase now isn't it? "If you can see it"? No theory here.....if your eyes are not good enough to see the target clearly with open sights, use a scope. When I want to make a clean kill on a ground squirrel at 30 or 40 yards, I need to be able to clearly see the animal and what part of it I am aiming at. I owe the animal more than to simply point iron sights in the general direction of a tiny furry little blob out in the distance half hidden by a leaf.
An iron sight six o'clock hold is fine for paper and tin cans. I use peeps and open sights at 10 yards for paper bulls.
Jack

  • Guest
RE: Shooting with open sights
« Reply #3 on: August 17, 2006, 10:57:21 AM »
Who said anything about killing something?
I thought we were talking about shredding paper and/or trash.
I appreciate your personal responsibility for a quick kill.
Thank you.

  • Guest
RE: Shooting with open sights
« Reply #4 on: August 18, 2006, 01:36:43 AM »
Quote
Who said anything about killing something?

The original poster. Perhaps I misinterpreted him. The original post says.
Quote
I have a RWS 94 that I have yet to put a scope on. I find that I'm enjoying the open sight to much. I've been shooting at my field targets (getting ready for hunting) from 10 to 45 yards and at many different angles.(snip) I'm really thinking of leaving this gun alone


Bwess specifically states the purpose of this shooting is "getting ready for hunting". Now he may not kill something when he's hunting...or he may be hunting ginsing root and just carries an airgun to plink with on the way..I don't know. Like I said, I may have misinterpreted him. :-)
BTW- I am happy some folks still have great eyesight, good for them! But personally, even if I am just shooting at a photo of a dime on paper at 30 yards, a scope is the ONLY way I can even see it! Getting older happens. :)
Jack

  • Guest
RE: Shooting with open sights
« Reply #5 on: August 18, 2006, 04:04:57 AM »
I'm think of hunting without a scope a day here or there. all my other gun are scoped. I would not take any shot that even seemed iffy. I think that if I get within 25 yard on a target that's sitting still I might take a shot. Or I might buy some see through mounts just to play it both ways...
Anyways eye sight has always been good for me so I might as well take advantage of it.
Bart

Offline rabbit

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RE: Shooting with open sights
« Reply #6 on: August 18, 2006, 05:26:53 AM »
Hello,

     I put my glasses on when I get up in the morning and take them off when I go to bed that night. I can shoot open sights at a max distance of 10 yds. even with my glasses. I have to use a scope for any and all shooting that I do. I wouldn't think of going hunting without a scope. You are very blessed to be able to use your open sights, but those days are long gone for me. Best of luck...

                                                               Rabbit    :)  :)
Rabbit

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RE: Shooting with open sights - Since I only paper punch its my choice
« Reply #7 on: August 18, 2006, 07:56:15 PM »
to shoot exclusively with iron sights and on the majority of my rifles its a peep of some type(I am fond of the Mendoza peeps on my rifles). I find shooting (paper punching and plinking) with a peep rear and either a Fiber optic or blaze orange front sight very sastifing and see no real need for a scope for what I do. Perhaps if I went back to hunting I would consider it but thats a mote point for now. I just aquired a Mendoza peep for my R1 and last week added a Crosman/Williams model 411 sight ro my R7. Sweet sight and it works like a charm on the little rifle.

Offline DanoInTx

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Re: Shooting with open sights
« Reply #8 on: August 19, 2006, 02:14:54 AM »
Man and I thought you had a great collection of pistols, now I see you have a great collection of rifles too.  

jealousy sinks in......

Dan
Dan

Current shooters: Beeman HW97K .177 with Hawke Eclipse 4x16x50SFAO and Steve C. stock, Beeman R9 .177 with Hawke Airmax 4-12x40AO and Gene\'s Midas touch, Air Arms S200 with Bushnell Banner 6x24x40AO Rowan brass bling and Steve C. custom stock, BAM B25, BAM B40 .177 with BSA 3x12x44AO, Benjamin Marauder .22, Benjamin 397 pumper.

\"repeat this mantra:
Air gunzzzzzz, air gunzzzzzz, air gunzzzzzzz!!!  ...You will feel better\" T.E.C.2008

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Re: Shooting with open sights
« Reply #9 on: August 19, 2006, 07:34:51 AM »
I love peep sights, and I'll use them for as long as I can. The only hunting I do is really only occasional pest control anyway, and I try to keep
the range down to where I know I can keep it a sure shot.

Mulby

Offline Gene_SC

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RE: Shooting with open sights - Since I only paper punch its my choice
« Reply #10 on: August 19, 2006, 09:36:52 AM »
Very nice collection Pistolero......... You gots some very accurate and  powerful rifles there my friend, not to mention how those young eyes are able to use the peeps. I am sure it also keeps the weight down on those 9 lb rifles...:)

Gene
THE ONES I SLEEP WITH: BSA Lightning XL, AA TX-200, AA ProSport, BSA Ultra, HW-97K, Crosman NPSS .177, FX Cyclone, HW-30 Nicle Plated, AA-S200, Crosman Marauder, CZ-634, R-9 DG, Webley/Scott UK Tomahawk, Benji Kantana, Benji Marauder, Benji Discovery.....
....

