Implicit in the use of nuclear backscattering as a quantitative analytic tool is the accuracy of calculating cross sections using a classical Coulombic scattering formula (Rutherford cross section) which includes recoil effects, but ignores spin, nuclear size, electron screening, hard‐sphere scattering, and any nuclear‐force effects. The Rutherford cross section has not previously been verified experimentally for ions of4He (1–2.5 MeV) for targets of16O,27Al, and28Si. For14N, agreement has been found with an accuracy of about 5%. Our experimental results show that27Al and28Si have the Rutherford formula value (±1%), and16O is Rutherford from 1.4 to 2.4 MeV.14N appears to deviate by about 2% at energies from 1.2 to 2.2 MeV and by more beyond this energy band.