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sight height

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elkslayer

32 Cal.
Joined
Jul 26, 2011
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Do any of you have opinions on how high your sights should be above the barrel?
 
High enough to put the shots in the bullseye. ;-)

But seriously, I have had them too low - and you get mirage with repeated firing or they're hard to find & pick up or place against a neutral target like the side of a deer - and so high they present a hazard to flesh and being knocked out of kilter. I like about 3/16" as compromise for the front sight height, though I have a few rifles with adjustable sights that are much higher than that. It all depends on the rear sight height.
 
From the center of the barrel, your rear sight has to be slightly higher than the front sight.
The higher both are above the barrel causes the ball to have to rise higher to get to your point of aim and changes the trajectory slightly.
Deadeye
 
Sight height affects the two "crossover" points of the ball and the line of sight. I prefer lower sights if at all possible. But comb height in relation to sight height trumps that for me. If the comb is too high relative to the sights, the comb bashes my prominent cheekbone all to tarnation.

A third factor can emerge with really fine finish on barrels and bright front sights. You can actually see a reflection of the front sight on the top flat of the barrel, giving you a "double" front sight. I tried a fiberoptic sight on one of my guns with a pretty fine finish, and the double red bead was quite disconcerting. Same can happen with a white sight on a bright sunny day.
 
You can actually see a reflection of the front sight on the top flat of the barrel, giving you a "double" front sight.

With my eyes, I see a "double" front sight every time I shoulder my rifle. Sometimes I forget which one to use... . :redface:
 
Good advice from other so far.
Oddly, rifles in museums often have the lowest, teensy-ist sights, front and rear, you cannot imagine. I don't understand the 'why' of those sights or how they could see them. But low, fine sights were used and were widely used.
But, keep in mind average lifespan was very short. About age 35 during the Rev. and not a whole lot better post CW. Those rifles were used by young men, not old timers like many of us here.
 
BrownBear said:
A third factor can emerge with really fine finish on barrels and bright front sights. You can actually see a reflection of the front sight on the top flat of the barrel, giving you a "double" front sight. I tried a fiberoptic sight on one of my guns with a pretty fine finish, and the double red bead was quite disconcerting. Same can happen with a white sight on a bright sunny day.

^+1 That very thing cost me a nice buck a few years ago. He was moving, the shot was slightly hurried. After the shot, he stopped and looked around as if to say, "Wonder what THAT was about?"

It wasn't until I saw that second image reflecting off the top flat that I understood what happened.
 
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