Range work could be better

cayugad · 05-28-2008, 08:37 PM

As many of you know, I shoot a great deal. I shoot a number of rifles and kind of take pride in the fact I can figure out most rifles and make them really shoot pretty good. Well I have really went into a slump. I want to shoot longer distances but have now discovered that if the rifle is not scoped, my accuracy with the open sight models is not something to be happy with.

I have shot a number of the open sight rifles this past week. At 50 yards they are the same old naildrivers. At 75 yards, some of them are still behaving. It seems though that when I hit that 100 yard station something really goes down hill. Put it this way, the way I have been shooting, were it a game animal at that distance, I would not shoot.

I had a recent eye test and passed that with flying colors. So I know it is not a vision problem. I have not broke into a new case of powder so the powder would not be a factor. All that has changed is the weather is turning warmer.

That warmer temperatures never used to be a problem. With a scope I will shoot the bull out. Open sights, is a totally different thing now though. It really has be perplexed.

I guess I am doomed to shoot more.

frontier gander · 05-28-2008, 08:52 PM

Dave, I find that it helps me a great deal to take a brown cardboard box and use a 2 or 3" dot @ 100 yards. A tan box or piece of paper with a 3" black dot is also a lot easier for me to see. I prefer the orange dot in dim light and the black in bright sun.

You just have to get back in touch with your sights and have your eye adjust. I couldnt shoot for chit with open sights @ 100 yards due to me doing to much shooting at 50 and 70 yards.

I am finally back to shooting my 100 yard mark and its getting easier for my eye to focus on the dot and the sights.

Gotta practice for a while until you get used to them again.

Semisane · 05-28-2008, 09:37 PM

I experience the same thing Cayugad, Good shooting with iron sights at 50 yards, pretty decent at 75, stink at 100. Put a scope on that sucker and I have no problem shooting tight groups way out there.

I have a theory (may be total hogwash). I think that because I can see my 3" dot pretty well at the closer distances I tend to hold the sight picture better through the shot (follow through). But because I have a hard time getting that 100 yard sight picture I let it wander as soon as I pull the trigger.

jascoesens · 05-28-2008, 10:15 PM

Dave,

Do any of your firearms have an aperture rear sight? If so, how well are you able to shoot that gun @ 100 yards?
Could it be that your eyes finaly "matured"?

James

cayugad · 05-28-2008, 10:49 PM

I have two rifles with peeps and they actually shoot better then the plain old iron sights. The worst seems to be the fiber optic sights at 100 yards. At 50 yards the fiber optics are deadly, but further back that front red dot seems to glow too much and I can focus on the dot or the target, but not both. Might be time for another eye check up, but I had one only about six months ago.

I think I will try different color and different size dots. And see if that does not make things better.

frontier gander · 05-28-2008, 11:09 PM

Exactly the same problem i have with fiber optics. The fibers that are on the CVA's now use 2 bigger fibers on the rear and a smaller front red dot on the front sight. That so far had been one of the easiest fiber sights that i could use, Along with the truglo's. The williams sights like that ones on my fathers hawken and the mountain stalker are huge and they just get blurry @ 100 yards. I really prefer the small optic up front.

bronko22000 · 05-29-2008, 05:15 AM

My friend has the same problem with the fiber optic sights. He gets what he calls a halo around them making it hard to align. And Frontier's post about having a high contrast point of aim helps too. And IMO, you may want to use a bigger bull - like a 6" with maybe a 3" center.
Hope this helps.
I usually don't worry about shooting at 100 yds. But I do just to see where my bullets hit - just in case. Normally where I hunt, even a 50 yd shot is long. But occasionally I do get the opportunity to reach out there.

rafsob · 05-29-2008, 06:05 AM

I don't know about you but I have the same problem. I attribute it to my age, 61. With a scope I also can nail the bullout to hundreds of yards. But open sights kill me. I seem todo alright with a peep sight on my 1903a3 though.

Don't know your age, but that is my problem and it sounds like what you are experiencing. If so, wellcome to the senior citizen gang!!!

burntmuch · 05-29-2008, 08:20 AM

Try to dull down the front site. I had to do that with my sights on my bow. Id never shoot at game over 30 yards or so. But Id practice at 50-60-70 yards. It made the 20 yard shots seem easy. I took a black marker & dulled up my front sight. Made all the difference in the world Ive got a peep on my 357 max. I cant shoot it at 100 yards. I can hit a softball sized pumpkin at 75 yards all day. But try to hit a bullseye. Its embarrasing.. While hunting if I got a 100 yard sight. Something with a scope is with me that day. Yes it sucks getting old . 20 yrs ago 300 yard shots with a m16 with peep sights, no problem. did I already say it sucks getting old

lemoyne · 05-29-2008, 08:30 AM

I put a flat blck peice of steel down at the hundred yard mark laying flat on the ground, if I look at it with the spotting scope and can see the heat waves riseing I look for the amount of distortion if there is much I shoot in the morning or evening, its on old bench compitition shooters trick. It can be frustrating to have this problem, those heat waves at the time of year when its cool at night and warms very fast during the day can cause an optical illusion that will cause added problems beyond what you would expect for things like glow type sights, I have seen it so bad that the target appeared to move when a breez started up. Lee