Hitting Target @ 300m With Iron Sights

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Hitting Target @ 300m With Iron Sights

Post by DrewRoss » 26 Jun 2018, 11:44 am

Guys,

Really quick question. Had a relative just come back from doing his service in the army and he claims he nailed a target at 300 metres using only the iron sights 5 out of 5 times. Rifle in question was a HK G3 A3. He didn't specify what sort of target it was but I assume it was a steel silhouette type of thing. I have never shot that far (without a scope) and would just like to know if this is possible or is he pulling my leg?

Personally I find it hard to see anything at 300m let alone sighting it through iron sights...put that's my dodgy eyes maybe? :unknown:
Last edited by DrewRoss on 26 Jun 2018, 11:50 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Hitting Target @ 300m With Iron Sights

Post by No1_49er » 26 Jun 2018, 11:48 am

Time for an eye test!
I doubt that he's pulling your leg. I do the same sort of thing at 500mtr with an "iron sight" 223. I do have a good optician though.
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Re: Hitting Target @ 300m With Iron Sights

Post by sungazer » 26 Jun 2018, 11:56 am

yep quite possible of course depending on the target. Target rifle guys only use peep sight and no magnification and are getting some amazing scores / groupings out to 1000 yrds. The target below was shot at 500 yrds in the prone position using no rests or bags just a sling. Not by me, I cant do that using a bipod, rear bag and a scope.

ScreenHunter_1.jpg
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Re: Hitting Target @ 300m With Iron Sights

Post by DrewRoss » 26 Jun 2018, 12:12 pm

Ok cool. Thanks lads. I'll have to try it out. Might need glasses! :geek:
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Re: Hitting Target @ 300m With Iron Sights

Post by sungazer » 26 Jun 2018, 12:53 pm

Just for a FYI in the target above those X's are the size if using the Rest,bag and Scope. A TR best score is a V which is the size of the second ring and a 5 top score is the third ring from the centre
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Re: Hitting Target @ 300m With Iron Sights

Post by Supaduke » 26 Jun 2018, 1:01 pm

I can comfortably shoot a 300mm gong with iron sighted milsurps at 300m. Once the rifle and ammo is dialed in it's quite easy.
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Re: Hitting Target @ 300m With Iron Sights

Post by Bills Shed » 26 Jun 2018, 4:26 pm

We use to shoot head and shoulder targets (. figure 12 type) with the SLR L1A1 at 300m. They were iron sights. It took practice but for a battle rifle it was more than capable as long as the shooter was. 308 auto loader with a 20 round mag, they were the days.

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Re: Hitting Target @ 300m With Iron Sights

Post by brett1868 » 26 Jun 2018, 5:02 pm

DrewRoss wrote:Ok cool. Thanks lads. I'll have to try it out. Might need glasses! :geek:


If you're in western Sydney I can highly recommend John Granata at Northmead. He does my prescription glasses for pistol shooting and is firearms friendly, I've taken pistols down there (with permission) so I can check the sight picture whilst he fiddles with the dials. I use Bolle safety spec frames with plastic lenses so they comply with the safety requirements.

http://www.granataoptometrist.com.au/
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Re: Hitting Target @ 300m With Iron Sights

Post by bladeracer » 26 Jun 2018, 5:47 pm

DrewRoss wrote:Guys,

Really quick question. Had a relative just come back from doing his service in the army and he claims he nailed a target at 300 metres using only the iron sights 5 out of 5 times. Rifle in question was a HK G3 A3. He didn't specify what sort of target it was but I assume it was a steel silhouette type of thing. I have never shot that far (without a scope) and would just like to know if this is possible or is he pulling my leg?

Personally I find it hard to see anything at 300m let alone sighting it through iron sights...put that's my dodgy eyes maybe? :unknown:


I could probably hit a silhouette at 300m offhand, but not 100% of the time. From prone or seated position I reckon it'd be easily achievable with a little practice. My eyesight with iron sights is pretty poor past about 40m, but the main problem is focusing on a small target dot, I need about a 60mm target diamond at 100m for accurate sighting, a full-size silhouette would be a doddle at 300m.

