5() CENTS

AN AMERICAN RIFLEMAN REPRINT R3 SIGHTING.IN

Cornplcte information on sighting-in rifles of all popular calibcrs, up to 300 yards; methods of sighting-in whcrc rrngc is lirnited; shotgun pat- tcrning & slug tcsting, and questions & answcfs on sights and sighting. I RIFLtrS SFIOTGT]NS

..! T 4 More in.rportant to a hnntcr's suc- Are scope mounts lighl? t cess than having the ideal riflc, is the With telescope mounts and bases, ability to hit well with the onc he has. thc distance between screws is so short j That ability is not, however, solelv a that any looseness has especially bad ¡e- matter his shooting proficiencv. It of sults. Base screws are heat-treâted to is equally important the sights on Í that withstand the force with which they his rifle be adiusted correctly. In fact, nrust be tightened down. Some detach- the rifle does not l.rit where it 'looks', if able mounts are fastened to their fixcd tbe better one points the gun, the less bases with slotted thumbscrelvs. Tìrese chance he has of making hits. would be mar¡ed by a screwclrivcr, so The¡e is a wicle-spread but rnisplaced turn thern with a coin in the slots. Thc conficìence that sights on â ncw gun can coin may be grasped with pliers for be assumed to come correctlv set. It is greater effcctiveness. true that nranufacturcrs acljusi tìre sights Before sighting in, lurn up trigger guord ond If the rifle is as ¡eceived from thc on thcir riflcs before scncling thenr out. ¡lock screws, mokes consislency in loo¡ene¡g rranufacturer, it can probably be reliccl Sometimes this is done by actual firing, shooting impossiblc on to put its ñrst shots somewhere ou sotnetimes lncans of a clesigr.recJ bl iig Ncxt cxanrinc the sigìrts for looscness. the target. If, l.roweve¡, its history is un- to pl:rce the'line of sight in iorrect re- Trv to r.uove the bases with the fingers. certain, or if a scope has been urountecl, lation barrel. Either way, thc to thc A ärop of oil on the foints will frake then much frustration can be avoidccl result can bc no nrore tìran roughìr, cor- visible the least working of the sight by 'bore-sighting' before going on thc rect, since no two persons ain.r precisely b¿rses on the rifle during this test. Front- range. This simply meens sighting aìike though they rnay be equaìly expert sight bancls and dovetails should be in- through tl.re bore ancl adiusting the ìinc shots. This is mo¡e noticeable with effect cludccl in this inspection, but most of sight in the correct relation to it. iron sights, but it exists rvith hunting likely to be loose are screw-fastened rear telescope sights also. For the sarnc rc¿t- sights. If looseness is found, take tìre A befter method sou, no person can sight in another's sight off entirely. Clean the sight scrervs rifle perfectly. Last, a rifle once sightecl and their holes with lighter fluid or nc ir.r correctly may suffer some acciclent silnilar solvent, put a drop of linseecl by rts to its sigìrts or to its other parts that on llg oil (not gun oil ) on the threacls of each rvilì alte¡ its shooting. screw, re-ntoun t, and turn the screws bo rc- Thcre is no substitute for a shooter clorvu solidly. sultant sight sctting will usually placc sighting in his rifle for himself. Well the first shot on the targct. Obviously, done, it is quite likely the best singìc Tighten telercope mounl screws wilh o coin however, this methocl lr:rkes uo allorv' held with pliers tìring hc can do to assnre hinself suc- ance for bullet drop clue to gravity. A cess in the hunting field. better mcthod, which cloes make allorv- ance for that effect, is to bore-sight on Exomine gun ond sights First, the riflc and its sights r.nust be checked for condition. Thcrc are sonlc clcfccts which can r.nake anv consisteucy in shooting quite in.rpossible. One com- rnon defect is looseness of the rifle guard see. will be founcl or stock scrervs. Turn up these screws ye.y. alì cases result- as hard as possible with a weìl-fitting ing i being not only scrervdriver. or.r t quite closc to .l95ó, This reprint is from the November 1954. November 1955, October Moy ì958, Februory l9ó0 ond olher issues of THE AMERICAN RIFIEMAN, o fully copyrighled publicotion (R3) óth Printìng the actual aiming point. can also obtain for the asking the help To proceed, block or clamp the rifle of an experienced shooter, which is in- with the bore pointing at an airning valuable. point at 25 yaÃs. With a big-bore If the rifle this can be done nicely by insert- hunter s ing only the stripped bolt in the rifle; fire with the striker hole will serve as the rear but not peep and the bore at the muzzle as the Shoot only where it is possible to see front one, for aligning on the obiect. where the bullets will stop, and never Rifles of .30 caliber and less can be shoot over water since bullets may Your hsnd on o log mokes o good rerl when pointed well enough for this purpose by ricochet off the surface and go long dis- nothing eltc i¡ ovoiloble. Don't rost ri0e o¡ simply looking through the open bore. tances, hord obiect For lever-action rifles, a small mirror is support. Especially do not lay the barrel necessary in order to see through the Use o rest bore f¡om the ¡ear. With the rifle still on or against anything hard as the rifle firmly clamped, adjust the sights until The natural unsteadiness of most will jump away from the hard surface they are aligned on the same obiect as shooters in the standing position makes when fired and cause the bullet to hit at the bore is. it almost impossible to determine sight some distance from the normal point of impact.

Get first shots on pqper Under these conditions, and with the rifle and sights checked before firing, the first shot should be on the target paper. If it is not, try another. If that shot too is off the paper! bring the target in to very short range. Adjust the sights to give hits at the point of aim at this s will be on A riîc i¡ borc-:ightcd by frrt looking rhrough thc bore (bolr must bc out of riîc) ond oligning more. il on lor9.l 25 yordr owoy, then looking through sightr ond oligning lhcm on romo ?orgct ng in is being t is made on adiustment except by firing a very large the target, and the hold and trigger number of shots. Therefore the rifle squeeze are good, fire another shot. The should be supported so the shooter can hits should be close together. Now the aim it very steadily and easily. Illus- sights are adjusted to move these hits trated is a position at the bench rest into the bullseye, a group is fired for usually cause the first shot to strike out which can be lea¡ned in a few minutes, verification, and the sighting in at that of the normal group. However, a thin and which is suitable for use with rifles iange is done. coat of light oil has little or no eftect of any recoil. In this position the rifle The schematic top view of a rifle and may be left in if desired. can be held quite steadily, so there will and target shows the effect of moving be no doubt as to the correctness of the the rear sight. Wotch your ommunition aim, and at the same time the rifle will We see that adjusting the sight to the shoot to the san.re sighting as when fired left, for exanrple, forces the firer to nrove In addition to putting the rifle into in the usual hunting positions. Avail- the butt of the rifle to the right in order proper shooting condition, it is also ability of shooting benches is an addi- to align his sights on the target again, necessary to sight in with lhe same am- tional advantage of firing on the range and this movement of the rifle shifts munition thdt will be used in the field. of a rifle club. the bullet impact to the left on the The temptation to use odds and ends of In the absence of a bench, firing can target. Adjusting the rear sight to the ammunition for this purpose should be be done from the prone position with right will similar to resisted. The reason is that different the left hand and forearm supported. point the rifle to it types of ammunition, and especially arr- An improvised sandbag makes a good was before. Raisi ill munition with difterent weights of support, and even a coat over a log will cause the firer to in bullet, will generally shoot to different do. Do not lay the rifle directly on the ain-ring and thus send the bullet higher, points of impact, particularlv in light- weight hunting rifles. Sighting in with A bcnch rcrl, whcrc ovoiloblc, i¡ idcol for sighring in q rific ammunition other than that which is to be used later can, therefore, partly nullify the benefit from the operation. With his rifle ancl ammunition in order, the hunter is ready to go to the range. Rifle clubs all over the country throw open their ranges before the fall hunting season to de- siring to sight i fle. There, for only a he avails himself of a safe place to shoot and suitable targets on which to sight in his gun by firing. At many clubs he

2 OF SIGHT

GARTRIDGES GROUPED 8Y TYPICAT TRAJECTORIES Diogrom shows effecl of moving reor sight to left

Sighlint.in r¿[9. lor Rangc al whioh bullcl rfich midrangâ hliihl dro¡s nelor lino of while lowcring thc rear sight will cause abovo li[ô ol tight is: sighl by: lo the butt to be raisecl ancl tlìe rifle CARTRIDGE tw, ! to, lV2' 1' lo' pointed lower. This givcs us the rule .II0 Swift 150 r50 {10 il0 tIt t¡0 for siglrt changes-rnoye tlrc rear sigh.t l8-gr. SP 1

the way you want tlrc btLllet to go. MV ilt0 t0 200 300 ¡@ 500 ó00 (Typ ca ol very h gh-vc oc ly c¡rlr dtes ) Clicks ond minutes Moclern sights are clesignccl to bc ad- justable quickly, positivelv, ancl in the ¡0 .170 Winchesl¿r 22t ll0 110 2t0 tlo {10 cxact âr.nourìt clesirecl. Illust¡ated is a 100-gr. SP { typical receiver sight. 4 MV l5t0 Note that the gracluations in botl-r elevation and winclagc arc m¿rrkecl in .l1l 75-gr.,.lôl Winohoslcr Romington t0 m 2@ @ 5@ @ 'minutes', The klobs makc clistinct 100-9r., .l0r0i clicks r¡'hcr.l thcy arc turued. Most re- ceiver sights ârc now built with the clicks in qnirrtcr-ruinntcs, ltnt this is eas-

.t0-'06 Ito 160 ü0 ilo ilo $0 t0 150-gt. SP

MV 1970 It (fy¡iæl-ol .lll Remin¡ton, 0-¡r., .lll leningtor 9-0--9r,.150 Sil¡gt l7-rr.,,15 70 Winrftcslcr l¡!:8r., .30-'06 ll0-9r., .100 Sarago Mârnun lto-¡r., t0 .¡tl @ 2ø 5æ lvirchesler Mrgrum 200-gr. &H Magnum ll0.¡r.) t f

.10-{0 Krag t50 ?10 r50 tro t¡0 flo t0 Modern receiver sights moy be odiusted quickly ond occurolely tt0.¡r. SP MV 1170

(TlDic-al of.llt B!¿, .2ll noterts I , I mm. Mruser, ily checkecl by simply countir-rg the num- .30.'06 ll0-sr. and Il0-¡r., .!08 nd 100.gr., .tli Winchesler l50.gr. åßd 100-rr., -!r., .tt5 HtH t0 ber of clicks necessâry to nove the sight Magnu 00 200 100 ¡00 5oò oDe graduation. These 'minutes' are minutes of ar.rgle, each being l/6ûth of a degree. It hap- pens that a ninute of angle corresponds ahnost exactly to one inch on the târget .10-10 Winchesler ll0 100 t00 t60 ztt t60 lo at a range of 100 vards, two inches at 170-¡r. SP ìtll t¡10 200 yards, âncl so on.

1 At 100 yards, fo¡ exarnple, if it is de- (Ty¡ic¡l of ,22 Hornct, ,?1.35 Winchcstcr, ,t0-10 150-9r., .t0 Romirglcn, .t0-10 frag 120-¡r,, .100 Srra¡o ll0-gr,,.t0l Savage, .303 Srilish, .ll sired to shift the bullet impact by three Winohesler S¡ccial,.tl lsninllon,.ll Winchcsl¡r, t nm. Man¡licior t0 Schoonauer,,llt Winchaslor ll0.gr.,.l5l Wirch.stor 250.9r.,.15 R.n. 200 l@ ¡00 500 ó00 inches, tl.re shootcr knows ¿rt once that irSton, .10¡ lllirchoslor, .l5l W¡rch!ster ìlatnün.) he needs only to rìrovc his sight three ninntes ir.¡ the proper direction. It is easy to see why this typc of graduation has been uuiversally aclopted for all ac- ,l¡.10 Gcv.rnmlnl l0 llt tt5 90 ilo r00 30 curate rifle sights. l!5-!r, 8P a MV ttt0

I IIIIIUÎE OF ANGLE -.f--l (Tl¡ical of.ll-10 Wi¡chcrter, .ll-10 Winoh*tor, ,ll-10 Winchælcr, .lt-10 Winch*tcr,.ll-l! Winchoslor,.ll-10 Winoficslcr.) 0 ¡00 500 ó00

One minulc of ongla subtends one inch on the lorgot ot 100 yords rongc

3 PATH OF BUI.IET ABOVE OR BETOW IINE OF SIGHT IN INCHES (T) indicotes rqnge qt which gun is zeroed, telescope sight.- (l) indicotes ¡onge ot which gun is zeroed, iron sighrs.

