In the last couple months I have got my 80 year old mother to understand that when it comes to protecting the home and my father is most likely will fall to her as she can still move around with a bit of speed. I have gotr her back to shooting her Airweight and she is now using factory powered loads and even goes out down the ditch bank and shoots cans by herself. I also started her shooting my ar pistol and she understands why they are so popular and she can control it. The problem is getting her on target as she does not have enough flexibility to get her head down next to an ar stock so she can look though iron sites.
I ordered a set of one inch risers and a higher set of tip up sites and earlier today I had her try the sights again......still not high enough.
I am looking for suggestions on what to do. Without her electronic earmuffs she can line up the sites but once the muffs are on she can not get her head over.
I am wondering if I should go up another inch or just use and off set to the left mount so she does not have to tip her head over so much. Once I get this ar so she can use it then my dad will be able to use it too.
I need to have this figured out before Christmas as this ar is planned to be my parents Christmas gift.
I need suggestions on how to get the iron sites where she needs them. Shen needs to get used to this ar so when spring gets here she can take some more classes at the Range. She already has had two hour long private lessons and the next lesson needs to have the ar ready.
Sat Oct 19, 2019 11:46 pm
cmica
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Location: I-5 /512 Joined: Thu Dec 8, 2011 Posts: 15231
Real Name: chris
Your description sounds like the struggles that any new shooter has. A few thoughts:
- It sounds like she’s standing upright and just bending her neck down to the rear of the stock. Can she lean forward in a more aggressive stance, and get her face more forward on the stock?
- Can she hold the rifle closer to the center of her body, so the butt is on the side of her chest rather than on her shoulder? While this seems “wrong” due to recoil, with a 5.56 it’s very doable for most people.
- Can she angle the rifle when shooting it? This would provide the benefit of the offset mount that you mentioned. Just tilt the pistol grip outwards, keep her head straight up, and let the sights come to her eye.
A nice auto on / auto off red dot would probably be easier for her to use, though in itself it doesn’t solve the head/sights issue.
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Sun Oct 20, 2019 6:25 am
Isildur
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Location: The banana belt of Sequim Joined: Thu Feb 25, 2016 Posts: 2300
Real Name: Jay
Also, see if she is burying the stock too low into her shoulder pocket. Recoil is manageable enough on an AR that she should be able to have the heel of the butt above her shoulder, thus making it easier to line up sights.
_________________ Jay
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Sun Oct 20, 2019 8:47 am
quantsuff
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Location: central wa Joined: Mon Mar 21, 2011 Posts: 3554
I have tried angling her body and positioning the butt of the rifle and different pull lengths. She is right handed and right eye dominant and not large at 5 foot 2 and 130 pounds.
She just can not get her head forward and over and has had reconstructive surgery in her right shoulder......car accident. She has lost so much flexibility.
I had her using a .22 pump and same problem she could not position to use the sites.
I tried with an ar pistol first and she can shoot it and manage recoil but it is too heavy with out being able to brace it against her body and spraying is not the answer. She needs to be on target. The upper is a Mloc.
Yes I could go with some electronic sight but when noise happens and Cricket the companion dog barks either one of them need to be able to just grab it and investigate. Outside is plenty bright at night with the new flood light plus there are manually operated flood lights to light up where more light is needed. After a bit I plan on putting a grip style light laser on it that runs of two 123 batteries but she and he will have a steep enough learning curve.
My dad said just last night after my mom and I got back from shooting that she dont need no ar but he is a fudd and has never shot one while she has and recognizes how much more damage she can do with a .223 then the .22.
Dad and I are going up to get some work done on the cabin in a few days and I plan to take him down to the range I keep for the cabin tract and have him shooting his Beretta and my ar
- 100% ambi - 50-rd of low recoil rounds in the magazine - bullpup, so very mahuverable and well balanced - if have some milk money, make it SBR and put a can on it
American Eagle makes affordable 40-grain FMJ 5.7x28 ammo - not the worst choice for both - home defense and plinking, IMHO.
Of course, motion-activated red dot is a must.
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Last edited by surevaliance on Sun Oct 20, 2019 6:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Sun Oct 20, 2019 5:45 pm
Ace
Location: KC area Missouri Joined: Sat Sep 10, 2016 Posts: 1573
Laser is the way to go if she has trouble getting her head down. Get it sighted in, most likely she’s gonna have to use it defensively at close range and when it comes to target acquisition in those situations speed is your friend. She won’t have to worry about sight picture or nothing literally point and click. Give her less stuff to worry about in the tense situations as we get older our reaction times aren’t what they used to be. The simpler you can make it the better.
Laser is the way to go if she has trouble getting her head down. Get it sighted in, most likely she’s gonna have to use it defensively at close range and when it comes to target acquisition in those situations speed is your friend. She won’t have to worry about sight picture or nothing literally point and click. Give her less stuff to worry about in the tense situations as we get older our reaction times aren’t what they used to be. The simpler you can make it the better.
Well said!
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Sun Oct 20, 2019 6:07 pm
Mediumrarechicken
Location: Puyallup Joined: Thu Aug 16, 2012 Posts: 9065
Real Name: Richard Fitzwelliner
Laser is the way to go if she has trouble getting her head down. Get it sighted in, most likely she’s gonna have to use it defensively at close range and when it comes to target acquisition in those situations speed is your friend. She won’t have to worry about sight picture or nothing literally point and click. Give her less stuff to worry about in the tense situations as we get older our reaction times aren’t what they used to be. The simpler you can make it the better.
This, or a rifle is just too much for her. What's going to happen if she cant really handle it now, shes more prone.to an accident, ie falling over, popping off a round because she wasnt able to hold on to it. Shes not going to be Able to hold it on someone til the cops show up. Shes much better off with the pistol
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