DRG

Have been thinking about this issue of raising the front sight or filing the rear V to set the correct POI. Had to do it when I purchased my Mauser opened up to .404 Jeffery which had obviously not been resighted as the POI was about 8” high.
I achieved the correct POI and sight picture I wanted by making a higher blade (than necessary) for the foresight and filing down to achieve a dead on the bulls-eye POI at 50m with factory ammunition (two brands to same POI).

The sight picture is with the flat top of the blade (will add a bead one day) in the shallow V and level with the shoulders of the English safari rear sight. I don’t like a six o’clock hold but prefer a centre hold on target.

John “Pondoro” Taylor on sights and sighting did not like small beads down in a deep V rear sight and for DG use preferred a wide shallow V with a larger bead level with the shoulders. I suspect, like the automatic centering of a front sight in an aperture sight, our eyes would tend to also automatically place a bead or blade level with the rear sight shoulders.

If the POI had been set with the bead low in a deep V, while possible to consciously use this sight picture on targets, under stress on DG or even PG (a charge or hurried shot) I suggest (as Taylor does) a high shot will result when the bead is subconsciously raised level with the rear sight shoulders. On a closing head shot this could be a dangerous miss.

I do have much experience in using open sights, V and blade or bead, on other rifles and have always use the same sight picture. Also find apertures very good as well, but now use scopes exclusively, on the .404J as well.

Unfortunately the front sight on your Merkel is already quite high and as has been suggested, you need to file down the V. You don’t show the rear sight so not sure if it is a shallow or deep V already. I would file the V and the shoulders down to maintain a shallow V and achieve a sight picture with the bead level with the shoulders.