Cortridge 50 yd 100 yd 200 yd 300 yd Ccrtridge 50 yd 100 yd 200 yd 300 yd .2.l8 Bee 0 (T) .222 Remington (r) 4ó-gr. OPE (t) -5.8 -24.7 +2.2 +.2 50-gr. SP +2.s (t) -12.22.5 MV 28ó0 -ó.3 -25.7 MV 3200 -t .219 Zì PPEÌ +2.t (T) t.2 .222 Rem. Mognum (T) 5ó-9r HP (t) -t +t.8 +2.4 t.5 55-gr. SP +2.1 (t) -9.8 l\,lv 3l l0 -t MV 3300 -t0.r .22 Hornet 0 (T) .243 Winchester (T) 45-gr. SP (t) -8.2 -29.3 +1.2 +.3 80-gr. SP +t.5 fl) -7.2 4ó-gr. OPE -8.7 -30.3 ,r,lv 3500 -7.5 MV 2ó90 .243 Winchester l.ó (T) .22 WMR .9 (r) + + -12.O l00.gr.5P + t.9 (t) -8.0 40-gr. HP + t.t fl) ,rilv 3070 -8.3 ,vtv 2000 -t2.5 .244 Remington (T) .220 Swifi +r.4 +.ó (T) -4.4 75-gr. SP +1.7 (t) -7.4 48-gr. 5P +.e (t) MV 3500 -7.7 MV 4t t0 -4.7 .244 Remington 1.4 (T) .22 Sovoge (T) + +2.1 90-9r. SP + 1.7 (t) -8.ó 70-gr. 5P +2.4 (t) -10.0 MV 3200 -8.9 MV 2800 -r0.3

Telescope odiustments iron and scope, dispense with the clicks fo¡ movement is the reverse of that and souletir.nes eveñ with the minute-of- for rear sights-movø the front sight In the naiority of hunting telescope angle graduations. If only the clicks oþþosite to the way you wcmt tlrc bullet sights the adjustment is in the teìescope are missillg, adiustrnents can still be to go. tube. Turning the adiusting knobs rna¿e quite easily. But a sight without moves the sighting reticle across the field graduations rnust be handled âs outlined Removing the guesswork of view, thus giving the acliustrnent de- below. sired. These knobs a¡e providecl with Knocking the sight over by guess clicks also, ând are marked to show will probably make the acljustrrent lvhich way to turn them for a desired Adiusting'open' sights worse than it was originally. There movelrent on the target. The screw shoulcl be a witness mark to show the câps over the adiustment knobs help to The V-notch or U-notch'open' sights position of the sight in the dovetail-if keep dirt and moisture out of the tele- or most new factory rifles are most dif- not, one should be made with a scribe scope. They also perform the same func- ficult to adiust because therc is no pro- or sharp pencil. By means of tl're scale tion as the smooth, slotted knobs on the vision for rnaking precise, lneasured sight âncl glass, movelnent of the sight can be receiver sight-they protect the sight ad- rnovements. The initial saving in the measured to l/64 inch. with thc l8- cost of one of these sights is partly lost inch to 20-inch clistance betwecn front in the extra shots, at 15 to 25 cents ancl reâr open sights, a reâr sight move- each, required for accurate sighting in. rrent of l/64 lnch will move the im- To ad just open sights, the shooter pact on the target about three inches should provide himself \4/ith a magnify- for every 100 yards of range. To move ing glass, a steel scale graduated to l/64 the sight without defacing it, set the inch, a light hamnrer, a punclÌ (of brass b¡ass or copper rod against it and tap. or copper rod ), ancl a fine fiìe. { \

:*,ÉtlJ a step by test firing that gives the sight a little more elevation than desired, tl.ren file the uncle¡sicìe of the slide to lower Wide slots in sc¡aw heod¡ o¡c welcome tìre sight as requirecl. Altcrnativcly the sighting notclì can be cut lower by'care- justurent from accidental displacement ful filing, but this is likely to rcsult in a and from the knob-turning friend. nralformed notch. Sorne urakers prefer to put the ad- Lateral adjustments of such sigìrts justments in the telescope mounts, but usually rnust be clone by clriving tl.rem Thc front sight is moved by ropping o bro¡s or the above renÌarks on graduations, etc., toward one side or tlre other in the clove- coppcr rod hcld ogoinst it apply in principle to tlrese as well. tail seat, In many cases ouly the front Certain less expensive sights, both sight can be knockecl over, and the ¡ule (Continued on þ4e f)

4 PATH OF BUTTET ABOVE OR BETOW IINE OF SIGHT IN INCHES

(T) indicotes rongc ot which gun is zeroed, tclcrcope sight' (l) indicolo¡ tqnge ol which gun is zeroed, iron sights.

Cortridge 50yd l00yd 200yd 3o0yd Cortridge 50yd l00yd 200yd 30oyd 7 mm. tlouser .25.20 WHV +.7 (r) {8.ó +.3 (r) 175-gr. SP -ó.3 -22.2 óGgr. OPE -rI.4 MV 2250 Ir/tv 2490 7.ó2 mm. Russion (f) .25-20 Winche¡tcr (r) +.r -4.5 +2.r -23,8 -80.2 l45.gr. HCP -rs.r 8ó-gr, All ¡tv 2820 Ir/w 1460 ,3030 Winchcslcr +.4 (f ) (f -t.2 -26.3 .25 Remington +.5 ) -7.8 -27.7 150-gr. OPE ll7-gr. SP MV 2410 â v 2320 .30-30 Winchostor (l) +.7 -8,t -29.4 .25-35 Winchectcr +.5 (r) {.r 170-gr. 5P & FP Il7.9r. 5P or tP -2e.4 t{w 2220 MV 2300 .30 Reninglon (l) +.7 -8.r -29.4 .250 Sovoge +t.7 (r) 170-gr. SP -7.9 MV 2Zt0 87.9t. SP +2,0 (t) ItÂV 3030 -8.2 .30.{0 Krog +3.0 (T) 3.5 I80.9r. SP (t) -r 3.8 .250 Sovagc (T) +3.3 +r.2 -r0.5 t v 2470 -r l00.gr. OPE +2.s (r) -I0,8 ,rÂv 2820 .30-40 Krog +2.7 (r) t.2 l80.gr. OPE (t) -r t.5 (Tl +3.0 .250 Sovogo +2.1 -9.5 liiv 2470 -t 100-gr, ST +2.4 (1) -9,8 MV 2820 .30-40 Krcg +3.ó (l) 220-gr, Êxp. +3.e (t) -r4.0 .257 Roberts +2,0 (T) MV 2200 -I4.3 100-gr. OPE +2.3 (t) -9.3 t/tv 2900 -9.ó .30-'0ó +r.2 (T) Il0.gr. 9P +t.5 fl) -ó.8 .257 Roberts +t.e (f) i/tv 3420 -7.1 I0o-gr,9I +2.2 fl) -8.9 MV 2900 -9.2 ,30-,06 +t.7 (T) 150-gr.5P (t) -8.3 +2.0 -8,ó .257 Robert¡ +2.6 (T) t.7 MV 2970 tl7.gr. SP (t) -I +2.e (T) i/tv 2ó50 -12.0 .30-,0ó +2.3 l8O.gr,3P -t0.5 +2.6 0) -t 0.8 .2ó4 Win, Mognum + 1.4 (T) t/tv 2700 100.9r. 5P 1,7 fl) -6.2 + ,30-,0ó (T) fitv 3700 -ó.5 +2.2 180-gr. OPE +2.s il) -9.2 MV 2700 -9.5 .2ó4 Win. Mognum +1.5 (T) (t) -6,7 140-gr. SP +t,8 .30-,0ó (T) 32q' -7,O +2.0 MV 180-gr. MCBT +2.3 (1) -8.5 MV 2700 -8.8 .270 W¡nchostor + ,9 (f) (t) -5.6 100-gr. SP + I .2 -5,9 .30-,0ó +2.e (T) MV 3580 220-gr, SP +3.2 (t) -t3.23,5 MV 24 t0 -¡ .270 Winche¡ter +Ì.3 (T) l30.gr. OPE (t) -6.7 +1.ó -7.O .300 Sovogo +2.2 (T) MV 3140 150-gr. SP +2.s (t) -9.5 ì v 2670 -9,8 .270 Winche¡ter +2 2 (l) (t) -9.7 l50.gr. SP +2 5 -t0.0 .300 Sovogc +3.3 (T) MV 2800 180-gr. SP +3.ó (t) -19,7 MV 2370 -I4,0 .280 Remington + I (r) BP t (t) -5,4 100.9r, + -5.7 .300 H&H Mognum + t.ó (r) ,t/tv 3570 180-gr. Exp. + 1.9 (t) -7,3 tr/tv 2920 -7,6 .280 Remington +t.ó (t) 125-gr,9P +t.e (t) -8.0 MV-Muzzle Velocity MV 3t40 -8.3 OPE-Open Point, Expanding HP-Hollow Point SP-Soft Point .280 Remington +2.r (T) FP-Full Patch 150-gr. 5P +2.4 (t) -9.2 HCP-Holtow Copper Point MV 28t0 -9.5 MCBT-Metal Case tsættail Exp.-Exprss SL-Seìf -loadins .280 Remington +2.s (T) _I I.3 BP-B¡o¡rze Pointed ló5.9r, SP +2.8 (l) t.ó ,ST-Silvertip MV 2770 -t WHV-Winchèster Hieh Velocitv WMR-Winchester Magnum Rimfiré

5 PATH OF BUttET, ABOVE OR BETOW IINE OF SIGHT IN INCHES

(T) indicotcr rong. ol which gun is zeroed, lelescope right. (l) indicqre¡ rqngo o? which gun is zeroed, iron sightr.

Cortridge 50yd l00yd 20oyd 300yd Corlridgc 50 yd 100 yd 2(Ð yd 300 yd

.300 H&H Mognum ,6 (T) .348 Winche¡tcr (f + -7.1 +.3 ) -23.s l80.gr. MCBT + .9 (r) 200-gr. SP -7.o MV 2920 -7,4 iitv 2530 .300 H&H Mcgnum +2.3 (T) 0.0 .348 Winchestcr +.4 (fl --{.0 220-gr. Exp. +2.6 0) -t 250-gr, Exp, -29.o t v 2620 -t0.3 MV 2350 .303 Sovoge (r) r.0 +.8 -r -38.s .35 Winche¡ter Sl +2.2 (r) -¡2.0 l90.gr. SP 180-gr. SP -2s.0 It^V t980 MV t400 .303 British (r) +,ó -30.0 .35 Remingron +.ó (r) 215-gr,9P -e.0 200-9r. All -9.3 -33.2 MV 2t80 MV 22rO .308 Wincheste¡ .3 (T) {.8 + .351 Wincheste¡ SL (f ì10-gr. SP ,6 (t) +t.0 ) + & FP -14.4 -5r,ó MV 3340 -7.l t80.sr.9P t/lv Ì850 .308 Wincheste¡ (T) +r.e .358 Winchester (T) 150-gr. SP +2.2 (t) -9.I +3.2 -15.2 MV 28óO -9.4 200.9r. Sf +3.s (t) 5.s i,tv 2530 -t .308 ll/inchesrer +2.4 (r) t.2 180-gr. SP +2.7 (t) -t t.5 .358 Winchester + 4.O (T) ó.8 MV 2ór0 -t 250.9r. ST + 4.3 (t) -t ,l ,r/tv 2250 -17 .308 Winchester +3.2 (T) -t3.ó (T) 200-gr. SP +3.s (t) 3.9 .375 H&H Mognum +2.r j9.8 MV 2450 -r 270-gt, SP +2.4 (l) -9.5, MV 2740 .32-20 WHV +r.0 (r) ó,r 80-gr. OPE -r -57.e .375 H&H Mognum + 2.5 (T) 0.8 MV 2t(x) 3(X).9r. Exp. + 2,8 (t) -t MV 2550 -tt.t .32-20 Winchester +2.8 (f ) -97.O 100-gr. All -30.0 .375 H&H Mognum +2.8 (T) ,vtv t290 300-gr. FP +3.t (t) -12,22.5 MV 2550 -t .32 Winchester Sl +2.2 (f ) ló5.9r. SP -24.O -79.O .38-{0 Wincha¡tcr +2.7 (r) MV 1390 180-gr. SP -2e.o -e3.s r v 1330 .32 Winchester Speciol +.5 (l) -8.4 -30.ó l70.gr. SP .38.55 Winchasfer +2.s (r) MV 2280 255-gr. SP -25,0 -8r.0 t/tv t320 ,Q2 Remington +.6 (r) 170-sr. SP -9.0 -3r.0 .401 Winchecter SL +.7 (r) 44.6 , v 2220 2(X).9r, SP -rr.7 MV 2t90 .32-40 Wincùssrer +t.e (f ) Ió5-gr. SP -21.4 -70.r .405 Winchærer +.5 (f ) --33.8 l\Âv 1440 3(X)-gr. 5P -e.2 MV 22ó0 .33 Winchester +.ó (r) 2fÞ-gr. SP -9,0 -3r.5 .44-40 Winchester +2.8 (f ) MV 2t90 200-gr. SP -29.s -9s.0 MV t3t0 .338 Win. Mognum +r.ó (t) 200-gr, -8.2 5P +r.e (t) --8.5 .45-70 +2.4 (r) MV 3000 405-gr, SP -2s.0 -8t,0 MV 1320 .338 Win. Mognum +2.0 (T) 250-9r. ST (t) -9.3 +2.3 .458 Win. Mcgnum (f 2700 -9.6 +,ó ) MV 510-gr. SP -r0.ó -37.6 MV 2t30 8 mm. Mouser +.3 (f) {,s 170-gr. -24.5 MV-Muzzle Velocity SP OPE-Open Point, Expanding MV 2570 HP-Hollow Point SP-Soft Point I mm. Monn..Sch. +.6 (l) FP-Full Patch 200-gr, SP -8.9 -30.5 HCP-Hollow Coppcr Poiat MCBT-Metnl Casc tsmttail MV 2190 Exp.-Expræs SL-Sclf -loading .348 Winchester (f RP-Bronze Pointed +.r ) .ST-Silver!ip 150-sr. SP -s.0 -20,o WHV-Winchèster High rvtv 2890 Velocitv WMR-tiVinchester Maguunr Rimñré

