The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Question re "standard" 6-O'clock sight picture hold with iron sights

FirstFreedom · September 7, 2004, 12:05 PM

This relates to both longguns and pistols, although my specific question is more applicable to precision rifle shooting with iron sights.

I use the 6-O'clock hold, as do many. I think we could even say that the 6 o'clock sight picture is "standard" one. But the definition of the generic 6 o'clock hold is still inadequate when we have a LARGE bullseye dot to aim at, and thus the 6-o'clock hold can be held in varying places with a large bullseye. I think that what I'm saying will become clear with my specific question. I'm putting everything in terms of MOAs rather than absolute sizes in inches, so that it's standardized for discussing this regardless of the range at which we're shooting. A bullseye of a certain MOA, by definition, LOOKS the same size in the sight picture at any given range, as a bullseye of the same MOA at any other given range (even though it's a different actual size). Now, for the specific question, take as a given a LARGISH "bullseye dot" of around 5 MOA.

If you want your bullets to impact dead center of the bullseye (as well all of course do), then do you adjust your sights to so impact, to where, after lining up your sights on your gun, "flush" at the top, you then hold the very very top of your gun's iron sights:

A) At the six o'clock position of the ENTIRE bullseye dot, which in this case means 2.5 MOAs below the dead center of the bullseye,

OR

B) At the six o'clock of the DEAD CENTER of large bullseye dot (zero MOAs below the bullseye center)

??

The answer to the question does not matter if you have a smallish bullseye dot, say 0.5 to 2 MOA.

But, if you get up to a large aiming dot of 3, 4, 5, 6, or more MOA, as seen at the distance at which you're shooting, then all of a sudden it can make a difference in the point of impact, IF you have a very accurate rifle, and IF you have quality sights, and IF you have good eyes and good skills.

I've taking to aiming at position "B", which makes sense to keep it dead center. I try to imagine the teeny, tiny 6 o'clock of the dead center of the bullseye, if there is such a thing. Otherwise, I'm impacting low with a large dot.

Please answer with "A" or "B" before your explanation.

September 7, 2004, 12:05 PM	#1
FirstFreedom Junior member Join Date: May 31, 2004 Location: The Toll Road State, U.S.A. Posts: 12,451	Question re "standard" 6-O'clock sight picture hold with iron sights This relates to both longguns and pistols, although my specific question is more applicable to precision rifle shooting with iron sights. I use the 6-O'clock hold, as do many. I think we could even say that the 6 o'clock sight picture is "standard" one. But the definition of the generic 6 o'clock hold is still inadequate when we have a LARGE bullseye dot to aim at, and thus the 6-o'clock hold can be held in varying places with a large bullseye. I think that what I'm saying will become clear with my specific question. I'm putting everything in terms of MOAs rather than absolute sizes in inches, so that it's standardized for discussing this regardless of the range at which we're shooting. A bullseye of a certain MOA, by definition, LOOKS the same size in the sight picture at any given range, as a bullseye of the same MOA at any other given range (even though it's a different actual size). Now, for the specific question, take as a given a LARGISH "bullseye dot" of around 5 MOA. If you want your bullets to impact dead center of the bullseye (as well all of course do), then do you adjust your sights to so impact, to where, after lining up your sights on your gun, "flush" at the top, you then hold the very very top of your gun's iron sights: A) At the six o'clock position of the ENTIRE bullseye dot, which in this case means 2.5 MOAs below the dead center of the bullseye, OR B) At the six o'clock of the DEAD CENTER of large bullseye dot (zero MOAs below the bullseye center) ?? The answer to the question does not matter if you have a smallish bullseye dot, say 0.5 to 2 MOA. But, if you get up to a large aiming dot of 3, 4, 5, 6, or more MOA, as seen at the distance at which you're shooting, then all of a sudden it can make a difference in the point of impact, IF you have a very accurate rifle, and IF you have quality sights, and IF you have good eyes and good skills. I've taking to aiming at position "B", which makes sense to keep it dead center. I try to imagine the teeny, tiny 6 o'clock of the dead center of the bullseye, if there is such a thing. Otherwise, I'm impacting low with a large dot. Please answer with "A" or "B" before your explanation.