Author Topic: Open sight aiming with hammer in the way (Read 843 times)

RUGBYWAZ · « **on:** February 04, 2005, 06:59:12 AM »

Gentleman

As I look at the huntsman/sidekick it appears that when using open sights one can not aim till the firing mechanism is engaged. In addition, do you guys find it hard to stay on target after firing since the sights disappear.

This seems like a fairly questionable design. However, I do like the weapon given its overall design (simple), weight, accuracy, and above all price.

Please let me know your opinions or if I am missing something.

Regards

MSP Ret · « **Reply #1 on:** February 05, 2005, 07:35:45 AM »

, Welcome aboard Rugbywaz, I hope you find your stay here enjoyable, it is a great place to learn about guns, I am sure you will enjoy it here.
I am trying to think of an instance when you would aim at something with iron sights and not have the hammer cocked and ready to fire, but I cannot think of a reason to do so. Also what is this "staying on target after firing" thing you mentioned that seems to be interrupted by the hammer fall?
I and many others do not find this design "questionable". The basic design of a single hammer gun has been around for over 100 years and has been slowly refined to what we have today. What is it about the design do you find "questionable"? I would appreciate an explanation why you find it "questionable". I do not mean to sound argumentative I just cannot for the life of me figure out what you are finding fault with or why...Thanks for your insightful answers, I am always ready and willing, and even eager, to learn....<><.... :grin:

Remember visit often and stay late, your always welcome and among friends!!!

P.S. In answer to you last question, Yes, you are missing something and it is something best learned by your own experiences with these fine little guns rather than from the words of others. Buy one and shoot it a while, you may in fact find you will learn to enjoy them for what they are, plain, simple, accurate, fun, inexpensive, "Handi", and addictive!!!!....<><.... :grin:

mangulator · « **Reply #2 on:** February 05, 2005, 10:27:25 AM »

Welcome to the form RUGBYWAZ. I just got back from the muzzle loader range to day and had read your comments on the Huntsman/Sidekick. I find it difficult after firing this weapon to remain on sight because of the recoil. I do not think its questionable design. Go out and shoot one you will be hooked like MSP Ret states...

JRSR126 · « **Reply #3 on:** February 05, 2005, 09:15:37 PM »

I can see the sights over the hammer on my Huntsman and the rear sight is set very low. Huntsman has those plastic sights while the Sidekick has the metal ones. The plastic rear sights look like they sit higher.

Busta · « **Reply #4 on:** February 06, 2005, 02:28:50 AM »

JRSR126,

All of the new Huntsmans have the Williams Fire Sights just like the Sidekick. The barrels from the barrel program also have the metal sights.

I just don't think H&R/NEF did their Homework when switching to the Williams Fire Sights. They need to match the sight height to the sight radius and get the best setup with the most adjustment in both directions. A few thousandths can make a BIG difference at 50 or 100 yards. I know a 24" barrel vs a 26" barrel is not much of a change but if you are at one end of an adjustment for one barrel you may not have enough adjustment for the other.

With that being said, I don't have a problem with the hammer blocking the sights, once the hammer is there and as long as I was holding on target the bullet should be in the target or animal before I would even notice it being there due to recoil recovery. Now if it were a .22, that might be a different story since there is only minor recoil but I don't think it would hinder my accuracy. We have been shooting the shotguns with the sighting plane right down the top of the barrels for years.

RT8 · « **Reply #5 on:** February 08, 2005, 10:49:08 AM »

in addition to the recoil, all that black smoke coming out of the muzzle tends to interupt the sight picture as well.

What possible use could one have for 'continuing the sight picture' with a single shot muzzleloader after the trigger has been pulled?

RUGBYWAZ · « **Reply #6 on:** February 08, 2005, 10:57:10 AM »

Thanks for the reply fellas. I understand that you love your weapon.
I have fired the sidekick. I guess my hunting experience comes from using my remington 1100. I look straight down the barrel through my bead at the target. Click off my safety before the ready to fire and then bam. Keep the bead on the target and hold through the kick. It is the way I was taught to shoot.

With the sidekick, you must cock the hammer, aim and fire. Using the weapon that I was firing, the sights disappeared when the hammer released. Based on my experience, this would make you pull off your target since you can no longer see it.

This is especially crucial if its a moving deer. Again, this is just my 2 cents. However, it seems that the folks on this site have not had any issues with accuracy even though I would consider this a design flaw .

Regards

Rugby