6 Continued from Poge 4 IOO yd. 2oO yd. Suppose, for example, that the first two well-held shots strike on the 100- HORIZONTAL yard target as shown in thc figure.

a

o 2?O

Comporison of .22 long rifle ond .270 lroiectories from ¡iles fired horizontclly

.22 LR

hits is The midpoint of these two cliagram. Actually, fall is proportional With this information for a number eight inches to the right and 20 inches not to time in flight but to the square of different cartridges, is possible to aìrove the point at which it is desired it For example, halving that the bullets strike. From the fact of the time. the compare their performance. The data that one minute of angle corresponds to flight time results in a fall only one- also indicate the curvature of a car- one inch on tl.re target at I00 yarcls fourth so great, which slrows why such tridge's trajectory, which rnust be taken rallge, we see it is necessary only to ad- great gains in 'fat shooting' are possible into consideration when sighting in. iust the sights to the left eight nlinutes by increasing velocity. For the latter purpose, however, the ancl down 20 minutes. This is easy and clata are not in most convenient forur Midronge troiectory 1>ositive with rnodern sights. For verifi- because they do not show clirectly what cation after adjustnrent at least three Since, however, the flight paths or tlre bullet does beyond eacl.r range incli- nrore shots shoulcl be fired. If these are tra jectories of all bullets must turn cated, which should be considerecl in rrot well centered on the desi¡ed point, a downward, the rifle rnust be directecl selecting the range at r,vhich to sight in. little more acliusting is clone as required. more or less above the straight line be- Also, they give only the motion of the Siurple open sights mav require con- account siderable work ancì firing. tween it and the target. Its path is l¡ullet itself, without taking The one-minute spacing of the scor- then like that in the diagrarn. of the fact that the sights stand above ing rings on a standarcl NRA target the point at which the bullet begins mãkes it extren-rely convenient fo¡ its flight. The effect is shou,n in the sighting in. diagram at top of page 8. Up to this point a sighting-in range of 100 yarcls has been coùsidered, be- Line of sight cause minute-inch relationship oi the We see that the neccssary positioning hunters sight in their and because some of the sights above thc bore axis always guns at 100 yards as abottt the rang_e at The bullet reaches its highest point makes the clistance of the trajectory see garne. Horv- which they expect to a little past midway to the target, but from the line of sight less than the mocìern rifles can be sighted for a cver, for the flat trajectories of usual small- clistance from the uuzzlc-to-t¿rrget line. range aclvantage, thus greater with ernrs ranges this point is practically in- With t short ranqe, best of 'flat-shoot- taking advantage thei¡ clistinguishable from tìre miclpoint. It this c outrveigh tìrc ing'qualities. has, tl.rerefore, becorle customary to trajcc e*arnple, the 'Flat shooting' is only a relative terut, specify sporting srlall-arms trajectories .270 n opellÌoint and since gravity acts on all bullets by giving the greatest height of the bullet, referred to ¿.t 1001,x¡¡¡ traiectorl,, cur\¡es their flight paths downward. bullet's path above the straight line be- will rise 0.5 inch at the 5O-yarcl niid- When, therefore, a rifle is fired hori- tween rifle ancl target, and to call this poilrt, be on at I00 yards, ancl fall 4.2 zontally the bullet necessarily begins to the n-ridrange height. The speed of the inches below at 200 yarcls. But referrecl fall at once, and (clisregarding refine- bullet and its striking energy at the to a line through iron sights locatecl olle ments as to the traiectory, wl-rich we rnuzzle ancl at two or thiee points clown inch above the bo¡e axis, it will be lust neecl not go into for sighting-in pur- range âre also given. The result is like on at 50 yarcls, on again at 100 yarcls, poses) rrust follow a path such as that this, taking the 130-grain .270 Win- and only 3.2 inches low at 200 yards. shown, to exaggerated scale, in the dia- chester as an exanple: Telescope sights, with higher placcment, grarn at top of this page. 'fhe .22 long rifle high-specd bullet, for exanple, in the first 100 vards falls sorne l6 inches. In travelling 200 yards, TYPICAT RANGE TABTE it falls nearly five feet. A high-speecl Yelocity (ft. þer sac.) Energy Ut.-Ib.) Midrange T raiectory (in.) projectile, such as the I 30-grain bullet 300 Muzzle 200 300 100 200 300 of the popular .270 Winchester, is in Muzzle 100 200 100 yds. yds yds. yds. yds. yds. yds. yds. flight and exposecl to the force of gravity yds. for a much sl.rorter time, so it falls rnuch 3t40 2850 2180 2320 2840 Zj40 1920 t550 0.5 2.1 5.3 less as shown by its curve on the same

7 HEIGHT ABOVE MUZZLE-TARGET LINE To reduce the aìurost infinite numbcr

TARGET

HEIGHT ABOVE LINE OF SIGHT

increase this effect, wìrile longer sight- two þoints IIæ bullet will stil hit targets ing-in ranges make it less notice.able. of aþþreciable size. ance should be made for limited visi- 'Ihis bility, inaccurate effect is too great to be ignored at For example, the table shows tlrat the iclentification of the vital areas, inaccurate slrort ranges when accuracy is a consid- 13O-grain .270 Winchester bullet we shooting uncler cration. conditions of stress, and dispersion of The table for current U. S. factory the ¡ifle itself. sporting cartridges (p:rges 4,5 & 6) shorv trajectories referrecl to iron sights one inch above the bore axis. C:rrtriclges often usecl in scope-sighted rifles ¿rre also shown for telescope sight. Fron-r the scope sight line, tl.re sigìrts with centers lVz i¡ch above the displacer.uents are still less. Not even bo¡e axis. All trajectories are ca¡ried the smallest animal anywhere along tlre to 300 yarcls. A plus sign inclicates line of sight would be missed because Howevcr, thc tablc on page 3 gives this trajectory a above line of sight, ancl the bullet in its flight would never be inforr.r.ration for certain selected car- rninus sign indicates trajectory below far above or belolv the line of sight. tridges, ancl it will be founcl these are line of sight. so nearly representative of their respec- This table gives directly a complete Troiectory ond hiiling rqnge tive gror.rps that the sighting-in rangc solution to the problem of sighting in On the other hancl, the 405-grain bul- for any baìlistically similar cartriclge can at various ranges. For example. it shows let of the .45-70, wìren sighted in at the be determinecl from thenr without ma- tlrat a scope-sighted .270 lìfle in sightecl sâlne range, will cross the line of iron terial error. at 200 yards with the 1 3O-grain factory sightS not far from the muzzle, rise 2.4 It must be unclerstoocl loacl, will shoot 1.3 inch high at 100 that this is a inches above vards and 6.7 inches low at 300. The the line of sight at 50 table of trajectories for the problem of yarcls, cross 100-yard height is insignificant. For a it going clou,n at 100 yards, sighting in, ancl not a statement that target estimated to be at 300 yarcls, it ancl drop 25.0 inches belorv it at 200 every cartriclge shown is suitable for is easy to holcl six or seven inches high va¡ds. Any anirnal big enough to be a every kincl of game. (even with the back ìine on a sm¿rll suitable target for the .45-70 obviously As an example, this table shows that cìeer) and get a center hit. Evcn at rvoulcl not be missed at less than 100 the I 5O-grain factory loading of the .30- '100 yarcls, at lvhich the bullet is 19.5 J¡ards because of the trajectorv, but cer- '06 cartriclge, when sighted in to strike inches below the line of sight, it is quite t:rinly r,voulcl be at 200 r,arcls. Even this point of aim at 170 yards, will rise no practical to holcl an estirnatecl 20 inches curved-traiectory rifle clearly coulcl stand nro¡e than l lZ inches above line of sight above the clesired hitting point on a lraving its sights raisecl to strike some- ìarge animal. at nridrange (85 yarcls) and falf, lVz rvhat higìrer than 2.4 inches at 50 yards, inches below line of sight at 210 yards. This same methocl is applicable to in order to extend its hitting range. Sirnilarly, lvhen a trajectory deviation cvery cartriclge in the table. It is only In short, every hunting rifle nuy be of fou¡ inches above necessary to sight in at either 100 or 200 and below the line siglúed in at the longest range (the choice will be obvious from tlut will of sight is allowable, the rifle can be ),a¡cls still midrange the figures for the cartridge in ques- þermit hits. It will tìren siglrtecl in to st¡ike point of aim at 260 tion), then note the n.riclrange height be satisfactory at all intermecliate clis- yarcls, rvhcn the bullet will rise fou¡ ¿rnd the drop at the longer range or tances, and for a ce¡tain distance be- inches above the line of sight at micl- Ianges. )¡ond' range or I 30 yarcls ancl drop an equal While this b¿rsic methocl is the choice The selected range will depend on distance below line of sight at 310 yards. of many skillecl riflernen, the novice mav the curvatu¡e of the trajectory :rncl the If as much as ten incl.res from line of also appreciate another which requires vertical dirnension of the target. Height sight is allowable, as on the largest no range estimation uncler any reason- of sight line (iron or scope sights ) garne, sighting in can be done at a able hunting conditions. For an uncler- nlakes little difference here, being iur- rallge âs long as 380 yards, with which standing of this r.netìrocl, consider the portant only at comparatively short sighting the height at miclrange or 190 following. ranges. However, the table on page 3 is vards will be teu inches, ancl an equal From the figure above we sec tìrat tire made up for telescope sighting of the clrop below line of sight wilì occur at lrtrllct begins its flight below the linc of high-r,elocity cartridges and iron sight- sonre 450 varcls. ing for the ¡est. The same traiectories will be obtained

EFFECTIVE ZONE

TARGET siglrt again. Between and bevond these I at substantially the same ranges with trajcctory sharply linrits the range at the factory cartridges listed in the group which it can be usecl. The problern is ABOUT THIS REPRINT under the .30-'06 150-grain, from the further cornplicated by the fact that This material is reprinted from .222 Rernington to .375 FI&H M:rgnurn there are two typcs in use, tìrc regular THE AMERICAN RIFLEMAN 220- and 27}-grain loads. This will also and the high-speed. Telescopes and (published monthly), the official be true of any other cartridge, such as iron sights must have separate consicl- journal of The National Rifle Asso- a wildcat maiching atty oiõ of thosc eration for sr.r.rall talgets at short rangc. ciation of America, 1600 Rhode 6, listed in the essentials of caliber, veloc- A rnaximum allowable trajectory of Island Ave., N. W., Washington D. This material is copyrighted shape. one inch above the sight line (appro- C. ity, bullet weight, and bullct by the NRA. targets expectecl) A gìancc ovcr the table will show thc priate for the snall Material of interest to shooters, srnall clifference between the effective results in the following ranges in yards hunters and gun collectors appears sighting-in ranges of any two successive to the high and low points shown: in every issue of THE RIFLEMAN. steps in it. up to +1, 0 _1, _zil _3il More than 425,000 NRA members carlridges of o the 22 LR Hi-Speed profit from the publications, seryices .270 Winc bullet Telescope sight ,5 83 92 100 107 and programs of the NRA. stretches ou only Iron sights 40 75 85 94 101 ABOUT TI{E NRA 22 LR Standard about 30 vards, and stcpping down to The National Rifle Association is a those with flight paths like the .30-40 Telescope sight 4t 70 8l 87 91 nonprofit organization (founded in Iron 86 I80-grain bullet costs us about the same. sights J) 60 71 80 1871) supported by the membership I-Iowever, ihe total gain over the whole From this table we see, for example, fees of public-spirited citizens. Its table is very large. 'Ilhus, for a four-inch that an iron-sighted rifle sighted in to purposes are to educate and train trajectory, the .45-70 and its like must strike the point of aim at 75 yards will citizens of good repute in the safe be sighted in at not more than 125 not, because of the trajectory, niss the and efficient handling of firearms; yarcls, while cartridges like the .220 point of airn more than one inch at any to foster a knowledge of small arms and the ability to use them among can sighted yards. range 85 Sighting in :ut Swift be in at 350 up to yards. members of law enforcement agen- cies and the armed services, and all other citizens who would be subject CAUTION: During the sighting-in process, before moking ony odiust- to service in the event of war; to ment to sights or other ports of the rifle, open the bolt ond remove promote social welfare and public the cortridge from the chomber. Leove the bolt open qt oll limes safety, law and order, and the na- when nol octuolly firing. tional defense. Membership in the NRA is available to any reputable citizen of the United States upon This mal

