what the heck??

[Howie44]

STOP RIGHT THERE!
What tools are you planning to use to move that sight? I'de hate to see a repeat of the barrel bands incident.

[emcon5]

I think why a lot of people get confused is by the idea that they are moving where the bullet is going. You aren't, the rifle is going to hit where it wants. In reality, you are moving the sights to match where the rifle is shooting.

Use your finger tips as a visual aid. Pick an object in the room, and make a front and rear sight post with your finger tips. Move the near and far "sights" left and right, and see how it changes things.

Say the light switch is the target, and for sake of argument, say the bullet hit off to the left. To match your fingertip "sights" to this, you need to either move the front to the left or the rear to the right.

[NYY]

STOP RIGHT THERE!
What tools are you planning to use to move that sight? I'de hate to see a repeat of the barrel bands incident.

using my firing pin for my punch and a baseball bat for the "hammer"

I think why a lot of people get confused is by the idea that they are moving where the bullet is going. You aren't, the rifle is going to hit where it wants. In reality, you are moving the sights to match where the rifle is shooting.

Use your finger tips as a visual aid. Pick an object in the room, and make a front and rear sight post with your finger tips. Move the near and far "sights" left and right, and see how it changes things.

Say the light switch is the target, and for sake of argument, say the bullet hit off to the left. To match your fingertip "sights" to this, you need to either move the front to the left or the rear to the right.

this made me understand it 100%. honestly. thanks so much!

[Interloper]

using my firing pin for my punch and a baseball bat for the "hammer"

(I can't tell if he's serious or not)

[laika]

Just - Not- the - baseball bat! Please! Save the M/N!

Anyway, yes it's counterintuitive unless you think about the way you would adjust the front site and how it would affect the way you would next "see" a target. It does work.

[Milsurp Collector]

http://www.surplusrifle.com/reviews/lt2/index.asp $20 shipped





A front sight pusher is just a superior way to adjust a front sight. You can adjust it very precisely, rather than whacking it with a hammer and punch and hoping you get it close to where you want it, but usually undershooting or overshooting while marring the sight.

[cheapblaster]

Ok, thanks to those who helped clear this up. If I'm hitting to the left of what I'm seeing through the sights, move the front sight to the left - or to the right if I'm hitting to the right. Chasing the hole, as I was taught to do with a scope. I like keeping it just that simple, without visualizing the motion of the barrel, the effect of the Earth's rotation, which direction water swirls down the drain in the northern hemisphere and the ph. value in the great red spot on Jupiter.

.And if I have an adjustable rear sight move it the other direction.

I think I've got it!

[Anchors]

I just think of it as if my rifle is hitting (wherever) I am just moving my sights so that they will hit that same out-of-place hole.

If you think about it that way it is easier to understand.

So if my rifle is stuck in one spot and my bullets are hitting to the left. Adjusting the sight left will mean they are hitting exactly where the sights are pointed.

[Anchors]

I think why a lot of people get confused is by the idea that they are moving where the bullet is going. You aren't, the rifle is going to hit where it wants. In reality, you are moving the sights to match where the rifle is shooting.

Use your finger tips as a visual aid. Pick an object in the room, and make a front and rear sight post with your finger tips. Move the near and far "sights" left and right, and see how it changes things.

Say the light switch is the target, and for sake of argument, say the bullet hit off to the left. To match your fingertip "sights" to this, you need to either move the front to the left or the rear to the right.

Okay, I didn't read you post but this is exactly what I meant.
Your fingers visual aid is the easiest to understand.

[MontClaire]

ok, I've always found this one a little hard to wrap my head around.

Say, for example, I sight on the bullseye at the center of the target. My shots are hitting to the left. I want them to hit more to the right. So I move the front sight in the opposite direction of where I want the shots to go - want them to go right so I move the sight to the left? So I'm basically chasing the hole, moving the sight towards where they are hitting? Hitting left, move sight left, in other words. I find the whole "opposite direction" bit a little confusing. Always have, anyway.

You seem surprised to learn the sighting technique that's been around for more than 100 years. Good one!