FT sight post- post or bead?

abcollector · Post by **abcollector** » Sat Dec 29, 2007 11:18 pm

Which do you prefer for your front sight post on a carbine/rifle- blade/post or bead? And why? What do you use for a sight picture or hold on the target?

cutter · Post by **cutter** » Sat Dec 29, 2007 11:24 pm

Bead, as I do not use the '6 o'clock' hold when hunting.

For target work, I prefer the post. I can easier make adjustments with this sight. ( ie ,Kentucky windage )

shawn_c992001 · Post by **shawn_c992001** » Sat Dec 29, 2007 11:55 pm

I prefer a very fine bead.

Griff · Post by **Griff** » Sun Dec 30, 2007 12:36 am

Carbine - Post:

Rifle - Globe w/Post: (although the one pictured is actually a ball and post with the top half of the ball filed away; make a "T")

I use a 6 o'clock hold. I want to SEE what I'm shooting. However, I've known some very fine shots that covered what they were shooting with their sight. It all boils down to personal preference. I tried both, a LOT, before I settled with one aiming method. Switching from shotgun, handgun and rifle is bad enough without changing how I'm sighting. Now, if I could only get to the point where I could shoot with BOTH eyes open!

Mojo · Post by **Mojo** » Sun Dec 30, 2007 12:44 am

A bead because it just seems to center itself effortlessly. With a blade I have to think more about where the sights are on the target and how they are lining up which detracts my focus from the other variables involved with taking the shot. Having a bead makes it easier for me as it is just one less thing I have to think about before squeezing the trigger.

J Miller · Post by **J Miller** » Sun Dec 30, 2007 10:49 am

I prefer blades or posts on the front when I have a peep sight on the rifle.

If it's using regular open sights I can live with a bead.

I use the 6:00 hold for the same reason as Griff, I want to see what I'm shooting at. I've never been able to hit anything by covering it with the front sight.

Joe

Mike-in-WV · Post by **Mike-in-WV** » Sun Dec 30, 2007 11:21 am

The front sight blade is what I use with my Ghost Ring rear sight. I painted it fluorescent red instead of the white line it came with. The red seems faster to get on target for some reason. For most of my life I have shot bow, shotgun, pistol or rifle with scope or iron sights with both eyes open and I liked to hold 1" low for a 6:00 hold and the bullet impact to be dead center.
Now I like the point of impact to be balanced on the top of my sight. Seems much better and faster to me. Mike

Comal Forge · Post by **Comal Forge** » Sun Dec 30, 2007 11:42 am

I grew up with a Marlin Model 39 rifle with a gold bead front and buckhorn rear. It was superbly accurate out to 50 yds but my eyes were also young. Some years later, I was shooting a friend's rifle with an ivory sight and I really liked that against dark backgrounds. Silver also shines well for me but I think comes down to personal preference. I know a fellow who shoots a copper front sight and says it shows up better than anything he has ever seen but it's just so-so for me.

I have German silver blades on my muzzleloaders but I notice my elevation changes at different times of the day, depending on where the sun is. If the sun is ahead of me, I have to hold lower as the shine makes me shoot a couple inches higher than if the sun is directly overhead.

I bought a Marlin 1894 rifle in 32-20 while I was in college that did not have a front sight so I made one from a nickel, which seemed to work well in most types of light after I polished it. I simply cut the nickel in half and hammered it flat so no engraving was left, then pinned it into the sight base.

Pete44ru · Post by **Pete44ru** » Mon Dec 31, 2007 9:22 am

I like a bead front, 3/32" Ivory best - with the exception of the Sourdough Patridge (post) sight w/brass insert, which is (in effect) a square bead.

But then - The only target shooting I do is when zeroing new sights/ammo.

The remainder of my shooting is during hunting or while practicing with/on blank brown 10"x 12" cardboard ovals at various unmarked ranges, from "Oh, Durn !" to "Where ?".

ceb · Post by **ceb** » Mon Dec 31, 2007 9:53 am

Most of my rifles wear beads, I prefer the small 1/16 style brass or ivory. My .357 wears a post and it too works well but I like it thin. I sight in my rifles to hit at the top of the bead at whatever range I'm using, usually 50yds with .22s and 100yds with centerfires. I also don't like to cover my target with the bead.

Swampman · Post by **Swampman** » Mon Dec 31, 2007 10:04 am

Bead front sights are the only kind I'll use.

Andrew · Post by **Andrew** » Mon Dec 31, 2007 11:07 am

Griff wrote:Now, if I could only get to the point where I could shoot with BOTH eyes open!

I can do it with a scope but have never tried it with irons. Not really sure what the advantage is.

I don't know that I have a prefference yet. The bead on the 9422 fits nicely inside a paper plate at 50yds. But the post on my Mosin is a very accurate sight. Not an accurate rifle, but good sights.

meanc · Post by **meanc** » Mon Dec 31, 2007 11:14 am

I've found, for me anyway, that the beads with a u-notch rear sight just don't work that well.

I've always put on the carbine front post where able to.

On the ones that came with a bead, I just clipped the bead off and filed the front of the sight to remove the little gap.

It's quick, painless, and allows a little more precision.

Grizz · Post by **Grizz** » Mon Dec 31, 2007 12:45 pm

shawn_c992001 wrote:I prefer a very fine bead.

ditto, with a receiver sight. dead on hold: "the bead is the bullet".

I've tried other setups and get my best results with the fine bead for meat hunting. Farther out? Hold the hairline. Know the bullet. Make meat. I put a fine bead and peep on my SBH 44 and got the same results. Simple enough for me.

PS: The bead isn't covering up anything, it's ILLUMINATING the bullet's landing zone. I know the bullet is going into the spot the bead is on when the bullet exits the barrel, or it's going to drop below it based on the bullet's trajectory..,

BAGTIC · Post by **BAGTIC** » Mon Dec 31, 2007 9:26 pm

I prefer a flat topped post. The first thing I do with a new gun is take a file to both the front and rear sights. I file the bead of the front and the useless semi-bukhorn ears off the rear and create a square notch.

My sight pattern is the top of the post level with the top of the rear and I use a center hold.

The clean clear cut rectangular margins of front and rear make it easy to tell when post is exactly centered in notch and the flat top of the post makes a continuous straight line with the top of the rear. No question about how high or low the bead is in or above the notch. If you need to hold high the flat margins make it clear how high the front is, not always an easy thing when trying to judge how high/low the ball is in or above the notch.

The man that invented Patridge sights sure knew what he was doing.