Mid Bead...Rhyme or Reason

SXS OHIO · 03-14-2010, 07:13 PM

I always thought is was a delux option...strickly cosmetic? I have a VH 20 field gun with twin ivories...it has lots of drop in the stock 2-7/8" I have to mount this gun loosly in order to see the top of the rib and sight down it. I do not think the mid bead does anything for aiming? The eye is on the target and the muzzle is a fuzz in the background. Modern pumps and autos have twin beads....how do they explain ther use or reason for being there?...One thought is way back in the day a single gun did all the work for hunting, they did not own multiple guns like we have now. Lots of old timers used the double gun to hunt deer with buckshot. squirrels sitting on a limb may need this type of sight alingment? just a thought.... SXS ohio....(-:

CSL · 03-14-2010, 07:31 PM

Dave, To answer your question...
I would think the variables in mid bead placement on the various barrel lengths you provided probably has a lot to do with the variables of stock DAC & DAH on those same guns... A shooters head higher or lower on the stock will directly effect the mid bead dynamics in relation to how it lines up with the end bead and a distant target... Thus mid bead placement being located in a multitude of places has everything to do with the limitless combinations of DAC & DAH dimensions of your stocks... JMHO... Hope this helps...

Best, CSL
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Autumn Daze · 03-14-2010, 07:43 PM

Chris,Thanks..I was kinda leaning this way myself and thats why I posted the stock dimensions along with the bead location. My next question would be do ya think that Parker had a formula for the location based on stock dimensions. Boy I wish sometimes I could just take a quick run over there and ask'em...

CSL · 03-14-2010, 10:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave Suponski

Chris,Thanks... My next question would be do ya think that Parker had a formula for the location based on stock dimensions.

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Dave,
Not sure if Parker Bros had a formula for mid-bead location based on stock dimensions, because (as Robert accurately mentioned) there are still the many fitting variables of an individuals head and facial characteristics on the stock (i.e. Fred Gilbert) that could only be determined when that particular person mounted the gun... These factors would be important if mid bead function was to make sure the shooter was looking straight down the barrel.... Personally, I think the beads are a blurred reference at best when actually swinging and shooting, but may very well help with that split-second unconscious eye to bird/target alignment... But who knows? ~ I'm looking at the bird...

Find your consistent mounting style on a particular gun, and with gun mounted, have your trusted assistant Danny Suponski take a large headed straight pin and move it down the rib until you see the sight picture desired (some folks like a stacked figure-8, but you do what works best for you), mark the spot making sure bead is centered on the rib side-to-side and install it... If you don't have an assistant to help, you can also use a small round ball of clay moving it up and down the rib until you get the sight picture and mid-bead location you are looking for...

Best, CSL
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Autumn Daze · 03-14-2010, 11:12 PM

Chris,Thanks for all your thoughts.I just shoot'em were they are.But being a rainy day exercise I thought we might conjur up some some good conversation and some personal thoughts on this whole mid bead location thing. I still have to believe that Parker being in the business of selling guns had to have a quick way of determining where to place that bead..

CSL · 03-14-2010, 11:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave Suponski

Chris,Thanks for all your thoughts. I just shoot'em were they are. I still have to believe that Parker being in the business of selling guns had to have a quick way of determining where to place that bead..

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Dave, I Jus shoot'm too....

You may be right about that mid bead formula, which at the time was probably a best SWAG guess based on the stock dimensions, OR, a Parker employee who shouldered the gun before it went out the door and said "that looks good to me Wilbur, put it right there"...

Best, CSL
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Bill Murphy · 03-15-2010, 09:52 AM

I have had at least two Parkers with three beads and a friend has one with three beads. Those are just the guns with three beads in line. The "Gold Hearts" gun has three beads, but the two rear ones are side by side, 29 1/2" from the muzzle, as Dave prefers to measure them. Unlike most of the gold on this gun, the beads are not mentioned in the order book.

10ga Hammer · 03-14-2010, 07:50 PM

I have to agree with Christopher, mid beads added by the owner to produce the usual figure 8 sight picture could be anywhere along the rib due to the differences in stock configuration and the shooters facial features. I don't think Parker Bros. could have set the mid bead position to change POI without the shooter being present due to these differences.
Off the shelf guns today typically have the mid bead at 1/2 barrel length along with an adjustable comb. The real use of the mid bead is to tell if the gun is canted when mounted,not to adjust POI.