Rear sight width adjustment on Steyr LP5

[superstring]

I was fiddling with the rear sight on my LP5 the other day and discovered that the width of the sight is adjusted exactly opposite to the way it's described in the manual. The manual says to turn the left screw clockwise to enlarge the sight gap and the right screw counter clockwise. Well, like I said, on my gun, it's the other way around.

I'm wondering if others have noticed this as well, or is my gun an anomaly?

Thanks.

[RobStubbs]

I've opened my LP5 pretty wide but I can't say I know if it operated the same way as described in the manual - I just picked up a screwdriver and fiddled.

Rob.

[Mike S-J]

I've got my rear notch adjusted pretty tight which leads me to ask...

What are the costs and benefits of relatively large/narrow rear-notches?

and

What are the costs and benefits of different widths of the fore sight?

Mike

P.S. Sorry to 'parasitise' your thread, superstring

[Mark Briggs]

A point to all... Make sure you adjust both the L & R sides of the rear sight. Some dummy whose name shall not be mentioned here, a long time ago, was in the middle of a match and made an adjustment to just one side. The net result was a shift in the point of impact from what should have been the 9-ring out into the 8-ring. DOH!

As for the various widths of front and rear sights, there are many opinions on this point, and they are all personal opinions. I personally favour a front sight that is just about the same apparant width as the black of the target.

The width of the rear sight notch is again a highly personal choice. Some say that a narrow rear sight will, in the presence of a brightly lit target, result in "flare" around the front sight. I subscribe to this theory and open my rear sight when the target is brightly lit. Some say a wide rear sight causes less precise vertical alignment. I'd likely go along with this argument as well.

The real point that has to be made here is that you will, over time, begin to develop a feel for what looks right and what doesn't. Shooting in multiple range locations, with different lighting, will allow you to develop a broader personal database of what works for you and what doesn't. After a while you'll pick up your pistol during prep time and look at the sights. Something won't look right because the lighting is different from the place where you last shot. A few twists of the screwdriver and you'll change your rear sight to what you figure will work, then do some more dry firing, and maybe make another tweak or two. Eventually you'll get to a point where these adjustments are made very quickly (if at all) and it will become as natural as making windage or elevation changes. Until that time, make note in your diary of your sight setting changes, and why you made them - these notes will serve as a good reminder.

[Fred Mannis]

Some say that a narrow rear sight will, in the presence of a brightly lit target, result in "flare" around the front sight. I subscribe to this theory and open my rear sight when the target is brightly lit.

Some say, especially those of us who are older, that a dimly lit target also requires an open rear sight. That is why many shooters adjust their rear sight to an apparent width of ~2-3x the apparent width of the front sight, the actual setting depending, of course, on the specific range conditions, stability of alignment, etc.
I have also played with rear sight depth. Generally I like a deeper notch, but have found that a deep notch plus a deep sub 6 hold gives me visual problems because I can see the black below the target card.

[Fred]

A point to all... Make sure you adjust both the L & R sides of the rear sight. Some dummy whose name shall not be mentioned here, a long time ago, was in the middle of a match and made an adjustment to just one side. The net result was a shift in the point of impact from what should have been the 9-ring out into the 8-ring. DOH!

Mark,
I was concerned about this possibility also....until I noticed that turning the notch width adjustment screw on one side, turns the screw on the other side an equal amount (as well as opens or closes the notch). Therefore - and I have not measured to confirm this - it would seem that adjustment from BOTH sides is not needed. Indeed the manual states that the width may be adjusted from EITHER side, and says nothing about equalizing.

Re the original question,
If I remember correctly, when I got my LP-5 years ago, only the German language manual was available, so that's what I received. When the English version came out, Don Nygord was nice enough to send me that version as well. At some point I noticed that, while the width adjustment instructions in the English version were backwards, the German version had it right. So blame it on the translator :-)

FredB

[superstring]

Re the original question,
If I remember correctly, when I got my LP-5 years ago, only the German language manual was available, so that's what I received. When the English version came out, Don Nygord was nice enough to send me that version as well. At some point I noticed that, while the width adjustment instructions in the English version were backwards, the German version had it right. So blame it on the translator :-)

FredB

Thanks for answering my question, Fred. And thanks to all for an interesting discussion.

[Mark Briggs]

Hmmm, this is interesting... My LP1 and LP10 must either be broken or of a different design. When I turn the width adjustment screw on one side, the screw doesn't turn, and the other side of the site doesn't move. On both of these pistols a width adjustment requires turning both the left and right adjustment screws.

