I'm working on the details of a possible rifle with iron sights. The stock is designed for a scope and has a higher comb than most. The rear sight base I want is not height adjustable so I need to order the correct one. This is one thing I have never done and I'm looking for a bit of direction. Thanks.
Determining sight height?
- Thread starter chuck nelson
- Start date
Go to Brownells.com and enter 'sight height' in the search window. That will bring up a bunch of links to self-help videos.
To calculate sight height, measure the barrel diameter at the rear sight and divide by 2.Then add the measured height of the rear sight at the middle of it's adjustment setting. Then measure barrel diameter where you'll mount the front sight an divide by 2.Subtract the forward barrel figure from the rear barrel/sight sum and the difference is equal to the required height of the fron sight.
Clear as mud?
It should look like this:
[(Rear diameter /2) + rear sight] - (Front barrel diameter/2) = Front sight height
Please correct if wrong.
Clear as mud?
It should look like this:
[(Rear diameter /2) + rear sight] - (Front barrel diameter/2) = Front sight height
Please correct if wrong.
You'd better do some experimenting to find what is natural for you. Perhaps a mock up using modeling clay and an old rear sight or something you fabricate, to find what height makes sense and seems natural when you shoulder the rifle. If that comb was made for a scope, that rear sight could be darn high, height of a scope's centreline. There's nothing worse than having to squash your face into a stock to squint through a sight or optics too low. Its worse than being too high.
