[cciman]

We all know (or should know) how to sight in long guns and scopes, hold overs, height over bore, etc., but when it comes to handguns with fixed sights, those POI to POA concepts get thrown out the window, and magical thinking takes over.

What sight picture you use or like is irrelevant to the gun- it does not care what sight picture you like or want, or used all your life with other guns. Bullets go where the bore is pointed (different for each gun with it's installed sights). If hitting POA, then your sight picture is correct for that specific tool.
If not hitting point of aim, then either change what the shooter is doing , or change the sights. Ideally, the best way to calibrate is to do it off a solid support (benchrest) to rule out as much human effect as possible. Obviously, trigger management and recoil control needs to be in place.

If shooting low/high, People always talk about sights in these forums, but never specify sight picture, so these topics go round and round and everyone could be on the wrong page. It's like giving an address without a house number or zip code. Sight picture should be first piece of data. Sights used (front and rear heights), sight picture, distance - are 3 pieces of data needed to analyze the poa/poi relationship.

Stock Glocks tend to shoot POA to POI if using the combat sight picture (#4) at handgun combat distances - front sight covering the intended POI.

 

[sciolist]

And it makes sense to set your gun up in a manner that's based on using sights when you need them, not when you don't. So don't zero your gun at 5 yards, etc... unless you compete in a sport that consists entirely of shooting groups at 5 yards, I guess.

 

[G29guy06]

We all know (or should know) how to sight in long guns and scopes, hold overs, height over bore, etc., but when it comes to handguns with fixed sights, those POI to POA concepts get thrown out the window, and magical thinking takes over.

What sight picture you use or like is irrelevant to the gun- it does not care what sight picture you like or want, or used all your life with other guns. Bullets go where the bore is pointed (different for each gun with it's installed sights). If hitting POA, then your sight picture is correct for that specific tool.
If not hitting point of aim, then either change what the shooter is doing , or change the sights. Ideally, the best way to calibrate is to do it off a solid support (benchrest) to rule out as much human effect as possible. Obviously, trigger management and recoil control needs to be in place.

If shooting low/high, People always talk about sights in these forums, but never specify sight picture, so these topics go round and round and everyone could be on the wrong page. It's like giving an address without a house number or zip code. Sight picture should be first piece of data. Sights used (front and rear heights), sight picture, distance - are 3 pieces of data needed to analyze the poa/poi relationship.

Stock Glocks tend to shoot POA to POI if using the combat sight picture (#4) at handgun combat distances - front sight covering the intended POI.

View attachment 1108665

Has someone peed in your Wheaties lately???

lol

 

[G29guy06]

It’s almost like OP is suggesting that the sights should be level, w/ the dot balanced in between the rear sights, and the front dot on what you want to hit….simply fascinating…

 

[cciman]

deleted

 

[Toocool45]

I vote number 2. But sighted in at 25 yards. Then it will be shot enough to tell where Kentucky windage takes the bullet at various distances.

 

[cciman]

I vote number 2. But sighted in at 25 yards. Then it will be shot enough to tell where Kentucky windage takes the bullet at various distances.

No, sorry. Magical thinking. Completely missing the point.

Votes, beliefs, group prayers, wishes, and opinions don't count. The gun and sights don't care. What it does, where it points, is absolute.

 

[DeltaFiveBravo]

#2 is the preferred sight picture but #4 is what many, if not most people see under stress.

 

[cciman]

#2 is the preferred sight picture but #4 is what many, if not most people see under stress.

No
You don't get it either.

 

[peng]

Interesting thread. I learned #2 for general shooting but agree #4 is probably what more people do with handguns.

I used to teach many years ago and I always recall putting up a target just to see what the person could do.

These were very new shooters in NRA basic pistol. Many had never fired a pistol before and it always struck me that 2 questions were never asked.

The first was, where should I be aiming, or how should I line up the sights ?

The second was, where should I focus my eyes ?

All that came a little later though they were clearly doing something when they were shooting that first target.

I'm not sure most people focus on the front sight ever. I'm not even positive they should to be honest.

 

[harold63]

deleted

Good move. Now we don't have to read about you being banned.

 

[Mountain10mm]

#2 is the right answer. Not sure how #1, 3, 5, and 6 are possible unless you installed an incorrectly sized after market front sight. While 4 may be appealing to some, the sights cover up a significant portion of the target - way too much for my liking. Hard to do any sort of precision shooting when the target is covered by the sights.

 

[DeltaFiveBravo]

No
You don't get it either.

Oh, I do.

Under stress most folks focus on the front sight dot and center it in the notch. They do the same with fiber optic front sights too.

The dot simply draws visual attention.

 

[harold63]

I think what the OP is trying to say is when you talk about your gun hitting high or low, it's important to also mention what sight picture you use. In his OP, he says number 4 is the sight pic that best fits an OEM Glock out of the box. It isn't a sight pic lesson. It's a 'the one that works with your new Glock'.

A person wants to believe when they use a center hold, they are going to annihilate the X. If the sights are set for a combat hold, the gun will never hit the x with a center hold. It's going to hit low every time until you either aim how far it's low, above the x, or you replace the sights with ones that will hit the target with a center hold.

 

[sciolist]

Just decide how you want your sight picture to look, what ammo and distance you want to zero with, and use those variables to print your gun. Then adjust the sights until they work right for you.

 

[cyphertext]

Picture 1 and 3 are not possible with correctly paired stock sights. If the tops of the sights are aligned, the dot sits right on top of the basket, it is not covered by the rear sight.

 

[harold63]

#2 is the preferred sight picture but #4 is what many, if not most people see under stress.

Number 2 is a center hold. It's more for tighter groups. Number 4 is a combat hold and is the easiest to see under stress, not what you do see. What you see is how you actually line up the picture. Number 4 being the easiest to see also guarantees an easier hit under stress.

 

[Mountain10mm]

Wrong

There's no "right" answer. All you idiots are putting the cart in front of the horse. The horse pulls the cart. The correct sight picture is determined by the sights, not the user.

Negative Ghost Rider. The shooter is the one in control, not the gun or the sights. If you can't see the target, it's the wrong sight picture. Period. Be sure of your target and beyond.

 

[harold63]

Negative Ghost Rider. The shooter is the one in control, not the gun or the sights. If you can't see the target, it's the wrong sight picture. Period. Be sure of your target and beyond.

Double negative. If you use the wrong sight picture, you're not going to hit the X. If your Glock is zeroed with a combat sight picture at the factory, the only way you're going to hit the x is with a combat sight picture. Changing your hold will not make the bullet go where you want it to.

 

[GlockCanMan]

#2 for the win. Now we need to lock this thread before it gets out of hand.