I've been using one of the "small bead" inserts (the one with a small round bead on top of a tapered post) for lever action matches, but curious about the preferences of other shooters.

Available options = the flat top post, which I can see would be particularly useful for a 6 O' clock hold on the animals

Aperture insert, although I haven't experimented with these to determine how the sight picture would look through an aperture front sight.

Fiber-optic inserts, which are available as aftermarket options.

Just trying to start a conversation and learn the opinions of other shooters.

Thanks -

Steve.

I started with a post. Found round apertures and used those. Then I saw fiber sights and went to those but I am now back to round apertures in most everything.

I don't know that my scores were any better with either type but I prefer the round and use the smallest possible.

On my 35 remington I have a short bead sight since the redfield rear doesn't have enough elevation for rams even with the 404 height 17a. I shoot my best LAR scores with that gun. I could go to a top mount williams but this setup is working.

Wide flat top post on all my rifles, I use a 6 o'clock hold. I tried apertures but couldn't find one large enough to suit me.

Addition to my post above. I use the Lee Shaver round inserts. The ones that come with the Lyman 17a are too thick for me.

https://stores.leeshavergunsmithing.com ... ures-only/

Hoss, I second your view on apertures. I have used the Lee Shaver inserts for some time now. I really like them. Much better than the thick inserts that come with the Lyman 17A.

My favorite Lyman 17 insert is the small post. Sight it in 6 o'clock to where when hold on the bottom foot the shot POI is just above leg joins body. Then confirm a shot holding at the belly line should hit 1" below top of the back. This enables a you confidently hold anywhere on the leg and know the target will go down. Aim small - miss small.

I have a hard time getting good focus on the front sight, especially on bright days. So keeping track of the top of a blurry post is a problem. I like the round aperture inserts because I can center an animal in a circle fairly well whether it is blurry or not. The challenge is keeping focused on the center of mass.

I’m trying the aperture this season. Never hurts to try what the shooters with consistently high scores are doing. What I have used for years is the lollipop that comes with the 17a. I use it upside down and sight to hit what the dot of the lollipop covers. Mounted upside down and approaching the animal from 12 O’Clock seems to eliminate some clutter like rails and shadows when approaching from 6 O’clock. To me anyway.

As my eyes get older and tired just putting an animal in the center of a circle seems like it may be a better mousetrap.

To the seasoned aperture users - what sight picture are you looking for? The entire animal in the circle, most of the animal, all black? That may be hard to describe and we each have different taste so it could stand as a dumb question.

375Short wrote: Tue Jun 06, 2023 3:19 pm To the seasoned aperture users - what sight picture are you looking for? The entire animal in the circle, most of the animal, all black? That may be hard to describe and we each have different taste so it could stand as a dumb question.

From the Lee Shaver web page - "Also, because of the very thin nature of the inserts it is possible to install more than one insert at a time in most sights to allow customization of your sight picture. For instance I use the middle and large ring apertures together to make the annulus appear heavier and easier to see in all light."

This is also good advise, and much worth trying.
Stack them. As many as you like to achieve the annular ring appearance that suits you.

49er

I’ll give it a try. I also learned a new word “annular” a word like that can catch a fella off guard during morning coffee.

No1_49er wrote: Tue Jun 06, 2023 9:29 pm

375Short wrote: Tue Jun 06, 2023 3:19 pm To the seasoned aperture users - what sight picture are you looking for? The entire animal in the circle, most of the animal, all black? That may be hard to describe and we each have different taste so it could stand as a dumb question.

From the Lee Shaver web page - "Also, because of the very thin nature of the inserts it is possible to install more than one insert at a time in most sights to allow customization of your sight picture. For instance I use the middle and large ring apertures together to make the annulus appear heavier and easier to see in all light."

This is also good advise, and much worth trying.
Stack them. As many as you like to achieve the annular ring appearance that suits you.

49er

There is a potential downside to this technique. That downside includes a greater possibility of blocking/blurring out the animals directly to the right or left of your intended target, making it easier to "get lost" in the sequence of 5 animals. If you ask me how I know, I shot 2 animals out of sequence last weekend, thinking that I was aiming at the correct one.

I've been using an annular ring with the post at 6:00. Surprised to hear others are. I found a sight picture that works for me shooting off the bench then look for that sight picture when standing. Find a sight picture that you can go back to every time. On the Pigs I get the ring initially set with the right and left side just touching the Pig then I get my vertical alignment with the ring just touching top of hump. Fine tune the windage with the back half of front foot above the post. When I break there's just a little light between the top of my ring and the top of the Pigs back .... behind the hump but no light between the ring and the top of the hump. I suspect that those that want to hit the middle of the "Big Ball" could just put the top of the ring on the top of the hump and break there. I'm aiming to hit about a half inch back from that. For the Rams and the Turkeys I put the inside edge of the ring just touching the top of the animals head. Then I move over on that same elevation until the foot or part of the foot is over the post for windage. Still trying to find that perfect sight picture for Chickens.

The aperture seemed to serve well, especially considering I jumped into a big match with very little familiarity with the new sight arrangement. I believe I understood Jim Luke to say he had started with a fairly large front aperture hole size and as he became more used to the arrangement he kept reducing the hole size. I seem to be having the same experience. The hole size that seemed perfect during practice became too large for my taste by the end of practice. I shot a smaller hole for the matches thinking it was perfect and ended the matches by putting the next smaller hole size in. At any rate it is a very effective option and seemed to lessen eye strain and I believe it was more forgiving of changing light conditions.

this is awesome information!!!!i am still fairly new to the lever gun shooting and I have noticed I struggle with my sight picture a lot!!! this is great info to have!!!!

I have tried them all over the years, lollipop, fiber optics, Lee Shaver aperture, small and large post. Currently I'm back to the thick post using a 6 o'clock hold. When I was shooting my M1 Garand in the 60's and 70's this site picture always worked because you are putting the front site just below the target spot and you get a full view of the 10x target rings.
Who knows what the next big thing is going to be in front sights. I know guys that are using Buckhorn sights and doing fairly well.
As far as the top shooters, They are top shooters for reason and I don't think a different sight is going to get you there.
PPKNY