Sighting a No4

[5thBatt]

What do you guys think of this for how to sight a No4

"The trick is to set your eye up so that the eye relief just lets the ends of the "ears" almost touch the sides of the aperture (as viewed), then ignore the rear completely. The eyeball "No1 Mk1" will find the center automatically"

I was taught to just look though the rear & concentrate on the front post & the target & to totally ignore the front sight protectors, while there might be nothing wrong with the advice as such, i cant help but feel this instruction is installing a bad habit, your views please.

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[Doco overboard]

I just went through a bunch of trial and error selecting a foresight blade that would be satisfactory on a No4. I just got my eye as close to the rear sight as I could so it goes away and concentrated on the front post. I do not recall the ears being a distraction but I didn't mind them because they're straight and they seem to go away when I found the target. I did sneak a peak at the top of them when pushing the rifle up and sling tightens to make sure they were level a bit.
I don't know if this is right or wrong I just put a rifle together and started shooting it. I do like the no 4 ears better than other designs because if I glance at them, (others) they look like bent goal posts. At least one side or the other does to me.
I think it will do much better if I could get the slop out of the elevation pinion but I cant see that either until I'm done and looking at the target.

[Ridolpho]

5thBatt: I like to have lots of white showing between the protectors and the (unfocused) edge of the aperture. I personally find that helps me to recapture the exact same sight picture shot after shot. What I don't like is asymmetrical ears which I suspect makes recapturing the same sight picture tougher. The shortcomings of the No. 4 aperture sight become pretty apparent pretty fast if you compare it with a PH target sight used in conjunction with a tunnel front sight. The 0.10" aperture on the military sight is just too big for target work (with aging eyes, anyway!).

Ridolpho

[CINDERS]

I find the MK III sights hard to define with the narrow front blade but find the No.4 sight perfect as having been a full bore shooter for 25 years or so you treat it the same as a tunnel sight have the blade in the center and the tip of the foresight blade level with the imaginary horizontal center line of the rear aperture.
I ain't no spring chicken but I won the as issued with my No.4 at the invitational only held at the SAS range in Swanbourne last year with my 1st shooter No.4 it was a timed event held over 3 ranges 300yds, 200 & 100 multi positioned its just practice & more practice also strengthening your eye muscles.
I sometimes do what the fighter pilots did during the war that is to concentrate on a small speck on the wall at a good distance focusing on it another aid is to use sight black on the blade, ears and front band to get rid of any reflection from them

[RobD]

To improve the aperture of the No 4 rear sight for target shooting: using a very small artists brush, paint the aperture with a thin layer of matt black, wiping the paint off the face of the slide so it only lines the aperture itself. When it dries repeat this. After a few layers, the aperture will start to get noticeably finer.
If you want to get the sight back to normal, crack the paint off with a little brass screw.

[Badger]

That is one of the best books I've ever read (and trained with) on shooting the Enfield Rifle.

It's is available in electronic format, professionally scanned (thanks to Ian Robertson), in the Knowledge Library section Technical Articles for Milsurp Collectors and Re-loaders (click here)

"Shoot-to-Live" - 1945 (click here)

Presenting the Johnson Method of Musketry Coaching As Adopted By the Canadian Army, Ottawa, Chief of the General Staff.

Regards,
Doug

[TomH]

I have just finished reading "Shoot-to-Live" and agree that it is an excellent book and I've learn't a lot from it. I realised that I needed to start again from square one to iron out flaws in my technique. Hopefully I'll now shoot my Lee Enfields a lot better.

One question; that does come from the book though, is did the Canadian Army teach firing from the kneeling and standing positions as this book just covers prone?

[30Three]

5th Bat', I use the method that you mentioned in you first post. I have no military training and just ended up working it out for myself.
By being aware of the front sight ears appearing visibly centered and just at the edge of the rear sight hole; while still concentrating on the front blade and target. It helped me find a more repeatable position for shooting.
I've been using the No8 rifle for practice as well as competitions and found that it has helped me become more consistent.
However I still feel I have some work to do when shooting the No4 rifle; but I think that is more related to body position altering over a 10 shot set.