View source for Open Sights on Rifles

Terminology: Iron Sights, Open Sights, Peep Sight, Diopter, Aperture, Blade Sight, Jeager, Leaf, Folding Leaf, Tang Sight, Globe Sight, Windage Stem

Discussion on the types and variety of open sights

== Sight Types ==

Precision / Competition Shooting - Target aperture sights are designed for maximum precision. The rear sight element (often called diopter) is usually a large disk (up to 1 inch or 2.5 cm in diameter) with a small hole in the middle, and is placed close to the shooter's eye.   Shooting diopters offer windage and elevation corrections.  The complementing front sight element may be a simple bead or post, but is more often a globe type sight, which consists of a cylinder with a threaded cap, which allows differently shaped removable front sight elements to be used. 

Common Commercial Hunting - The rear sight is known as a blade sight often on these types of firearms.  

[[Image:shallowvbuckhornpeep.png]]

For hunting wild game you will find that the shallow V style rifle sight with a high contrast triangle will conceal less of the animal you are attempting to take down.  The old fashioned buckhorn sight frequently found on 19th Century rifles tends to conceal two-thirds of the animal or more.  Although Peep sights with shallow diopters can reveal much of the animal, target acquisition may be more difficult.  Hunters tend to prefer the shallow V type sight.

[[Image:EnfieldSpringfieldWinchesterModel70Sights.png]]

== How to Sight in a Gun With Adjustable Diopter ==


You are moving the rear diopter in the direction you wish the bullet to go, which is opposite the direction to which it is off.    
* If you are shooting high (elevation) lower the rear aperture.
* If you are shooting to the right, move the rear aperture left.  (typically this is a counter-clockwise turn)

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[[Category:Firearms]]