going old school

I did ok in the past few indoor matches shooting a M41 and a M52 with metallic sights so I thought I'd try it outdoors. Since I'm trying to get some Distinguished points this year it seems like going M41, M14, and 1911 might be a good idea. I've read that this is a typical lineup of firearms back 30-40 years ago....I plan on shooting the same ammo that Ill be using for Distinguished, at least on the long line....Any tips, or ideas on getting the most out of this would be greatly appreciated. 
 

I put a scratch in each of my front sight post to give me something to focus on. It's the key to getting a good iron sights store.

I've been doing the same thing for a couple years. Zins says shoot with a dot for .22 so you can see things you are doing that you can't see with your irons.

I shot CF with the red dot today and I bested my red dot score with irons in the .45 stage. The key is trigger control and shot process. ....adding the red dot didn't help either for me today!

Thanks Rob, I was hoping you'd comment. Fortunately my Smiths are old and have dings enough on the front sights to focus on:) I find focusing on the grain of the top serration of my Range Officer works pretty well.

When shooting the 41 if you really want to get the most out of it (training) then start from the International ready position. I have been shooting "metallic" with the same 3 gun setup.

Len

I chased distinguished points from 2010-2014 and shot iron sights for everything.  I shot a marvel for .22 and used my Rock River hardball gun for both cf and .45. (I used wad loads however).  My scores were fairly close to my scores with dots (not good mind you but consistent). I really like the look and feel of irons so I got a wad gun with a bomar rib and continue to use irons now.
  I tried to shoot Revolver / Service EIC at the same time but it was terrible so I focused solely on Service. If I was doing both, your use of that revolver for cf is spot on.  

Good luck
John

Greetings,

My Pistol Coach, now deceased, had me paint a white dot on the back of the front sight.

He would then stand by my side and instruct me "watch the dot, where did that shot go?"

If you cannot see the dot, you are not focused on the front sight....

Cheers,

Dave

In a time with younger eyes and iron sights I remember using  typewriter correction fluid (white out) to paint small white dot in the face of the front sight.  A running buddy with better eyes than mine would take a very sharp lead pencil and make a small black dot in the middle of the white dot.  

FWIW with this going "old school" needs to include the art of sight blackening.  That spray can is cool but real men use carbide.   There was a time when everyone had one of the little carbide burning sight blackening tools in their gun box.  The first gun box I was issued had an old carbide lamp in it..

still have a box of flints for my old carbide smoker

Yea, but do you have any carbide left? I use to use an old metal film case with a small hole in the top. Still have the case somewhere. Have not seen any carbide in a long time.

Len

I'd bet the old school hardware stores still have carbide just like they did way back when...  I'll check next week.

when I reopened my shooting box last year after sitting around for 30 years it still had the little carbide lighter in it along with my squirt bottle for water, but you can imagine how corroded it was... still had a small bag of carbide but it was pretty much dust..

sight black will do these days although I've considered painting the front sight with Aluma-hyde dull black..

CARBIDE HERE!

8 OZ, has lasted several years..lamp grade

You can get carbide at Perry.

speaking of carbide. when do you smoke your sights at perry?

At 04:30 on leg day, and every hour thereafter.

Funny guy! hehe..

seriously though, do you smoke them before you put them in your gun case?

I'm just not savvy on when and where you can handle your firearms at Perry...

james r chapman wrote:Funny guy! hehe..

seriously though, do you smoke them before you put them in your gun case?

I'm just not savvy on when and where you can handle your firearms at Perry...

I never darken my sights. Seeing the front sight isn't my issue.

You coming to Perry this year Jim?

Yep, most all week watching the real shooters perform around me.

For blackening sights, I twist a piece of masking tape and light it on fire. The smoke creates a pretty nice, dull black effect on the sights.  Pretty simple to do and cheap.
At Perry, I will blacken them back at my room because it's under a controlled environment. 

See you guys there.
John

james r chapman wrote:

I'm just not savvy on when and where you can handle your firearms at Perry...

There's no handling of guns behind the firing line. When you get to the line, you can't open your box until the 3 min prep period starts.

rreid wrote:

james r chapman wrote:

I'm just not savvy on when and where you can handle your firearms at Perry...

There's no handling of guns behind the firing line. When you get to the line, you can't open your box until the 3 min prep period starts

You will have plenty of time to get set up 

- Dave

At least 1.25 minutes