I SIû]lTI].lT-I].l A RITTE T) AsIc to all rifle shooting is that the rifle should hit where its sights are pointed. þ fle sights of new riflei are approximately aligned by the manufíctu¡er. Fio*.u"r, that setting can be only roughly correct for the user. Difterences in the way individuals hoìd and aim make it necessary that sighting-in be done by themselves. In addition, it must be done at a range appropriate to the conditions expected by the user in his shooting, and with the sarne type of ammunition that he will use then. The adjustrnent once tnade uray later be aftected by a faìl or other accident, or may be changed by somcone handling the rifle unobserved. It thus needs verifying at intervals, especially at the beginning of each hunting season. Sighting-in must be donc by actual firing. The shootcr must have a safe place to fire, with a bank of earth to catch all shots. Shoot only where it can be seeñ where the bullets will stop. Do not shoot over water since bullets may glance from its surface and go long'distances. Each fall, many rilìe clubs make their ranges available to hunters for sighting-in. There the hunter has a safe place to shoot, suitable targets so he cân see what he is doing, and a little skilled coaching when needed. The accornpanying photographs show how a rifle should be sighted-in, and the way to make sight adiustrucnts that nray be required.

r) Sights mrìst be secure on the rifle, as any loose- Á ness will defeat all attempts at adjustmeni. Grasp each sight firmly and see if any movement on the rifle can be detected. An excellent test is given by a little gun oil squirted in the joint between sight base and rifle. The least movement between these parts will be shown by a working of the oil film

Q To save time and expensive ammunition in get- v ting on the tar.get, the sight line is approximately adjusted in advance by bore-sighting. Remove the rifle bolt, and lay the rifle in a sand-bag support or otherwise fix it firmly. Look through the bore and align it on an aiming point, Then, without moving the rifle, adjust the sights until they are aligned on the same point. Check alignment of bore and sights to be sure the rifle was not displaced. With rifles where ít is not possible to look through the bore from the rear, bore-sighting usually must be omitted. Instead an extra-large paper target should be used to be sure of'catching'the first shots. Best range to the aiming point is 15 yards for low- velocity rifles such as .22 rimfire or .45-70, 25 yards for most rifle calibers, and 35 yards for very high- velocity rifles such as the .220 Swift. Tbis gives a little elevation to the barrel above the sight line, approximating that of hunting ranges t0 A The natnral unsteadiness of the usual firing positions E Two or three shots are then fired at the same distance as the T makes them unsuitable for sighting-in fi1iirg. The ¡l bore-sighting was done. The sight adjustment obtained in bore- shooter and his rifle should be steadily and comfortably sighting should put these shots close to the aiming point, ând supported. A bench rest as available at most rifle clttbs the adjustment can then be refined. Modern sights are gradtrated in is best, but a sandbag or log on the glottnd will do. Rest "minutes of angle" or fractions of them. The minute of angle lras the the firer's hand or forearm, nol llte bnrrel, on the stìpport. useful propelty of amounting to almost exactly one inch fo¡ each Especially do not rest the rifle on anything hard, as it 100 yards of range. If the range for these first shots was 25 yards, will jump ara,ay from such a suppol't when fired and each minute will colrespond lo yt inch on tlre target. With this cat¡se the bullet to strike away flom the normal point knowledge, the center of impact can be moved exactly to the of impzrct aiming point. The rule for direction of sight ulovenlent is move tltc retr sight the vay yotl wislt the shol /o .go. When the front sight must be moved, which is the case when no lateral movement of ( )l,'t.'I('1,\ t, l lx)-\-.\rtD sll.\ l,l - I ì()ll It ltl !'Llj'l'AltG.llT the rear sight is possible, the l'ule is ntt¡t'e llre lrottt .sight còntrury to thc way yott tvish llte ,slrol to go

Á Siehting-in is completed by firing at the ftrll range v appropriate for the rifle caliber and the hunting condi- setting 7 Factory open sights provide vertical adjustrnent by a stepped tions expected. Fire three shots with the sight I the desíred adjustment obtained from the check firing at short range. If the elevator uhdel a leal spring. Should target shown was ñred at 150 yarcis, for example, the sight should be adjusted down three minutes and left two minutes (each minute giving 11,/2 inches on the target at that range). Verify this adjustment with three shots, which should strike on or very close to lhe ainring point, and the sighting-in is finished sight and barrel befole adjustment can serve as a guide

't .--

Q Telescope mounts must be tightened very secut'ely, since (f The great m 9 their short spircing multiplies lhe effect of any looseness. First t vertically an make sure the screlvs fastening the base ol bases to the rifle are protected with s tight. Then tighten the sclews holding morìnts to base, as shown. of turning for' When these are knu¡'led thumbsclews, use a coin in the slotted are in minutes head and grasp the coin with pliels for a strong turn without is in the mounts instead of the telescope tube, move the rear darlage to the knu¡'ling. However, durâl rÌorìnts (identify them mount the way you wish the shot to go with a magnet) are only strong enotìgh for fìngel tightening il Síghtíng

line In bullet poth At Short Lower sketch I shows age of bore_sightine at a I snorr-range target, as setting sight llne pãrailel to bore as in upper_sket -_ e is mich-exaggerate¿ln this and 2 following for cleárness Range

drop 16" 4 6.5'l 4 22 too r¿- 236 yd

Line dra.wn through l) summits of standard trajectories (see Q Whe¡ range, drop, and scope height above bore are known /..arrow) .illustrates estimation of range to summit of ànv this.example 236 yd., l6',, and lVz,, intermediate trajectory, r, .(¡l respectively), range as in this exañrple from the t.*t--' to sighting-in point follows by proportion. Hêre it ié'ZZ yä.

IJ/HEN a rifle has nor been sighted- parallel to the bore. this procedure have been recommended Vy in by the user or if adjustments A refinement consists in bore-sighting by some authorities, for these typical have been altered, it is necessary to at a nearby point. This makes the cartridges: adjust the sights for the user's own sight line and bore line converge, in .22 long rifle yd. eyes and high-speed t6 requirements. effect putting a slight elevation ad- .30-30 Winchester, 170-gr. 25 yd. The bullet first step is bore-sighting. This justment on the sights corresponding .30-'06, 150-gr. bullet 25 yd,. yields a rough adjustment at once, with more or less to the elevation required .220 Swift 45 yd. the great benefit of certainly putting in firing. The advantage of this arrange- Obviously these values must depend paper on the target the first shot fired, ment over parallel bore-sighting is on height of sight line above bore (here thus saving time and ammunition. shown in Fig. l. assumed to be I Vz" as typical for a Even firing Method of bore sighring for sight adjustment can telescope sight), on actual trajectory. be done at short range. The adjustment and on target size which ûxes the ac- the In traditional method of bore- then includes correction for any jump ceptable trajectory height. They neces- sighting, the rifle with bolt removed (or or other abnormality of the rifle's per- sarily result in quite different effective with breech bore mirror) is held im- formance in firing, something which is ranges among those cartridges. In gen- movably by any available means with not provided by bore-sighting aloné. eral, the above table gives acceptable its bore aligned directly on a distant With care a reasonably good approxima- results. Users of other cartridges can aiming point. Alignment can be done tion to the final sight setting can be follow the recommendation for the with good accuracy by looking through reached. A few check shots should ulti- cartridge most like their own. the bore without any special optical mately be fired at the full range, but The rifleman can if he wishes de- aids. The sights are then adjusted on this preparation makes such final check termine his own best short sighting-in the same point. Since this point is dis- firing much faster and easier. range. He needs to know only the 3 tant, the effect is to make the sight line The following sighting-in ranges for elements mentioned-height of his

12 sights above his rifle bore, trajectory is found closely enough by straight-line bullet to go, both vertically and lat- of his bullet at standard ranges, and interpolation or even by estimation, erally. If the sights are gradJrated in trajectory height he is willing to ac- and is about 236 yd. This range and minutes of angle, remember that a cept, Take for example the .308 Win- midpoint height are shown in Fig. 3. minute of angle corresponds approxi- chester cartridge with 150-gr. soft-point mately to l" at 100 yd. At the short bullet, rifle scope found by actual Line of deporture range of a sighting-in target this will measurement to be I Vz" above the bore We wish to know the line on which be proportionately less. At the 22-yd. axis, and an 8" target which has often the bullet leaves the gun; with that we range of the example above, a minute been taken as the size of the vital area will know at once where the short- of angle corresponds to .22", in whitetail deer. range target must be placed to make up After adjusting, verify with 3 more It is most convenient in practice to the height of scope sight line above the shots. If the sight adjustment was cor- sight-in at the range for which mid- bore. The line of departure is given by rect, these should group precisely on the range trajectory height is not more the fact that, in flat trajectories, the aiming poin!. If not, readjust and than half the diameter of the expected bullet drop is approximately 4 times check-fire until they do. Take a fresh target, that being the longest range for the midrange height. In the example aiming point for each firing to make which on a center hold the target will the drop is therefore 4 x 4 = 16". This sure of identifying the groups. also is shown in Fig. 3. never be overshot because of the tra- Using short-ronge torgels jectory, In the example, this establishes 'the lVz" height of sight line is also the allowable trajectory rnidpoint height marked on the ûgure. The range to this Another useful application of this at 4". point is obtained by simple propor- procedure is found in blg-bore target shooting. a rifle newly received or. Following are midrange trajectory tion from the elements of the triangles If repaired first tried at full range, heights for the above cartridge as pub- that are already known. Thus 16 : 236 is there may be shots lost before one is lished by the ammunition nrakers: = lVz : x, from which the desired short placed target. Standard short- 100 200 yd. 300 yd. range is found to be 22 yd. on the yd. preliminary 0.6" 2.6', 6.5" It will be noticed that this procedure range targets for firing ad- justment Lee-'Enfield, with Evidently the range for which mid- contains the assumption that the bullet of the .303 marked above the aiming point range height is 4" must lie between 200 flies in a straight line to the short-range heights 1000 yd., have long and 300 yd. (see Fig. 2). For sighting- target. In reality it is pulled a little way for ranges up to use Commonwealth in the hunting rifle of the exanrple it down by gravity during the time it takes been in in British to move that distance. This time and the countries. consequent drop are readily found. To Fig. 4 shows a corresponding .30-'06 do so, note from ammunition manu- target, primarily for the Ml rifle firing facturers' published data that velocity of M72 match ammunition, which has S¡Mt tùÉ k C¡, .þ M¡ ¡& the 150-gr. .308 bullet of our exarnple is proved very effective at the National UÈt M;¡ h.[ AMIü a { Yd (L ¡ri I r .Ldh dkl 2860 feet per second (f.p.s.) at muzzle Matches. It is dimensioned for use at and 2570 f.p.s. at 100 yd. It is losing 50 yd. The 2" bullseye is reduced pro- about I f.p.s. per foot of flight. At the portionately from the 300-yd. 12" bulls- 22-yd,. target it then has about 2860 eye; however, its diameter has no im- - 66 = 2794 f.p.s., and its mean speed portance to the target's use since it is over that short distance is 2827 f.p.s, intended for a 6-o'clock aim. Sights are The time taken to move that distance âdjusted until the bullets strike on the is 66 +- 2827 :.023 second. The fall horizontal line marked with the range åo /¿ in a time t is given by the well-known desired, and also of course on the ver- relation h = lz gt'z, which for times in tical center line. seconds and falls in inches becomes The inch marks on left edge of the h = 193.2 ,'. The fall in .023 second target are a guide to elevation adjust- is found from this to be .1". It could be ments. They begin about 73/+" below the allowed for by centering the shot group lower edge of the bullseye because this o o U o not at the point of aim on the 22-yd. is the point of strike obtained by ad- I E o target but .1" below it. This would, justing sight line parallel to bore. Of however, be difficult to do precisely at this distance, approximately 7/a" is = even such short range, and in fact the height of the Ml rifle sights above the aoo correction amounts to less than half a bore. The remainder, approximately rÞ minute of angle and is usually unim- /e", is drop of the bullet during its loo portant. travel to the target. With the sighting-in The first step should be bore-sighting target at 50 yd., gravity drop must be at the short range chosen. On firing, taken into consideration, and the above- the bullets will then strike very close mentioned 7s" displacement takes care !oo to the aiming point, requiring only a of this for all the range lines on this ¡oo small sight adjustment to hit it exactly. target. Even if no firing is to be done, it is This target makes no allowance for obvious that bore sighting should be the lateral drift arising from the bullet's done at this same short range. spin. Up to 600 yd., drift is almost im- Fire 3 shots from a very steady po- perceptible. It increases rapidly with sition, fore-end of rifle rested. They range, but at 1000 yd. is still only about should form a very small group. Ad- I ft. Careful sighting-in on this target ¡l Short-range sighting-in target, de- just center this group the at 50 yd. will put the shooter in or near principles the of to 'i signed on similal to those aiming point, so, move the rear the bullseye at full range, subject only of preceding figures, to provide sight set- To do tings up to 1000 yd. (see text) sight in the direction you wish the to correct allowance for wind.------¡

t3 Sight-in j j ,,:â,:t.fÊì\;_:-;

