Fastest open (iron) sight that is also precise

[CoalCrackerAl]

Yes the optic can break easy. I found that out with my SW victory. I now keep some extras on hand.

 

[anothernewb]

My fastest iron sights are the peep style.

 

[3Crows]

My 1894 came with the XS rail and sight system just like the Remlin
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I want your rifle!!!!!! I cannot hardly wait for Ruger to get those back out in a .44 or .45Colt.

Thanks for all of the suggestions. They are useful to consider.

 

[doubleh]

I find a correctly installed scope to be both the fastest and most precise for ME. I still think scopes look a little strange on a lever action but have decided function trumps form when shooting as I like to be as accurate as possible without wasting time and the scope provides that for me. What works for me may not work for YOU and the only true way to see is to experiment with different sight systems an determine what you prefer. I can use iron sights quite well again but accuracy suffers with peeps and even worse with standard v-notch and post so a scope rides on every rifle I own that will accept one.

 

[mavracer]

Peeps are gonna be the fastest most accurate after that it's going to be a balancing act for size
Larger=faster and less precise
Smaller=slower and more precise

 

[lightman]

Old school, but a large aperture peep sight with a wide blade front site works well for quick target acquisition. The newer reflex sites are hard to beat.

 

[halfmoonclip]

On the advice of Driftwood Johnson, revisited a setup that I had had on a Winchester AE Trapper '94. Having put a tang on it, the OEM barrel sight folded flat enough to be out of the way for the tang sight, so it was kept.
Driftwood reminded me of this setup, and I ordered open Marbles for both the '73 and '92 ricer Winchesters. They aren't expensive ($19), and fit the factory dovetails. For carrying and jump shooting, keep the open sight up, and the tang folded. For more precision or distance, flip up the tang, and fold the open, barrel sight. It's really a simple setup, and entirely appropriate for a traditional lever gun.
The Marbles sights come in three heights; you'll need to determine which you need. I taped/shimmed the original buckhorns to the barrel until they lined up with the zeroed tang/front sight, then measured the height from the top of the barrel.
Let's take a minute to discuss the difference between a peep sight and a ghost ring. First, an aperture sight can be mounted on the tang or the receiver; there are advantages/disadvantages to both locations. A peep sight can become a ghost ring by simply removing the screw in aperture.
A ghost ring is arguably faster, while a smaller, better defined peep is more accurate.
I enjoy shooting my carbines at reactive targets, not for groups. They just make me grin, snapping them to my shoulder.
Moon

 

[halfmoonclip]

Another update here; been working on a zero with the original1/16" gold dot, and replaced it with a 3/32" 'ivory' bead. My other carbines have larger front sight, that has been easier to pick up.
It is a Marbles, by way of Midway, and required a little fitting. It certainly jumps out against a broken background. I will have to slightly enlarge the notch in the barrel sight.
One more day of nice weather tomorrow, to get a zero.
Moon

 

[Old Hobo]

I just bought yet another Marlin 1895. A new GBL showed up at the hardware/outdoor store back home and I was looking at it up on the shelf. It had been freshly unboxed as the box was still on the counter. The old codger saw me straining to see it so he handed it to me and the darn thing stuck to my hands like Velcro and Super Glue. I just could not shake it off so it had to come home with me. I had resolved not to scope this Marlin as I have three other 1895s with (quick detach rings and open sights) scopes (a JM, a Rem-Marlin SBL and now two Ruger-Marlin SBL/GBL).

But the provided buckhorn and traditional Marlin hooded front sight as much as I want it to just does not work well for me, especially in dim light. Now, either of my two 1895 SBLs have ghost ring sights and an open front sight. Those are easy to see and FAST but not precise, especially beyond 100 yards. I guess I could put inserts in the ghost rings to increase precision at the cost of speed but the front sights are as well designed for quick pick up, not precision.

I have a 39A with tang peep sight and it is SLOW but precise and I have another 39A with a Skinner and dependent upon aperture chosen it can be fast or precise but not both.

I may just have to scope my new GBL with QR rings and add a XS forward rail and install XS or Skinner sights for when the scope is not mounted. I find scopes, 1X or Scout types to be very fast on target and precise enough. But I was sort of not wanting to scope this rifle initially. I am conflicted.

What is your best choice for open sights that are precise, fast and work with older eyes?

3C

"What is your best choice for open sights that are precise, fast and work with older eyes?"

If you are now into the 40+ / bifocal age, the news isn't good for using open sights. The target / animal will be in focus, but not your sights. Eventually, the front post will be fuzzy, maybe even give you a double image. The lens of the eye loses accommodation after age 40-something. If the game is close-up then the aperture sights will do. But like you say, you'll not get precision.

How about putting a RUGGED compact scope on the rifle, something unobtrusive, something that will not interfere with swinging the rifle into action. True or not, some manufacturers make audacious claims about how tough their scopes are. Just a suggestion.
.

 

[Old Hobo]

The young guy in the following video tests a scope for ruggedness. He even drop-tests the puppy. Valuable thing about the video is that in his talk he gives the names of other scopes that are real performers under torture conditions. Obviously, the toughest scopes are going to be expensive. Welcome to Earth.

So, here's the video. Hopefully some info can be gleaned from it that will be of value.

 

[halfmoonclip]

Yes the optic can break easy. I found that out with my SW victory. I now keep some extras on hand.

Got into this jackpot with some Dawson fiber optics on a SIG 365; liked the sight picture, but had trouble keeping the fiber optic tight in the front sight. Finally reverted to the OEM Xrays.
Already confessed to using a scope on a Marlin '94. Something more traditional seems more in keeping with the laws of nature on Winchesters.
Moon

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

I put a scope on my Rossi 92.

 

[3Crows]

It just boils down to this, for me, now that I wear glasses and have a slight cataract that a low power scope is just faster, plain and simple. And more accurate. So, in the end I had a Nikon Monarch African and I got some Warne QR rings and the Warne steel two piece Marlin bases and did this:



With the scope removed the barely visible Warne bases do not obscure or interfere with the OE sights:



The rifle retains the sleek lever gun appearance and the traditional OE Marlin buckhorn and hooded front sights.

 

[WVRJ]

I just bought a Williams peep setup for my 1894S that comes with a rear peep that goes into the rear scope mount screws and includes a fiber optic front sight.With the sight hood off the front sight,that fiber optic bead shows up great with the aperture or without the aperture in the rear sight.I have two 1894's and I just can't break up the beautiful lines of them with an optic.I think the ghost ring is more precise than the factory blade sight and I'm less likely to shoot high on a deer than I am with a blade style sight because when I'm excited I sometimes don't get the front bead settled into the rear sight notch like it should be and I shoot over the target.My vote is for the ghost ring/fiber optic setup.

 

[SwampWolf]

When it comes to iron sights, I've been a fan of peeps ever since I first started using them in the early sixties. Most receiver sights (my favorite is the Williams "Fool Proof") come with different size apertures you can screw into the base. For general deer hunting, I just aim through the largest size (or use none at all) and not bother with the smaller apertures. You can't have the fastest speed and the finest accuracy at the same time. Generally speaking, larger apertures are faster at locating an aiming point on a target but sacrifices precise accuracy (best for fur; worst for paper). Smaller apertures afford an easier way to achieve better accuracy but take much longer to find an aiming point on a target (best for paper; worst for fur).