Johnson Peep sight for hunting?

[jrmflintlock]

Good morning folks!

I am in the final stages of building my .54 caliber Octagon to round elk/Bear/moose slayer!

Trying to decide if I should put a Johnsons Peep sight from Muzzleloader Builders Supply on it.

An friend of a friend went Hunting with his flintlock in Africa and used a peep sight. He said it was one of the best things he could have done.

Any of you have experience using peep sights for hunting?

Thanks for the feedback!

Latest photo of the rifle on the bench!!

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[BrownBear]

I'd have no problem with it, and in fact will consider it on a future gun with one provision:

The aperture has to be as close to your eye as possible. I tried the this sight intended to slide into a dovetail at the normal position for a rear sight, and it was absolutely worthless to me. I just could not find the aperture in low light, and even in the best light it was very slow to use.

I gave it to a buddy who was all hot to try it, and he had the same results. He gave it to another, and so it has gone through about a dozen owners around here. And to my knowledge that sight is rusting in a drawer somewhere in the neighborhood, because it's certainly not found a home on any gun.

 

[jrmflintlock]

This is the one I am looking at and I plan to mount it way back by the breach it looks like it could even extend over the breach past the lock.

There are two inserts available and can be used open with out the insert in a pinch.

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[Grimord]

I have mounted peep sights on most of my hunting guns due to failing eyesight. The johnson sight is a good one, but I would not mount it so that the peep is to the rear of the breech plug on a hooked breech gun. Makes it difficult to take the barrel off without removing the sight. Skinner makes some nice peep sights with some that mount in the existing rear dovetail. The hole in the peep is quite a bit larger that the one on the site that Brown Bear referred to. I have not had a problem finding the sight or using it on game, even in low light conditions. It is quite fast

 

[jimbeilke]

I have a.54 percussion and a .58 flintlock, both in English sporting rifle style with the Johnson peep. Very accurate and very fast in low light. I prefer them without the small aperture. They are mounted slightly ahead of the hooked breech for clearance.

 

[rushlake1]

Check out this post.......Post#1548131

Peeps work..

 

[Don Steele]

I've had some experience with both peep sights, and hunting in Africa.
On peep sights: I've found them to be less-than-ideal when hunting in low light conditions early in the morning or near dusk in the late afternoon.
I've made 4 trips to Africa and with only a couple of exceptions in a lot of shooting over there...I've had much more open, well lit conditions than where I currently hunt in S.E. Georgia.

 

[fleener]

I too have used quite a few peeps on various rifles. Low light conditions are not very favorable for peep sights for hunting.

If you are OK with this and/or dont shoot many animals at low light then you will most likely love the peep sights.

If your eye sight is such that this is something that you really need to do, do it.

Fleener

 

[Spikebuck]

JRM: I have hunted with peeps, including the Johnson Peep, and love them. Those that say they cannot shoot in low light may be using too small of an aperture hole. The Johnson will accept the Willams Twilight Apertures..and I use the big hole ones. .125 works well for me from a 1/2 hour before sunrise to a 1/2 hour after sunset, which are Minnesota's legal shooting hours. You can go to the .150 and have even more light transmission without sacrificing much accuracy at reasonable distances.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/3...ilight-3-8-diameter-with-125-hole-steel-black

Here's a couple of my guns with the Johnson mounted. I dovetailed one on my Flint Hawken build and have it just forward enough so I can still easily lift out the hooked breech barrel. Still see very well through that. The one on my Jaeger is mounted back a tad further.

I do use a smaller peep hole for sighting in to get the most accuracy possible, then change out to the larger diameter holes for hunting (and of course I've practiced with those too.)

The Jaeger:

I think these peeps look good on a traditional muzzleloader and I love the quick target acquisition and accuracy.

Mike

 

[jrmflintlock]

Awesome!!! Thanks for the pictures!! I can't wait to try it!!

 

[rushlake1]

Keep the peep sight mounted behind the flash pan..
prefer a tang mount..use what works for you!
deer ,squirrels,rabbits don't care too much for them.

 

[Crow#21957]

Ok here's a couple of pics. I agree with closer to the eye. I have one at 4 in. behind breech and one 4 3/4. No reason for the difference. There is ample wiggle room. I drill and tap the tail end of breech plug you know where the tang takes off to the rear. This way no dove tail in barrel. These are hard to find by Spence, but my first years ago was Johnson and they are fine. Best thing on the Spence, there's elevation and windage adjustment. But like I say very hard to find. I got the last two Log Cabin had. I modified the top one due to shortchanged and didn't want elevation screw to eat into the stock wrist area.

 

[Patocazador]

If one is young and their eyes are still capable of adjusting, I don't see the absolute need for a peep. However, my very long flintlock had a regular V notch and a front post. The front post was 40+" away from my eye. I couldn't begin to focus on the front sight and target due to presbyopia which really is just being old.

A gunsmith on this forum made a peep for me that slid into the dovetail where the original rear sight was. It is not close to the eye but made all the difference in the world. Even my 80 y.o. eyes can focus on the target now.