Air Pistol Sights

[Fred Mannis]

A bit ahead of time. I look forward to catching you at one of the AP matches soon, would love to check out the FWB P44 you got. Best regards, Joe G.

Thanks.
I think Del. County is holding their first 10m AP match on Apr 22. You can check their website. Am in Col. at the moment, so cannot check my calendar. Looking out the window - I think the snow is starting again :-(

Fred

[CraigE]

Hi Fred,

Enjoy the visit. Can probably make Del Cty for inaugural match if it's 4/22. Then Joe can try Rinks and Morinis on the P44. No snow here.
Craig

[JulianY]

I have a Steyr LP10 air pistol, and at a recent training session a team member picked up my gun, and then told me that my rear sight was too narrow, and the front sight should be brought back.
The front sight is 5.5mm wide, and the rear notch is 3.2mm wide.
The length of the sight radius is 345mm.

I have now changed the rear sight notch to 4.5mm, and brought the front sight back so the sighting radius is 315mm.

He reckoned that this would stop me looking for a very fine sight picture, and would steady the gun. I shoot 6 o'clock hold.

Have I done the right thing?

I used to be a very good shooter,but Old Age is taking it's toll!! I am still very keen to continue, however I am sliding downhill rather too fast for my liking!! I need advice, and do not have a coach any more.
Thanks.
Alex L

I have held back on this thread, trying to gather my thoughts.

Nobody can pick up you gun can categorically say the sight are xyz (too narrow, too wide too what ever), that that are saying is “They are too xyz for them!”. The discussion should be on what _you_ are seeing.

As previously pointed out, sight radius affects how much (quantity) angular wobble / sight miss alignment you can see. Having a shorter radius does not reduce the amount wobble, you just see less. The side affect of this, an why it is often recommended to beginners, is that because you don’t see it you don’t try to correct it, which can lead to steering and other faults. The shorter radius is inherently less precise, but beginners agenda is to keep it in the black not score tens every shot. (Ok that’s extreme but the point is there)

Rear sight width selection affected my many factors, fore sight width, arm length, sight radius, and eye sight. Cognitive psychology shows that the “normal” person is only capable of concentrating on thee things as any given time, whilst the elite athlete may be capable of concentrating on up to seven. A narrow rear sight in effect reduces work load: If you, you can see the fore sight you must be aligned, however you can not perceive the quality of that alignment. For the same reason that a wide fore sight triggers off more retina cells so does a wider notches either side, especially since the rear sight is out of focus and consequently has blurred edges.

Its my personal observation that rear sight adjustment seem to be a journey, with beginners closing it down, Intermediates opening it up again and experts closing it down some what. ( see Mick Gaults interview http://www.pilkguns.com/intmg.shtml )

A similar observation has been fore sight width; with beginners finding narrower fore sights make it easier to spot miss alignment with out focusing on the black (the apparent size difference helps) whilst intermediates and experts learn to make use of the greater information provided by the wider fore sight.

For me (this bit is very subjective) I open the rear sight so I can see good notches and I am able to judge left-right sight alignment using the notches but no more. How much is that ? Visually about 1/3 – 1/4 of the fore sight – visually with the sights aligned at arms length - not measured.

So to complete the circle what do you see ? If you are not sure what do you see when should up close and personal against a white wall.

JY

[JulianY]

I am farsighted. My eyes tire before the air pistol match is over. The space on each side of the front sight starts to blur. A wider rear sight - allowing more light on each side of the front sight - seems to minimize this.

With the greatest respect proper shootind glasses with a prescription would cure this.

JY

[Alex L]

I finally sorted out the Air pistol and Free pistol sights, and last night I had a much better score in Air Pistol.
Free Pistol is showing some improvement, too.

I have Knobloch shooting glasses, with an aperature, and I have noticed that if I drop my head it distorts the vision. I have always used these glasses for the last 30 years or more, - and I have regular checks and change the lens when required.

I have 2 problems to sort out - 1) should I remove the aperature completely, or 2) should the aperature be sitting behind or in front of the lens? Mine is behind - as I also use filters which sit in front of the lens.
I have the aperature fully open. This is how I shoot all matches.
Where I usually shoot, the light conditions are better than average, so I don't need to play around with it.

I would be interested to hear other's thoughts on this.
Alex L.

[JulianY]

I have 2 problems to sort out - 1) should I remove the aperature completely, or 2) should the aperature be sitting behind or in front of the lens? Mine is behind - as I also use filters which sit in front of the lens.
I have the aperature fully open. This is how I shoot all matches.
Where I usually shoot, the light conditions are better than average, so I don't need to play around with it.

I would be interested to hear other's thoughts on this.
Alex L.

Alex, In all honesty the only true answerer is try it an see. the distortion you are seeing is normal which is why a lot of people use then to make sure their head is in the same place every time.

Julian

[David Levene]

and I have regular checks and change the lens when required.

I have 2 problems to sort out - 1) should I remove the aperature completely, or 2) should the aperature be sitting behind or in front of the lens? Mine is behind - as I also use filters which sit in front of the lens.

Out of interest Alex, when you have your eyes tested do you take your Knoblochs with you.

With the way you have them configured the lens might be further from the eye than might be expected. The lens correction can only be properly prescribed taking the eye relief into account and the testing lenses should be set to the same eye relief. The stronger the lens the more important this becomes.