My best 5 shots off hand today at 10 meters. RWS 45 with a Williams peep and the original Barley Corn front sight insert 
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N/A Winter fun with iron sights
- Thread starter Michigander
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Been there and doing that.Ya, i was getting fat and lazy sitting at a bench myself..
I was curious how the recoil of the 77 affected the poi offhand vs benched. I had an R1 that if you gripped the forearm it wasn't going to be consistent. In the field I would get better results resting it in my palm or grip a tree and set it on my hand.
With regard to peep sights, I haven't any experience with anything but the least expensive Williams sights. I can hardly see through my irises any more these days. I have never looked through a modern high end peep to see what I might be missing.
your eyes can play tricks on you.
One day shooting peeps on my Sheridan, I found my groups to be left of zero. I discovered that I was shooting favoring the sunny side of the front sight. So I put a hood on it, and that problem went away.
At the moment, peep sights have a ghost image around the edge, and I can't focus on the post to determine where the top is.
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Nothing wrong with one of the Williams sights. Considering adjustments, they may not be as fine or as repeatable as some of the higher end sights. I have a couple of Anschutz diopter sights where the windage is via a couple of push pull thumbscrews. loosen one and tighten the opposing screw, so no repeatability as compared to one with click adjustments. Now the iris or hole diameter in the peep sight will have a lot to do with the clarity of the front sight and target. I have one Gehmann adjustable iris diopter with a 1.5x magnifier, and honestly think it is more trouble than it is worth. The adjustable iris is good for differing light conditions. My favorite set up is the rear diopter along with a front diopter, that is a disk, either clear plastic with a precision beveled hole which looks like a black ring in a clear field, or simply a small metal disk with a hole, these are generally sized for a specific diameter target to be used at a specific distance, in the case of airguns for competition shooting, 10 meters. You simply look through the rear diopeter and center the target in the front diopter hole, meaning get an even ring of white around the black bullseye. I find I can even use that set up for plinking, depending upon the target, just center it in the front diopter or for more distant shots , use the bottom of that circle like the top of a post or bead.
Yes I have found in shooting in direct sun that the direction will make the shot favor the sunny side. Learned that shooting an old Swedish Mauser Sporter. It had no provision for a front sight hood so I propped a baseball cap so it cast a shadow on the sight.
Yes I have found in shooting in direct sun that the direction will make the shot favor the sunny side. Learned that shooting an old Swedish Mauser Sporter. It had no provision for a front sight hood so I propped a baseball cap so it cast a shadow on the sight.
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My first Williams peeps were on a 93 Mauser, my second set on my Sheridan, I mounted them myself. I mounted the irises in the trigger guard.
The original Sheridan sights prior to the peeps, adjusted like the Anschutz diopter you describe. Loosen one screw and tighten the opposing screw to adjust windage.
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I highly recommend a proper diopter. It can really fix your eye problems, put the target and post in focus. They even make them now that can correct for astigmatism.Been there and doing that.
I was curious how the recoil of the 77 affected the poi offhand vs benched. I had an R1 that if you gripped the forearm it wasn't going to be consistent. In the field I would get better results resting it in my palm or grip a tree and set it on my hand.
With regard to peep sights, I haven't any experience with anything but the least expensive Williams sights. I can hardly see through my irises any more these days. I have never looked through a modern high end peep to see what I might be missing.
your eyes can play tricks on you.
One day shooting peeps on my Sheridan, I found my groups to be left of zero. I discovered that I was shooting favoring the sunny side of the front sight. So I put a hood on it, and that problem went away.
At the moment, peep sights have a ghost image around the edge, and I can't focus on the post to determine where the top is.
I am so so so jealous of that insert. The HW inserts are pretty poor. The lollipop is the only one worth having imo.
Know anywhere to get custom HW sight inserts?
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I don’t. The barley corn came with the RWS 45 when I bought it new. I have dropped in 16mm clear inserts before with good luck. As far as HW inserts, I agree, the lollipop was the most useful
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These 5 were off the front bag rested on my hand, 10 meters. I use a 6:00 hold over a Barley corn front insert. I wish I could see better contrast between the barley corn and the bull maybe I could do better. RWS 45 Williams peep. 
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You guys have some AWESOME toys and shoot some GREAT groups...!!
(Historical note: the HW sight uses a 17 millimeter "M17" thread on the front sight securing sleeve, which was a standardized size for target sights introduced after WW2, but it is obsolete for aftermarket stuff. Anschutz uses the slightly bigger-diameter "M18" thread - still very common and for which cool accessories, like adjustable ring irises, clarifying lenses, etc., are still made).
It's a long-standing mystery to me why HW has stuck with the same set of mediocre front inserts since the dark ages. IMHO the best solution is to substitute an old Anschutz tunnel. They fit the old HW 8mm wide grooves and center-up perfectly, and a whole world of cool inserts is available for them. Note also the attachment is a stout sliding steel "foot," it doesn't flex the sight base like HW's tunnel.
