Which iron sight aperture to use?

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Which iron sight aperture to use?

Posted: 8/10/2005 2:43:52 PM EDT

Which sight aperture do you use on your AR iron sights? Do you use the large aperture, also called the "short range" aperture or the smaller one, also called the "normal" aperture? You would think that the "normal" one is the one you would use the most often.

Is the smaller aperture desinged to simply force you to keep the front sight in a smaller area which would make you more accurate for long range shooting? Or does it have a different zero than the large sight? In the Bushmaster manual it shows how the small aperture on an A1 has a different trajectory than the large one but it doesn't say if the A2 is the same way or not.

Posted: 8/10/2005 2:47:10 PM EDT

[#1]

It depends...

On my A2, I zero'd with the small hole. I also leave it there. The large hole is just too big for me. I find it distracting.

You may find you like shooting with the large hole, it all depends on you/your eyes.

That being said, zero your rifle with the small hole. Do a search on zeroing and you will find many, many different ways.

For me, I like the 25m military zero; however, the 50m improved zero is better for some.

Posted: 8/10/2005 9:17:14 PM EDT

[#2]

Do the different sized holes have different bullet trajectories? In the Bushmaster manual it mentions something about the A1 small sight hole having a different trajectory than the large hole. It doesn't say if it's the same way with the A2 however.

Posted: 8/11/2005 10:02:44 PM EDT

[#3]

+1 on the question. I was wondering the same thing.

Though i usually use dots right now. But my irons are zeroed at 25m to 50m using the large apperture.

And before anyone jumps on me for having my irons at just 25, no i am not military or LEO, I just plink at 25 to 50 meters. he

ETA: CB1, normally I too find the large apperture too - well, large. But since im shooting at "close range", i thought that large apperture was the proper one to use. But like Tyler, I was wondering if the large and small will make for different tragectories.

Posted: 8/11/2005 10:34:55 PM EDT

[#4]

Read the manual...the A1 has different zeroing instructions because it lacks the rear-peep elevation adjustment of the A2...which is tangent from 300 out to 800 meters.

That said?...if you ever get involved in a close range situation such as low-light, dense foilage or hostile urban enviro's and irons are your only sighting system?...you'll grow to "love the speed" of that large hole aperature...it's far faster to the eye than is the small peep (which btw..also blocks out a lot of your pupils periphial view)...I highly recomend you flip that large peep up and practice with it and use it whenever encountering possible close quarters situations as you can still be acceptably accurate with it at under 100yards and more importantly...FASTER.

JMHO & L8R, Bill.

Posted: 8/11/2005 11:06:44 PM EDT

[#5]

Thanks for the replies. I was just wondering this because if there was a target at say 500 yards, it only takes maybe 1 second to flip the sight aperture so you could quickly change it but I wasn't sure whether it would change to bullet trajectory.

I have my A2 iron sights zeroed at 35 yards. It gives me a peak trajectory of 1.643 inches high at 125 yards and I would be 1.209 inches low at 225 yards.

Posted: 8/12/2005 1:48:54 PM EDT

[#6]

I'm trying to figure the same thing out. I took mine to the range for the first time last weekend and zeroed it with the large aperture. When I flipped it to the small aperture it was 12 o'clock from the first group but 6" higher. I'm not sure if it was the amount of front post I was holding in the rear sight or if the centers of the aperture are at a different height.

Posted: 8/12/2005 5:55:43 PM EDT

[#7]

They are on different planes.

There are same plane apertures by XS i think, but the holes are bigger for each of them.

I wish there were a same plane, same size hole as mil spec aperture.

Posted: 8/12/2005 7:13:44 PM EDT

[#8]

Quoted:
They are on different planes.

There are same plane apertures by XS i think, but the holes are bigger for each of them.

I wish there were a same plane, same size hole as mil spec aperture.

I agree with that. If anyone knows of such an aperture, please let me know. I'm in for at least two of them.

Corey

Posted: 8/12/2005 8:06:50 PM EDT

[#9]

I like the A1 apertures. Simple to understand and use. I bullseyed targets on the KD range at 500m all day long with my issue USMC Hydramatic A1...

Some guys will switch out and put an A2 aperture on their A1/c-7 uppers. I'm sticking with the A1 sights on my C-7 KISS midlength.

Posted: 8/12/2005 8:34:14 PM EDT

[#10]

On A2 sights, the large hole is for night firing (outdated) and firing with a gas mask. IMHO, you should never use it except for the above, and I find I can use the small hole with a gas mask if you try hard enough.

It is less precise.

Posted: 8/12/2005 8:57:35 PM EDT

[#11]

What Inoticed was you have to forget oabout the sight picture with the small arperture wher the front sight almost fills the circle.With the large one you see more of the front sight base so it looks farther away.Contentrate on cuentering the front sight half way up and you will see youll be able to hit with it.I used the improved battler zero where 8/3 on the drum is 2 clicks high.I sight in at 50 yds.

Posted: 8/12/2005 10:25:08 PM EDT

[#12]

i've been told the eye naturally wants to center things.
the ghost ring (large one) is hard to get used to, but the center is the center, small or big.

the small peep can still have a sight picture, if you're nose is on the charging handle.

Posted: 8/12/2005 11:21:23 PM EDT

[#13]

The large hole does just fine for me, out to 250yds. After that my eyes get blurry trying to center the front sight post. Since I rarely shoot past 250, I rarely use the small hole. I like the visibility the large hole allows, when my vision goes to shit, Ill start using the small one.

Posted: 8/12/2005 11:42:43 PM EDT

[#14]

i use the small hole on mine

all of them are sighted in for it too.

Posted: 8/13/2005 12:09:09 AM EDT

[#15]

I zeroed mine at 50m with the small hole.

I never used the large hole for anything when I was in the USMC and I still don't.

Posted: 8/13/2005 12:21:16 AM EDT

[#16]

The small apeture was intended for low-light or short range situations, which it is suitible for.
Try shooting with the small apeture at night, and you will uderstand...When shooting for accuracy, the small apeture is the only way to go for me. Its so much more precise. The small apeture, however, inhibits rapid firing as its so small its quite easy to lose your sight picture. For shooting rapidly at short distances or for rapid target aqusition the large apeture should be used. Basically, use the small apture "unless"....

Posted: 8/13/2005 12:42:45 AM EDT

[#17]

Basically if you wear those thick BC glasses, use the small hole. If youre still blessed with 20/20 or better, the large hole is the way to go.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Which iron sight aperture to use?

AR-15 » Optics, Mounts, and Sights

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