Iron Sights

[Aaryq]

For those of you who prefer iron sights over scopes, what kind of sights is your favorite and why?

I'm a peep sight guy myself. It's what the Corps trained me in and it's what I shoot best with.

 

[Lucky]

I like them too. The open sights on an SKS are a little blurry for an eye with astigmatism.

 

[USMC Tanker]

Peep sights, all the way...

 

[Mikee Loxxer]

Peep sights, much better than a notch sight.

 

[Slamfire]

I put a Lyman 48JWS on my M70 featherweight. Peep sight if you are not familiar with the model. OK, it is difficult for low light conditions. But, it is the handiest rifle you can imagine. Easy to carry, no scope or mount to keep you from grabbing the middle of the rifle. Thing weighs close to a 30-30 and yet is a 270 Win. I think something got lost when big scopes were put on. Portability.

I can shoot a two inch group at 100 yards off a bench. That is good enough for me.

 

[GRB]

It depends on what I am shooting, and on where I am shooting (the conditions). While a peep sight might be great at a well lit range, or out in the open on a bright day, if I am shooting squirrels in heavy woods a peep sight might not be great for a fast shot, or a shot in the dim light of the woods. Ghost rings, those 'modified' peep sights, are pretty darned good - fast target acquisition, often even in dim light, really easy to shot with even with poorer vision. For hunting something like a deer, I would prefer open iron sights or a ghost ring.

All the best,
GB

 

[El Tejon]

Biggish apeture. Something like a Lyman #66 is a good one which I have on a few rifles.

 

[Hoppy590]

notch an post/blade are great fortarget shooting. but peep isnt bad

 

[Limeyfellow]

I tend to much perfer the peep sights, especially with my funky eyes. Ghost rings are rather nice too. I have trouble with more traditional open sights, especially those with rather long barrels.

 

[fineredmist]

I shoot 1885 High Walls (38-55, 45-70) with Soule sights. The rear tang mounted sight is vernier adjustable for elevation and windage. Vernier adjustment allows for .01" point of impact change @ 100 yds., and the eyecup has 7 diaoptors to adjust for eyesight and range conditions. The front globe sight has several changeable posts and a spirit level which helps in keeping the gun in the same position every time. This type of sight goes back well over 100 years and many long range records have been set using them. With proper ammo and technique it is possible to shoot <.5 moa from a solid rest. Once you are accustomed to this type of shooting useing glass is too easy.

 

[xd45gaper]

im not a huge fan of peep sights ive always shot notch sights. with that being said im really not sure how to properly use the peep sights, i had a mini 14 ranch rifle with peep sights, although i called um peeople sights cause you just lined up the front blade with the circle and started shooting not much lining up as with notch sights lol

although ive always herd the peep sights where very superior to the notched sights. something to do with your eye naturaly zooming in center of the peep circle. just as it naturally zooms in on a circle target.

 

[mustanger98]

Well, I've talked this in several threads, but I prefer apertures over most everything else.

On the Winchester .30-30: Lyman #2 tang sight. It comes with two apertures; one for target work and a larger one for hunting. I've used both plenty of times. I also have a Williams Foolproof with target knobs that fits this rifle.

No.4Mk2 British Enfield: This one came with the British issue micrometer. The main sight is a 300yd battle sight, but flip it up and it's a smaller aperture that adjusts from 200yds up to 1200yds.

M1 Garand: Enough said.

 

[DMK]

My favorite sights are the ones on the M16A2/AR15A2. The Garand sight is a very close second with the No4 Enfield trailing third, but the AR sight does have the added ability to flip to a big ghost ring for pop shots and low light. The Enfield has this feature too, but it only allows you to zero the ghost ring at a specific distance.

I have a lot of trouble with buckhorn sights. But I have astigmatism so maybe that has something to do with it. When I put a rear peep on my SKS carbines, it made a huge, huge difference for me.

 

[Eleven Mike]

Yo. Dis fo my peeps!

How big must an aperture be before it is a ghost ring? Or is it only a ghost ring when the aperture is so big that the rear sight becomes merely a thin ring?

I have Williams apertures on both my rifles (I know, I need more guns). If I unscrew the aperture, would the empty threaded hole be a ghost ring? Do any of y'all use the sights this way, as a regular practice?

 

[Eightball]

Depends on what I'm doing. For fast target acquisition and general all-around fun, peep are fine. For shooting 500-ish yards, I'll take V-notch.

 

[AStone]

Did someone say "peep show"?

Oh, no, wait, that was "peep sight".

OK, not as exciting, but I'm reading...

Me? I'm leaning towards either XS GR's
or a scout scope for the 336A.
But I could still be influenced.

 

[U.S.SFC_RET]

Peep sights remove any of the guessing game for me. I know where the bullet is goint to hit. That is confidence any you look at it.
Easter is coming up and I hate those yellow peeps and I hate those pink peeps. I will do my duty and of course shoot them with peep sights.

 

[alucard0822]

Peep sights with a .045 aperture on my 20"AR, and on my garand for 200yd targets, Ghost rings on my 30-30 (brush gun) and 12ga for under 100yds. Blade and notch are for 22s and pistols, blocks too much of the target for my tastes

 

[JShirley]

I like optics, but when using sights, prefer peeps.

I had RC Hengl at Territorial Gunsmiths build a .35 Whelen for me in his dangerous game package...only with a peep sight instead of express sights. I figure, if I use the peep to hunt the most dangerous animal, why would I choose another type sight on a game rifle?!

John

 

[R.W.Dale]

I think a pic is in order.




I use a .050 twilight aperture in conjunction with a 1/16 gold bead front sight. I have a set of target knobs on the way.

 

[Clipper]

I have Williams Firesight fronts and peep rears on both my wife's Rem 141 .35rem, and my 10" bull barrel stainless MKII. We use the apperture for sight-in and target shooting, but remove them in the field for speed.

 

[HorseSoldier]

Peep sights, definitely. I have some modest degree of astigmatism in my right eye, which, I guess, is why both Mauser and AK type notch sights are just about perfectly placed for me to have a hellish time getting a decent sight picture.

 

[DMK]

How big must an aperture be before it is a ghost ring? Or is it only a ghost ring when the aperture is so big that the rear sight becomes merely a thin ring?

I don't know if I'm correct, but I consider a rear aperture with a large hole and a thin ring to be a Ghost Ring.

I have Williams apertures on both my rifles (I know, I need more guns). If I unscrew the aperture, would the empty threaded hole be a ghost ring? Do any of y'all use the sights this way, as a regular practice?

I do the same thing with my Williams sight on my Marlin 39A. I'd consider it a peep sight when it has the insert with the little "peep hole" and a Ghost ring with the insert removed.