Iris Advice Needed

Brian Lafferty · Post by **Brian Lafferty** » Tue Jul 02, 2013 8:13 am

I'm new to 10 meter air rifle and need some advice. I have a Hamerli AR20 which I recently bought. A friend gave me an Airforce adaptive rear sight which I have on the AR20. The plastic diopter screw in is the only real downside to this sight for me right now at my, somewhat pitiful, level of standing shooting.

I'd like to install a Centra Iris Diopter.
http://www.champchoice.com/prod-CENTRA_ ... -2982.aspx

If I'm going in the wrong direction on this, please let me know.

I'm far from the level of needing a more expensive sight. My next purchase will be a shooting coat and I'd rather put more money into that at this point.

Thanks in advance for comments/advice.

Brian

justadude · Post by **justadude** » Tue Jul 02, 2013 8:40 am

Very seldom, like probably never will you need a rear aperture in excess of 2.0mm. Even that is getting rather huge.

Might want to go with either the

Centra Sight 1.8 Basic 19200001+color, a simple adjustable aperture that goes from 0.8 to 1.8mm

or

Centra Sight 1.8 Indoor, 19201001+ color, goes from 0.8 to 1.8mm but also has a 5 color filters supposedly tuned for typical lighting conditions indoors.

Champions Choice can't help you, try Neal Stepp at International Shooters Service (817) 595-2090.

Good Luck
'Dude

Brian Lafferty · Post by **Brian Lafferty** » Tue Jul 02, 2013 9:08 am

justadude wrote:Very seldom, like probably never will you need a rear aperture in excess of 2.0mm. Even that is getting rather huge.

Might want to go with either the

Centra Sight 1.8 Basic 19200001+color, a simple adjustable aperture that goes from 0.8 to 1.8mm

or

Centra Sight 1.8 Indoor, 19201001+ color, goes from 0.8 to 1.8mm but also has a 5 color filters supposedly tuned for typical lighting conditions indoors.

Champions Choice can't help you, try Neal Stepp at International Shooters Service (817) 595-2090.

Good Luck
'Dude

I assume that the difference between the basic 1.8 and 3.0 is the fine tuning that the 1.8 with its narrower range would allow. I can get the 1.8 from several online suppliers for $72. I'll likely go with that thanks for the info.

justadude · Post by **justadude** » Tue Jul 02, 2013 9:48 am

You get a little more fine tuning, which is of some value.

As the adjustment range is smaller the iris leaves on the 1.8 are setup so the hole is supposedly rounder. Some day I will do a side by side comparison so see if I can tell the difference.

For other info, I use a 1.8 Indoor on my Air Rifle, sometimes the lighter filters do help to improve contrast.

Good Luck,
'Dude

GaryN · Post by **GaryN** » Tue Jul 02, 2013 11:10 am

What size is the iris on the rear sight?
You may not have to replace it, at least not right now.
I have an adjustable iris on my FWB-P70-Jr, and after a lot of experimentation, I ended up at 1.5, which is the same as the fixed iris that came with the rifle.

While an adjustable iris is nice to have, for a new shooter, rather than tinkering with the iris, you might want to just concentrate on the shooting side, then come back to the iris later.

Too many adjustments creates confusion.

justadude · Post by **justadude** » Tue Jul 02, 2013 12:36 pm

While I am certainly in the camp of the fewer gadgets for the new shooter the better, as shooters start to settle into this game after the basics of a decent jacket, sling, glove etc. a rear iris can be one of the first things I recommend.

An iris allows easy refinement of the sight picture and adjustment to variable lighting conditions on different ranges.

I do however steer folks clear of the irises with multiple filter rings and built in polarizers, past excessive cost, those get to be like those Swiss Army knives that are so huge that you can't carry them, or when you do you spend 10 minutes just looking for the blade. : )

'Dude

Brian Lafferty · Post by **Brian Lafferty** » Tue Jul 02, 2013 2:46 pm

Back in middle-school and high school in the early to late 60s I shot competitive 50ft smallbore. It was a much simpler world back then. I did try on my shooting jacket circa 1963. A somewhat tight fit. lol. Whilst I greatly respect what today's shooters are doing, I have to smile when I see all the devices with coats, pants and shoes that they use to help create stability that is, IMO, a bit unnatural. A sling and cuff is all we ever needed. We used to work on cutting off most of the pulse in the supporting arm. My buddy could have been a professional tourniquet applier.