Gene\'s Tunz n Toyz
Springer Tunin

Offline ribbonstone

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Re: Shooting with open sights
« Reply #11 on: August 19, 2006, 11:06:27 AM »
Apature or peep sights aren't open...and are a big step ahead of open sights for most eyes.

Will keep one or two with open sights...apature sights...and some with scopes.  Each has uses where it excells (and others at which they suck).  Being able to hit with open sights is a skill that fewer and fewer airgunners seem inclined to learn....stay "old school" as long as you can.
Robert

Offline Gene_SC

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Re: Shooting with open sights
« Reply #12 on: August 19, 2006, 12:18:42 PM »
Ribbonstone, Which air rifles to you have the different sights on?

Gene
THE ONES I SLEEP WITH: BSA Lightning XL, AA TX-200, AA ProSport, BSA Ultra, HW-97K, Crosman NPSS .177, FX Cyclone, HW-30 Nicle Plated, AA-S200, Crosman Marauder, CZ-634, R-9 DG, Webley/Scott UK Tomahawk, Benji Kantana, Benji Marauder, Benji Discovery.....
....

Gene\'s Tunz n Toyz
Springer Tunin

Offline ribbonstone

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Re: Shooting with open sights
« Reply #13 on: August 19, 2006, 03:05:14 PM »
Haven't too many now, Katrina took all the old ones.  But in the last year have picked up a few to play with.

Open on one Chinese side lever...not the original sight, but one from a firend's junk box.  Not my favorite gun, and older one that's a bit "harsh", but it shoots well and stands ready at my back door (new house).

Open sights on an old (about 1970) Sheridan. That one came with the old scope mount (the one  old  long mount) and an old 4X no-name scope on top...but it also came with a partly detached barrel.  Considering how Benjamin and Sheridan's mounting system works, doesn't take much of a knock to a scope to ruin the barrel joint.  That one got fixed and resealed.  Intended to put an apature sight on, but after testing the iron decided against it.

Apature on two.  One is a recent 953 with a home-grown trigger job (as outlined at pilkgun). It's wearing a match sight from a gamo 128 rather than the Daisy sight.  The other is a QB79.  Both work fine for me out to 40-45yards (all the range I have to shoot).

That old gamo 128 (that's Gamo's old entry into the full-match gun market...a single stroke pneumatic wih a trigger every bit as good as my old FWB 300's) donated it's match sight to the Daisy and wears a 6-18 Simmons Airgun scope.  Kind of odd for a 600fps air rifle, but it's consistant enough to use it.

Wandering though a local sporting goods store, noticed a gamo 850 with 4X new in the unopened box on sale for $74.  Cheap 4X scope died...cheap munts died.  Better mount and an even cheaper 3-9X scope.  3-9X Simmons that a freind gave me with a broken reticle. Readjusted the paralaqx and carefully made a post.  Post is thin enough to work well, and attched strongly, so I doubt recoil will break it.

So far that's it for long guns...did pick up a good Dasiy 777 (love those steel sights), Gamo Compact, Crosman 150, and a Crosman MkI.  Treated myself to an "izzy" as well, but my wife kind of confiscated that one for her own use.
-----
For those who missed it, here's how you can replicate Katrian's effects on guns:

1. Get a take 11.5 feet deep and about 10 feet wide (at least at my old house that's how deep it was).
2. Fill it with filthy SALT WATER.
3. Add a dozen shovels of dirt.
4. Add in some of every chemical in the house...bleach, drano, amonia, gasoline, etc.  a bit of everything in the house.
5. Toss in a dead cat and take a dump in the barrel.
6. Toss in ALL YOUR GUNS.
7. Roll the barrel around for a few hours (water was moving fast enugh to toss a truck through the back of the house)
8. Punch a small hole in the barrel (want it to take about 22 days to drain).
9. Walk away for 28days of +90degree temps.
Robert

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Re: Collection of Rifles
« Reply #14 on: August 19, 2006, 08:12:12 PM »
I only put photos of the ones with peeps up too I also have the following:

BSA SuperSport in 22
Beeman R9 in 177
BesTuned Mendoza RM377 in 177
BSA airsporter in 22
RWS 46E in 22
Daisy 120 (Gamo "Cadet")
Crosman 160
Crosman 180
Crosman model 70
Crosman 101
Customized Crosman  model 700
XS-B3 in 22
QB57 Take-Down rifle in 177
B5-10 in 177
5 older model Crosman 760's(metal frames)
Daisy 880 (metal frame)
Daisy 853 in 177
Customized Crosman 2260