Anschutz Sights Question....

[Dreaded Platypus]

Hello all,

I have been working on a side project to develop a fun and accurate rifle to keep my iron sight abilities sharp whenever the feeling moves me...

I bought an RX22 “Precision” when they first came out.

I read that they were popular as “club guns” in Europe and the literature showed them set up with diopter sights.

I put on dovetail rails and a “like new” 6934 sight set I picked up used.

But I was frustrated by the short sight radius and the tiny front aperture (~2mm) required to shoot ISSF targets at 50m with such a short radius.

So I purchased a 200mm extension which extended the radius to something like 23”.
I was also able to obtain a nice 7020 (20 click) sight set and put a variable front aperture in it.

With a 2.3 aperture I am able to shoot .4” at 50yds.
(Bearing in mind this is a semi-auto with a 1700gm trigger...)



But I continue to struggle with the sights.

I have reached that magic age when I am both near and far-sighted.

I have had shooting glasses made for pistol work that put the front sight into sharp focus.
But these don’t work very well with the RX22 because the 50yd target is very fuzzy and not at all round!

If I put on my distance glasses the situation is reversed.

My best course of action at this point seems to be going without glasses.
At least this is somewhat manageable but certainly not conducive to stellar results.

My question is...

Would front sight diopter lenses help the situation?
I see they are sold individually, in sets, and even a variable model...

Thanks in advance for any advice..l

 

[maynard]

One mistake that new shooters do when learning how to shoot aperture sights is using too small of a front insert. I know it is hard to wrap your head around, but go really big in the front. Something like a 4.0 would be a start. It is easier to center a small black dot in a large hole than it is to center a big black dot in a smaller hole. With a larger front insert the target will appear round again.
I use iron sights for shooting distance from 300-1000 yards. My sight radius is a little longer 32" and I do use a .5 lens in the front sight. My adjustable front aperture has a range from 5.5-7.5. The 1000 yard aiming mark appears to very small, with the front aperture turned down to 5.5 I can frame the whole 6ft target board. At closer ranges like 500 yards where the aiming mark seems very big, I open the front up to about 6.2-6.6 depending on the light conditions, and again center the whole frame.

 

[Dreaded Platypus]

Thanks for the info...

The width of the “white band” is currently roughly the same as the diameter of the bullseye with the smallest aperture available with the variable front insert.

I will open it up though and see what happens...

I am wondering about your success with the front lens insert.
Is your eyesight in the same shape as I described mine to be?

One mistake that new shooters do when learning how to shoot aperture sights is using too small of a front insert. I know it is hard to wrap your head around, but go really big in the front. Something like a 4.0 would be a start. It is easier to center a small black dot in a large hole than it is to center a big black dot in a smaller hole. With a larger front insert the target will appear round again.
I use iron sights for shooting distance from 300-1000 yards. My sight radius is a little longer 32" and I do use a .5 lens in the front sight. My adjustable front aperture has a range from 5.5-7.5. The 1000 yard aiming mark appears to very small, with the front aperture turned down to 5.5 I can frame the whole 6ft target board. At closer ranges like 500 yards where the aiming mark seems very big, I open the front up to about 6.2-6.6 depending on the light conditions, and again center the whole frame.

 

[keegs]

How are you adjusting the rear site?

 

[Dreaded Platypus]

I turned it down until the target starts to darken and then back it up a bit...

How are you adjusting the rear site?

 

[maynard]

Thanks for the info...

The width of the “white band” is currently roughly the same as the diameter of the bullseye with the smallest aperture available with the variable front insert.

I will open it up though and see what happens...

I am wondering about your success with the front lens insert.
Is your eyesight in the same shape as I described mine to be?

I wear a script for distance that has progressive bifocals for the close up work like reading, machine work etc.. I use a pair of Knobloch shooting frames with just the distance correction. The .5x eagle eye makes the target bigger (one reason for the large front iris) but also keeps the front sight in focus. If your front insert is too small the target will be oblong and fuzzy, and what you think is centered really isn't.

