Front sights...to bead or not to bead....that is the question?

The front bead/site should be an intricate part of the entire "sighting picture" to include proper shouldering, both eyes open & follow through
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With proper shouldering, I would be looking right down the rib, no? Thanks for your input Jeff

Chuck
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Technically yes.

Without the front bead you have roughly 50 degrees of barrel (unless ribbed) to focus on.

If ribbed, during a snap shot you may actually be lining up on the corner & not directly on the top of the barrel.

So the bead on the top of the rib give you a "exact point" to line up on.

Tough to explain over the net, I know.

Remember, in most cases the longer the barrel the less accurate the firearm is for the "shooter" due to barrel float.

A great example we use in class is the accuracy between the Glock 17 & Glock 19.

The 17 is the favorite gun for LE but the 19 is more accurate due to the shorter barrel (barrel float & site picture).

We then prove it to them by have them fire both weapons from the holster shooting a "Double Tap" then working up to a "Mozambique Drill."

Problem is the 19 is to small for most officers hands.

Point is no matter what firearm we put in their hands, pistol, shotgun, rifle or machine gun there's (1) one thing that is constant with all.

Front Site - Front Site - Front Site

If your front site is lined up with your target, you will hit the target.
 
I will probably always have a bead on the end of my shotgun. I'm for sure not going to take one off because I think it would improve my shooting, but I can shoot OK without one for sure. Having said that, I think it is just about the least important aspect of the whole picture. I have shotguns with single beads and shotguns with twins, neither gets me excited.
 
Doesn't this go back to the Mag Light in the barrel exercises. It's all about muscle memory.
I'm done, John
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Yes, MM is part of the equation, but that changes depending on what type of clothing you're wearing & your shooting position (sitting/standing/on back)

But without a proper "Sight Picture" the rest of the equation will not add up.
 
The shot guns I shoot the best, don't have ribs. Model 12's, with the original small bead at the end of the barrel. Have never been able to understand the function of ribs, especially ventilated ones in hunting situations. Other than they sure pick up lots of debris. Auto's seem to need them, like my Benelli M-1. Great pheasant gun, fair for ducks, most likely cuz of it's weight, rib, and me.

I'd say a bead is more Function than tradition, but what do I know? I don't make em, I just shoot em, and sometimes not very well - Damn Bead!
 
I like having a bead because it verifies that I'm mounting the gun properly with all my different layers. I don't believe I pay any attention to it while actually wing shooting but it always helps to mount and swing a few times once I'm dressed and in the morning's actual shooting position. Kind of fine tuning MM for the days situation. I also find out if the bucket or seat I'm sitting on is going to tip over or shift. Damn, I hate my new tripod folding seat!

Scott
 
I rely on the bead. I shoot right handed but am heavy left eye dominant so the bead helps slew my right eye down the barrel.
 
Two of my guns don't have beads, the rest do. I can't tell a difference.

I don't think I'll take a bead off, but if it breaks off or unscrews I don't replace it either.
 
I use the front bead to verify that the gun is shouldered correctly. I then try to hard focus on the birds bill and shoot. When things are going right I'm no longer aware of the front bead, or when the gun goes "boom". My biggest flaw is after I make 2 or 3 good shots, I will then shoot, and lift my head off the stock to admire the bird falling.............it's almost a guaranteed miss when you lift your head for me. I then have to consciously work to keep my cheek on the stock and swing thru. It's tough to correct all those years of muscle memory.

Gibby
 
My biggest flaw is after I make 2 or 3 good shots, I will then shoot, and lift my head off the stock to admire the bird falling.............


Same here, I think its one reason I hit fast passing shots better than "easy" shots, no time to think about that fast shots.
 

You should take it off and try it if you think it will help. I lost the front and (only) bead on the Beretta that I have been hunting with the last ten years about eight years ago. Not sure exactly when I lost it, because I didn't notice it was gone until one of my hunting partners asked why I had removed the front bead! Never replaced it and have not noticed any problem without it.


All my other shotguns have a front bead, but it is just the small metal bead. I have Browning Over/Under that I bought when I was shooting a lot of sporting clays that came with an orange front bead that I found too distracting. Replaced that with a metal bead and liked it much better. Don't think I could use one of those high glow front sights.




I think that gun mount and fit is probably more important, but I have noticed that for a lot of shooters that if they think they shoot better using whatever sight, load, shot size, butt pad, choke, ...etc. it is better that they use it. When ever doubt creeps in about what they are doing their shooting only gets worse.


Jay Cunningham
 
Carl;

I think you hit the nail on the head.

Yogi Berra said it best: When asked by a reporter about what he is thinking about when he is on a hitting streak........." Nothin, I can't hit and think at the same time".

Gibby
 
I rely on the bead. I shoot right handed but am heavy left eye dominant so the bead helps slew my right eye down the barrel.
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Me too, only I've been retraining myself to shoot lefty.
 
I rely on the bead. I shoot right handed but am heavy left eye dominant so the bead helps slew my right eye down the barrel.
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Me too, only I've been retraining myself to shoot lefty.
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Why don't you just modify your eye dominance?

T
 
I'm like most others that have posted. I don't have one on my main gun simply because it fell off at some point. Never bothered me enough to buy one to put on. If anything my shooting got better when I took it off as i didn't have any chance of focusing on it and stopping my swing. I think repetition is important and practicing throughout the year definitely helps in that regard.
 
I rely on the bead. I shoot right handed but am heavy left eye dominant so the bead helps slew my right eye down the barrel.
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Me too, only I've been retraining myself to shoot lefty.
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Why don't you just modify your eye dominance?

T
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Do they have a surgical procedure to transplant eyes from one side to the other? Or is the dominance to do with the nerve endings rather than the eye itself? Alternatively, I could have my right and left hand swapped, but I think that would be more invasive...and frankly I might have trouble with my fingers clenching the wrong way...or the thumb on the bottom of the hand would give me grief with the safety on my shotgun.

My wife says I'd starve if left to feed myself with only my left hand, I disagree, I'm quite sure I'd bleed out first from poking myself in the cheek with a fork.
 
I'm thinking you'd have to swap the hemispheres of the brain. But to do that you'd have to reshape the skull and I'm pretty sure you'd look funny after doing that.
 
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