Rear Sight Choice

[cbrussell]

With the emphasis now on target focus rather than front sight focus, I was wondering if the rear sight choice should be revisited. I was wondering if rather than the usual notched rear sight maybe a diamond, circle/peep, “V” notch or something else would work better. I currently shoot a “U” rear notch with fiber optic front sight but was just wondering out loud if something else might work better for target focus. I know that people are used to their notch, however, would a different configuration rear sight be a bit faster.

What are everyone’s thoughts?

[belus]

16 minutes ago, cbrussell said:

With the emphasis now on target focus rather than front sight focus

 

Someone with more experience may come along and explain this to me, but I assumed target focus was the realm of dot guys, and not something that had spilled into iron sights.

 

I only shoot iron sight divisions and my focus changes with target size and distance.

[Loves2Shoot]

Target only focus works with dots, not irons.

[Boomstick303]

This has changed in the last year or so it would seem (maybe longer).  Ben Stoeger and his crew started talking about it with iron sites well over a year ago. Depends on distance of target mostly, but they shoot using a target focus with iron sights. I have talked to another GM shooting Limited that has indicated he has also started using a target focus approach depending on target distance. I am sure this would depend on the individual, how they train and at what distances they are comfortable with a target focus and blurry site picture. The transition from target to clear front sight focus takes time. Time that is wasted if one can learn to shoot acceptable points not having to take that time to transition their sight picture. That transition time, i.e. changing focal depth also increases as we age (for most people it does). 

 

For the OP’s original question, it would depend on the individual like everything else equipment related. Not sure you would find out until you tried it yourself. Put it on a timer when testing and see which sight affords you better points being target focused.  Most likely, it would come down to training with either rear site configuration you decided to go with. 

[Guy Neill]

Working from (feeble) memory here, but I seem to recall our host, Brian, discussed several types of sight focus, including target focus in his book - and where they would generally be utilized.

 

IU also seem to recall that the rules specify notch and post for iron sights.

[texasdawg]

Before I switched to red dots on everything, I was shooting ESP in IDPA a lot and had switched to having a target focus sight picture to try to keep my speed up. I modified all my rear sites to have two fiber tubes in the rear sight so that the sharper fiber dot in the front was level with the two blurrier fiber dots in the rear and learned to compensate for distances like we due with dots now. It worked for me, but was a learning process. A picture included, but intent is the opposite. No camera skills,,,

 

[Kilrb]

On 10/11/2021 at 12:49 AM, Boomstick303 said:

This has changed in the last year or so it would seem (maybe longer).  Ben Stoeger and his crew started talking about it with iron sites well over a year ago. Depends on distance of target mostly, but they shoot using a target focus with iron sights. I have talked to another GM shooting Limited that has indicated he has also started using a target focus approach depending on target distance. I am sure this would depend on the individual, how they train and at what distances they are comfortable with a target focus and blurry site picture. The transition from target to clear front sight focus takes time. Time that is wasted if one can learn to shoot acceptable points not having to take that time to transition their sight picture. That transition time, i.e. changing focal depth also increases as we age (for most people it does). 

 

For the OP’s original question, it would depend on the individual like everything else equipment related. Not sure you would find out until you tried it yourself. Put it on a timer when testing and see which sight affords you better points being target focused.  Most likely, it would come down to training with either rear site configuration you decided to go with. 

There are already videos on YouTube showing training with target focus with iron sights

[Hvansky]

On 10/11/2021 at 12:07 AM, Loves2Shoot said:

Target only focus works with dots, not irons.

Ehhhhh it can work with irons AS LONG AS your index is close to perfect and repeatable

[Hvansky]

Listened to Humble Marksman interview with Tim Herron. He brought up a cool concept of a soft target focus with a soft rear sight focus