I wonder why this is...

[Steve Swartz]

Mark: dittos on apologies for hijacking your thread;

Mike: to your question about sight widths- there was a great article about this by Don Nygord on his site- also some info in TenP files on this board?

Anyhow, to the best of my recollection (and adding my personal opinion) the recommendation/what I use is:

- Front post width equal in moa to width of aiming bull;
- 1/2 - 1/3 the moa width of the front sight amount of "white space" on either side of front post;
- Hold Sub-6 an equal amount of white below target as amount of white on either side of front post

Note that "tighty whitey" dimensions will generally create problems in crisp front sight focus for a number of reasons both physico-mechanical and mental. Note also that what you give up in "potential precision of alignment" is not supported by research and experience- as long as you don't have barn-door white area your eye/brain is quite capable of making very fine alignements both horizontally and vertically. Toss in the demonstrated fact that for most folks, tight gaps result in horrendous chicken finger and wreak havoc on your ability to program your shot release reliably, well . . . there you go. Don Nygord 'splained it a lot better than I just did.

Oh I have identical setup and procedure for Free, and Air- hard to do for Standard and Centerfire (aiming bull wa-a-a-a-a-ay too big!).

Steve Swartz

[RobStubbs]

Can I come at the widths of the rearsight point ? I have wide rearsight notches on the LP5 - I shoot, standard, rapid and sport with it. The reason I have them open is I believe it helps quick sight (picture) acquisition - essential in a 4 second rapid string ! I don't step it down at all for precision elements and it doesn't seem any different, score wise than my scores on the LP10 with a narrower rearsight.

Rob.

[Mark Briggs]

After reading my note above, I realize that my writing is unclear. Let me rephrase things to be closer to what I had originally intended to write...

"When I turn the width adjustment screw on one side, the screw on the other side doesn't turn, and the other side of the site doesn't move."

Now all this writing on the subject made me start to doubt myself, so out came the LP1. After twiddling the screws a bit I realized my statement above is patently wrong. Turning the screw on one side does indeed result in the screw on the other side also turning, and both halves of the rear sight blade moving in unison. All these years I've been wrong!

Thanks, Fred, for finally making me see the light of day!

[superstring]

Re the original question,
If I remember correctly, when I got my LP-5 years ago, only the German language manual was available, so that's what I received. When the English version came out, Don Nygord was nice enough to send me that version as well. At some point I noticed that, while the width adjustment instructions in the English version were backwards, the German version had it right. So blame it on the translator :-)

FredB

Not trying to flog a dead horse here but, getting back to my original question for a moment, I decided to dig out the German version of the LP5 manual and see if, in fact, the translation is backwards. But no, the German is the same as the English. It's the actual instructions, German or English, that are backwards! So the translator is off the hook. ;-) And yes, turning one screw does indeed turn the other in unison.

[Fred]

Not trying to flog a dead horse here but, getting back to my original question for a moment, I decided to dig out the German version of the LP5 manual and see if, in fact, the translation is backwards. But no, the German is the same as the English. It's the actual instructions, German or English, that are backwards! So the translator is off the hook. ;-) And yes, turning one screw does indeed turn the other in unison.

Shows what happens when you rely on memory - getting faultier by the day. In fact, it is the German version of the LP-1 manual that I initially received, not the LP-5 manual. And both German and English LP-1 manuals are correct on this point. I have only the English LP-5 manual, which is backwards, as you have described. So, since the LP-5 sights work the same as the LP-1 sights, why didn't they just copy the LP-1 instructions? Anyway, sorry for the misinformation.

FredB

[superstring]

Not trying to flog a dead horse here but, getting back to my original question for a moment, I decided to dig out the German version of the LP5 manual and see if, in fact, the translation is backwards. But no, the German is the same as the English. It's the actual instructions, German or English, that are backwards! So the translator is off the hook. ;-) And yes, turning one screw does indeed turn the other in unison.

Shows what happens when you rely on memory - getting faultier by the day. In fact, it is the German version of the LP-1 manual that I initially received, not the LP-5 manual. And both German and English LP-1 manuals are correct on this point. I have only the English LP-5 manual, which is backwards, as you have described. So, since the LP-5 sights work the same as the LP-1 sights, why didn't they just copy the LP-1 instructions? Anyway, sorry for the misinformation.

FredB

No worries, Fred :-). Thanks for your input.