iron sights and 6 oclock hold

[roval]

how much above point of aim at a 100 yards should poi be. do you base it off the width in moa of the front sight(i.e if width of front sight is 8 moa set it for 4 moa from point of aim? so half of sight width


this is for my new m1a I think I have the elevation poa same as poi set(13 clicks from bottom)

 

[Rubber_Duck]

Your question is not easy to understand. As it's currently worded, I don't understand why you would base a POI elevation adjustment on the width of your front sight. A good start would be to follow the manufacturer's instructions in the owner's manual for zeroing the iron sights of the M1A.

Also, a 6 o'clock hold is what I prefer on a handgun but on a rifle I prefer a center hold for more precision. Do you know that a 6 o'clock hold is what you want for your M1A?

 

[roval]

Its hard to see a target with most of the front sight obscuring the target... especially when the target is narrower or just the same width as your front sight. I'm also not sure how the relationship will hold at different ranges unless its based off the width of the sight (that's my assumption at least). I would use the comeups for the different ranges of course.

Zeroing it to point of aim at 100 yards is not complicated the six oclock hold is the one i'm not sure about.

 

[BCRider]

The 6o'clock hold only works for a given size of bullseye shot at the same distance every time. Or for proportionally sized bullseye spots shot at the corresponding proportional distance. This sort of thing is typical for match shooting. Or if you're competing in metallic silhouette matches. If that's what you're doing then great. Carry on.

For more casual plinking or shooting at stuff which is variable in size and distance of engagement you're far better off setting the sights up so the bullet either prints in the middle of the bead (the classic method from what I've learned) or use the handgun style hold where the bullet's POI is right at the middle of the top of the bead. So to hit your target at the distance the sights are zero'ed for you would simply line up the sights and put the top of the bead on the spot where you want the hole.

 

[9mmepiphany]

The only time I've ever seen a 6 o'clock hold used is when shooting at a target of known size at a known range. I've always zeroed the iron sights of my rifles the same as my defensive handguns.

I want the shots strike at the top of the front blade...so I laterally bisect the intended target.

OP - I'm still not clear on how you think sight alignment/zeroing has a relationship to the width of the front sight blade.

Can you please elaborate on how the width affects how you'd sight in your iron sights?

 

[Curator]

When shooting the "correct" NRA bullseye rifle target for the specific range, the black portion is proportioned so as to appear as wide as the front sight. Using the "6-O'clock" hold should give a precise, repeatable sight picture. If the black part of the target is not the correct size then the system won't work as intended. While some shooters can shoot accurately using the "center hold", a black front sight somewhere inside the black bullseye does not provide sufficient contrast for a precise sight picture and they shoot vertically elongated groups.

Often the 6'oclock hold can be used advantageously when shooting for groups using a low powered 'scope for the same reason. The black crosshairs can disappear inside the black but can be precisely aligned with the bottom-center of the bullseye (or top center too for that matter) Keep in mind that the black part of the target is an aid in aiming and sight adjustments put the bullet holes where they are needed. I use the standard NRA 100 and 200 yard rifle targets to zero my M1A at those yardages and most of my rifle students can pick up the gun and shoot bullseyes using the 6'oclock hold with a little explanation.

 

[Slamfire]

I looked at my data shooting at reduced course matches at 100 yard and 200 yards. I typically shoot 6 OC standing and center hold everywhere else. Sometimes though the 6 0C becomes flat tire and I have to take elevation off.

Now, on the standard NRA target, and this was true all the way out to 600 yards, the difference between a 6 0C and a center hold was 2 MOA for my Garands and my M1a. It took 2 MOA more to put the bullet in the center of the target with a 6 OC hold.

Your eyeballs and experience may be different.

 

[9mmepiphany]

the black portion is proportioned so as to appear as wide as the front sight.

Thank you, I've never known that.

Shooting in Action Competitions locally, we shoot at targets set from 2 yards to 200 yards on buff targets

 

[roval]

the point of using the moa width of the front sight (in my thinking -not sure that's why I'm asking) is if you shoot different sized targets at different ranges (my gun range has 225 yard metal targets,565 yards and now one big target at 750 yards. then using the size of your front sight you can hold at the same lower hold sight picture(less coverup of the target). 308 is expensive so I figure getting some guidance might reduce my ammo experimentation .

attached is my sighting in at the end of last session 100 yards.( thought I had it roughly zeroed at the end of previous session but messed around with the sights to calibrate the markings and messed things up) . i'll deal with windage when theres no wind.

the lower group was with me holding at about 2 moa below the center of the target trying to go for the center level of the target(therefore shooting 2 moa low for my intended target) and then I realized that I had it dialed to poa(elevation wise) and so I went for the tip of the post over the target and came up with the 3 shots in the upper level. would have reconfirmed the shots but the range closed because of a thunderstorm.

 

[1KPerDay]

Have a gander at the M14forum.com
Folks there will give you more info than you can handle on the subject.

Me... I don't worry about how many clicks up from all the way down it SHOULD be. I just zero so it hits the steel and call it good. But I shoot 2-gun/3-gun stuff only. I don't shoot high power competition/paper.