That Shotgun '¿' /

.J, You'll discover why you don't hit your tar$et and what you can do about it

By Clyde Ormond

The combined eftect of wind ond excessívely lorge shot. Fired ot 70 yords in light cross-breeze, with lhree-inch mognum lood of BB shot. Most of chorge went left. Coveroge would be too thin for effective. ness no motler whot the shof síze

T F you want to fincl out-in a dra- The method does, however, serve the overlook rvhen patterning their guns. I uratic, hclpful way-just what your important purpose for which it rvas in- That's the matter of clothes. Do you olcl scattergun is cloing in ¡elatior.r to pattern a gun in shirt sleeves, then what you think 7ou are cloing, then woncler why you miss clucks while wear- give it a thorough 'sighting-in'. The re- ing a half-dozen bulky layers of down sults may anlaze you. ancl wool? The stanclarcl way of tcsting a shot- The answer is obvious. Wrile testing grrn is to pattern it at 40 yarcls. After the gun, r,vear the same clothes on thé cach shot, a 30-inch circle is scribed Whether his gun fits. shoulclers that will be lvorn while hunt- ¿rround the clensest part of the shot The often startling effects of lvincl. pattern. What brancls of ammunition, ancì which shot sizes, patteur ì¡est in his Whot it shows grllì. This s),sten.r clocs lraye urany aclva'- Whether his gun shoots 'blorvn' or tagcs. Iironr such patterning, one Icalns 'cloughnut' patterns. the perccntagc of thc shot going into The degree of chokc bcst suitcd to tìre 3O-inch circle, lvhether theie are his nceds. brands f'he best paper I have found for shot- zes give gu-n targets is large newsprint. ,Any pub- lishe¡ of a newspaper will have ori liand ,Llt"i,'" what are kuown as 'encì-rolls'. These gunner r,r'lrere his p:rttern tvill go at an are the last yards of paper rcmaining on appears to be at an easy 40 yards but is acttLal bird, untler aþlxoxintatecl hunting the- carclboard core, and will cost very really 7 5 . condítions, and in relatiott to wherc, Irc little. tltinks læ is þoitttittg! In other worcls, The targets should be life-size. Birds Try to duplicote field shot patterning doesn't sirnulate fielcl shoot- rng.

ks in 'fhe best wa is to move off in Tnt Rrrr.nnrrrw.* I think it will v19 at an angle to help anyoue to learn a lot about his the gun in the own gun, right off the bat, ancl to strctchecl; reclheacls, I8 inchcs. f.olonurÏ unclerstand those often unaccountable misses. It will inclicate. how to remedy the faults behincl such nrsses. Basically, this 1>roccclure entails shoot- ing at life-size bircl silhouettcs with relatively fast 'pointecl' shots; then in-

r' (See þøge 16) t1 incliviclual must bc If you've never done this, Your first dozen chargcs with e¿rch of the brands guns, perfect fit half-dozen shots will be a revelation. of ammur.rition, in diffcreut shot sizes, iacrificècl to reasonable price. The an- then strike an average. swer has becn a cornpromise stock to fit the 'average' rnan. A stancla¡d shot- Grophic resulls The results are rnore graphic if every shot in the pattern is boldly markecl with a small cork blackenecl ott an ink- flying birds-unless you alreacly know it. pad. Such factors as blown pattcrrts, holes, etc., easily show up with all shot these stock dimensions come close to You'll discover something holes marked, where otherwise they'd be fitting rnany mcn, they don't perfcctly ove¡looked. fit a thiLcl of the gunners who usc thern. The others, through much prac- tice, fit themselves to their guns. A low-cost remedy more of these facts: There is, fortunately, a rernedy whicìr You normally shoot high. Or you isn't costly, especially if one conside¡s shoot low. Your pattern goes left, or a riflc you change the sights to bring, the saving in wasted shelli¡ ancl crippled

?,\

Pollerns too higl' qre due to stock loo stroight, Pqllerns like this indícote good sholgun fìt. Pollerns thot hobiluolly go left meon too long comb loo high, wrong ongle of buttplote, or Also, good coverqge of the gome results o stock, o bent borrel, bulking of heovy clothes borrsl benl upword. Potlerns too low (o worse from correcl choke ond shot sîze over the shoulder, poor slcnce' Thin coveroge foult) ore due to the opposite condilions indicqtes loo lorge o shol size

the bullet on the target. With a shot- or rnissed bircls, to say nothing of the gun, you alter the fit, pleasure and satisfaction from ttsing the Here are some fundamental conclu- guIl. s in faults: A goocl gunsÌrlith can altcr shotgun igh, it means stocks to fit the individual shooter at a t straight; (b) price norrl-rally not cxceecling $20. t ) the heel of Stocks lvhich are too long may be cut the stock is too short as cornparecl to to the right length. Stocks too short the toe. may be lèngthenecl by the aclclition of Oppositely, if you shoot too low, you recoil pacls. Coml¡s may be raisecl b¡' may have (a) too much drop in the lace-on's, or built up with walnut blocks stock and too rnuch pitch; (b) too low ancl refinished. a comb; or (c) too long a heel on the cutting down stock. easily changed plate angles. equipped to bencl stocks, changing clro¡r by bending in the vertical plane ancl cast-ofi by bencling to the siclc.

(b) a bent barrel; (c) a difference in Remember to leod I missed with it on the Snake River your 'master' eye rvhich you may not The above tecl.rnique for 'sighting-in' last season. have suspectecl; or (d) a bulking up of a shotgun cannot take into accouut the clothing uncler the bLrttplate rvhich rvill leacls u'hich one must learn to give fly- not alìolv the stock to fall into ¿r nor- ing bircls. With shotgun shooting, tl.re mally correct position, sicle*,ise. Ntlaybe, gunner must "shoot where the bircl is r,vith ¿r clouble, the tuìres clon't exactly going to l¡e". Ancl the shotgun shooter 'cross'. does ¡eed to knorú if a goocl ancl suitable ence in the gun fit. It is a ncccssâr)¡ thouglì ttnfortuuate pattern is goirig where he ú/rirlis l.re is It is aclvisable to shoot at least a half- thing that in mass rnanufacture of shot- pointing. r

t5 Where does the

By Col. E. H. Horrison, USA (Ret'd) (-\ rNcE a slrotgrrrr lras no rcar sight, its NRA Technicol Stqfi D natulal ¡rõirrting qualitics in tìre hancls of its owncr have a markccl effcct on thc lattcr's hitting succcss. - 1-his fact g:rinccl recogr.rition ìong ago. It is comuror to hcar a shotgunnèr s:ry that a gun 'fits hinr', or cìoes not. Thc trap or skcct sìrootc¡ carr fild in â very short time whcthcr a gun fits hinr acccpt:rltìv, or wìlcther hc cal, ìty View showing conslruclion of plote a tolerably srrall acìjustrncnt in his holcl-

A few brush slrokes leove the plote This fact ¿rlso has ìor-rg becn recog- reody for lhe next shot nizecl. Ncecl has thcrcforc lcd to the fornrnl¿rtion of ¿r nnmber of 'rulcs' ap- ìrliccl ncrcly by cxamining ancl poirri- irg thc gul. In gcueral, thcsc say that if thc cyc is rcgularly founcl to bé look- ing ccntlally ovcr the ìrarrel or rib when the gur.r is put u¡t naturaììy, with thc nruzzlc ancl a fcw inches of the barrel visiblc to thc holclcr, thcl thc gr.rl is at le¿rst ¿rn approxir.nirtc fit. It is assnrned that thc shootcr's gun-hanclling form is st¿rbilizccl euough to give hirr thc same pointirg from shot to shot.

Gqme not bogged by pointing Such n-rcthocls clo h¿rve a certail value

rcason is ¿r Game is not killed b but only byhittingi f shot. The fact cloes not Lqle model self-looder, 28" lull-choke bqrrel. New model self-looder, 28" full-choke bqrrel. A little high ond lef t On the bution

Lqte model pump-gun, ventilqted rib, Cults Eorlier model pump-gun, 28" full-choke bqrrel. Populor pump-gun, ventiloled ríb, Pochmcyr Compensotor wirh full-choke tube, Somewhot This wos the only gun qmong those tesled Powerpoc w¡th full-choke tube. Shot very low. high ond left which wos not consislent in chorge plocement Muzzle brqke found to hove been domoged

c o How to learn the most important Gun Shoo]? characteristic of your shotgun

ncccssarilv go rvhcre the gun is pointed. can, using his long expericnce, ancl then caì Staff when they set out to purchase To bcgin with. guns are not pointecl the to pcrfect the iob by shooting t¡ials. For the materials for conclucting the tests sar.ne l>v cliffelent shooters. Not evcu that purpose, ìre takes the custome¡ and that servecl as a basis for this article). rifles with goocl sights are. Eveu if they the unfinishecl gun to his shooting range Whitelead paste is a good substitute, were, guns cleliver their charges to clif- ancl has him shoot at a nark iu the the resulting paint not brushing on ferent places. Front sights ancl ribs clif- midclle of a large steel plate, the opera- quite so easily as the old paint used to fer. A gun barrel u.ray have been bcnt tion being called "plating". I{e n-rakes clo, ancl also drying sotnewhat with long by accident-it is not harcl to clo. Or sure tl.re custoÌner is not 'airning', but exposure, but still doing very well. the barrel may not have been properly pointing ancl firing in the same way he The target photos show the results bcnt rvhcn it shoulcl have bccn ou the would do in the field. The gunmaker of pìating eight modern shotguns, all installation of one of the moclern then acljusts the stock until the patterns bv tlre same shoote¡. All were of 12- muzzle brakes or acl justablc chokes are centered on the mark. Only after gáuge. A stanclarcl factorv trap load was which bv their size cause the shooter to that ad justr.r.rent has becn compìetccl usccl tl.rroughout, ancl all shooting was holcl tìrd rnnzzlc differently tltan a plain s:rtisfactorily is the gun finished ancl at 25 yarcls range. The pointing mark mttzzle. del ive¡ed. was three inches in diarneter. frorn Some authorities have saicl the gun The variety of perforrrances 'We the shoulcl center its pattern a ìittle above The'ploting' operoîion cliffcrent guns is illuminating. see the muzzle or fror.tt beacl. This is b¿rsecl that sone put their cl.rarges on or close on the fact that urany shooters tencl to Any shotguttner can, to a considerable to the n.rark, r,vhile others scorecl alnost sce the whole bircl ove¡ the uruzzle, attcl degree, do the same tlúng for himself , con.rplete llisses witl'r full-choke pat- the pattcrn thus ìras to go a little high by þIating his own gun and having it tcrns. 'fhese were all moclern guns. Re- if it is to be centerecl on the bircl. Ilow- corrected as the results may require. sults from olcìer shotguns, with long ever, that seems to me to be taking holcl A suitable plate is shown in the first barrels, loose actions or takedowns, ancl of the problem l¡ackward. It is not the plrotograph. lt is r/+ inch thick and crooked stocks, could be expected to be functiou of the gun to put its cìrargc at 4Vz feet square. Sicles are four-inch far less f¿rvorable. sorre spccified place with respcct to the channels, ancl the edge stifieners at top Airning the gun like a rifle, with the front bead. Its function is, lvhc'n point- ancl bottonr are lVz-inch aÍgles. Shoot- e),e so low as to see only the front be:rd, ecl as the or¡,ncr points it, to put the ing shoulcl be clone at the side shown, woulcl have put the pzrtterns of n.rost of cìrargc on the bird. Whethcr it cloes to trap tìre splash which is thrown to the guns too low. that ls the test of its efiecti\/cncss. thc sicles and would be dar.naging to any- It must be borne in mind that in- It is really astonishing how oftcn thing nearby. diviclual differences in pointing will re- ove¡ the years tìre shotgunner has been White paint is used on the plate to sult in even well-made guns being grad- Lrrgecl to shoot his gun for patte n.r make the impacts stand out clearly, Ob- ecl clificrcntly as to gun fit by differcnt (probably a ferv shooters reaÌly clo pat- viously it should be non-drying. The old individuals. Also, while all guns usecl tem their guns), while selclom has it standarcl formula was lnade up of zinc in this test appeared uuciauagecl, ex- becn suggestecl that he hacl better find white (zinc oxide powcler) mixed with amination of one of them (suggested b1' out whe¡e his gun shoots. larcl oil. A little experimenting will give thc plating results) showecl clearly that a consistencv which brushes well ancl the rlruzzle brake hacl sufferecl clistortiorr Getting o gun lo fìt yct cloes not run. Once t]re surface is by sornc accident. Thc cffect was to paintecl, no rììore paint need be added. holcl the choke tube at a slight anglc It is here that the uraker of the high- Passing the wet b¡ush ove¡ the pìate lvith the bore. Repair was sirnple. gracle ìinglish gun gives value not founcl rencws tl.re surface for the next shot. While lhe foregoirtg is illuslrated on tlte õlscwhère. He will Inake a gun without 'I'hc shooting thus goes with almost no bctsis ol a painted steel plate, whiclr is very operalion con lse shooter, if he has to. I-Iis rcg- labo¡, and very fast. last otrd convenienl, lhe sccing the clone also 'tvith Iarge sheets ol u,rappittg Lrlirr firoceclure, howcver, is to makc tìc Zinc white is harcl to fincl nolvaclavs paper wíth a black spot lor the poínting gun tis good a frt for thc custourcr ¿rs hc (or :rt lcast it was for thc NRA Techni- mark.

