I got to thinking, which is always dangerous for me, and in playing with my 400 double, I flipped up the white enameled, large bead foresight to see how helpful it is in dim light. The answer for me is, not too much... but, if you were in a close situation, thick brush, good light say, following a wounded buff, would you flip up the night sight to enable a faster snap shot? This seems like it might be a sensible and useful precaution as my regular bead is a bit slower to pick up. Not to be rude, but I would like replies from those that have been there/done that. Thanks, Lee.

Lee,

I am practicing up close shooting...It is all done instinctly..Just like shooting a shotgun..Head down both eyes open...At 12 yds I put both shots inside a six inch circle..
This all becomes personal..The moon sight to me is for dusk...
Can existing sight be polished??

Mike

Only used the "night sight" for everything. It was the only thing I could see!

Mike, If you ever saw my shotgunning skills, you would laugh about me having any "instinct"!!! I have extensive handgun training and shoot a bit of IDPA and it has always been front sight!!, front sight!! so I do look for it first. My front bead is shined up, but is probably only 1/16". I don't have a problem picking it up in normal shooting, but was just thinking that if I found myself in that position, it might not hurt and could possibly help. I will try it out at my next range session, see how it works. I still appreciate all the opinions I can get! Will/ care to share what sounds like some interesting stories!?? Thanks guys, Lee.

I found that with a good fitting double the front sight is not "critical" in snap-shooting the fit does give the advantage that I was pretty much aligned with the target before becoming conscious of the sights.

But this is only critical in charges. With a steadied first shot, at distances longer than mere yards, seeing the sights is a good idea! and my eyes were never good enough to see the tiny beads....so bring on the "night sight."

I thought that in the thick stuff and shadows I would use the flip up night site but never did. I did file the bead flat and angled it a bit so the top of the flat facet - which faces the shooter - is closer to the muzzle. Maybe a 30* angle. This made the bead stand out much, much more than prior to filing and polishing.

You can also try a larger bead, most likely available from New England Custom Guns.

I blew a side brain shot when I failed to take into account my 8' of elevation over the elephant. On subsequent shots, including a quartering away brainshot which anchored the elephant I don't specifically recall the sights.

On another elephant in the thick green brush and shadows along a still running river I remember thinking how well the filed and polished bead stood out on the dark grey of the elephant in the shadows.

Hope this limited experience helps,

JPK

lee440,
I don't know how big your night sight bead is but I installed a permanent 1/8th inch Ivory Bead on the rifle I carried in the Ethiopian Rain Forest. I could always see it. The rear sight was a high wide shallow VEE on an island base. If I were doing it today ( not likely )
I would opt for one of those Ashley (Now XS) large aperutred "ghost sights".

Rich Elliott

I agree with Bill! The only advantage I find with a so-called "NIGHT SIGHT" is, that it simply gives you a larger bead, and works best in daylight against a dark surface! The thing that works best is to simply install a larger silver, or white bead! A 3/32" bead front from NECG, of the proper hight to sit right in the bottom of the wide V, will do quite nicely for us old farts who don't see so well anymore!

I noticed in Buzz's video that someone with a double was using a peep/ghost ring rear sight. Might be a good idea if you like them.

The front bead is a silver one .065. The moon sight is .175. I may look at NECG and see what they have to offer. I welded up my fixed leaf and recut it to a true wide V express style. The original had a narrow u groove in conjunction with the small bead which may have been great for precision shooting from the bench, but for a DGR with an "Old Fart" with glasses behind it... not too good! It was shooting a bit low with everything anyway, but now it is A-OK. Mac, hope you are feeling fine, looking forward to seeing you soon! Lee.

I don't have a double rifle but I have a 500 Jeffrey with a Rechnagle moon sight on it.

On recoil the moon sight flips into place and I don't like it. Because I mostly use the gun on wounded buffalo and mostly they run away. The moon sight covers so much of the exiting buffalo that I miss with it wheras I hit with the fine bead.

Also on a charge I like a fine bead because its VERY, VERY important that the shot be centered to connect with the brain. A buffalo's brain is only about 4 inches wide and easy to miss.

I now tape my moon sight down so it does not jump into place during the day. I only use it at dawn and dusk because it gives me a sight of some kind for maybe 3 minutes more at each end of the day.

When going into a lion blind in the dark or going home on a river with hippos in it, its nice to be able see the sight as early and late as you can if only for a few more minutes of the day.

VBR,


Ted Gorsline

I've just ordered some front sights for my .458 Lott from NECG. I need to see that front sight faster and easier, and they have them in hi viz red and in white, in varying sizes and heights. My Merkel double .470 NE now carries a hi viz front sight as well and it is so much quicker and easier to locate and see. I had the factory install it. That's what a little age will do to you.

Ain't getting old fun!

You might want to call NECG and ask them whether their hi-viz red is really hi-viz. When I ordered one a couple years ago it was just translucent red plastic, and they admitted that the Germans actually hadn't got it right yet, but were working on it. Better check to see the status of that.

I have tried the "fibre optic" hi vis read sight and it is very promminent. Try the smaller size if you are interested since it is so promminent that the smaller size looks as big as a larger bead.

For the best results you need to either use it without a front sight hood - and you should cary a spare if you do this since it doesn't look as robust as a bead - or also order the NECG front sight hood that has oval cutouts to allow more light in.

JPK