Off hand open sight

[Redtick12]

In a post yesterday @Bigragu mentioned some open sight off hand shooting I did at his place. So today I decided to put some shots on paper and see how I did. This is one magazine, 8 shots, off hand open sight from 40 yards with my Leshiy 2, 250mm barrel.
My horizontal spread is much better than my vertical spread. There are probably some of you shooters that can diagnose and advise on why my vertical spread is not as good. Maybe just being aware now and practicing more with the open sights and working on better centering of the post vertically? Or is it perhaps a breathing thing? There was a bit of a breeze, though light, from left to right so I kind of expected my horizontal spread to be worse.

 

[Redtick12]

Here is another group I just shot. This one I was concentrating more on the vertical. The open sights I have have white tritium inlaid on the front sight. That gives me a good good vertical reference. I can rest the bottom of the tritium inlay right on the bottom of the back sight and that helps with the vertical alignment. That group was much better vertically, but then my horizontal is not as good. Maybe I just have difficulty concentrating on more that one thing at a time, my girlfriend would say I have difficulty concentrating on even one thing.

 

[delooper]

I find I don't shoot very well with the rear sight so close to my eye. Usually I have it at the "Edgun" text, or an inch further forward.

When the sight is too close to my eye, it's too blurry for me to use.

 

[Redtick12]

Okay, I will try it a little farther forward. I figured a longer sight radius is good, but it makes sense that if the rear sight is to close and therefor blurry it would be better to sacrifice some sight radius for clearer rear sight.

 

[madeintheuk]

Also with the leshiy 2, practicing trigger control to keep your trigger pull the same I think will help. That trigger is a tough one to master, but when you do, that leshiy will surprise you in the accuracy Dept. Even with open sights.

 

[Bob-in-WV]

That is real good shooting off hand at 40. I used to like a black front sight the best. Is that rear a peep sight?

 

[Redtick12]

Yes it is a peep rear sight. It is these:

 

[L.Leon]

That is real good shooting off hand at 40. I used to like a black front sight the best. Is that rear a peep sight?

That what I thought too… really good off hand shooting at 40 yards.

 

[Bigragu]

I’m not an off hand guy of any type of discipline as my rotator cuffs get angry, but just taking a guess cheek pressure placement on the cheek rest may affect vertical stringing?

Suggesting and asking at the same time

 

[L.Leon]

Yes it is a peep rear sight. It is these:

View attachment 329882

With rear peep sight, you’re supposed to look “through” the aperture, as opposed to looking at the rear peep. My first .22 rimfire had a rear peep sight. Many, many gray squirrels and cottontails fell to that gun.

 

[iAMzehTOASTY1]

Check out my profile picture for some tips

 

[Redtick12]

That is real good shooting off hand at 40. I used to like a black front sight the best. Is that rear a peep sight?

Thank you. I can pretty reliably hit a Starling at 30-40 yards. So I am fairly happy with that. To be honest until today I have not shot groups on paper with that gun. I shot enough shots on paper to sight it in and then a group to confirm it was zeroed (those were from a bench). Since I use the gun to pest Starlings and to plink for fun at things like empty shot gun shells groups have not been much of a concern. If I was hitting the Starlings or the shotgun shells I figured that was good enough. It was a little enlightening though to see that vertical spread on the first group and then the horizontal when I concentrated more on the vertical. What I learned is that even though I don’t use the gun to shoot groups I think more regular practice shooting groups is probably useful.

 

[Septicdeath]

Good shooting off hand at 40 yard. I shoot most my spring-piston guns open sights or a red dot at forty yards and get similar groups. I also hunt with open sights. If your shooting like this you will get that critter 6 out of 10 times.

Nice shooting

 

[Redtick12]

I’m not an off hand guy of any type of discipline as my rotator cuffs get angry, but just taking a guess cheek pressure placement on the cheek rest may affect vertical stringing?

Suggesting and asking at the same time

It’s funny that at your house I was shooting at a post, vertical of course, so my tendency to string the shots vertically didn’t affect my ability to hit that post.

 

[elh0102]

I used to do a fair amount of handgun shooting, all open sights. Assuming you are visually focusing correctly, then one way or other, it's trigger control. Maybe a flinch, maybe just impatience, but it requires a lot of practice. Good luck.

 

[Septicdeath]

All from forty yards off hand. I'm not sure which springers. There old pictures. I find it's more rewarding for me to challenge myself shooting off hand. Not much for using a rest unless I'm sighting a gun.

 

[MikeVV]

Great...good to see others shooting offhand.

One offhand shooting session, ISNT going to produce an expert shot !!
Like anything else that takes some amount of experience...(the old saying)..."Practice...makes perfect", is no better accounted for, than here !

Red -
I'd say that for a first time out, that you are doing well. Keep at it.
Try different gun holds (I've found, a lighter hold is better), different stances, different hand placements on the gun.

Mike

 

[Septicdeath]

I do better in a stance like this than standing. A better support. My youngest son and me.

 

[Redtick12]

I do shoot off hand somewhat regularly, just not for groups. I just enjoy the change from staring down a scope sitting on a bench. But now I have a theory. It is that off hand shooting magnifies mistakes you’re making. So a small mistake that might not even see the results of on a bench become more evident when you’re shooting off hand. So shooting off hand groups could be a good way to sharpen one’s bench shooting skills?

 

[Septicdeath]

I do shoot off hand somewhat regularly, just not for groups. I just enjoy the change from staring down a scope sitting on a bench. But now I have a theory. It is that off hand shooting magnifies mistakes you’re making. So a small mistake that might not even see the results of on a bench become more evident when you’re shooting off hand. So shooting off hand groups could be a good way to sharpen one’s bench shooting skills?

It transfers over to shooting firearms closer. Makes you better on the range when using them also.