Posted by AllenM on August 13, 1999 at 18:38:52:
Has anyone used any other type of open sights(with any success)? For example: rear blades other than the traditional square
notch. I have seen half moon, and v notches on some guns.
Posted by Warren Potter on August 14, 1999 at 06:11:19:
I am trialling a fibre optic front dot sight. I have them installed on my air, standard and centre fire guns.
To explain, I've had a two-piece block made to replace the front sight that supports a half inch length of green fibre optic rod
(about half the width of the front sight in diameter). So from the rear it looks like a normal post front sight with a glowing dot in
the middle of it, drawing ambient light. In most conditions it is visible; in direct sunlight you almost need sun glasses for the glare.
To make it more compatible with the rear notch I've had the square bottom of the rear sight rounded out to complement the
radius of the dot. Otherwise I found I was putting the top of the green dot level with the top of the rear sight, giving high shots.
So far so good; I have not had any huge increase in points, but the bad days seem better. Most notable difference is in the rapid
stage of centre fire, on a black centered target, where the sights stand out alarmingly well. The dot demands attention, and those
shots that go outside the 9 ring look truly awful.
I suspect this will be most successful with Rapid Fire, but I certainly don't have the skill to test it in this event.
NB To the best of my knowledge these sights are ISSF legal. I have not yet tested it at a major competition.
Posted by Roy Nagel on October 22, 1999 at 00:25:14:
Some East European guns (free pistol and rapid fire) come with half-moon rear notches. A book I have says the reason is to
help the shooter see sight misalignment more readily. The thinking is that with the half moon rear, a misaligned front blade not
only makes the daylight sliver to the side of the front sight appear narrower, it also appears shallower. I've shot them, but I
guess I'm so accustomed to our square notch system that I found no advantage.
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