Peep Sights on Black Powder Rifle

W

Wildernesshunter

New member
I walked into a Walmart a couple weeks back and they had all their black powder guns and accessories on clearance. I have never owned a black powder firearm and only shot one, once, back when I was 17 years old. But the price and the fact that I didn't have to do a background check to own one.....pushed me over the edge. I handed over $126 for a Traditions Buck Stalker.

Getting the gun home and really inspecting it, I was impressed with the quality for such a cheap price, with the exception of one thing..... The fiber-optic sights are complete rubbish. They are plastic and fragile. Turning one screw to adjust, the plastic base cracked. So, I am shopping for a better solution. I have to stay with open sights, due to Colorado hunting laws, or I would put a scope on it in a heartbeat.

I ran across this article....which I thought was just outstanding!

http://www.gohunt.com/read/skills/increased-accuracy-from-an-open-sight-muzzleloader


But here is my question. In real life hunting situations with the strong possibility of inclement weather, do Peep Sights remain a good sight solution? I also wonder about low light shooting situations? Does anyone have any real life experiences, good or bad, using peep sights?




.......
 
Peep sights can work in low light if the aperture is large enough, but still won't give you the visibility of a conventional sight. If legal, I'd consider some combination Fiber optic and Tritium sights
 
peeps

I have a T/C peep on a T/C White Mtn. Carbine. The peep added considerably to the accuracy of the stubby rifle, near doubling the sight radius. I hunted the little rifle just this evening. A peep will rob you of shooting light, especially if compared to a fair quality scope. My estimate would be 10-15 minutes of evening light. If you are back in the woods this is especially apparent.

My own practice is to unscrew the target aperture on the T/C peep in the evenings and use the sight as a ghost ring. But in good light, my eyes can resolve the front sight better with the smaller diameter target disc installed. After years of shooting a Marlin carbine with the insert disc removed, I put it back in place as well. The smaller hole aids my older eyes in resolving the front sight.

I also hunted a Garand with a peep a slight bit. Same deal. But no insert on the Garand.

Of my peeps, the arrangement I can see best in flat light is an X/S ghost ring, and an XS front post with the white line insert.
 
Just saying.
Having a B/P shooter in hand equipped with rudimentary iron anything sights its not a good habit to get into shooting in low light conditions. Modern rifle. Scope_peep_hurriedly reloading that second shot while keeping a eye on that animals movements no problem. B/P not so easy peasy. And you'll likely lose sight of your quarry's getaway due to the barrels smoke.
As far as a globe front sight. Good for benchrest target shooting. Hunting situations not the best sight for hunting. A small gold bead or florescent green or orange bead would be ideal. (I paint my front sights with White Out then seal with finger nail paint i.e. clear. Very reflective and for me >effective )
 
There's a reason all our main battle rifles have had Peep/Post sights since the 30's.
You throw the front sight onto the target -- moving or not -- and the rear takes care of itself.
;)
 
A large hole in the rear peep, set close to the eye, is the best over-all rear sight there is next to a scope. If the hole is .062" or even as large as .080", you will find a peep sight is easier to align in dim light than any open barrel mounted sight ever made.

On my M-1 Garand, my FAL and my M-14 I took a cobalt drill and opened up the rear apertures to .062" way back when I still had good eyes. I was very competitive in rifle matches, and after I opened up the holes my scores went up, not down. So the idea that I used to believe, that a small hole was more precise was disproven to me, and to every other shooter I let try my rifles.

Center is center. If you carefully align the sights a larger hole is NOT less accurate. In point of fact, the larger hole lets more light through which makes alignment easier, not harder.

I like globe sights on hunting rifles myself, but in snow storms you have to keep a cover over them. I use a cloth "bag' I sewed together that fits loosely over the muzzle and extends down the barrel about 10". I left a piece of loose cloth hanging from it so I can pull it off quickly.
I have never found them to be any worse for rain than any other sight. All shots in real bad weather are close because you can't see through the rain or snow very far. But neither can the deer or elk.
 
My experience with globe sights on hunting rifles is they work good in sunlight but seeing into shadows with them is virtually impossible.
 
At my age I agree with Hawg, but I have to add seeing a blade or bead is also impossible for me now in very dim light.
(Ya know Hawg..........this doesn't seem to be gettin better!)

So the only thing I can use in dim light now that I am 60 years old is a scope.

I would would not insult one of my classic muzzleloader with a scope however. I have plenty of modern guns with them, so I won't put one on my own traditional muzzleloaders. I have done it for a few customers however.
 
Well I'll be 60 next month and I'm diabetic so my eyesight is really screwy but I can still use open sights. I have put full buckhorns on some of them tho. I refuse to put any kind of modern optics on a traditional muzzle loader and wont own an inline period. I also won't scope a lever action. I may at some point move to a tang mounted peep but for now the full buckhorn does a good job.
 
Hawgy, I got a contact for my dominant eye that focus at arm length...works too for handguns and iron sighted rifles, try it you'll like it
 
I dunno, my eyesight fluctuates so much I can't wear prescription glasses except for some of the time.
 
After fighting the vision thing with a buckhorn rear and post front on my Lyman Trade Rifle, I gave up and installed Lyman tang mounted peep sight and hooded front with changeable inserts. This set is made by Lyman for this rifle. Such a difference! Before, I could focus on the rear sight and the front would all but disappear OR focus on the front, as you should, and the rear would be so out of focus as to be useless. In both cases, the target was an undefined blur. With the new setup, everything is in reasonable focus. 10" gong @ 100 yds is easily repeatable. Yes, it takes good light with the hooded front and the small hole rear. This rifle is used for club freehand target shooting using patched round ball and real black powder. Did get some comments about the setup not being "period correct" but it does allow me to continue shooting.
 
I'm with you guys when it comes to bad eyes. Natural light I'm fine. Artificial light or dim light, might as well get a red tipped white cane.
 
To fined out if a peep site will work for you get a magnetic washer and stick it to your rear site.Take a shot or two and see how it works for ya.
kjmagnetics.com
 
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