Sight hoods

[Rover]

I remember a couple of air pistols that had hooded front sights. You see them on every target rifle.

Why don't we see them on match air pistols? I would think it would be helpful

[dschaller]

ISSF Rule 8.4.1.3 Sights c) No protective covering is permitted on front or rear open sights;

[David Levene]

It would be against ISSF rule 8.4.1.3.c

"No protective covering is permitted on front or rear open sights."

[Rover]

Well, I guess that makes as much sense as many of their other rules.

[Pheyden]

Rover,

Taking your idea a bit further, would that also prohibit the use of sights like the new floating front sight as marketed by Tec-Hro for rifles on a pistol? This is a sight specifically designed without a "tunnel" and thus has nothing above the sighting element. The idea would be to use two of these, one mounted in place of the conventional front sight and another variant for a rear sight. The adjustment if the rear sight would not be altered. If one were really pedantic and said that the "ring" in the front sight element constitutes a "hood", then the sight insert could be made so that the ring is not complete, but has a small gap at the top. The same for the rear sight element. The only downside I can see, if in fact it is one, is that the sight elements sit slightly higher than iron sights.

Just a thought

[David Levene]

Taking your idea a bit further, would that also prohibit the use of sights like the new floating front sight as marketed by Tec-Hro for rifles on a pistol?

Even if you could convince the Jury that it was an "open sight", what good do you think it would do you?

Do you really think that you can hold a pistol still enough with one hand to get any benefit?

[Pheyden]

Hello David,

Fancy running across you here!

Just thinking outside the box, mate! I have no idea whatsoever whether it woukd do any good or not, but that has never stopped me from exploring the possibility. There are many inventions, which when first thought of, were met with skepticism and derision.

Perhaps I may have a go at something, just for giggles.

[David Levene]

Fancy running across you here!

Just thinking outside the box, mate! I have no idea whatsoever whether it woukd do any good or not, but that has never stopped me from exploring the possibility. There are many inventions, which when first thought of, were met with skepticism and derision.

If you look at the number of posts I have made you will see that I'm just as much of a gobby beggar here as I am on other sites. ;-)

Will you be able to fit that sight arrangement to a pistol and still stay within the size limits?

[Pheyden]

David,

Not sure at the moment. I will spend aome time "pondering" as to how to go about it.

[David Levene]

In the early '80s a Brit developed a sighting system comprising 2 discs.

When on aim the disc on the front sight appeared slightly smaller than the target black and the disc on the rear sight appeared slightly smaller than the one on the front sight. You just lined up 3 concentric circles.

He asked the ISSF (it was the UIT at the time) whether the system was legal: it was not.

I suspect a similar system would get the same answer today, "Spirit and Intent". We all know what the ISSF expect the sights to look like.

[renzo]

In the early '80s a Brit developed a sighting system comprising 2 discs.

When on aim the disc on the front sight appeared slightly smaller than the target black and the disc on the rear sight appeared slightly smaller than the one on the front sight. You just lined up 3 concentric circles.

He asked the ISSF (it was the UIT at the time) whether the system was legal: it was not.

I suspect a similar system would get the same answer today, "Spirit and Intent". We all know what the ISSF expect the sights to look like.

By the way, David, have you ever had the chance to try what the mirror sights Hammerli developed for FP in the 60's look like in actual shooting?

I've heard only comments from elder shooters thet heard from European shooters at the time that they were very difficult to keep stable, but for those who could, it was very accurate.

Anyway, AFAIK it was banned before it was used by anyone in a UIT registered match, but the curiosity stands. I have an old article describing them but know of no one who tried them.

[David Levene]

By the way, David, have you ever had the chance to try what the mirror sights Hammerli developed for FP in the 60's look like in actual shooting?

I've heard only comments from elder shooters thet heard from European shooters at the time that they were very difficult to keep stable, but for those who could, it was very accurate.

Anyway, AFAIK it was banned before it was used by anyone in a UIT registered match, but the curiosity stands. I have an old article describing them but know of no one who tried them.

No, they were well before I started shooting.

I did have a conversation with a friend who had them, the late John Cook (the gripmaker for Leslie Bowlers if anyone remembers them). He was an extremely talented shooter who said they were great on days when he was shooting well. At other times, not so good.