Fixed Sight Adjustment (reprint)

 This is a reprint from a post that was published on January 22, 2025

Sight Alignment 2.0: Looking back, I realized that I wrote extensively on Sight Picture and Sight Alignment. I failed to include a post on how one goes about adjusting the sight/s to "hit where yer pointing". It is not a difficult process in most cases, but you can save yourself a lot of grief if you proceed slowly, and follow some simple mechanical principles. 

Sighting In Target: I discussed in this post my suggestions for establishing a precise aiming point. A follow-up addendum I had intended to publish never made it past the planning stage. However, I would suggest that you adopted this variation on sight picture:

Sight Picture and Point of Impact. Once adjusted, the Point of Impact will always be at the top edge of the front sight (right).

I recommend that instead of a conventional bullseye target, you substitute a black paper square rotated 45 degrees, as seen in this sample. In the first sample, the sight picture now centers on the lowest corner of the square target, giving you an exact point of impact. Since Trail Walk targets can be ridiculously small (think card splits), this is more reliable for our type of shooting.

The following text has been copied directly from the source, and re-formatted to simplify the salient facts. Remember the old truism: If you copy from one source it's plagiarism. If you copy from multiple sources, it's research.

"...If the sights are not aligned correctly, then they should be adjusted to bring the line of sight to meet the point of impact. Theoretically, this can be done with a single shot—clamp the firearm into a vise, fire one shot, then adjust the sights so they are pointing at the hole in the target. In reality, it generally takes a number of shots to establish a group, then the sights are adjusted to move the line of sight closer to the group, and the process is repeated iteratively until the sights are correctly aligned.

Vertical Adjustment (Up and down): 

1. If your shot (strikes high) from your target... the rear sight should be moved lower or your front sight should be moved higher. 
2. If your shot i(strikes low) on your target ...the rear sight should be moved higher or your front sight should be moved lower.

Always remember: Move the rear sight in the same direction you want your point of impact to move and your front sight the opposite direction you want Point Of Impact (POI) to move.

Horizontal Adjustment (Left and Right):

1. If your shot (strikes to the left) of your target... the rear sight should be moved right or the front sight should be moved left.
2. If your shot (strikes to the right) of your target ... the rear sight should be moved left or front sight should be moved right. 

Always remember: Rear same, front opposite the direction that you want POI to move..."

Modern barrels and modern drilling techniques make the screw-in, self-contained adjustable rear sight the better option for the modern sportsman, who would need only a small screwdriver to affect the necessary adjustments. Since screw adjustable sights can vary, check you owner's manual for the correct way to adjust your sights.

More traditional rifles and pistols, particularly the Lyman Plains Pistol and the Plains Rifle, have their dovetailed sights adjusted by tapping the sights back and forth. The Plains Rifle comes with an elevation adjustable rear sight installed, but is shipped with an optional "primitive", non-adjustable sight to qualify as a "primitive" firearm as required by some events. Adjustment is best done with a ball peen hammer and a brass punch. Since you'll probably be doing this between shots on the range, be sure to work on a sturdy surface.

Important! Installing and Removing Pins and Dovetails: It may be necessary to remove a dovetail sight. With the muzzle pointing away from you, be sure to drive the sight in from right to left, and out from left to right. This has been standard gunsmithing practice for years, and while I doubt that pinholes are taper reamed. I do it this way because it's the way I've always seen it done. 

Bad, bad, bad.

Adjusting Front Sights: If your fixed-sight rifle or pistol shoots low, you can raise the POI by carefully filing a bit of the top off the front sight. I believe that fixed f ront sights are purposely left a bit tall to allow for such fine adjustments. When filing, remove only tiny amounts of metal, because even the smallest reduction can affect huge changes of your POI down range. And be sure to keep your file level with the barrel. Imagine looking at this sight alignment while trying to make a hit on a long gong. Okay, slight exaggeration. 

Replacement Front Sights: Now if our gun shoots high, or if you overdo the  filing, you'll need to replace the front sight. Track Of The Wolf provides a wide variety of replacement sights. Before ordering a replacement, carefully measure the existing dovetail base on your current front sight because the dimensions can vary. Many dovetails use the smaller "European" dovetail width of.355" (9mm), while others use the "American Standard"  3/8" (.375"), which is also the standard on modern firearms. Also, the thickness of the dovetail base (height of the base) can vary, so be sure there is enough clearance for your sight to slide into place. The dovetail, both the male (sight) and the female (barrel) have a 60 degree bevel.

My personal favorite is the California Sight, available from Track of the Wolf. The sides are parallel, and because its front to back dimension is narrow, the sight is less subject to perceived width changes when viewed off center, as  would be the case if a severe windage adjustment was required. One could also taper the sight so that it is thinner at the muzzle edge This way the sight is always the same width when seen by the shooter.

Image Source.

