Peep Sight size

[Jud96]

I have a question for all those who shoot peeps on their N-SSA firearms. I am thinking of tinkering with peep sights on my Gallager for 50yds. I use a peep for 100yds and like them but they are too fine for 50yds and am asking how big you make your peep for 50yds. Thanks.

[Rich Foster]

Shooting peeps on a carbine will depend on your eyes. I am 50 and at 41 went to a Model 1 Maynard because rear peep sight was starting to blurr on my model 2 Maynard. Now I have no problem shooting peep on Miss. musket. Because of longer sight radius. You want a peep sight as small as your eyes can take it. Your 100yd peep when you say fine must be small. I think a 5/64 is a good size to start out with for 50yds. If you think it is too small run a size larger bit through peep hole until it clears up until you have enough light in peep hole but 5/64" bit is what I use. Rich

[Jud96]

Okay thanks. I have 20/20 vision and I'm only 16 and just wanted to try a peep out at 50yd and see how I like it. I feel like a peep is a lot easier to line up and get on target faster than open sights and would make sighting easier. It might possibly make me shoot better, but we'll have to see. Thanks for the help. By the way, how fine is a Model I Maynard peep?

[Rich Foster]

Wow 16 year old eyes what a advantage. Well when I was your age I was shooting a Sharps with open sights for 15 years never needed a peep on carbine. In my 30's I went to a Model 2 Maynard with a peep. Becasue the open sights stated to blurr. Never measured My model 1 maynard and it would not matter to you because the sight is right flipped up in front of my eyeball where yours is down the barrel. 5/64" is what I would start off with a gun where open rear sight is originally down the barrel. At your age I think you are disadvantaging yourself with a peep but your using it at 100yds but it seems well because depth of target is greater. Is there a reason you want to shoot a peep at 50yds? Rich

[Jud96]

Wow 16 year old eyes what a advantage. Well when I was your age I was shooting a Sharps with open sights for 15 years never needed a peep on carbine. In my 30's I went to a Model 2 Maynard with a peep. Becasue the open sights stated to blurr. Never measured My model 1 maynard and it would not matter to you because the sight is right flipped up in front of my eyeball where yours is down the barrel. 5/64" is what I would start off with a gun where open rear sight is originally down the barrel. At your age I think you are disadvantaging yourself with a peep but your using it at 100yds but it seems well because depth of target is greater. Is there a reason you want to shoot a peep at 50yds? Rich
Haha ya I guess I do have an advantage! I can see my sights fine but peep sights just interest me. I do well with my peep at 100yd but understand a peep at fifty can make you lose your frame or be on the wrong row of targets. My sights now are a V rear sight and the tapered front sight. I also thought of purchasing a tall square front sight to replace the tapered front sight and making a square notch in the rear sight which I believe will make a much simplier and sharper sight picture. The reason I ask about the Maynard Model. I's sights are because these carbines really interest me because of their military issue tang sights and longer barrel. The .36cal chambering also intrigues me. Thanks

[Jud96]

More input accepted! Thanks

[Jud96]

You don't really need to much worry about the rear sight, whether its a vee or a peep - so long as you can focus on the front sight clearly -- you shouldn't worry about maintaining clear focus on the rear sight or the target. If you wish to experiment with peep sights, make up some peeps out of paper board and try different size aperatures until you find the one that suits you best. You can glue them in place with superglue. It's the cheapest and best of all easiest to change out with another peep sight without permanently altering your metallic sights until you know positively whether a peep sight is likely to help improve your shooting or is a hinderance thereof.
Thanks for the info! I understand you're only suppose to see the front sight. When I make peeps, before I drill the sight blank or leaf, I always find the correct positioning of the peep with homemade sights made of either tin or feeler gauge. Obviously, I haven't done much for experimenting with peep size, I just used a very tiny drill bit that my Dad has always used for 100yd peeps on his Sharps carbines and Gallagers.

[jonk]

Depends on a lot of things. Your eyes of course. The width of the front sight. Sight radius. Distance of the rear sight from the eye.

Personally I start very small; always easier to enlarge. You have to balance target acquisition time as well. From a bench on a paper target where there's only one target down range, I could shoot a VERY small peep- but it doesn't help you much if you bring your gun to bear and have to keep looking OVER the sight to acquire your targets.

While I can't give you an exact size, I would say that whatever diameter allows you to just see the rows of pigeons on either side with the bird board, or just see the 2 targets on either side of the one you are aiming at with hanging targets would be the minimum I'd go with. That sounds like it would be huge, but it really isn't.

On my Sharps I'm using 5/64", on my Enfield 2 band, 3/32".

[Jud96]

Depends on a lot of things. Your eyes of course. The width of the front sight. Sight radius. Distance of the rear sight from the eye.

Personally I start very small; always easier to enlarge. You have to balance target acquisition time as well. From a bench on a paper target where there's only one target down range, I could shoot a VERY small peep- but it doesn't help you much if you bring your gun to bear and have to keep looking OVER the sight to acquire your targets.

While I can't give you an exact size, I would say that whatever diameter allows you to just see the rows of pigeons on either side with the bird board, or just see the 2 targets on either side of the one you are aiming at with hanging targets would be the minimum I'd go with. That sounds like it would be huge, but it really isn't.

On my Sharps I'm using 5/64", on my Enfield 2 band, 3/32".
That's the exact sight picture I'm looking for. Something that I can see my targets with and the flanking rows, but fine enough to be practical. If I do go forth with the peep I'll definitely try the 5/64ths bit first since I've heard you and another fellow skirmisher mention a 5/64ths peep. Thanks a lot!

[Charlie Hahn]

Based on my personal experience on my 1863 and near your age I used .050 diameter peep hole. at 30 I moved to .062. currently I use .078. There are other stepps you can take but I would begin at the .050 diameter.

Regards

Charlie Hahn

[George Gompf]

Guys,
I agree with the advice given by “Jonk”. The distance the rear sight is from your eye makes a great deal of difference in the diameter of the hole you need.

I make a drill guide that clamps on the rear sight. It is adjustable for windage and elevation. You use it as a rear sight and when you are sighted in, you transfer the sight location to the blank leaf. The hole I use in the rear aperture is .080 and seems to be about right for most 3-leaf muskets and Maynard’s.

If you are interested in checking these drill guides out, I will be at the fort Thursday through Saturday. You can find me in Charlie Hahn’s booth.

George Gompf
Tennessee Bullet Molds, LLC
tnmolds@gmail.com