Lote model self-looder, 2ó" improved-cylinder Populor pump-9vn, 26" improved-cylinder bor- borrel. Open polterns ore nol so eosy os full- rel. Also well plcced. The blqck spot is from o Europeon double of good grode, 28" borrels, choke ones lo eslimole, but the one here is plostic wod used in some mokes of shotshells- left (full-choke) borrel used. On the mork ploced very neorly right it does no horm tìrc finger rc¿rches thc just Yourshotgun... trigger- right for shooting,-'IIìis cvcrything is assruricrl to bc a fit. rncthor-l faiìs bccarrsc it docs not take into consicìcration lcngth of neck, length of amrs, tcncl- Is it shooting ctrc)/ to 'crawl' the stock, etc. where you'r lookin$? as a model in altcring By Jock Shelton The firal test of gun a large slteet of papcr tc to see whcther thc (ì rrorcrrNS rnaclc in tlris country nrc NLurbcr two is basccl on the fact grrn ccntcrs its pattcrrr whcrc cìcsirccl. tailotccl to fit tlrc 'a.'cragc' inan, that thc most important stock climcn- ) Addition of a rccoil pad will oftcu ar.rcl all have about the s¿rn.rc stock cli- sion is lcngtìr of pull (distance from ìengthcn a stock sufficiently, at thc mensiors. But if we coulcl fincl a man of trigger to ccnter of buttplatc). It is saruc tirnc, in rrry opinion, enlrarrcing alcrâge hcight, woulcl his rvcight, full- the most easily controllCcl of all the its a¡r¡>crrurrcc. lf evcn rrrore ìcngtlr is ress of facc, hcight of chcck bonc, dirnensions, ancl it can be variccl to off- ncedcd, a spâcer of black plastic bc- breadth of shoulcler, lcngth arm, sct sonrc otltcr dirrrcnsiorrs that rnay of tweeu stock ancl pad provide it. size of hancl, lelgth of ncck, etc., be not bc what they shorrlcl. will Thcse variatiolls âre shown in Fig. t. a\/crage also? Obviously not. Onc can- Some shootcrs try to cleterminc the Some stocks h:tve curvccl l>ntt, not, then, buy a gun 'off the shelf' that corrcct length of pull by laying the a which h¿rs to be squarecl befo¡e attach- will really fit him. stock in thc crook of the elbow. If irg spacer or pad. I have doue this

Severol correclions possible REMOVE WOOD FROM PEAK, ÎAPERING TO What can he NOTHING AT HEEL do about it? My ex- THEN CUT COMB DOWN pcrience has shown sevcral possibilities. FIRST BEND STOCK UP Nunber one is to take the gun to a \¡cry corrpetent gunsmith or stock- rnaker ancl tu¡n all one's troublcs over to him. This no cloubt is the r.rost de- IÊXAGGERAlED' sirable, painless, and satisfactory cor-r¡se one can afiorcl it. I think, , A stock which punishes the cheek can -provicledthercfore, tlrat r-ro furthe¡ cliscussion of L be corrected by light removal of tìris solution is neccssary. wood from the comb. Use a fine rasp and take off very little at a time, testing often for fit. Keep top line straight. Check feel of stock on face to dete¡mine whether 2f Stock can be made straighter, and at comb should be lowered or thinned, and T same time comb lowered- to ease the remove wood from top or side of comb shooter's cheek, by combining the opera- accordingly. After alteration, stock must tions of Figs. 2 and 3. Bend tang upward be refinished. Excellent inexpensive ma- to decrease drop at heel-from 2Vz to 2 terials for this purpose are now available. inches may prove pleasing. Then with rasp Remove all existing finish, and prepare sur- carefully lower or thin comb, keeping top face and apply new finish in accordance line straight, until cheek is comfortable with directions supplied. Note that this on stock when gún is pointed. This results operation does not change drop at heel in a stock correct at both comb and heel

DECREASE DROP

%,, APPROX. SPACER AND PAD BETWEEN VISE AND RECEIVER

INCREASE DROP

I Change in stock length is readily-when ob- I tained with a recoif pad, and, necessary, with a spacer in addition. A Monte Carlo effect (comb line above butt of stock) can be obtained at the same time if desired t8 quite satisfâctorily rvith atr orclirary l2- foint carpeutcr's hanilsarv, but a good finc-toothecl table saw is bctter. Correction numbcr th¡ee is to clress Shotgun Pcrttern & Quolity clown the comb, if neecled. It may be too high, too thick, or both. The gun- by Distribution rnakers seenr to be convinccd that M¡. f T Nrronvlrv and coverage of shot- tual patterns, show the use of the above- u gun patterns are nearly as im- described grid system to compare cov- portant as the selection of shot sizes erage. The grid is a transparent over- and loads, for successful bagging of lay made on Pliofilm. This can be game in the field. Many small 'holi- bought at most drafting supply shops, days', or vacant areas of sufficient and has one surface designed to take size to let smaller game pass through, ink and the other to be marked on with may exist in an apparently well-cov- a grease pencil and erased repeatedly. eled target. It is laid on the pattern and the un- A critical test of pattern quality for covered blocks noted. small birds and trap and skeet shooting Both patterns illustrated are of high is the measurement of coverage bY a quality for distribution, and selection grid system. Small shot sizes, lìred between the 2 shotshells should depend the size of a half-clolla¡ uncler my right through guns with ample choke for the on the game sought and the shooting cluck fun cyc the cntirc season. No range in question, are necessary to pro- conditions. Note that the approximate ancl not many cìucks! duce desilable coverage under this ex- total energy contained in the No. 8 pat- inch wood rcmoved Only l/l6th of acting test. tern is 400 ft.lbs. while that in the No. will uiakc a grcat dcal of diffcrcncc! For my purposes the grid dimen- 9 pattern is only 300 ft.lbs. Neither Start the rcmoval at the peak of the sions chosen were 1.83 inches square. load is desirable (especially when fired comb, and taper off so that no woocl Each block, therefore, is of 3.33 square- through a modified-choke barrel) for is removed at thc ìrccl (sce Fig. 2). inch area, or 3 blocks equal 10 square normal quail shooting. However, the Rifle shooters founcl long ago that the inches. Small bilds and clay targets are patterns prove the of latter size and re- illustrated ',uhy comb of a high powcrecl rifle shoulcl approximately the the quire about 3 pellets for a clean kill. previous experienced success in have no slope at all, or else should The high-ve- coverage of I pellet per block is thus field by this writer. No. t helps A jump slope forwarcl. This alteration adequate to assute a kill if the pellet locity load is great for shooting your shotgun stock approach that iclc¿rl. size is correct and the rânge not exces' doves, while the No. 8 traP load has Cor¡ection nurnbc¡ fou¡ can be usecl srve. proven adaptable in taking chukar par- wlren there is cither too rnuch drop, or The illustrations, which are from ac- tritlges.-Rot-t-l B. Boucn¡N. too little. I clo not recomlnencl it as much as the othe¡ urethods, l¡ecause it changes drop at both comb ancl heel even though change of only one rnay be wanted, ancl also alters the pitch

:a ,t- :;r;' ' a vise, and apply cnough slorv pressure , .; . to bend the tang a little. Dctails are shown in Fig. 3. Thc first time I at- te mpted this particular alteration, I simply knew that something hacl to l¡e Browning ovcl- Typical patterns fired through-4. the modifie.d choke barrel of a done to take the wallop out of Olcl uñå"t t.äp gun at 3l yds. difference in the densities, and in the size ancl Bctsy, and gct rid of that bruisc unclcr location of iacant areas, can be seen, btrt this diffe¡ence is not rneasurable with rny right eyc. And it workccl-the the naked eye bruise went away ancl I have never hacl it sincc, while iny shooting improvecl at once. Correction nurnber five is ol¡tainecl by taking nurnbcrs thrcc ancl four to- gcther. The drop at hccl of thc factory stock is seldom insufficicnt, but expcri- encecl shots sometiurcs consicler it too much. It is readily ing up the stock bo Fig. 3. This also at comb, which m Rcrnoval of con.rb woocl as shown iu Ftg. 2 will then provide exactly the comb drop rcquired, ancl a very de- The same patter.ns with the 'hotidays' loc¿rted by means of an overlay grid described in the text. Comparison sirable shape of stock. made with btocks of 3.33 square-inch-areas, as with the cover¿ìge reqttirements for game can now be made Fig. 4 sbows the two steps of this oPera t9 Selected Questions and Answers on Shotgun Shooting

