Can anyone help with ghost ring sights?

[friscolatchi]

Hi to all. I have a 1894 guide gun in 45-70 on layaway that I will be picking up at the end of this month. I have a question about the ghost ring sights. Due to my age (55) and my use of progressive lenses in my eye glasses, it's not easy to get a quick sight picture. I"m partial to open sights and I'm wondering if the ghost rings would make a difference in obtaining sight acqusition reasonably. I intend to use the gun for whitetail and bear here in the mts of NY, where there can be considerable brush and close range hunting. I would be much obliged for any help, especially from the older members who have the same problem. IF the answer is to get a scope, then I probably will. The folks at the gun shot are not as knowledgable as some of our members. I started shooting and hunting only over the past 2 years after a long hiatus from my youth. Thanks for your time.

 

[MCMXI]

friscolatchi, I have XS ghost ring sights on my '94 and XS Lever Rails and 1.5-5x scopes (plus back up ghost ring sights) on both of my '95s. XS also makes a Scout Rail for the '95. The point is, you have lots of options and personally I find the XS ghost rings to be very fast and ideal for their intended use ... hunting. If you can focus on the front sight then you're good to go ... if not then I'd suggest that you add a scope as you mentioned.

http://www.xssights.com/store/scope.html

 

[cluttonfred]

The One Ragged Hole rear sight might also be a quick and easy option.

 

[friscolatchi]

Thanks guys - I like the one ragged hole as it places the sight closer to the muzzle. I don't know if you have presbyopia like I do, but it's easier for me to focus on the sight, front or rear, with the upper part of the eye glasses so that the target is still clear. Thanks again. I also believe that the rail system is good in that one can adjust the scope or sight along it. If anyone has any criticisms or comments or experiences that would be appreciated. Have a good day.

 

[Mr_Pale_Horse]

I mounted a large ring (Williams sight with the aperture removed), as close to my eye as was practical on a bolt action. I make no attempt to focus on the rear. Your eye will naturally center in the ghost ring. Simply focus on the front sight.

I have found rings farther away from my eyes only slow down target acquisition, cause my eye to try and focus on the rear sight, and degrade accuracy.

 

[H2O MAN]

DRC WINGED 1895 GHOST-RING SIGHT SET

 

[rcmodel]

Due to my age (55) and my use of progressive lenses in my eye glasses,

Me too, only 65.
Put a Williams receiver sight on it and try the larger of the two screw-in apertures it comes with.

If you want to try a ghost-ring, just take the aperture clear out and the threaded hole becomes a ghost-ring sight.

All you have to be able to see is the front sight.
The aperture will take care of itself automatically.

Aperture's far out on the barrel in the normal sight dovetail do not work like an aperture sight at all.
I don't recommend them.

rc

 

[MCMXI]

H2O MAN, that DRC sight system is made by XS and is basically what I have on my Guide Gun with the exception of the rear "wings". Since I'm not using an EER scope, there isn't enough clearance beneath the scope to mount the rear ghost ring, but then again the iron sights are for backup only if the scope fails in some catastrophic way. I swapped out the rear sight flat head screws for socket head cap screws so that I only need to carry a small allen wrench in the field. If either scope fails, I just flip the levers on the Warne rings, remove the scope and install the rear (zeroed) ghost ring sight and I'm good to go.

Aperture's far out on the barrel in the normal sight dovetail do not work like an aperture sight at all. I don't recommend them.

I agree with that.

 

[Owen]

frisco,
A peep or a ghost ring should be easier for you to use than a leaf sight, because you have less to look at. If you're trying to focus on the ring, or center the post in the ring, you're doing it wrong.

All you do is look through the ring. If you mount the rear sight forward, then you are no longer looking through it, the ring has to be bigger so you can see the target, and you're giving up a lot of precision.

 

[alaskanativeson]

Youmight also want to consider fiber optic sights. I have a Puma 92 in .454 Casull which came with fiber optic sights and I couldn't believe how easy they are to see with. I have near-sightedness in one eye and far-sightedness in the other so I'm screwed one way or the other. The fiber optics are the only open sights I can imagine me being able to use, but that VERY bright glow (even if it's not terribly bright out) is something I can't miss.

 

[Jubjub]

I don't have personal experience with them but http://skinnersights.com/ Skinner sights have an excellent reputation among the people on the marlinowners forum. He can basically make any aperture and front sight blade that you want.

 

[flashhole]

I tried the aperture type sights on my Guide Gun and didn't have too much success. Williams Fire Sights are what I ended up with. One red dot placed between two green dots, it doesn't get any easier that that. Even in low light they really stand out.

 

[friscolatchi]

Thanks much to all for a whole lot of good information. I'm going to look up each suggestion and make a decision this week. It's amazing how you can get so much info from like minded people from all over the USA. Thanks to all for sharing your knowledge and experience with me. I picked up the gun yesterday and took my son to a WW2 reenactment. I should be shooting it tomorrow after I clean it tonight. Be well and thanks again.

 

[Al Thompson]

Well, shooting it is key. I "think" you'll do just fine - I have ghost rings on a couple of rifles and (as my vision also ebbs) find that they work fine.

However, if you get the chance to look at one, that T1 set up H2O man has on his is a very, very slick way to go.