Have you ever played with the square beads referenced on this thread? These guys have me very curious and I'll be trying to make one up pretty soon to try out. What kind of front sight(s) did you use on the safari?
Have played with square beads, round beads, totally square posts of different colors, including fiber-optic, etc.
The big thing I've found is you need to be able to see the damn bead--and it needs to provide a consistent aiming point. A typical "gold" or "silver" round bead tends to result in a pinpoint of light off-center of the bead, due to light reflection. So I use a small, fine file to flatten the face of the bead at about a 45-degree angle away from my eye. This not only eliminates the pinpoint of light, but results in a soft, consistent "glow" which allows finer aiming. A flat-topped sight also provides the same sort of aiming point--the reason most are also slanted away from the shooter.
Fiber-optic beads provide a very definite aiming point, but have also found they can be more fragile than metal beads.
But will also note that among the longest shots I've made with irons were a red lechwe in Botswana, shot at over 200 yards with a Ruger No. 1 .375 H&H with an NECG rear aperture, and a bull caribou at 350 yards with a pre-'64 Model 70 .270 and a Lyman 48 rear. The front sights on both were the factory "gold" bead, filed as described.
Might also note that there's an entire chapter on all this, "Iron Sights in the 21st Century," with far more detail, in Obsessions of a Rifle Loony--which some people think is my most entertaining and basically informative of all my books.
Good info. I've got to do some thinking. Enjoying this thread. All you guys sharing your experience with front sights - many thanks! My next box from Riflesandrecipes.com will include Obsessions of a Rifle Loony.
"One should not talk to a skilled hunter about what is forbidden by the Buddha."