Seriously though, the nice thing about shooting, archery, running and similar activities, it that you can simply try to better your own benchmark score with whatever equipment you have or can afford. I've ordered the plain Centra 1.8 and look forward to using it. Still looking for the right club to join here in the Boston area for myself (air pistol and rifle and 50 meter .22/ archery for my daughter). Looked at the Woburn Sportsman's Association last Sunday. Will be looking at the Massachusetts Rifle Association this Wednesday evening. Any other suggestions with good programs in those areas are most welcome.
Good shooting,
Brian

rmarsh · Post by **rmarsh** » Sat Jul 06, 2013 9:21 am

Brian Lafferty wrote:Back in middle-school and high school in the early to late 60s I shot competitive 50ft smallbore. It was a much simpler world back then. I did try on my shooting jacket circa 1963. A somewhat tight fit. lol. Whilst I greatly respect what today's shooters are doing, I have to smile when I see all the devices with coats, pants and shoes that they use to help create stability that is, IMO, a bit unnatural. A sling and cuff is all we ever needed. We used to work on cutting off most of the pulse in the supporting arm. My buddy could have been a professional tourniquet applier.

Seriously though, the nice thing about shooting, archery, running and similar activities, it that you can simply try to better your own benchmark score with whatever equipment you have or can afford. I've ordered the plain Centra 1.8 and look forward to using it. Still looking for the right club to join here in the Boston area for myself (air pistol and rifle and 50 meter .22/ archery for my daughter). Looked at the Woburn Sportsman's Association last Sunday. Will be looking at the Massachusetts Rifle Association this Wednesday evening. Any other suggestions with good programs in those areas are most welcome.
Good shooting,
Brian

In one sense I don't disagree with Brian. Precision rifle has evolved into a very equipment oriented sport. So has NASCAR and many other sports..... Part of the process is figuring out which of those gadgets really works, or at least which ones work for you. Even after you get all the gear, you still have to figure out how to use it to shoot well. I rather suspect if you take away all the gear, the exact same competitors will still be at the top.... although with lower scores! As a retired engineer and self confessed "gadget nut", half the fun is playing with all the gear!! For the minimalists out there there are plenty of shooting disciplines that don't require all the gear.

My daughter shoots precision rifle (air and SB). It almost requires a moving van to carry all the gear to a match (just kidding, but not much). My son shoots air pistol. Everything goes in one small duffle bag!!

Brian Lafferty · Post by **Brian Lafferty** » Sat Jul 06, 2013 11:48 am

I will buy a basic ISSF qualified shooting coat and a new sling, but that's about it. The fun for me is to beat my own best score.

I agree that most of the same shooters would be at the top with only very basic equipment. One variant that might matter is genetics as related to pulse. Some folks just have a generally slow heart beat much like a few endurance athletes have natural hematacrits of around 55 when the norm is in the 40s.

conradin · Post by **conradin** » Sun Jul 07, 2013 2:05 am

Funny I also have just bought an Haemmerli AR20, because it is the cheapest currently in production ambidextrous match rifle you can get. I do not plan to buy any accessories at all, not even iris. If you visit the AR20 website, there are all sorts of accessories you can add...to the point that you may as well get a competitive match air rifle. I have never shot a rifle before.

I bought mine from CC, I did not buy anything else other than also ordering an off hand stand. I bought a .177 cleaning rod. I don't plan to buy any shooting jacket, because I think my old 1970s Dainese motorcycle racing jacket (the type that is a one piece suit, or a two piece suit that was designed to be a one piece suit by zipping the jacket and the pants together) will do. I am just going to shoot standing. So no sling or anything. Shooting with my regular sneakers. Medium grade 4.5mm pellets will do, not my regular R-10....I actually do not have any R-10 4.5mm. I use 4.49mm for my Steyr, and H&N 4.48 for my FWB.

Brian Lafferty · Post by **Brian Lafferty** » Sun Jul 07, 2013 12:45 pm

conradin wrote:Funny I also have just bought an Haemmerli AR20, because it is the cheapest currently in production ambidextrous match rifle you can get. I do not plan to buy any accessories at all, not even iris. If you visit the AR20 website, there are all sorts of accessories you can add...to the point that you may as well get a competitive match air rifle. I have never shot a rifle before.

I bought mine from CC, I did not buy anything else other than also ordering an off hand stand. I bought a .177 cleaning rod. I don't plan to buy any shooting jacket, because I think my old 1970s Dainese motorcycle racing jacket (the type that is a one piece suit, or a two piece suit that was designed to be a one piece suit by zipping the jacket and the pants together) will do. I am just going to shoot standing. So no sling or anything. Shooting with my regular sneakers. Medium grade 4.5mm pellets will do, not my regular R-10....I actually do not have any R-10 4.5mm. I use 4.49mm for my Steyr, and H&N 4.48 for my FWB.

lol. Another AR20 owner. Great minds think alike. I will make the jacket purchase in the Fall and will also get a stand. Thinking about purchasing a Benelli Kite, or P-44. I like my Piccolo now that it has P-44 grips, but I can see where a full compensator is a good idea. Can get the Kit new in Maine for <$1400.