TargetTalk

This is my first post, I've found lots of interesting information on this site.
I'm beginning on air rifle shooting and I use a Tau-200 air rifle which I think is a good beginner's rifle.
I need some help, what's the right way of positioning the target on a round concentric aperture front sight. I've been told that the sight picture should appear in the center with just a minimum of white around it.
The other thing I've been told is that I need a front aperture small enough so that the target fills completely the round aperture, and the only white should be within the front and sight circles.
Which one is correct?

Thanks for your help.

I have always gone for a large(ish) amount of white around the target on the foresight and that's what I've heard recommended. The theory being that it is easier to shoot and centre a black 'dot' in a white area than it is to try and get no white around the target. The latter approach forces over critical sight alignment which a) doesn't actually matter and b) leads to overholding and poor shots.

Rob.

Don't go for a really small aperture, i.e. below 3.0mm. Even if the front aperure is smaller than the target, there will be a ring of white around the target from refracted light. If you mis-align the sights you will still see white around the target, even though it is actually not wholely within the aperture.

With a larger aperture size, where there is a generous ring of white
minor misalignments will still be within the aperture; and it is easier to spot them.

For prone .22" where the hold is much more stable than standing, most people use 3.4mm-4.0mm aperture sizes. The target appears about 2mm in the fore-sight so this gives 0.7mm-1mm of movement either way.

I believe that for the standing position a slightler larger size is used on average, because of the reduced stability and greater wobble.

I would recommend getting several elements in similar sizes and try them out, start at say 4.0mm. Remember that personal choice counts, your strength of eyesight, age make a difference; ifyou shoot best with a aperture at the low end of the average that's OK. As I noted above don't go for really small apertures. Elements don't cost much and can often be found on Ebay, so it is not expensive to do this. You may find that you prefer one particular size.


Hope this helps

Tim S

Exeter UK

Booker,

It is better to err on the side of too large rather than too small. A4.2mm front aperture is the standard for our junior club.