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Updated on December 31, 2007

lochman

Participant

December 31, 2007 at 10:40 pm

Anybody actually shoot with iron sights anymore?

Hey all,

I have a question about the Air Force Iron Sights.

Does anyone use them with any good results? I have heard they are just “OK”.

Specifically does anyone target shoot with them? I would like to use them to shoot targets, but I wondered if they are any good. I am quite used to iron sights as regularly shoot pistols with iron sights. But it doesn’t seem like any Air Force owners really like the iron sights(?).

Thanks,

Lochman

General Chat

All Replies

Viewing 12 replies - 1 through 12 (of 12 total)

mousehunter

Participant

October 23, 2013 at 2:31 am

I know this is an old dead thread, but perhaps someone someday will be searching posts (like I just was) and find it.

Most people who complain about the inherent in accuracy of iron sights are talking about open sights. Aperture sights, however can often be more accurate than scopes. For optics to be accurate, you have two options. You either need to look strait down the center of the optic, or you have to control the eye relief so that the optic can accurately use lenses to compensate for an you not looking down the center. Ultimately, parallax error happens because nothing forces you to look down the center of the scope or use perfect eye relief. (The perfect eye relief issue is more readily understood when using holographic sights)

Aperture sights force you to look down the center. There can be very little parallax error. It is entirely possible to shoot sub moa with aperture sights (optically the aperture also helps with field of view issues allowing the shooter to focus better. Great shooters can and do regularly stack pellets at 10m. When doing an instructor’s class we did a test to determine accuracy of aperture sights (no shots fired, just sight testing. Most of us could discern +/- 1/32 inch at about 10m. I doubt a scope with parallax error will normally do much better.
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I need to edit to add this. The usability and accuracy of any sights are dependent on conditions. Aperture sights gain a lot of their usability through near perfect conditions. Paper targets are high contrast, well lit, known distance and uniform size. Using the right front incert – you really are not aiming at the center of the bulls eye (nobody can see a rifle 10 ring at 10m), but centering the entire bulls-eye in a circle in the insert. The human eye is pretty good at discerning that the ring of white between the bulls-eye and the insert circle not uniform (it’s wider or brighter or it just doesn’t feel balanced). As such we can adjust for things that we really can not “see”-such as the 10 ring. Real world usage hunting, does not allow the use of such tricks. Aperture sights are still easier to use than iron, but adverse conditions (poor lighting, poor contrast, etc..) do favor optics.

Rowdy

Participant

January 3, 2008 at 4:39 am

Thanks guys,

The only problem with the first two pics which was my first attempt after the AF OEM iron sights that I just didn’t care for at all, was they didn’t work well for quick point and shoot, they was great for target though.

The pics of the 4th and 5th are what I have that I like the best. Some of the others I mailed to a member on the TOG about a year and a half ago if I had to guess. Never did hear from him on how they worked for him. Hope they helped him decide if he wanted to invest some money in something more serious…

I really have this thing I have been wanting to do with my Condor for quite some time now and that’s to make a SS out of this rifle. Then play with the field peeps all over again. I can shoot these peeps I have now way well enough to out shoot the rifles abilities. The big thing I miss about the glass is being able to use the rifle to view prey from long ways off. The glass is king for sure, but the field peeps are a blast too. Hard choice from one day to the next LOL…

darkfront

Participant

January 3, 2008 at 3:06 am

I don’t dislike iron sights. I always believe they should be available for use in case the optic goes down (red dots lose battery, glass gets cracked), but then again, I don’t expect my airguns to be like my powder burners, so I’m OK with just a scope on my TSS.

That said, that is one sweet peep there Rowdy.

blackops

Participant

January 3, 2008 at 1:41 am

Nice Rowdy I really like the ones in the first two pictures.

Jim.

walkonking

Participant

January 3, 2008 at 12:31 am

Nice Rowdy,

They should have been made like that in the first place.

Rowdy

Participant

January 2, 2008 at 10:53 pm

Dang,

Guys I love a good set of field peep sights on a rifle. The reason why most of you guys don’t like iron sights is because the manufactures mount the rear sight halfway down the barrel toward the muzzle…

If all the rear sights was mounted like at the rear of the reciever where you will find all good military field peeps, you guys once in good with using these with a little guidance would flat out love them:):):)

I bought the OEM open sights for my AF Condor and they was made from plastic, sorry but plastic doesn’t belong on any kind of sight like these.

I have since took those and modified them two or three times and then I sent those to a memeber of the TOG sometime ago who was wanting to try the field peep I made from them on his rifle…

I then made from hand a set of chewed out field sights and then modified that a few times also. I know have a set that I can remove the scope and mount these right on the rifle and snug them to the rail and ready to shoot. I just flat love to shoot a good set of field peeps…

Here are a few PIC’s if I can find them…

Man after I got to looking at this file again, I forgot about some of the stuff I made to try LOL…

lochman

Participant

January 2, 2008 at 1:54 pm

Yeah, I’m a big iron sights guy, but I’ve been shooting in this postal match lately where the targets are REALLY tiny!

Usually I shoot 10m air pistol with my IZZY 46m and 10m air rifle with my Avanti/Daisy 753. But the darn targets are too small to even hope to see! In fact one of the targets is the size of a normal .22 pellet! So peep sights just don’t quite cut it.

I’m very pleased with my abilities with open sights at normal distances/target sizes, but I think I’m going to my new Talon into my “specialty” gun and scope it!

Thanks to all you guys (and girls?) that answered and commented! I appreciate the feedback!

Lochman

knifemaker

Participant

January 2, 2008 at 9:44 am

At my age I like Iron sights even less than stone ones!!! Money spent on a good scope is never wasted!

Anonymous

Inactive

January 2, 2008 at 5:35 am

I correlate it to this……….first we had brooms……now we have vacuums. Iron sights are Flintstones, scopes are Jetsons. Even a cheap $90.00 scope from Leapers (3x9x50) is a leap ahead(no pun intended). Once you are familiar with a scope you will leave Iron sights where they belong……in the Stone Age.

Harry

montster

Participant

January 2, 2008 at 3:38 am

I look at open sights as just another way to enjoy shooting. Lately I am really enjoying 10 meter pistol with a Izzy 46M. Also trying out 10M rifle with a crosman 2000 with peep sights (bought for my son but he is not into it yet). My breath and grip control have improved. I am sure these learnings will transfer over to shooting scoped, field trial and supported shooting.

I have the airforce open sights. Decent but not great compared to the few quality peep sights I have used on service rifles and the crosman 2000.

lochman

Participant

January 1, 2008 at 8:49 pm

Thanks for your reply! I think you’ve sold me, I’m going to put a scope on my new Talon!

Thanks for your input!

Lochman

darkfront

Participant

January 1, 2008 at 7:02 pm

For the kind of accuracy a Talon or Condor is capable of, the iron sights aren’t precise enough to take full advantage. Even if you’re a pro 10 meter competitor, the iron sights have a lot to be desired. I think you really need a peep sight anyway.

Viewing 12 replies - 1 through 12 (of 12 total)

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