Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Anybody Use Merit Adjustable Aperture?

I just picked up a nicely sporterized 1903-A3 w/ a Williams reciever sight. Everything appears to be tip-top, but the aperture has seen better days and I'd like something more versatile.

Anybody ever use one of these:

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=737389

If so, I'd love to hear comments. If anybody knows of a better way to go I'd be grateful to hear.

I did see a rifle by ML McPherson with spare apertures mounted into the toe of the stock just behind the grip cap and may pursue that option, but simpler seems better to me at this point.

Thanks all,

efw

I have a couple of M94's that have them. Stop them down to get the sharpest image for sighting in or load testing. For hunting just open the apeture for the brightest image for hunting. I think I'll pick up a couple more for my .45/70 and .444.
John

I got one for bench testing my 404 but as soon as that was done it came off and the origional aperture disc went back on. They are really good for sighting in etc but be aware that in the field the bigger out side diameter of the Merrit can obsure a bit more where as the slim rim on the standard disc is almost invisible, which is best for hunting.

Von Gruff.

I've been using them for a couple of decades. Start out the day with it wide open, stop it down as the light improves. Wouldn't be without one on any of my hunting rifles.

gnoahhh, do you know if the Merit adjustable aperture will fit in the old Lyman folding tang sights for Savage 99s?

A similar concept is very prominent among the BPCR folks. One is supposed to be able to sharpen up the sight/target picture by meshing aperture size with both light and target dimensions. I got a adjustable unit for my Sharps at Christmas, but have not had opportunity to try it out yet. So much to do and so little time....

The Merit will fit a Marble tang sight and a Williams, don't know about a Lyman. Another thing is a aperature you put on your shooting glasses by means of a suction cup, it helps you concentrate on the sight, I guess. I got one on a trade, haven't used it.

Merrits are not the best, but they work very good. I"ve won a couple of matches using them instaed of an Anshutz rear diopter...

My goal is to have one also on some other older guns as I aquire them as the rear notch and blade just don't cut it most times.

I have one on a Stevens Model 416 .22 target rifle. I've found it very helpful in tightening groups, as it allows me to get the sharpest possible sight picture. It came with the rifle when I bought it, so I don't know what they cost these days. If I hunted with iron sights (not really an option with the 56 year old eyes anymore), I'd move it over to the deer rifle when I went hunting.

mw406- Lyman tang sights (those without the flip-up peep), as well as MOST Redfield, Williams, etc., use the standard 7/32-40 threaded apertures. If the Merit aperture you have has those threads, it'll work. All of the Merits I own work in all of my Lyman tang and receiver sights, but I wouldn't make a blanket statement of universitalty based on my experiences. I simply don't know if Merit used any threads other than 7/32-40. My gut feeling, on the other hand is they didn't.

I never dreamed finding a tap in that size would be problematic until I needed one! It turns out that the common (if you can call it that) use for that tap is in the hobby of model train building. Cost me about $25 for that one little plug tap. You can bet it has a special little place in my tool chest where it lives now!