May
09
HiViz Compsight and Champion EasyHit Fiber-optic Sight by Randy Rowley
ByI did a statistical analysis (below) in an attempt to explain my improved performance shooting sporting clays over a 25 month period (10/08 through 10/10).
I created a chart that shows all of my shoots at Capitol City since they created their Hunter (or Corporate) Course (as that is the range/course that I have shot the most by far during the past five years). I know that it is not an apples-to-apples comparison as the Hunter course stations and targets, my gun, and the weather conditions have varied, but it is the best comparison that I was able to come up with.
A Comparison of my Sporting Clays Shoots on the Hunter Course at Capitol City Clays
2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | |
January | 35 | 35 | ||||
February | 35 | |||||
March | 48 | 38 | 31 | |||
April | 38 | 37 | 35 | 26 | ||
May | 37 | 37 | ||||
June | 34 | |||||
July | 41 | 33 | 30 | 31 & 36 | 43 | |
August | 40 | 34 | 31 | 31 | ||
September | 45 | 40 | ||||
October | 45 | 38 | 40 | 40 | 42 | |
November | 37 | 41 | ||||
December | 40 & 43 | 29 | ||||
# of Shoots | 7 | 10 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 3 |
Total | 283 | 385 | 149 | 199 | 164 | 116 |
Average | 40.43 | 38.50 | 37.25 | 33.17 | 32.80 | 38.67 |
My average dropped significantly from 2005 (three shoots) to 2006 (five shoots). It then improved slightly in 2007 (six shoots). It then increased dramatically in 2008 with fewer shoots (four). It then improved slightly in 2009 (10 shoots). It improved more significantly in 2010. The bottom line is I cannot conclude that increasing my number of shoots led to improved performance because I improved with fewer shoots in 2008, when compared to 2007.
Therefore, as my improved performance cannot be attributed to more frequent shooting, the only other things that have changed that I can attribute my increased performance to is the HiViz Magni-optic fiber- optic sight that I purchased in the summer of 2008 for my Browning Gold semi-automatic and the Compsight that I purchased for my Winchester 101 over/under six months ago. The Compsight replaced the Magni-optic sight.
Not to be tooting my own horn but looking at the facts – the chart shows that since the summer of 2008 my average has increased to 39.39 (for 18 shoots), compared to an average of 34.19 (for the 16 shoots before the summer of 2008, without the Magni-optic sight/Compsight). This was an increase of 5.20 points (more than 15%).
Since the summer of 2008 I have also set personal (and Club) records at the Capitol City Trap & Skeet Club (48), Ducks Unlimited Shoot (46), Alpine Shooting Range (44), Abilene Clay Sports (41), and Elk Fork Shooting Range (39).
The Compsight attaches via a screw (you have to take the bead off). You need to use removable Lock-Tite to secure it well, including putting Lock-Tite under the sight (between the sight and the rib). Because it replaces the front bead it is of the proper height (most of the magnetic fiber-optic sights are elevated above the bead, which results in the shooter always shooting below the bird). It teaches you proper head alignment (the sight will not glow unless you mount your gun correctly), corrects cross-eye dominance, and allows you to learn to shoot with both eyes open and focus on the bird and not the sight.
Mark Dillow purchased a Champion EasyHit Fiber-optic sight in September of 2009. Since he added the sight he broke his record by five birds (38) and his average by 15 birds on 9/26/09 and then broke his record again by three birds (41) and his average again by 18 birds on 10/10/09.
The Champion sight (which is endorsed by the late Tom Knapp) does the same thing as the HiVis sights but is longer and affixes to ventilated ribs via an adhesive strip. There are two versions, a clays version and a hunter version. The clays version is longer. There are also orange and green light pipe versions. It has the same benefits as the HiVis sights. Mark noted that he is a bit cross-eye dominant and actually “sees” 2 barrels when he shoots. The Champion sight allows him to ignore the “wrong” one. He stated that it is the best $20 investment he has ever made. I also bought one and thought that it was great but it proved to not withstand the rigors of duck hunting (it was knocked off).
If you desire to significantly improve your shotgun shooting performance I encourage you to try one of these sights.