To illustrate this point, I included a photograph of the rear of a 1970s vintage National Match Front Sight for an M14 Rifle. Notice the sight blade is tapered toward the muzzle. The "062" stamped on the side indicates a front sight width of 0.062", or about 1/16". Since the M14 is often used in competition at ranges of 1,000 yards, extreme windage corrections are often required when the conditions get windy. Keeping the perceived width of the front sight is extremely important.

Front Sight Adjustment: I would like to mention that sometimes it's better to make your windage adjustments by moving the front instead of the rear. I own a  Wilderness Arms .45 caliber flint long rifle. For some reason, the rifle shot way to the left, and when I moved the rear sight to the right I had difficulty maintaining proper cheek pressure on the stock. So I opted to center the rear sight and make all necessary adjustments to the front. The result was a more comfortable shooting rifle which, in spite of the offset front sight, shot very well.

The convenience of the self-contained adjustable sight cannot be underestimated. But if you are wondering how to get the most from traditional fixed sights, these are some methods you might try.

* Sources: https://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/How_to_adjust_an_iron_sight

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Sights and Sighting (reprint)

 This is a reprint from a post that was published on April 5, 2023

Lyman Great Plains Rifle: Fixed Rear Sight Installed, Front Sight. Note the rough casting of the rear sight.

I haven’t gone into much detail about shooting. So let me take this opportunity to share some of what I know about sights, the physiology of shooting, and a little about the guns we compete with.

Open Sights: Traditional muzzle loading rifles will usually come with rear sights that are adjustable for elevation. Most will be attached via a dovetail milled into the barrel, although some, like the Thompson Center and the Investarms Hawken*, are held in place with screws. In addition, the front sights usually resemble a "bead" front sight when viewed from the rear. Typical rear sights are often equipped with a "V" notch. These configurations work, but for the 21st century shooter attempting to emulate the 19th century frontier explorer, I recommend a standard, non-tapered post type front sight and a square notched rear sight. If you're lucky enough to own a Lyman Great Plains Rifle, it came with both an adjustable buckhorn rear sight (installed) and a fixed square notch rear sight (replacement). 

Sight Alignment: The most important first step towards shooting accurately is the ability to recognize and maintain proper sight alignment. The square post front the square notch rear will make this much easier to do. In this illustration, can see that the top of the front sight is perfectly level with the top corners of the rear sight. Equal amounts of light can be seen on both sides of the front sight. This arrangement provides a easy to repeat, perfectly symmetrical sight alignment configuration.

Young Eyes, Old Eyes: The more you shoot with open, barrel-mounted iron sight, the more the limitations of human eyesight become. For example. in the above graphic, I illustrated the "ideal" sight alignment for the ideal iron sights as seen by younger eyes. It is, in fact, normally impossible to see both the front and the rear sight in sharp focus. We only think we do because young eyes can rapidly shift focus from the front sight to the rear sight, and back again.  This graphic (right) simulates the moment when the eye has brought the front sight into sharp focus. I exaggerated the blurry rear sight to make a point: If you can only see one of the Holy Trinity (rear sight, front sight, target) choose the front sight.

From Sight Alignment To Sight Picture: Sight alignment is defined as the relationship between the front and rear sights. Sight Picture introduces the third visual element, the target. For this illustration, I am using a round target similar to those used in competitive bullseye pistol shooting. Also, I am not blurring the target, as it would be if you were actually sighting down the barrel of a rifle.

• In the leftmost sample, you can see the "ideal" sight picture for a typical squared off front and rear sight. Using this combination, it is easy to recognize when the sights are not properly aligned.
• In the second sample, can see a red dot has been placed in the location where your bullet would strike if the sight has been adjusted for accurate shot placement on a round target. 
• In the third sample, the shooter has drifted off to the left. If the shooter is careful to maintain proper sight alignment, the shot will land in the exact same spot as before, relative to the position of the front sight.
• In the final sample, the shooter allowed the rifle to fall slightly. Again, the shot would land in exactly the same spot, relative to the front sight. 

In a future posting, I'll cover the nuts and bolts of sight adjustment. In the mean time, take a close look at the sights on your current muzzle loader. You may have to re-define your optimal sight alignment if your sights are not perfectly square, which, unfortunately, is normally the case.

I will also cover the mechanics of shooting, including suggestions for shooting off hand (standing, unsupported), and how to optimize your shooting position and your breathing. 

* Investarms is/was a major manufacturer of Hawken style rifles, and were the manufacturer of the Lyman Great Plains and Trade Rifles, and the trade pistol. All of the samples I have seen have a lightening cut in the breech plug, just below the nipple. Investarms Hawkens were sold through Dixie Gun Works, and through Cabela's. Apparently Dixie still carries the Investarms .50 Hawken. When I checked, the selling price was $550.00. You can see it out by clicking here.

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