SIGHTING IN SHOTGUNS The practice of thinking of shot sizes in one of these steps means a great difterence terms diameter seems be the main My reþeating shotgun well, but of to in the number of pellets available to make þdttetns obstacle to a rational choice. Note both the pattern. second so I h¿ve been unable to hit ducks A consequence is that lar flying second and third columns in the following there tpith it. I haye been consideríng ínstalling are only a very few of these sizes, shot table: 2 or 3 at most, which are really suitable a yentilated rib and also ø sþecial stock. Pellets for a given game. As an example, 6 Do you thínk this would imþrottø my hitting No. Size No. Diameter in I oz, shot have long proved satisfactory for þercentage?-T. R. Garns, Charlotte, N. C. l2 .05" 23 85 ducks, and No. 4 is good for the hunter Answer by E. H. Hor¡ison: While ventilated 11 .06" 1380 who feels he must have heavy shot though ribs and special stocks do help, is more it 10 .07" 868 fewer. But No. 2 irovides so few (litile inrportant that the shooter Ìnow how to *9 .08" 585 more than 7¡ the number in an equal his gun properly and that his gun ac- g ¡>oint 'r' .09" 409 we¡ght of No. 6) that it should be fired tually shoots where it looks. *7Y2 .095" 345 only at geese. BB probably never should pointing, of During the shooter's line 7 .10" 299 be chosen at all. sight should pass nof close along the top of r6 .l( 223 The most reliable shot size is the the breech, but a little above it. The stock 5 .12" 172 smallest which gives adequate penetration should fit so that the eye is placed in this +4 .73', 136 in the game intended. In general it is the 'ling every time. J ,74u 109 smallest size recommended for that game The gun should then center its pattern rr2 .15" 88 by the ammunition makers. With thàt size, at or slightly above the spöt cove^ed bv the 1 .16u 73 the greatest number of effective hits will front bead. Surprisinglv, often it does not. B .17 " 59 be obtained. The range eventually will be This nrust especially be taken into account Air Rifle .17 5', 55 reached at which penetration fails. Even u,hen adjustable chokes are installecl. These *BB . 18" 50 with this method of choice, however, pat- buìky objects force the shooter to hold the BBB .19" 42 tern probably will fail before penetration. r.nuzzle somewhat lower than before, to see T :20" 40 The shotgun genuinely is a short-range tlre target. The gunsmith then must bend TT .21" 35 weapon, This fact is not circumvented by the barrel upward enough to place the pat- TTT (or F) .22', 30 any such elementary device as choosing tern where it belongs. TTTT (or FF) .23u 27 too coarse a shot size.-E.H.H. It is clear that to hit îegularly, the shoot- 4 Buck .24', 2t er's gun must shoot where he points it. It 3 Buck .26" l8V2 PENETRAIION OF SHOT is really more important to test it for this 2 Buck .27 " 15 quality than for its patterning. 1 Buck 30' 11 0 Buck .3z', 9 00 Buck .31', 8V2 CHOOSING SHOT SIZE The lìrst thing thar strikes one abont this table is its great length. This is due I have read recommendatíons of shot to the absurdly fine spacing of its steps. sizøs lo be used difierent game birds, encounter less resistance and accordingly for There formerly were still other sizes, and but these do not agree. The practice must to ø greater deþth. Is this lully also half-sizes in the numbered shot, so þenebdte of my shooting in this respect really so?-Eow¡n¡ friends the table was once much longer even than l\{, Jounsox, Chicago, varies tremendously. ls not there some Ilt. this. Now the T sizes are seldom listed ralional basís on which lo make the Answer by E. H. Horrison: This idea is quite c/roic¿?-N.S. at all, and the ammunition factories will supply shells for only about half the re- incorrect. The fallacy in it is obvious when mainder those shown. most-used it is carried to its logical conclusion, that a Answer: This difficulty arises, as no of The than are marked with round cannon ball would penetnte a much doubt you have noticed, from conflicting sizes other buckshot an asterisk. requirements, The shot pellets must be heavy enough to penetrate effectively. On the other hand, selection of a large shot 9 8 7Y2 6 size results in fewer of them in the shot o O o o charge and a thin pattern. Errors are made both ways, but more often in the direction of too coarse a shot size than too fine. 5 a Observation and experiment in both this 4 BB country and Europe have shown clearly o o that the shotgun is eftective by multiple o o impact. In general a bird must be struck by or 5 pellets the charge be 4 of to No. 4 Buck No. 3 Buck No. 1 Buck weights of spheres of the sarne material will brought down promptly. shot If the be to each other as the cubes their diam- penetrate of well into the bird, they are eters. Horvever, the a¡eas they present will big enough. ooo be only as the squares of their diameters. Some beginners, anxious to bring down No. 0 Buck No. 00 With the available force varying as the ducks and geese at ranges where they diameter cubed, and the resistance varying have found their shotguns ineffective, re- onlv as the diameter squared, it is obvious sort to BB shot or even buckshot. They that the penetration will be as D3 divided would not do this if they had patterned by D¿ which equals D itself. That is, pene- their guns at 50 or 60 yds, and seen the oo The important thing is that these marked tration goes up strictly in accordance with ineffective openness of its patterns with sizes are not closely spaced. Each has only the diameter of the shot. such big shot. A single buckshot or BB about Ts the number of pellets per charge This amply-confirmed fact applies to pene- does ultimately kill the bird it strikes-but as the marked size next above (disregard- tration both in solid substances and in air, not soon enough to do the hunter any ing the dense spot in the table at No. 8 and is the reason why large shot retain their good. shot). The consequence is that a single velocity in flight better than small shot. 20 BARREL BENDING My bolt-action shotgun centers its hits 72" ro 15" Iow and right at 40 yds. with both shot ond rifled slugs, Ralher than send Short Range Patterning it back to the lactory (it's new) I would líke to correct it myself. Am I right in thinking the barrel is to be bent up and . PATTERNING method. 'fhis method has saved me Ieft? Is the crotch of a tree the rccom' SHOTGUN short much time and fltrstration, and has ploved mencled tool?-M.l.A, Kans. Beloit, reliable when later re-tested in the con- .Answer: You are correct as to the di- Editor: ventional way. It shows the shooter where rection of the necessary bend, Patterning is the only reliable method the gun is shooting, and the degree of The crotch of a tree is not the recom- of learning the character of an individual choke. The shootel c¿ìn even get a fair mended bending fixture. That has been shotgun. The shooter's physique, gunstock idea of how unifolm the pattern is by used when nothing better was available, dimensions, manufacturing tolerances, and carefully noting density and evenness of but with such a crude rig you may collapse the number of different loads available the shot holes. the barrel or bend a flat in it. make each shotgun individual. The target is placed l0 yds. from the To do this job yourself, grip the barrel The fact that the shotgun is pointed gun nruzzle, the fired patterns are en- near the midpoint in a barrel vise. Lacking makes it unique among firearms. The point circled, ancl the diameter measnred in that tool, clamp 2 blocks of wood together of load impact is adjusted by changing inches. The measurements can then be with cardboard between, and bore a hole buttstock dimensions. Manufacturers have qLrite easily translatecl into the choke of barrel diameter between them. With the devised stocks to fit the average man, but degree actually fired by the gun. cardboard removed, the blocks between the factory stock does not wol'k best for It is impoltant to fire 3 shells of each the jaws of a vise will grip the barrel prop- all shooters. Stock dimensions may mean type-one shell is not conclusive. Procure erly, Now slip a pipe a few inches over the the difierence between being a good shot one cardboard box for each 3 shot groups muzzle, but not down near the vise as that or a terrific shot. to be tested, the box to be at least 18" to would localize the bend. Pull on the pipe However, the stock doesn't always con- 20" squale on all 6 sides with at least 5 to spring the barrel in the correct direction trol the direction of the shot. A bent bar- sides undamaged. This means 3 shots can by a trifling amount. Then try the result by rel will surely cause tlouble even if the be fired at 3 sides of the box without a shooting it, You may have to do this sev- bend cannot be seen. Shotguns with rnr¡z- prìol shot lLrining a shootable side. Set up eral times before you bend it enough.- zle devices should be checked on the pat- the box at nuzzle height and make an H,E.M. tern board because it is not unusn¿rl for aiming poiut in the center of each side. these barrels to shoot off the point of hold Carefully measure l0 yds. from the face after the device has been installed. of the target. ancl malk with a long stick STOCK PITCH The final factol that makes the shotgun stuck vertically into the ground, so the temperamental is the many loads available. muzzle be Does installing a rccoíl chdnge the can kept at the exact clistance Pad It is fairly common knowledge that shot from the target. on a shotgunT-fonw Ro¡nnrsoN þitch size often affects patteln. Now, an increas- gun Birmingham Ala It is important that the be thrown , ing number of experimentels ale finding to the shoulder, pointecl quickly, Anrwer by and fired that velocity and pressure are also factors. to duplicate field conditions. Center of the Patterning brought this home to me shot pattern shoLrld strike aiming PITOH the when I stalted leloading shotgun shells point ol slightly above aim. If the shot in 1957. I found that by valying the pow- chalge is off this point, it nteans a bent der charge I could obtain almost any ballel, an ill-fitting stock, ol some human choke effect desired necessarv to have the in- in nry Remington 870 shooting ploblem. statlatioi of the recoil pad with improved-cylinclel balrel. To measule the patteln and cletermine done by a gunsmith who Therefore, I believe it is necessary for the choke actually fired by the gun, draw knows how to cut the the shotgunnel' to pattern his gun to find a cilcle that encloses the majolity of shot stock in a mitre box so which loads ale working fol him and holes. Detelmining the few shot holes that that when the pad is in- which against him. seem to have no direct Ì'elationship to thc stalled, the pitch of the Most shooters, after reading articles on pattern is not so diffìcult as one nright shotgun will be as desired. how to pattern the shotgun, have been think. Avelage diameter of the cilcle is Pitch is measured by scared away by the expense, detail, labor', measuted and the choke estimated from pattern putting the butt or re- and time required. Testing 2 or 3 diffelent the following. A cilcle enclosing a (a coil pacl flat agâinst one loads by the conventional method is too of 9" ol less is a full choke pattern of is yds.). side of a 90' angle, then exasperating for the ortlinary shooter, and 6" over' 709b at 40 An imploved the shotgun until the majolity will not do it. cylindel covers a 15" 1o 19" circle. The modified the top of the touches the other side I would [ike to plopose a diffelent way choke fills a 12" circle, equal to it 55ak pattern yds. of the 90" angle. The pitch is the distance of patterning a shotgtrn. Seasoned experi- at 40 These between the end of the mnzzle and the sicle mentel's may say its restllts are incomplete measrrrements are not my own invention, of the angÌe the receiver is resting against and they will be light in part. However, it but obtained flom several au- (see sketch). is not for experimenters btrt fol the aver- thoritative sources. I have tliecl them and Almost all sho tgun shooters use a pitch age shootel who wouldn't even consider' have found them col'rect. between lYz" to 2Yz " down, the average patterning his shotgun by the conventional R. J. McGne'rH being about 77/+" to 2" down.

DROP OF SHOT CHARGE of gravity, just as a single bullet mtrst do. It is true that in England, where 8-ga. Shotgun shooters olten hear and read ol However, the amount of this drop is too and 4-ga. wildfowling guns are still in pattern consideratíons and of the lelad on small to require consideration. For exam- use, shots can be taken at flocks of fowl flying game. But the drop oÍ the shot ple, the drop of the shot at 50 yds., which at ranges up to 100 yds., when the drop charge in flíght never gels mentíon. How is long duck-shooting range realistically does become a serious consideration. But can. we aflord to ignore thls factor?- speaking, is only about 5". Leads on fly- that fact need not concern us here, since in T.L.M. ing waterfowl at that range are a matter this country such guns are prohibited by Answer: It is quite true that the charge of yards, and the drop of 5" fades into in- Federal regulations which have the force of of shot must drop in flight due to the force significance. law.-E.H.H. 2l SELECTED AND QUESTIONS 'A,NS\üøERS ON SIGHTS AND SIGHTING The questions and answers selected for this reprint are typical of those appearing in THr AvenrceN Rrrr-eùrnN each month. A selection of 150 questions most often asked on guns and shooting, with answers by THe RtnLEveN's arms and shooting specialists, are gathered together in the "NRA Illustrated & Indexed euestions & Answers Handbook". This Handbook is available from NRA Headquarters, 1600 Rhode Island Ave., N.W., Washington 6, D. C., at $1.50 to NRA members.

HOW MUCH IS A MINUTE? corrcct, rt can l¡e takcn that the rifle should bullet drops from the line of sight at the be sightcd for the ìrorizontal range to the target, but they can still be used simply by I would like to þnow the exact size of a targct. This is the s'lant rangc tirnes the tlajectory minute of angle at 100 yds. It is usuallv lcmembering that the mid-range cosine the angle clcvation. Values height called a¡t inch, but according to my calaúa- of of is roughly 7+ the drop at the tar- of this rrrultiplier for anglcs trp to 45' arc get,-E.H.H, tíons ít is nearer I-3/64", being exactly as follorvs, to 2 figures: 1.0472"-E:ll:lznrr G. I-IoexrNs, Bellevue, SIoþe Multíply Slant Iowa. EFFECT OF CANT Answer by Gene¡ol Hotcher: You a¡e cor- (up or down) Range by rect. The minute of angle is not exactly au 0 l. WlúIe I hare seen anslvers giting tlrc inch at 100 yds. 50 .gg eftect of cdnt for certaht c¿rtridges dt d Tlris is explained i¡ The Book of The 10' .98 giten range, I vould likc to lnt,c an ex- Garand as f ollows: t 5" ,96 þlanatíon ¡vhich viII be adequate for detcr- "There are J60 degrees in a circle and 60 20' .94 mining this eftect útlt any cartridge at any minutes of arc in each degree, so that there 25" .g l range.-Cnonct A. \Vrlr,r,rrrrs, Brookìyn, are 21,600 minutes of angle in a complêtc 30' .87 N. Y, circle. The circumference of a, circle also 35' .82 Answer by E. H, Hor¡ison: 'Ihc cffect of equals 2 Pi or 2 x 7.1416 x the radius. Hence 40" .77 canting thc riflc in firing is to urovc thc for any range, R, a minute equals ó.2832 n 45' .70 impact of thc buììct on thc targct in thc For cxanrple, thc horizonttl rânge dircction of the caut, ancl aìso slightìy cìos,n- clivided bv 21.600 o, 14tt R whrclì, when corre- ¿t,000 sponcling to a sìaut range of 300 ycls. on a ward. divicled out, is .000291 n. sìope of 45" is 210 ycìs, Thc rifle should bc "Thus if n is 100 yards or 3,600", one ainrccl rccorclingly. If it is airnecl as for P PI minute at that distance will be 3,600 x 300 yds., ovcr-shooting will rcsult. .000291, or 1.0476". Likewise at 1,000 Wc scc that at snrall anglcs thc is cficct I vards a minute will cover ten times that irifling. 'l'he difEculty often cx¡>ericuccd in I space or 10.476". Because the distance estirnating clcvatiou an¡!lcs ancl rangcs in I covered at I00 yards is so close to being ex- mountainous coulìtry must bc rcmcurìtcred Tr actly an inch, the fractiou is disregarded in aìso. Ilorvcrcr, as thc anglc incrcascs the range work, and we cornmonly hear it said effect incrcascs at a continnallv grcatcr ratc, that a nrinute of change on the'rear sight aud at large ang'lcs bccones considerable, will nlove the point of irnpact one inch on the target for every 100 yards of range. That POINTBLANK RANGE is certainly near enough for all practical pur- G In several rather old-fashíoned books in especially as the 'minute' change irr ¡roses, a sporting library, I noticed the any target rear sight is usually not <¡uìte lriend's expression 'poinl'blank the ciactly a minute but varies somewl-rat with range'. From conlext, tuas lhe variations in sight radius and sight mount- it evident lhis meant range ing." al which lhe gttn shol flal, while al longer ranges the lrajectory became curved due to the eflect of gravity. Whal is the poin!- hlank range of one of our modern hunting SHOOÏING UPHITT OR DOWN rifles?-W.E.M. As one who hunts a great deal in ntoun- tainous country, I vould like to knol lrct¡, Answcr: Three centuries ago, it was to dvoid orer- oÍ utder-shooting at tdr4ets thought that the trajectory near the gun above or below me on steeþ ntountain-sides. was entirely flat, becoming curved only at the right, the result is to I realize that grdvity retards a bullet ñred a distance. It was later realized that grav- bullet in the direction of the uþhill and ¿ccelerates it frred dotvnhill, but ity acts on the projectile throughout its obviously will result in the of course there are also otlrcr eftccts to be flight, and that therefore the trajectory to the right of the center allowecl for.-Ernrnr L. N4rxnsnrr, Grants must be curved throughout. As a practical and also slightly lower. The Pass, Orcg. matter, however, it was still convenient to trifling and can be ignored, and the im- refer to the trajectory nearest the gun, portant resr.rlt is to rnove the strike of the Answer by E H. Ho¡rison: It is correct that where curvature is least, as 'pointblank'. bullet e see that the mag- t'he forcc of gravity slows o¡ speeds a bullet This idea survives in the estimate of nitude clepcndent ou both firccl uphill or down. Ilowcver, this force is range at which it is not necessary to make the an (which governs the so l¡uch smallcr th¡n the air <ìrag on a high- any sight adjustment or to hold high on the height e through which the spcecl buìlet (say l/5Oth) that its effect target. To determine this practical point- rifle is along the line of flight is inconsiderable. The blank range, decide on the amount of We can clctemrine the total effcct on iurportant cffcct is flatter shooting, since the gravity drop of the bullet which can be the target frorn the uragnituovc tl¡,o factors. eT obviously depends on rrsrral right angle to thc fliglrt path. On a target, and determine the corresponding the rarrge and the auglc of elevatìon. 'l-he givcn slope, the eftect is substantially the range from the factory trajectory tables for sportslran sclclom knovvs the latter, but salue i¡r firiug uphill or dowr.l, the cartridge in question. Sr¡ch tables often hc can obtailt PT f rorn thc approxin-ra te For a simple solution giving rcsults nearly give mid-range trajectory heights instead of relation that it is 4 tinrcs the micìrange