Metallic Silhouette competition with lever-action rifles (Lever Action or "LA" stands for "Lucky As" to hit anything") is done out to 200m on the ram, which is roughly the size of a silhouette laid on it's side.
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Re: Hitting Target @ 300m With Iron Sights

Post by bladeracer » 26 Jun 2018, 5:51 pm

brett1868 wrote:
DrewRoss wrote:Ok cool. Thanks lads. I'll have to try it out. Might need glasses! :geek:


If you're in western Sydney I can highly recommend John Granata at Northmead. He does my prescription glasses for pistol shooting and is firearms friendly, I've taken pistols down there (with permission) so I can check the sight picture whilst he fiddles with the dials. I use Bolle safety spec frames with plastic lenses so they comply with the safety requirements.

http://www.granataoptometrist.com.au/


My local is a shooter and has invited me to bring a rifle in to have shooting glasses made up. Haven't pulled the trigger on that, but only because I'm a stubborn old bastard with eyesight like an eagle (an eagle of very advanced age). Must get it happening sometime though.
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Re: Hitting Target @ 300m With Iron Sights

Post by Daddybang » 26 Jun 2018, 6:14 pm

Bills Shed wrote:We use to shoot head and shoulder targets (. figure 12 type) with the SLR L1A1 at 300m. They were iron sights. It took practice but for a battle rifle it was more than capable as long as the shooter was. 308 auto loader with a 20 round mag, they were the days.

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Dad qualified as marksman at three hundred with the slr(1968)...I'd like to be able to shoot at that kinda range with'em but I've never used irons/opens over 100mt. :drinks:
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Re: Hitting Target @ 300m With Iron Sights

Post by Stix » 26 Jun 2018, 6:31 pm

Yes i agree with you all...!!!
I cant see why not...I know its not the same thing, but i could put 9/10 .22lr sub HP's into the brain of a bunny out to a good 110 yds when i was a kid (11-14 y/o)--& that was shooting a factory Sportco mod 63A with the standard open sights & a tractor pull trigger...!!
So i see no reason what you say wouldn't be easily achievable with the right equipment... :thumbsup:

Then at the age of 14 when competing in smallbore comps i used to think it was basically cheating being able to use peep sights. :thumbsup: ..i also remember wondering why the older blokes used to wear glasses when the sights & targets were so easy to see... :lol:...boy do i get it now... :lol: :lol:
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Re: Hitting Target @ 300m With Iron Sights

Post by in2anity » 26 Jun 2018, 9:50 pm

It has a lot to do with exactly what type of iron sights you use, how clear/contrasting the target is, how well the target pairs with the sights, and how long your sight radius is. Optimize all these variables with an accurate rifle, and I reckon you can shoot about as well as with a 4x scope. A scope is obviously just a helluva lot more versatile for all kinds of situations.

For example, as has been stated, smallbore/fullbore is a small circular aperture, masking a tunnel, which is silhouetting a contrasting circle (over a nice long barrel) - shoot this off a rest and it’s actually relatively easy to shoot really tight groups. Take away your front rest and have your abdomen in contact with the ground (from prone) - NOW things start to get a little trickier!

A front post (like most milsurps have) makes it a little harder, but this is where a 6-clock hold and/or a target with a somewhat flat-bottomed hard edge can really help - after a few sighers, you can really consistently sling them in there, especially if someone is calling your shots!
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Re: Hitting Target @ 300m With Iron Sights

Post by RoginaJack » 27 Jun 2018, 11:56 am

Yeah, not much of a problem. The old SLR 7.62 had a amateurish rear peep sight that just slide up a ramp for elevation. On the 303 had a Parker Hale peep and shot out to 900 yds. At 300 regularly shot 39/40. The biggest problem was wind and mirage....

Ah yes, definitely; " those were the days". :thumbsup:
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Re: Hitting Target @ 300m With Iron Sights

Post by gunnnie » 27 Jun 2018, 8:21 pm

I use a 1917 SMLE No1 MkIII 303Brit as issued at comps out to 800M. As long as the wind isn't bad & I can judge it right, I don't have too much hassle in hitting 10 for 10 scorers.
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Re: Hitting Target @ 300m With Iron Sights

Post by Wm.Traynor » 27 Jun 2018, 9:06 pm

If your eyes are dodgy Drew and you want to belly shoot at long range, the NRAA rules allow a magnifying lens in front of the fore-sight and a correction lens behind the peep. With those lenses and Sumo fore-sight rings I got waterline elevation :D
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