CHAPTER IV
SIGHTS
The purpose of sights is to assist in aiming the piece. The national organizations allow only “open” sights in pistol and revolver shooting. “Peep” or “aperture” sights are barred. The rear sight usually consists of a notch shaped like a V or a U, the notch being as wide on top as at any part. The front sight is a piece of thin metal set on edge. Sometimes the latter has a special shape or section resembling a pinhead when looking at it from the breech, as in aiming.
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| Side View. | End View. | Side View. | End View. | |||
| Front Sights. | ||||||
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| Rear Sight. | Appearance when aiming. | |||||
| Military Sights. | ||||||
Figure 58.
Military sights usually consist of a plain groove in the top of the frame for the rear sight and a tapering front sight fixed to the barrel near the muzzle.
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| Rear Sight. | Side View. | End View. | Appearance when aiming. | |||
| Front Sight. | ||||||
“Paine” Sights.
Figure 59.
Target sights are made in endless variety to suit individual ideas. The sights most generally used for target shooting are the “Paine” sights, named after Chevalier Ira A. Paine, who invented and was the first to use them. The rear sight is a flat bar with a semi-circular notch, and the front sight is a “bead” sight; that is, a sight that resembles a pinhead when aiming.
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| Rear Sight. | Side View. | End View. | Appearance when aiming. | |||
| Front Sights. | ||||||