At its simplest, a sight typically has two components, front and rear aiming pieces that have to be lined up. Sights such as this can be found on many types of devices including weapons, surveying and measuring instruments, and navigational tools.
On weapons, these sights are usually formed by rugged metal parts, giving them the name "iron sights",[2] as distinct from optical or computing sights.[3] On many types of weapons they are built-in and may be fixed, adjustable, or marked for elevation, windage, target speed, etc.[1] They are also classified in forms of notch (open sight) or aperture (closed sight). These types of sights can require considerable experience and skill, as the user has to hold proper eye position and simultaneously focus on the rear sight, the front sight, and a target, all at different distances, and align all three planes of focus.[4]
Optical sights
A view through a 20× power telescopic sight
Optical sights use optics that give the user an enhanced image with an aligned aiming point or pattern (also called a reticle) superimposed onto the target image, preferably at the same focal plane.
A telescopic sight is a refracting telescope equipped with some form of referencing pattern (reticle) mounted in an optically appropriate position in the optical system to give an accurate aiming point. Telescopic sights are used on a wide range of devices including guns, surveying equipment, and even as sights on larger telescopes (called a finderscope).
Another type of optical sight is the reflector (or "reflex") sight, a generally non-magnifying optical device that allows the user to look through a glass element and see a reflection of an illuminated aiming point or some other image superimposed on the field of view.[5] These sights have been around for over 100 years and have been used on all types of weapons and devices.
Reflector sights were first used as a weapon sight in German aircraft towards the end of World War I. Over the years they became more sophisticated, adding lead computing gyroscopes and electronics (the World War IIGyro gunsight)[6] radar range finding and other flight information in the 1950s and 60s, eventually becoming the modern head-up display.
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Sights redirects here For the rock band see The Sights A sight is an aiming device used to assist in visually aligning ranged weapons surveying instruments or optical illumination equipments with the intended target Sights can be a simple set or system of physical markers that have to be aligned together with the target such as iron sights on firearms 1 or optical devices that allow the user to see an optically enhanced often magnified target image aligned in the same focus with an aiming point e g telescopic sights reflector sights and holographic sights There are also sights that actively project an illuminated point of aim a k a hot spot onto the target itself so it can be observed by such as laser sights and infrared illuminators on some night vision devices citation needed A Royal Canadian Sea Cadet looks through a machine gun sight Contents 1 Simple sights 2 Optical sights 2 1 Telescopic sights 2 2 Reflector sights 2 3 Other types of optical sights 3 List of sights 4 See also 5 Notes 6 External linksSimple sights Edit Picture through an aperture or closed iron sight on an H amp K MP5 submachine gun Main article Iron sights At its simplest a sight typically has two components front and rear aiming pieces that have to be lined up Sights such as this can be found on many types of devices including weapons surveying and measuring instruments and navigational tools On weapons these sights are usually formed by rugged metal parts giving them the name iron sights 2 as distinct from optical or computing sights 3 On many types of weapons they are built in and may be fixed adjustable or marked for elevation windage target speed etc 1 They are also classified in forms of notch open sight or aperture closed sight These types of sights can require considerable experience and skill as the user has to hold proper eye position and simultaneously focus on the rear sight the front sight and a target all at different distances and align all three planes of focus 4 Optical sights Edit A view through a 20 power telescopic sight Optical sights use optics that give the user an enhanced image with an aligned aiming point or pattern also called a reticle superimposed onto the target image preferably at the same focal plane Telescopic sights Edit Main article Telescopic sight A telescopic sight is a refracting telescope equipped with some form of referencing pattern reticle mounted in an optically appropriate position in the optical system to give an accurate aiming point Telescopic sights are used on a wide range of devices including guns surveying equipment and even as sights on larger telescopes called a finderscope Reflector sights Edit Main articles Reflector sight and Red dot sight Mark III free gun reflector sight mk 9 variant Another type of optical sight is the reflector or reflex sight a generally non magnifying optical device that allows the user to look through a glass element and see a reflection of an illuminated aiming point or some other image superimposed on the field of view 5 These sights have been around for over 100 years and have been used on all types of weapons and devices Reflector sights were first used as a weapon sight in German aircraft towards the end of World War I Over the years they became more sophisticated adding lead computing gyroscopes and electronics the World War II Gyro gunsight 6 radar range finding and other flight information in the 1950s and 60s eventually becoming the modern head up display Other types of optical sights Edit Collimator sight Holographic weapon sight Laser sight Red dot magnifier used in conjunction with a non magnified optical sightList of sights Edit A circumferentor featuring a pair of slotted sights effectively constituting an alidade There are many types of sighting devices They can be fixed mechanical optical computational or a mixture of all of these attributes Bombsight Collimator sight Diopter sight Globe sight Head up display Holographic weapon sight Iron sight Laser sight Reflector sight Gyro gunsight Red dot sight Telescopic sight Thermal weapon sight Night vision device Fire control systemSee also EditGun laying Predicted impact point Tritium radioluminescenceNotes Edit a b Patrick Sweeney 2004 Gunsmithing Pistols amp Revolvers Krause Publications p 185 ISBN 978 0 87349 763 3 permanent dead link Richard Bowyer 1999 Dictionary of Military Terms Taylor amp Francis p 178 ISBN 978 1 57958 156 5 merriam webster com iron sight a metallic sight for a gun as distinguished from a sight depending on an optical or computing system Dan Shideler 2010 Gun Digest 2011 F W Media p 148 ISBN 978 1 4402 1561 2 Elementary Optics and Application to Fire Control Instruments Headquarters Department of the Army 1977 pp 8 27 8 28 View from the lineExternal links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Gunsights Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Sight device amp oldid 1147743088, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