Random inserts (note that insert sizes and side alignment tab patterns are proprietary, and NOT directly related to the sleeve thread size):
HW's boring inserts:
Partial selection of Anschutz inserts:
Anschutz's insert size/tab pattern has been adopted by many other manufacturers. Here's some nifty photo-etched inserts (IMHO there's a HUGE marketing opportunity for anyone willing to do this for HW sights!):
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this last one is what i was trying to think of in an above post , wonderful fine line'sYou guys have some AWESOME toys and shoot some GREAT groups...!!
(Historical note: the HW sight uses a 17 millimeter "M17" thread on the front sight securing sleeve, which was a standardized size for target sights introduced after WW2, but it is obsolete for aftermarket stuff. Anschutz uses the slightly bigger-diameter "M18" thread - still very common and for which cool accessories, like adjustable ring irises, clarifying lenses, etc., are still made).
It's a long-standing mystery to me why HW has stuck with the same set of mediocre front inserts since the dark ages. IMHO the best solution is to substitute an old Anschutz tunnel. They fit the old HW 8mm wide grooves and center-up perfectly, and a whole world of cool inserts is available for them. Note also the attachment is a stout sliding steel "foot," it doesn't flex the sight base like HW's tunnel.
Random inserts (note that insert sizes and tab patterns are proprietary, and NOT directly related to the sleeve thread size):
View attachment 529476
HW's boring inserts:
View attachment 529477
Partial selection of Anschutz inserts:
View attachment 529479
Anschutz's insert size/tab pattern has been adopted by many other manufacturers. Here's some nifty photo-etched inserts (IMHO there's a HUGE marketing opportunity for anyone willing to do this for HW sights!):
View attachment 529483
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My brother had a Sheridan when we were kids. We aimed-off to the right for years before we figured that out!
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Thanks for the great info! Here is my solution, machine Anschutz inserts to fit the HW front sight. I now have a complete set. The cone shaped clamp does a pretty good job of centering the insert, but I still verify with an indicator.You guys have some AWESOME toys and shoot some GREAT groups...!!
(Historical note: the HW sight uses a 17 millimeter "M17" thread on the front sight securing sleeve, which was a standardized size for target sights introduced after WW2, but it is obsolete for aftermarket stuff. Anschutz uses the slightly bigger-diameter "M18" thread - still very common and for which cool accessories, like adjustable ring irises, clarifying lenses, etc., are still made).
It's a long-standing mystery to me why HW has stuck with the same set of mediocre front inserts since the dark ages. IMHO the best solution is to substitute an old Anschutz tunnel. They fit the old HW 8mm wide grooves and center-up perfectly, and a whole world of cool inserts is available for them. Note also the attachment is a stout sliding steel "foot," it doesn't flex the sight base like HW's tunnel.
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Switched out the Barley corn insert for a circle today. RWS 45. 10 meters, 5 shots. Meisterkugeln 8.2. Rested on my hand off a bag. They tightened up a little not counting the one I dropped in my last post. 
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RWS model 45
FWB 124
HW 30 .20
I have trying to get the 30 sighted in, I just kept running out of daylight , finally had a free couple of hours this morning, impressed with all 3.
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Hey do you know the Anschutz part # for that style of tunnel? I live in the EU so there’s a good chance I can find one used.You guys have some AWESOME toys and shoot some GREAT groups...!!
(Historical note: the HW sight uses a 17 millimeter "M17" thread on the front sight securing sleeve, which was a standardized size for target sights introduced after WW2, but it is obsolete for aftermarket stuff. Anschutz uses the slightly bigger-diameter "M18" thread - still very common and for which cool accessories, like adjustable ring irises, clarifying lenses, etc., are still made).
It's a long-standing mystery to me why HW has stuck with the same set of mediocre front inserts since the dark ages. IMHO the best solution is to substitute an old Anschutz tunnel. They fit the old HW 8mm wide grooves and center-up perfectly, and a whole world of cool inserts is available for them. Note also the attachment is a stout sliding steel "foot," it doesn't flex the sight base like HW's tunnel.
Random inserts (note that insert sizes and side alignment tab patterns are proprietary, and NOT directly related to the sleeve thread size):
View attachment 529476
HW's boring inserts:
View attachment 529477
Partial selection of Anschutz inserts:
View attachment 529479
Anschutz's insert size/tab pattern has been adopted by many other manufacturers. Here's some nifty photo-etched inserts (IMHO there's a HUGE marketing opportunity for anyone willing to do this for HW sights!):
View attachment 529483
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I actually don't know the model number, but they are relatively common, and Anschutz made several similar models. If you search for "Anschutz tunnel sight" they should pop up auction sites, etc.
If you can buy from the German auction site "eGun," that place is a treasure-house of target sights. Search there for "korntunnel" and it will bring up a ton of 'em. (Search for "diopter" and it's match sight heaven.)
This old thread has a good picture and some useful notes:
www.airgunnation.com
If you can buy from the German auction site "eGun," that place is a treasure-house of target sights. Search there for "korntunnel" and it will bring up a ton of 'em. (Search for "diopter" and it's match sight heaven.)
This old thread has a good picture and some useful notes:
Anschutz - German tunnel front sights
There's been much discussion about iron sights on the forum lately, so a few notes about tunnel front sights may be of interest. This photo shows two familiar vintage German front sights. They have three basic parts: + tunnel housing that clamps to grooves at the muzzle + sighting elements in...
www.airgunnation.com Last edited:
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