Aiming the handgun properly with open sights


dkbs

Recommended Posts

Hello

Thanks in advance for any help.

When aiming a handgun with open sights, is it better to lay the front sight in the rear sight notch with the bullseye just visible above the front blade or with the front blade covering the bullseye.

Thanks

Dan

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think it depends on the manufacturer? The gun comes from the factory either intended for a "dead on" hold or the "6 o'clock" hold(bullseye on top of the front post). I guess you would figure it out on the range and adjust accordingly. Typically the windage is the only thing adjustable on a handgun unless it is a larger bore hunting revolver. I'm sure there are some exceptions, but my handguns seem to be this way.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Make a lollipop of the bull with the blade centered between the rear sight valley.

What do you do about really wide square sights? I've got a gun that's supposed to be a target pistol, but the front sight and valley are about 3/16" wide. Plinking at 5 yards is ok, but when your trying to shoot something 50 yards away and your sight picture is the size of a car it's kinda hard to do that. Guess that's why I got a red dot and put on it.:cool:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think it depends on the manufacturer? The gun comes from the factory either intended for a "dead on" hold or the "6 o'clock" hold(bullseye on top of the front post). I guess you would figure it out on the range and adjust accordingly. Typically the windage is the only thing adjustable on a handgun unless it is a larger bore hunting revolver. I'm sure there are some exceptions, but my handguns seem to be this way.

+1

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What do you do about really wide square sights? I've got a gun that's supposed to be a target pistol, but the front sight and valley are about 3/16" wide. Plinking at 5 yards is ok, but when your trying to shoot something 50 yards away and your sight picture is the size of a car it's kinda hard to do that. Guess that's why I got a red dot and put on it.:cool:

...You just have to pick and create ,perfectly, that coordinate within your aligned rear and front sights...(+)-you can still arrive at a very specific, distinct coordinate(everything aligned, and even, up and down, and side to side) , even if your sight picture appears to engulf the target/ object, down range...

....If I'm not mistaken, that is why the NRA standard (target) pistol yardage to shoot is 25 yards....I have qualified out to 50 yards(Sheriff Dept),free hand, but the norm and standard is 25 yards....

-Yes, in that case, your red dot is for a reason....

-Also, target shooting with a hand gun and HUNTING with a hand gun in my opinion require different approaches....

-I think "plinking 'at 5 yards is a glorfied waste of ammo...(I am assuming you were kidding, though...)..better to stick to 25 yards, and shoot lots of GROUPS...and again, and again.

-25 yards is NRA standard...

-and yes, I will somewhat agree with Potash, that different maufacturers and models guns differ....BUT....any question of difference is resolved by simply shooting that particular pistol again, and again, and see where you grouping is consistent;

-GROUPINGS...

-My pistol-shooting creed:

- POINT at your target....

- LINE UP your rear sight with the target...with the front sight starting slightly above the rear sight...

-SLOWLY BRING DOWN the front sight until it settles, nestled within the rear sight...(top of blade, or top of round front sight ,in alignment with the tops of the valley sides...AND equally CENTERED within the valley)-like what Tominator was describing...

-and I JUST COVER the exact spot I want to hit, with that centered, lined up coordinate (+) that is created by that perfect rear and front sight alignment...

- Squeeze...

.........I love shooting pistols...especially revolvers...:)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.