front sight drop lower as I lower the pistol

miacdc · Post by **miacdc** » Thu Apr 01, 2010 2:40 pm

I align my front sight in rear sight above the target. Once everything is aligned, I am set and comfortable, then I lower my AP down into sub-six position.

I noticed my front sight tend to drop lower as I go down from above to below the target.

Is this drop real as part of the up and down arm swing? Or am I just dropping my wrist as I pull the trigger in sub-six area?

Ed Hall · Post by **Ed Hall** » Thu Apr 01, 2010 3:09 pm

The drop is definitely real. Since your eye is located above the shoulder, it can't physically be aligned with the sights in any but one elevation, if the wrist is immobile. Those who align the sights on the bench and then raise to the target watching the alignment along the way are adjusting their wrist, whether they admit to (or believe) it or not.

The reason is that the pivot point in the shoulder is (pretty much) directly under the eye, but located a distance from it. If we draw a line from the pivot center to the front sight and a line from the eye to the front sight, they will have a certain angle between them. Varying the elevation of the front sight, without altering the wrist angle, will alter the angle between the two lines, varying the location of the rear sight relative to the line between the front sight and the eye. The lower the arm, the smaller the angle, which translates to a higher rear sight.

Take Care,
Ed Hall
US Air Force Competitive Shooting
Bullseye (and International) Competition Things

miacdc · Post by **miacdc** » Thu Apr 01, 2010 4:18 pm

So it is true the front sight will drop a little bit going down.

What should I do? Align above the target with a little bit of front sight sticking up, knowing that as I go down to sub-six below the target, all will align well?

miacdc · Post by **miacdc** » Thu Apr 01, 2010 4:19 pm

So it is true the front sight will drop a little bit going down.

What should I do? Align above the target with a little bit of front sight sticking up, knowing that as I go down to sub-six below the target, all will align well?

Ed Hall · Post by **Ed Hall** » Thu Apr 01, 2010 5:14 pm

miacdc wrote:...What should I do? Align above the target with a little bit of front sight sticking up, knowing that as I go down to sub-six below the target, all will align well?

Yes, I would learn what the sights look like when above and "know" that when you reach your aiming area, they will be perfect. In fact, I mostly shoot Conventional Pistol with a red dot sight. I KNOW that as I lower to the center, the dot will appear in the top and settle to the center of the tube as it settles to the center of the target. When I shoot open sights, I allow for a slightly high front sight, above the target and watch it settle into the rear as I approach my area of aim.

After some training, you will feel comfortable with "knowing" the sights will align at the right time.

Take Care,
Ed Hall
Air Force Shooting Homepage
Bullseye (and International) Competition Things

Seamaster · Post by **Seamaster** » Thu Apr 01, 2010 7:57 pm

Eureka! Gentlemen.

This is a very fine observation, and an astute practical solution.

Chris · Post by **Chris** » Thu Apr 01, 2010 11:36 pm

When I started shooting I noticed the same problem on both Free and Air I would loose the front sight. The rear sight was where it was supposed to be.

My solution was to modify my grips so the sights would line up to my natural point of aim. It took lots of work on the grips to get them to point in the correct spot but I got it to work. I think my grip angles ended up about 40 -45 deg's. Now when i pick up the pistol the sights are lined up with no effort.

Years later when talking to a well known grip maker who I was thinking about getting him to duplicate my FP grip he asked me to do something before I sent him my grip. What he wanted me to do was pick up my pistol and hold it out like I was going to shoot, close my eyes and wave my hand around in a circle then with eyes still close hold like you are going to aim and then open your eyes and see where you are pointing. Repeat this a few times.

Next step is to modify grip to make the sights line up. On the AP you just have to make sure when you are done it will fit in the box.

miacdc · Post by **miacdc** » Fri Apr 02, 2010 8:23 am

I am not talking about the grip made to naturally align front with rear sights at ease when you raise your arm.

I am talking about the pivoting of the arm from above the target to below the target, the pivoting of front sight in up/ down direction relative to rear sight.

yana · Post by **yana** » Fri Apr 02, 2010 12:31 pm

I was always tought, nót to align them above target, but frontsight a bit above rearsight. When you arrive at sub 6 this way, they should about align..