Sighting in my new rifle with Williams FP peep sights

[Silver Bullet]

Actually, my first rifle ever.

I’m going through the steps: 1) I bore sighted the rifle; 2) I sighted in the rifle at 50 yards; 3) I attempted to sight in at 100 yards.

I say “attempted” because my rifle shooting skills are too poor to get a tight enough group at 100 yards to make any meaningful adjustments for shooting 3” high. Out of 40 shots I only placed 30 into the 8” black part of the target. I decided at that point that I need to focus on getting much tighter groups before I resume adjusting the sights.

( If it’s this much fun now, I’m thinking it’s going to be really fun when I’m shooting better. )

I feel like I’m doing a fairly good job of keeping the front sight on the target (the bead diameter appears about the same as the target black diameter), but I suspect I’m not centering the bead into the peep aperture consistently. For this reason, I’m considering getting a smaller inner diameter aperture to work with while I’m doing this target work.

Three questions.

1) Looking at Williams’ catalog, I see I can get an aperture with 0.050” inner diameter versus the standard 0.093”. Sounds good. However, there is a wide range of outer diameters: 3/8, ½, and 1 inch. Williams designates the 1” OD, 0.050” ID as the “target” aperture. What is the advantage of the larger outer diameter ?

2) The different apertures should sight the same, correct ? That is, if I sight in the peep with a 0.050” ID aperture, when I replace it with a 0.093” or even a 0.125 “hunting” aperture, the other apertures should be still lined up, and not require sighting in again ?

3) I shot these 40 shots in the space of a half hour. The barrel was too warm to touch towards the end of the session. How much effect does that have in accuracy ? It seemed to me that I was shooting tighter at the beginning than the end, and I don’t know if that was because of the barrel heating up or because as I fatigued I had more of a tendency to blink just before firing the shot.

There were about fifteen other shooters, and I noticed they were all using scopes. My next rifle will have a scope, but I want to use a peep on this one.

Sorry to ask such embarrassingly stupid questions, but forums like this are a great place to learn, IMHO. (You know what they say ... “There are no stupid questions, just stupid questioners” )

 

[DMK]

What is the advantage of the larger outer diameter ?

A wider plate blocks more light making it easier to focus on the picture through the peep. For example take a matchbook cover, poke a pencil though it, look through the hole. Now do the same with a shoe box cover. Which is easier to focus through?

other apertures should be still lined up, and not require sighting in again

The center will still be in the same place, so yes. There should be no re-zero required.

or because as I fatigued I had more of a tendency to blink just before firing the shot

In my experience, that's usually the case with me. If I take a beak for 15 min or so, relax, stretch and then try again, I usually shoot better.

For this reason, I’m considering getting a smaller inner diameter aperture to work with while I’m doing this target work.

A smaller aperture definitely helps.

 

[SwampWolf]

In addition to DMK's excellent advice, I would add that it is not necessary to worry about "centering the bead into the peep aperture consistently", especially in a hunting situation. Your eye will naturally and automatically do this for you. I have Williams "Fool Proof" receiver sights on several of my rifles and have used them since the early sixties. You will like this well-made and well-designed product and you will appreciate the nice folks who run the place.

 

[One of Many]

One thing to consider is the front sight size and shape. On a rifle that I used to own (stolen by burglars) I had the Williams Foolproof in the rear, and a wide flat-top post (similar to handgun sights) on the front. The flat-top post was similar to the Lyman Sourdough style, if my memory is correct. It had a brass insert that angled up toward the front, so that it would pick up some light from directly overhead, improving visibility in deep shade (such as the deer woods).

I found that the wide flat top on the front sight helped my accuracy, versus the standard brass bead front sight. The rounded brass bead may pick up and reflect light from the side, shifting the apparent center of the bead, causing you to shoot toward the side that the light is coming from (and this will vary with time of day, cloud cover, and the direction you are facing).

I really liked the Williams Foolproof sight; I could get 4 inch groups from a bench rest at 100 yards, using my Marlin 336 in .35 Remington; that is considered good shooting for a lever action rifle with iron sights.

My eyes have deteriorated with age, so I now use optical sights for serious work; it takes far to long for my eyes to pick up the iron sights and get on target, for me to try hunting with them.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

Good advice on the effect of sunlight on the bead. If you still have the frontsight hood, put it on and see if it helps. You can also blacken the sight with a match.

When shooting focus on the front sight, not on the target -- the target should be a blur.

 

[Silver Bullet]

Thanks for all your advice !

I will get a target aperture to finish sighting in, and work on the trigger pull and flinch control. Also, I'll try it with the front sight hood on.

 

[Outlaws]

I say “attempted” because my rifle shooting skills are too poor to get a tight enough group at 100 yards to make any meaningful adjustments for shooting 3” high. Out of 40 shots I only placed 30 into the 8” black part of the target. I decided at that point that I need to focus on getting much tighter groups before I resume adjusting the sights.

Don't worry about trying to get it in the black every shot. Just try to aim at the same place every shot. Your rifle will show how it groups, even it it groups high and to the right. Then you know which direction to move the sight until the center of the group makes its way over the bullseye.

You are using a rifle rest, correct?

 

[Silver Bullet]

You are using a rifle rest, correct?

Yes.