Shooting with iron sights… good resources?

[nastynate]

Shot BB guns and 22 with open sights a ton as a kid and switched to scopes for most things as an adult. Gonna get back into it a bit next trip at range because I may have a decent hunt opportunity this fall in which I’d likely use my 870 rifled barrel with iron sites. Looking for any reading or video resources to look over with good tips for shooting iron sights?

I’m not interested in tinkering with the equipment… just basic tips on shooting with open sites.

 

[OntarioHunter]

If you're planning to shoot at running game, first make sure the shotgun fits perfectly. Close your eyes, mount the gun to shoulder, open eyes and the front bead should be perfectly positioned in the rear sight notch. If you're looking up the barrel (you see some barrel between notch and front bead), the stock is too short. Add a slip-on recoil pad to lengthen. Step #2 is get to the skeet range, find a good coach, and learn to hit targets shooting low gun (gun at ready position, not shouldered, when target is pulled). If you can't find someone to coach you low gun, PM me.

 

[BrentD]

If you have troubles with focusing, I can make suggestions.

Otherwise, just use a consistent sight picture. Normally, this means with the top of the front sight flush with the top of the rear sight, not buried in the v-notch or patridge notch, whichever you may have.

With open barrel sights on a hunting gun, I like my bullet to land right on the very top of whatever the front sight is - bead, post, etc. In other words, with a bead, in particular, I do not want to the bead to be centered on or covering the point of impact.

 

[David658]

I think it best to remember you are shooting a rifle, not a shotgun, as far as sighting goes. BrentD describes what is commonly called the "six o'clock hold". I have been brought up shooting for center, so my blade/bead covers the spot I am shooting at . Too old to change, so that is my preference. If you sight from a rest, be sure the rest is where your hand would be on the forestock in the event you have an off-hand shot - that way, off-hand or on a rest your point of impact should be the same. As to running game, I dunno, I just don't do it myself, too much risk of a bad shot. I need the suicidal critters that are just standing there for me to do the deal....

David
NM

 

[perma]

With open barrel sights on a hunting gun, I like my bullet to land right on the very top of whatever the front sight is - bead, post, etc. In other words, with a bead, in particular, I do not want to the bead to be centered on or covering the point of impact.

Interesting. I prefer my bead to cover the area I want to shoot. I tried it that way and I always get confused. I’ve heard both ways are acceptable but I think your way has always been the standard way.

 

[BrentD]

I think it best to remember you are shooting a rifle, not a shotgun, as far as sighting goes. BrentD describes what is commonly called the "six o'clock hold". I have been brought up shooting for center, so my blade/bead covers the spot I am shooting at . Too old to change, so that is my preference. If you sight from a rest, be sure the rest is where your hand would be on the forestock in the event you have an off-hand shot - that way, off-hand or on a rest your point of impact should be the same. As to running game, I dunno, I just don't do it myself, too much risk of a bad shot. I need the suicidal critters that are just standing there for me to do the deal....

David
NM

No. What I described is not a 6 o'clock hold. It's seems like a matter of semantics, but I feel the differences are important. Obviously, I did not explain myself well enough the first time.

A 6 o'clock hold is where the top of the bead or post is tangential to the bottom (6 o'clock) of the painted bull in a target match. That might be the 8 ring in an NRA Creedmoor target or it might be the 18 ring in the off-hand 25-ring German Schuetzen target. The reasons for that hold are to use maximum contrast, at a known and constant distance from the target center, as the most precise aiming point. On an animal target that might correlate with the bottom of the chest on a broadside bull. However, the bottom of the chest is rarely in high contrast with the background and that is why I would never use it in a hunting rifle.

The method I described, for a heart shot, would result in putting the very top of the bead on the center of the heart. That's not a 6 o'clock hold. It is a center hold.

The method of covering the target with the bead is also called a center hold. I believe that using that type of hold is why most people have little faith in iron sights and rarely, if ever use them. But to each his own.

Interestingly (at least to me), is that the only time I use a 6 o'clock hold on anything is when I'm shooting steel animals from prone with a scope in a match.

Sight pictures are very personal preferences. YMMV.

 

[EastTNHunter]

Prep sights are better for failing eyes.

Lots of dry fire practice

 

[nastynate]

I used slugs/open sites on deer last over a decade ago. I have no recollection of how I sighted it in (like what sort of hold I used). I doubt I shot a deer more than 75 yards with this set up. I still have the ammo I hunted with so I’ll be curious to see what my first groups look like….

 

[BrentD]

I used slugs/open sites on deer last over a decade ago. I have no recollection of how I sighted it in (like what sort of hold I used). I doubt I shot a deer more than 75 yards with this set up. I still have the ammo I hunted with so I’ll be curious to see what my first groups look like….

More importantly, what does your first shot look like relative to dead center. In hunting that's what counts, not group size.

 

[nastynate]

More importantly, what does your first shot look like relative to dead center. In hunting that's what counts, not group size.

Yeah… imprecise language on my part. I want to know where it’s hitting.