TargetTalk

I am just starting to shoot 50 m smallbore, just by myself at my local club. I keep hearing about sight risers, but for the life of me I can't figure out why you need them. I don't run out of adjustment on my sight. Any instruction would be appreciated.

Kallysan,

You can use raisers to increase sight adjustment. For example if you have swapped an 18mm tunnel for a 22mm, the 22mm is higher. Most rearsights will have enough adjustment to zero at 50, but 100 yards may be a struggle. Add a 4mm raiser under the rear and all is well. Rear-only risers are often used with a bloop tube, as the increased sight radius affects the rearsight elevation, not to mention any difference between tube and muzzle diameter.

The main reason is simply to make the whole sightline higher so the neck isn't cramped in position. Here a pair of raisers are used, one under each sight. A generation ago raisers were mainly used in the Standing position, where the head is naturally more upright and higher. Today raisers are often used in prone too, as low-profile aluminium stocks are common. These place the barrel much lower in the hand than wood; rather than suffer a cramped neck (or jack up the whole position) many shooters lift the sights with blocks. I've got 16mm blocks with a System Gemini stock.

Thanks for the information. Makes sense now.