So... How am I actually supposed to use the rear sight elevator?

[Marlin60Man]

I haven't ever used the rear sight elevator. Just never needed to.

Well, when sighting in my new Glenfield 60, I noticed the rear sight elevator was gone so I had to take one off my pellet guns to improvise.

So, am I just supposed to adjust the rear sight until it sits flush with the top of the front sight when the rifle is held naturally? Or are you supposed to set it in the middle, adjust your hold of the rifle until the sights are flush, then use the rest of the adjustment range for when you need to take shots at different ranges?


Not sure what to do with it, like I said, I've never had to adjust one. Even on guns that the front-sight post doesn't line up on, I've always just adjusted my hold until it was and have been on-target.

 

[fireman 9731]

Higher rear sight configurations are used for longer ranges to compensate for bullet drop.

If you want it sighted in for 50 yards, it's lowest setting would probably work fine.

I never tinker with mine unless its during initial zeroing and its not ok to begin with. At longer ranges with a 22, I just hold over my target like you said.

 

[bhk]

The sight elevator is used to adjust the elevation of your rear sight for the distance you are shooting. You should not have to adjust your sight picture if your sight is properly adjusted for the range you are shooting.

The proper sight picture for open sights is to have the top of the front post level with the top of the rear sight (top of the notch). Adjust the height of the rear sight (using the elevator) until you are hitting dead center using the PROPER sight picture. Raise the rear sight if you want your bullet to hit higher on the target. You won't know which step of the elevator is the proper one for any give range until you actually try. It will vary with different rifles and with different ammo types.

Once you get your rifle sighted in at a given range, say 50 yards, you can make elevator changes for closer or further ranges as needed. Most folks sight in their plinking rifles for the 'average' range they are shooting and leave it there, holding over for longer ranges as needed. If you 'average' range increases, then adjust your sights accordingly. No sense in having your sight adjusted for 50 yards when most of your shooting is at 75 yards.

 

[rcmodel]

You have to adjust it (sight it in) by shooting it.
For a .22, 50 yards works well.

Then, Set it and forget it.

Fooling with rear sight slides once sighted in is a waste of time, and an invitation to confusion the next time you use it and forget where it was supposed to be set.

I have a gun cabinet full of open sighted Winchester pump & lever action rifles that have not had the rear sight sliders changed in nearly 50 years of shooting some of them.

rc