Aperture Rear sight, no wind zero

[Hengehold]

When establishing a no wind zero with aperture sights, many times my rear sight windage is off to the right side (from the perspective of looking down the sights). Attached is a pic of an extreme example.

I level my sights when installing. Redfield mount is used. A PNW is in this picture but also see it with Warner sights.

Am I the only one with this trend?

-Trevor

 

[dhbill]

When establishing a no wind zero with aperture sights, many times my rear sight windage is off to the right side (from the perspective of looking down the sights). Attached is a pic of an extreme example.

I level my sights when installing. Redfield mount is used. A PNW is in this picture but also see it with Warner sights.

Am I the only one with this trend?

-Trevor

I’m thinking the problem might be up front.

 

[Jeff Porter]

Reset your rear vernier scale to read zero. When you are hitting center.
Minute variation in milling of rear mount / front tower, actual center of the bore to the center of the barrel can mess with you.

 

[Hengehold]

Reset your rear vernier scale to read zero. When you are hitting center.
Minute variation in milling of rear mount / front tower, actual center of the bore to the center of the barrel can mess with you.

The windage scale can not slide over far enough to align the two zeros.

This is why am starting this thread. I am at the extreme side and outside the usable range

 

[Alan Warner]

The windage scale can not slide over far enough to align the two zeros.

This is why am starting this thread. I am at the extreme side and outside the usable range

Mechanically, your mounting block looks like it's holding the sight off the center.
( To far outboard) mine are 13/16. Don't know about others.

 

[ELR LVR]

Mechanically, your mounting block looks like it's holding the sight off the center.
( To far outboard) mine are 13/16. Don't know about others.

The apperature part looks inline with the bore, (Zeroed to the bore)
the base of the sight does not
is this what you mean also?
This is what I am seeing in the pic

 

[David Mayfield]

Here’s what I do.
1. Don’t assume that the scale is in the middle. Move the sight all the way to one side and count the number of clicks all the way to the far side. Then move the sight half that many clicks back. The sight is now on mechanical zero.
2. Mount the sight on the rifle base. Looking over the top of the rifle the sight should appear to be centered over the receiver.
3. If it appears centered your on your way. If it’s significantly off center the incorrect base is on the rifle. They make different bases for the various receiver diameters.
4. If you have a front sight that is mounted on a barrel band you can start regulating the sights.
5. Put the rifle in a padded vice and using a good machinist level on top of the rear sight adjust the rifle in the rest so that it is level side to side and front to back.
6. Once #5 above is done use the same level to set the front sight in a parallel plane with the rear sight.
If quality machining was done when the rifle was built you should be very close with the windage on the rear sight. It will take a little range time to get the last few clicks to get centered up.
I hope this helps
David

 

[Alan Warner]

The apperature part looks inline with the bore, (Zeroed to the bore)
the base of the sight does not
is this what you mean also?
This is what I am seeing in the pic

Yes

 

[Alan Warner]

Look, this is not rocket science. Level the rifle and rear sight mounted in a vice. Bore sight at a target 10 yards away. Rotate the front or click till you have good windc from visual through the sights AND the bore.
come up 33 from there and you will hit black @ 1000 with a 308

 

[Alan Warner]

Look, this is not rocket science. Level the rifle and rear sight mounted in a vice. Bore sight at a target 10 yards away. Rotate the front or click till you have good windc from visual through the sights AND the bore.
come up 33 from there and you will hit black @ 1000 with a 308

Pay attention to the actual values your front and rear give you - sigth radius/ click value and all that. Math inadequate need not apply.
I once swapped sights on two rifles for team guys in nz to find out if it was the gun(s) or the shooters. After staying up all night measuring and mounting each shooters sight on the others rifle, I asked Billy meek how far off I was the next day at the range. He said first shot was a little high. I asked how high? He said it was a high X.

 

[Hengehold]

The apperature part looks inline with the bore, (Zeroed to the bore)
the base of the sight does not
is this what you mean also?
This is what I am seeing in the pic

Yes, that is what I am saying.

 

[Hengehold]

Here’s what I do.
1. Don’t assume that the scale is in the middle. Move the sight all the way to one side and count the number of clicks all the way to the far side. Then move the sight half that many clicks back. The sight is now on mechanical zero.
2. Mount the sight on the rifle base. Looking over the top of the rifle the sight should appear to be centered over the receiver.
3. If it appears centered your on your way. If it’s significantly off center the incorrect base is on the rifle. They make different bases for the various receiver diameters.
4. If you have a front sight that is mounted on a barrel band you can start regulating the sights.
5. Put the rifle in a padded vice and using a good machinist level on top of the rear sight adjust the rifle in the rest so that it is level side to side and front to back.
6. Once #5 above is done use the same level to set the front sight in a parallel plane with the rear sight.
If quality machining was done when the rifle was built you should be very close with the windage on the rear sight. It will take a little range time to get the last few clicks to get centered up.
I hope this helps
David

Thanks David.
I agree, your steps should work if the rear sight mount is holding the sight in place properly.

Unfortunately, my sight is held off center. If I followed the procedure that you provided then I would be about 15 minutes to the left. This is the point of my original post.

The more I talk about this, the more I am convinced I need to get the sight mount adjusted.

 

[Hengehold]

I’m thinking the problem might be up front.

It is possible. Both front and rear sights are leveled.
The front sight in question has a stem mounted on the side of the globe so it is possible that it is held slightly off from center of the bore also. I will take some measurements to check.