22 trajectory height. heights for said that in very bright l¡ght conditions, cost item, since with few exceptions stand- various factory load s up to 300 when there is a glare on the target and also ard-grade hunting rifles are not equipped yds. are given in llistic tables. on the sights, it is difficult to tell just how with either. In addition, the peep (again Iìor exampìc, tlre midrange height of the close the top of the front sight is to the like the telescope) requires a little familiar- factory .770 \\/inchester 150-gr. load when bottom of the bull. Consequently there is ization period. The untrained man cannot shooting ¿t 300 yds. is 7.8", hence the a tendency to take a little more white be- believe that big sighting hole gives him a height rr nnder thosc conclitions is about tween the front sight and the bullseye in more accurate sight alignment as well as 3l'. order to eliminate this uncertainty. Again a much faster one. Consequently, when he For thc effect of the angle of cant c, when it becomes overcast or rainy and does try the peep sight he is likely to use note that the distance rT' (which is the this glare disappears entirely, they say it it with the target-shooting disk which un- displacenrent on the target we are looking is easier to see how close the front sight fortunately is supplied with almost every for) is given by the relation TT' : PT sine is to the bullseye and there is a tendency peep sight. The disk is good on the target c. The values of the sines of angles l' to crowd up a little closer, thus raising the range against well-lighted bullseye targets. to 6o are: point of impact.-I.S.H. In the woods, the disk obstructs most of Cant Sine the view and darkens the rest of it, con- I o .017 HOTDING A RIFTE FOR TESTING firming the hunter in his disbelief in peep 2" .015 How would you tecommend supporling sights. 3 0 .052 a rifle in order to lesl it lor accuracy? I However, the continued sale of peep 40 .070 have just had a new telescope sight in- sights by several makers shows there are 5" .087 stalled on my .22 cal. bolt-action rifle and quite a few shooters who have skirted 60 .lot v)ont to sisht il in aÎ my usual shooling these pitfalls and learned how good the distqnce 50 yds. know I cannot hold peep in this case we cant the rifle 5' to of I wide-open really is. Often they were If enough even in a prone position. the right, the clisplaccnrcnt of the hit will it steadily introduced to it by the published teachings you lre 3l timcs .087 or eboú TYz" to the -J.W.W. of Col, Townsend Whelen. When see right. Åo.*"., Since most shooters do not have one of these sights in the ûeld, you are like- In the above way the effect of cant can a machine rest, which is a special holding ly to find its owner is an above-average bc readily computed for any cartriclge of fixture designed to take care of recoil, the shot.-E.H.H. gun is by kuown ballistics. $/e see that at long rauges very best way to sight in the MICROMETER REAR SIGHÎS cartriclgcs giving quite curved tra- sitting at a bench rest and supporting the or with I nole that micrometer target rear síghts jcctories, lateral dispìacemer-rt the rifle, near the end of the forearm, on a tlre on are stated to be graduated to rA mínute of targct can bc consiclerable. This is notably sandbag or similar steadying device. Bring the angle. I do not see how this can be, sínce the case u,ith the .22 long rifle. your left hand back and rest the toe of buttstock on the top of your fist-that is, the síght movemenls are línear and not SIGHTING IN RAIN in the little cupped area formed by your angular. The angular efrect of these move- Through all these years no one has yet ments wíll depend on the distance between had the answer as lo why bullets go high the lront and rear.sights, and this is not whíle shooting in the rain. I would appre- the same on all rifles. Ilhat ís the correct ciate ít il yott woitld throw some light on view of this problem?-N.D.R, tåis.-H.C.S. Answer: What you say is perfectly true. practice, graduation is Änswer: As far as I know there have In however, the never been definite tests made showing such that, with the usual sight radius found that bullets go higher in the rain than they ori target rifles, the movements will ap- do in dry weather. But I know this general proximate y4 minute of angle closely impression has grown up among shooters. enough. particularly in Canada and Great Britain. On micrometer rear sights of two well- Books on ballistics tell us that changes known makes, the elevating and traversing in the humidity of the air have little effect screws are of 40 pitch (one turn advances when a fist is made. on the air density, and that variations of thumb and forefinger the screw l/40'), which is a standard position is shown in the photo' It is atmospheric humidity from the normal The screw thread pitcn ancl obviously advanta- and is extremely steady. may be disregarded entirely in ballistic easily assumed geous from a tooling and manufacturing hand calculations. With rifles of heavy recoil, the left standpoint. The screw heads are provided tbe hand or Probably, therefore, it is not the damp- grasps the fore-end, and either with 12 graduations, each with a click. For rested lightly on the ness of the air during a rain that causes the fore-end tip is each graduation, therefore, the screw will the effect you mention, but some accom- sandbag. move l/12 of 1/40", which is 1/480'. rifle panying effect, such as changes in baro- Under no circumstances should a Now let us see how close this comes to vise, metric reading or changes in the light. ever be frred from a conventional a quarter-minute. The drawing shows the It is well known that, in general, fair since this sort of 'overfirm' restraint will lnterfere with normal recoil and the weather is accompanied by a high barom- poor.-E.H.H. I eter, which means more air density and accuracy obtained will be 7 more resistance to the bullet. Likewise, rainy weather is likely to occur at times OPEN OR PEEP SIGHTS of low barometer, when the air pressure The superiority of peep sigltts over open I less density, less 300 is low, which means air ís well known to experienced target o,ld 2 air resistance to the bullet, and less sight freld shots. Nevertheless the ntaiorily ol elevation needed. hunters stíll seetn to ute the facfory open effect on the target of moving the rear The amount of the effect of the varia- sight. is obvious that the ratio of sight sights, except Sonte wíth scope'eqttipped It tions in air density on the bullet's flight fot and target movements will correspond ex- rifles. Haven't they got the word?-C.R.S. is well known to ballisticians, and books actly to that of the sight radius and the on ballistics lell us that a drop of 1" in the Answer: It has been said that shooters range. For easy calculation, let tts for a barometric reading will increase the bal- interested in their equipment, and well in- beginning take the sight radius as 30", or listic coefficient by aboul 3VtVo. formed on the superiority of the peep sight' 2Vz fL Al a range of 100 yds. or 300 ft., Another possible reason that has been are likely to go still farther and adopt the this ratio is 2/z to 300, or 1/120; thus a suggested is connected with the effect of telescope. That is probably true, and there given sight movement is multiplied 120 changes in light condition on sighting the are other factors also. times at the target. The effect at the target rifle. Some shooters of experience have Either peep sight or telescope is an extt'a- of our single-graduation sight movement

23 is therefore 120 x $ : V+", It turns out drag is trifling on the mass dropped from fact a good safeguard against misadjust- then that the above-described elevation the muzzle.) If this drag on the bullet were ment, since it is obvious when the sight is and traversing screws are exactly right to directed only horizontally, it would make set as it should be. This is more than can give V+" steps per 100 yds. of range, when no difference to the speed with which the be said for some aperture and scope the sight radius is just 30". (They cannot bullet falls. But because of the downward sights, which can be badly out of adjust- at the same time give exactly 7¿-minute curve of the bullet's flight, and the fact that nrent with no obyions sign. Your military steps, since a minute is not exactly the its point usually does not lie exactly in the sight is built solidly onto the rifle, not same as an inch at 100 yds., but the dif- direction of its flight, the drag has a slight attached with Iittle screws which some- ference is trifling.) upward component also. Consequently the times come loose. It is accurately and Changes in the sight radius from 30" horizontally-fired bullet in a resisting strongly made, in contrast with the factory will make a proportionate change in the medium takes a little longer to reach the sights on some sporting rifles which arê angle. The sight radius of most target ground than a slug merely dropped from of inexpensive sheet-metal construction. rifles is near to 30". the muzzle. In most hunting, the limitation of an The sight will actually give about these The meaning and usefulness of this ex- open sight is not that it is insufficiently results only when the movement screws ample depend entirely on what one has in accurate in alignment, but that it hides are extrernely well made. It is not hard to mind. If it is intended as a simplified illus- the game. For this it does not need to be make screws of rather accurate pitch. The tration of the independence of forces, it is of that worst of all possible forms, the trouble comes when they are turned both instructive to the student of physics, but 'l¡uckhorn', which used to be seen on ways in use. All slack in the nut has to be then the effect of air drag on the sporting rifles. Even a flattop sight with bullet points taken up before any reverse movement can should be neglected or the experiment U-notch has this fault. of the U be imparted to the slide. An impression of imagined as performed in empty space. If rise close on each side of the front sight, no lost motion may be given by heavy it is intended to apply to an actual dis- inevitably hiding most of a game animal clicks or other causes of a hard-turning charge at the earth's surface, air resistance at usual ranges. screw, or by a tightly-fitting slide. These cannot be neglected if accurate results are mean nothing in this connection. For ac- desired, and ballistic tables are made to curacy in reversing, the screws must either show how the bullet does fly. Either case be made to frt their nuts almost perfectly is well provided for, and it is useless to (quite expensive), or they must be spring- confuse them or try to force one into the loaded to take up all longitudinal slack pattern of the other.-E.H.H. in one direction. Uiless the shooter is sure his sight meets one of these require- SIGHI BACKTASH ments, he should work it so as to finish each setting movement always in the same . The micrometer sigltt on my .22 target direction.-E.H.H. rifle is one of the exþensive tyþes, but ít still seems to give errdtíc results fot botlt TIME OF FALL Aligriment of usuol flot.top reor (top) science teacher said that gun sight puts My if a lop of síghr on level wíth top of beod, ground, hiding were fired horizontally over level mosl of torget. At boflom, wide-V reor sighì and a slug simullaneously dropped lrom with some alignment leoves beod in lhe open, the muzzle, the slug and bullet would strike not hídin9 surroundings. While beod ís usuol lhe ground at the same ¡nstont. Is this cor- hunting front sight, some considerotíons opply rect?-G,T, to other front síghts Anrwer by il. D. Woite: A certain elnount The remedy is to cut these points off. of 'play', or 'backlash', is present in most This is simplest done with a triangular screw thread adjustments due either to nor- file, one edge of which has been made safe by grinding the teeth oft. With the safe edge down, file directly down into the notch until its sloping sides are just tangent to the original round bottom. then backing up to the correct adjustmeut Slope the file forward a little, to leave poi1t. In other words, if you want four a clean sighting edge toward the eye. If clicks of elevation, you should actually conrc you do not feel qualifred to do this neatly. Answer: It is fundamentally correct. up six clicks and then back down two clicks you can have it done by a gunsmith in a This example is often given to illustrate to desired change. This mcthod few minutes' work. gives the independence of forces, accelerations, for backlash is applicable to botlr This a V-opening 60' wide, the and velocities. rvVhen the attraction of me elescopic sights. narrowest desirable. Wider openings have been used gravity is the only force acting on the 2 with excellent results. bodies, they must fall at exactly the same Now look through the sights. You will speed quite regardless of any horizontal OPEN SIGHTS find that \t,ith little loss in accuracy of alignment, the front velocity possessed by either of them. For sonte time I have had a nice Mattser sight stands free. leaving its surroundings almost as visible The independence of forces, accelera- rifle, but hove not used it becouse I do tions, and velocities has been tested in not want to go to the expense of replace- as through an aperture rear sight. many ways. These include the observa- ment siglús. I sttppose the military sights Contrary to what has often been pub- tions of astronomy, made with the utmost are ,tot sttitoble lor hunting. Is thís cor- lished concerning open sights, a wide V refinement, on bodies in empty space and rect?-S.D.G. like this does not need to be focused clearly in aiming. If your eyes are good ¡ acted on by only gravitational force. This Answer: It is not correct. aperture An enough to see merely its hazy outline in is no longer tb be objected to by even scope the most destrable sighting or is aiming, and to see the front sight, you ' 'practical' people, since with the shooting equipment, but a good open sight on the such will be able to use it.-E.H.H. z of rockets into spâce, man-made ob- barrel can be much better than some gen- 2 jects now undergo these conditions. erally published writings indicate. Sight drilt ¡ The above law is as true on earth as You have, of course, no need for the è- anywhere else. However, within the atmos- Iong-range settings provided on your mili- A 4" length cut from a deer antler tine ¡ phere there is the additional force of air tary sight. However, they in no way inter- makes a serviceable drift punch for driv- drag on the fast-flying bullet, which may fere with use at short range, since the ing sights in sight slots without marring.- ¡ amount to many times its \weight. (Air sight then lies flat. Its construction is in GeN¡ Hun f, 24