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Buckhorn “Correct” Sight Picture
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Cappisj1
Buckhorn “Correct” Sight Picture
Is there a correct or preferred sight picture for the sights on the Frontier? Is it personal preference or is there a method for better consistency. I figure there are three positions for the front bead. Should the bead be high like an ice cream cone, medium with the bead splitting the rear sight or the top of the bead even with the top of the rear sight? Love this gun and the way it shoots, just want to make sure I am doing it justice. Sketch not to scale.
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Mistered
Re: Buckhorn “Correct” Sight Picture
You really need to 'round' out that 'V' in your buckhorn blade into a 'U' shape so you can see your entire front sight bead and have a little light around it.
A little space between the front bead and rear blade is necessary to be able to 'center' the bead and see it in it's entirety.
A little space between the front bead and rear blade is necessary to be able to 'center' the bead and see it in it's entirety.
- JEBar
- Town Marshal / Deputy Admin
- Posts: 20375
- Joined: Sun Mar 20, 2016 10:58 pm
- Location: central NC

Re: Buckhorn “Correct” Sight Picture
with open sights I believe that the correct sight picture is the one that allows the shooter to put the bullet on target .... the front and rear sights on the firearm don't change but the way a shooter's eye lines them up will vary with differences in human physiology .... I've found that while I may place the top of the front bead at 6 o'clock on the target, another person may hold it so that it covers the center of the target .... the sights haven't changed ... the change is literally in the eye of the beholder
Re: Buckhorn “Correct” Sight Picture
Of your three un-scaled sketches, #3 more closely resembles correct sight ALIGNMENT.
BBS Carbine .357
- North Country Gal
- Firearms Advisor
- Posts: 6823
- Joined: Thu Apr 07, 2016 12:46 pm
- Location: northern Wisconsin

Re: Buckhorn “Correct” Sight Picture
Buckhorn sights are more than just a throwback to tradition. The sight was designed that way for a reason. Here's a link to an excellent article on buckhorn sights by Tom Gaylord in reference, of all things, to air rifles, but it applies to any kind of rifle with buckhorn sights.
https://www.pyramydair.com/blog/2015/11 ... y-windage/
https://www.pyramydair.com/blog/2015/11 ... y-windage/
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Mistered
Re: Buckhorn “Correct” Sight Picture
A couple basics to give you an Idea.
The 'bottom line' is you need to see your complete front bead or blade and not have any part of it covered up.
The 'bottom line' is you need to see your complete front bead or blade and not have any part of it covered up.
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Last edited by Mistered on Tue Dec 03, 2019 11:03 am, edited 4 times in total.
Re: Buckhorn “Correct” Sight Picture
Great first question, Cap.
Welcome to the Forum.
PT7
Welcome to the Forum.
PT7
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~Пока~
Re: Buckhorn “Correct” Sight Picture
.
Others here have given you good advice. I'll just add welcome to the forum from the TV, Oregon.
Others here have given you good advice. I'll just add welcome to the forum from the TV, Oregon.
UPDATES: OR passes 114, "one of strictest gun control measures in U.S." https://henryrifleforums.com/viewtopic. ... 34#p213234
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Mistered
Re: Buckhorn “Correct” Sight Picture
https://www.google.com/search?q=buckhor ... e&ie=UTF-8
Click on the above link. When open, Click on 'Images' at the top.
Click on the above link. When open, Click on 'Images' at the top.
Last edited by Mistered on Tue Dec 03, 2019 11:12 am, edited 1 time in total.
- CT_Shooter
- Administrator emeritus
- Posts: 5708
- Joined: Mon Mar 21, 2016 8:42 am
- Location: Connecticut

Re: Buckhorn “Correct” Sight Picture
Welcome to the forum from CT. I'm sure the answers you've already received will be helpful. Glad you joined us.
Please consider adding your Frontier to the members' running total of Henrys owned here:
http://henryrifleforums.com/viewtopic.p ... 58#p115058
Please consider adding your Frontier to the members' running total of Henrys owned here:
http://henryrifleforums.com/viewtopic.p ... 58#p115058
H006M BBB .357 - H001 Classic .22LR - Uberti/Taylors & Co. SmokeWagon .357 5.5" - Uberti/Taylors & Co. RanchHand .22LR 5.5" - Colt King Cobra Carry 2" - Colt Official Police 38spl 4" - Sears Ranger 22LR SS Bolt Action
Re: Buckhorn “Correct” Sight Picture
Welcome, and happy shooting!
Actions speak louder than words (Matthew 7:16-20).
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Cappisj1
Re: Buckhorn “Correct” Sight Picture
So, the correct location would be to hold the front bead in the rear site like my last sketch. Then I could adjust for yardage by moving the front bead higher in the rear sight window.
I’ll take a better look and see if I want to modify the rear sight, making the “v” or “u” large enough for the bead. That kind of makes it a modified peep sight combined with a buckhorn.
Thanks for the help and I’ll get the member thing done tonight.
I’ll take a better look and see if I want to modify the rear sight, making the “v” or “u” large enough for the bead. That kind of makes it a modified peep sight combined with a buckhorn.
Thanks for the help and I’ll get the member thing done tonight.
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Mistered
Re: Buckhorn “Correct” Sight Picture
Its really important you see the entire bead or you will not notice small side to side movements that may affect POI.I’ll take a better look and see if I want to modify the rear sight, making the “v” or “u” large enough for the bead.
With regard to peep sights there is a LOT of light around the bead or blade and accuracy is improved.
- JEBar
- Town Marshal / Deputy Admin
- Posts: 20375
- Joined: Sun Mar 20, 2016 10:58 pm
- Location: central NC

Re: Buckhorn “Correct” Sight Picture
thanks for adding your Henry to our community's total .... a key to shooting with open sights is to be able to repeat the exact position of the front sight as it is lines up with the rear sight .... for that to happen its important to be able to see all of the front sight
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Mistered
Re: Buckhorn “Correct” Sight Picture
Not really.That kind of makes it a modified peep sight combined with a buckhorn.
Quality buckhorns have rear blades that have properly sized grooves that allow you to see the entire front sight.
Unfortunately the rear blade 'V' or 'U' grooves on buckhorns of some rifles are too small to allow for a proper sight picture (such as my Henry had) but that sight in now in my gun part 'junk' bin and has been replaced with a Williams receiver peep sight.
You might want to seriously consider a peep sight.
Re: Buckhorn “Correct” Sight Picture
ReallY digging this thread. lol
Remember, it's not how many guns you have. It's how many bullets you have.
Re: Buckhorn “Correct” Sight Picture
UPDATES: OR passes 114, "one of strictest gun control measures in U.S." https://henryrifleforums.com/viewtopic. ... 34#p213234
- North Country Gal
- Firearms Advisor
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- Location: northern Wisconsin

Re: Buckhorn “Correct” Sight Picture
I fully agree on the need to see light around the front sight. I have no qualms, whatsoever, of modding an open sight set to get this done. It shouldn't be necessary, but manufacturers often just slap the same set of sights on all models without regard to this for the sake of cutting costs. I see this frequently on revolvers where the same sights are used on a 6" barrel gun and the 2" barrel version of the same model. That front blade will have daylight around it on the 6" model, but hardly any around the 2" model because the front blade is closer to the rear sight. End of rant. 