 

[Dreaded Platypus]

Great info..thanks!

Will order a .5 insert.

I wear a script for distance that has progressive bifocals for the close up work like reading, machine work etc.. I use a pair of Knobloch shooting frames with just the distance correction. The .5x eagle eye makes the target bigger (one reason for the large front iris) but also keeps the front sight in focus. If your front insert is too small the target will be oblong and fuzzy, and what you think is centered really isn't.

 

[big boar]

Target Rifle (prone/peep sights/sling/glove) is my favourite game though I'm not very good at it. My eyes (similar to yours) are the biggest problem. I can get a good picture for about 3 seconds, then it gets blurred and the floaters appear adding to the problem. Even with that, I still like it a lot.
I've shot with/against Maynard and he is a superior, excellent shooter as well as very generous with helping others in the game. He gives good advice.
One thing to consider about your sight picture, it's FAR more important to have the FRONT SIGHT SHARP than it is to have the target sharp. Of course it's better if BOTH appear sharp, that goes without saying but given the choice, make sure your FRONT SIGHT is SHARP. Not so sure about your target not appearing round (I also get that) but I've shot some great 50 yard groups (sub 1/2", smallest was .380") with a blurred target. I know it's a bit of luck but I have shot a sub 1" 5 shot group @ 100 yards with peeps on a 22 and
the target was definitely NOT sharp. Best of luck.

 

[maynard]

Great info..thanks!

Will order a .5 insert.

You don't want a .5 insert, you want a .5 eagle eye lens. Since you are in Ottawa contact site sponsor https://www.tesro.ca/ I don't see them on his website but I am sure that he can get you one. On your rear iris open it up all the way then turn it down until the front sight is in focus. The eagle eye should sort out the fuzzy target or at least improve the image. Oblong target usually means that your front insert is too small. Just for ####z and giggles take your insert out altogether and shoot a group with just the open tunnel, you will be amazed that your group isn't as bad as you think. I know a pair of Knobloch's or Champion's shooting frame are not cheap. These allow you to move the lens around to get the optical center lined up with your eye with the sight and at the proper angle when your head is on the stock. The optical center of your regular street glasses isn't even close to where you need it for shooting prone.
I have run into all these problems over the years and the challenge of ever changing eye sight with age sometimes take a while to figure out. I went through a few bucks trying to get the right combination, 1.5X dioptors, coloured filters, 18mm to 22mm to 30mm front sights somewhere around the 22mm time the rules changed and allowed the eagle eye front lens. I was about to put a bloop tune on a 30 inch barrel to get the front sight out far enough that I could see it. Each step along the way improved things for a while. When I started using huge front inserts was my biggest game changer.

 

[Dreaded Platypus]

Thanks...I was referring to an “eagle eye” front sight insert...

I have a variable front sight aperture so playing around with sizing is painless..

You don't want a .5 insert, you want a .5 eagle eye lens. Since you are in Ottawa contact site sponsor https://www.tesro.ca/ I don't see them on his website but I am sure that he can get you one. On your rear iris open it up all the way then turn it down until the front sight is in focus. The eagle eye should sort out the fuzzy target or at least improve the image. Oblong target usually means that your front insert is too small. Just for ####z and giggles take your insert out altogether and shoot a group with just the open tunnel, you will be amazed that your group isn't as bad as you think. I know a pair of Knobloch's or Champion's shooting frame are not cheap. These allow you to move the lens around to get the optical center lined up with your eye with the sight and at the proper angle when your head is on the stock. The optical center of your regular street glasses isn't even close to where you need it for shooting prone.
I have run into all these problems over the years and the challenge of ever changing eye sight with age sometimes take a while to figure out. I went through a few bucks trying to get the right combination, 1.5X dioptors, coloured filters, 18mm to 22mm to 30mm front sights somewhere around the 22mm time the rules changed and allowed the eagle eye front lens. I was about to put a bloop tune on a 30 inch barrel to get the front sight out far enough that I could see it. Each step along the way improved things for a while. When I started using huge front inserts was my biggest game changer.