Smallbore rear sight options

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Erud
Posts: 146
Joined: Fri Feb 04, 2011 11:50 pm

Smallbore rear sight options

Post by Erud »

Hi all,
I have recently picked up my first smallbore rifle - a very nice Anschutz 1907 in a 1913 stock. I got it out to the range for the first time over the weekend and after a short learning curve, got it shooting pretty well.

As a Highpower shooter, the rear sight on it has MUCH finer adjustments than I am accustomed to. From looking at the booklet that came with it, it appears that 1 click moves the impact 2mm at 100 meters. Also, the way the sight is labeled is opposite of what I use on my other rifles with match sights. I don't know if I'll be able to get used to that.

Are there other options out there for a rear sight with more course adjustments(1/4" or 1/8" clicks maybe) and labeled in MOA? Would it be sacreligious to just sell this sight and put a Warner or Phoenix HP sight on instead?

I realize that I might be losing some of the pinpoint accuracy potential of the rifle, but I mainly intend to use this rifle as a cross-training platform for HP shooting and the occasional low-key smallbore match. I don't have any Olympic aspirations or anything like that, so it seems like the functionality and commonality of sights may be the bigger factor here.

Any insight will be appreciated.

Thanks,
Erik
WesternGrizzly
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Joined: Sat Jan 09, 2010 10:43 pm

Post by WesternGrizzly »

I was also a highpower shooter. I always thought that 1/4 was enough until I started smallbore. Now I dont want anything coarser than 1/8. I shoot with a 7020 rear sight and I love how fine the clicks are. (i think i calculated it to be about 1/15th or so with my sight radius).
Its up to you but you may start missing the fine clicks.
Matt
justadude
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Joined: Thu Jul 22, 2010 11:32 am

Post by justadude »

Erud,

I am not sure if I would call it sacrilegious to put on a sight with coarser clicks but I can say it is not usually done. If you study the smallbore game for bit you will notice the top shooters are looking for all the refinement they can get.

I am not aware of any smallbore sights marked in MOA. Depending on the shooter, the rifle and often the bloop tube, the sight radii are different so the sight manufacturers just number the clicks and it tends to be up to the shooter to figure out how far each click moves the bullet on their particular setup.

As for the markings on the adjustment knobs, ignore all that, overall the Americans label sight knobs to move the shot to the center of the target while the Europeans label the knobs to move the center of the target to the bullet hole. Clearly both work. Now remember this simple rule and you will be set for ANY smallbore sight I have ever encountered: Counterclockwise-> Up and Right or if you like: Clockwise-> Down and Left. This means, if you are looking at the knob and turn it counterclockwise the impact of the bullet will move up or right, depending on which knob you grab. This way you don't even have to move your head, just reach and click.

Good Luck,
'Dude
skylark
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Joined: Sat Feb 26, 2011 1:50 pm

Post by skylark »

To add to justadude's comments about which way the sights work - two types of smallbore rifle where they do go the opposite way are BSA and Vostok.

I've honestly no idea how they are labelled - I've never looked and in any case I doubt I'd understand the Russian on the Vostok :)

What I've always done is have a set of instructions in the lid of my ammo box reminding me which way I need to turn them ("if it's high, turn it clockwise"), just in case I have a brain fritz in a match (even though it's 25 years since I replaced the Vostok with an Anschutz). If you have a box specifically for the ammo you use in this rifle, that might be a solution for you. You could add the number of clicks per inch to it, and the number between 50 and 100yds. It's so easy to get it wrong under pressure...
WesternGrizzly
Posts: 278
Joined: Sat Jan 09, 2010 10:43 pm

Post by WesternGrizzly »

Dude,
The way I remember it is (on Anschutz) the "T" makes you taller(up on the target) and "H" sends you to hell.

Or I just remember that they are backwards from service rifle.
Matt

FYI it is exactly 100 clicks from 50 yards to 100 yards on my rifle.
tenring
Posts: 359
Joined: Thu Apr 22, 2010 6:08 pm

Post by tenring »

I remember it like screwing on a lid to a jar. Righty tighty, lefty loosey while pushing or pulling the bullet where I want it. Easy to visualize the normal screw in or out direction for me.

Tenring
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RobStubbs
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Location: Herts, England, UK

Post by RobStubbs »

skylark wrote:What I've always done is have a set of instructions in the lid of my ammo box reminding me which way I need to turn them ("if it's high, turn it clockwise"), just in case I have a brain fritz in a match.
That's exactly what I do, so you can't forget. When shooting prone I can't read the labels on the sights so it was doubly important.

Rob.
justadude
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Joined: Thu Jul 22, 2010 11:32 am

Post by justadude »

'Grizzly,

Hey, I like that: T for Taller and H for sending you to Hell. It is certainly way more amusing than "Counterclockwise: Up and Right". Do you have something fun for right and left? (Not that I ever look at the sights anymore when I click.)

Now you KNOW I got my sights out to look at them and actually think about which direction the letters and arrows were pointing.

In the for what it is worth department: in German the H is for "Hoch" or High and the T for "Tief" or Low.

Cheers,
'Dude
peterz
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Location: Great Falls, VA

Post by peterz »

And the German marking "bei R" means "if right (rechts)..." turn in the arrow direction; "bei L" is of course "if left (or links)". Easy and clear enough if you can get the sights where you can see the markings, or if your eye will focus at close range.
Hap Rocketto
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Location: Rhode Island

Re: Smallbore rear sight options

Post by Hap Rocketto »

Eric,

Point your right thumb in the direction you want to move the shot and turn the sight knob in the direction your fingers curl.

It will be come instinctive after a short while.

Hap
justadude
Posts: 796
Joined: Thu Jul 22, 2010 11:32 am

Post by justadude »

The great thing about this thread is the original post was just wondering about putting H.P. sights on a smallbore rifle.

Sorry we hijacked your post but it is fun to see all the different ways that people have to avoid turning the sights the wrong way.

Cheers,

'Dude
Erud
Posts: 146
Joined: Fri Feb 04, 2011 11:50 pm

Post by Erud »

No problem at all. I appreciate any words of wisdom from more experienced smallbore shooters, which is almost anyone. I will stick with the sight that's on there for the time being and try some of these techniques to see if I can get the hang of it.

Thanks,
Erik
dege41
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Anschutz rear sight

Post by dege41 »

See rear sight at

www.hpsight.com
Shooterer
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Location: S.E. Wisconsin, USA

1/4" match rifle sights

Post by Shooterer »

I installed a Phoenix Precision sights on my new Anchutz 1913/1918. The sight is the same one I have on my WOA match rifle. The sight work great for me, but I am not an Olympic grade shooter.

I shoot 50' gallery, 50, 100 & 200 (mini palma) matches with it.

Jim


btw: I bought the last 11mm mount that Gary had (sorry).
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Jason
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Location: NW Ontario

Post by Jason »

Centra makes a nice rear sight with either LH or RH threads:

http://www.sinclairintl.com/.aspx/pid=3 ... ear_Sights

Might be an option, too.

Jason
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