Kentucky rifle rear sight questions

[Flintlock Whiskey]

It is manufactured by Pedersoli. I very much enjoy shooting it except I have difficulty with the sighting picture, my eyes are not what they used to be and I wear trifocals. I have heard of the rear sight being moved forward, but cutting another dovetail into the barrel is not something I want to do. So, I know there are a number of others in my situation. What did you do or what do you suggest?

 

[Rancocas]

Moving the rear sight is probably the most common solution. I would take out the old sight, set it on top of the barrel and move it back and forth while sighting until I find the best location. Then, cut a new dovetail. The old dovetail can be filled in.
Another option may be a peep sight mounted on the tang, but personally I want my rifles to be period correct.

 

[wiscoaster]

I've got a couple rifles with the rear sight well forward, and they're much easier to use with my old eyes and prescription shooting glasses with focal point on the front sight. Rear sights too far back just get too fuzzy to properly position that front sight in the notch. I think you're going to have to bite the bullet and move that sight forward, or just live with it the way it is.

 

[Flintlock Whiskey]

Moving the rear sight is probably the most common solution. I would take out the old sight, set it on top of the barrel and move it back and forth while sighting until I find the best location. Then, cut a new dovetail. The old dovetail can be filled in.
Another option may be a peep sight mounted on the tang, but personally I want my rifles to be period correct.

As period correct as possible is my concern. My other rifle is the plow horse and if I have a modern sight on it, it is less than a bother to me. but not this one.

 

[Flintlock Whiskey]

I've got a couple rifles with the rear sight well forward, and they're much easier to use with my old eyes and prescription shooting glasses with focal point on the front sight. Rear sights too far back just get too fuzzy to properly position that front sight in the notch. I think you're going to have to bite the bullet and move that sight forward, or just live with it the way it is.

Could you post a pic or two of one that you moved the sight on?

 

[Flintlock Whiskey]

I did find a post where a member epoxied a small washer to the rear sight to form a kind of peep. Anyone else done this?

 

[Phil Coffins]

I had to move this one as I aged, it was done as a fellow might at the edge of civilization.
001 by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr

 

[Flintlock Whiskey]

I had to move this one as I aged, it was done as a fellow might at the edge of civilization.
001 by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr

Thanks for the pic, beautiful browning job.

 

[wiscoaster]

Could you post a pic or two of one that you moved the sight on?

No, sorry, I was misunderstood. I didn't move the sight forward, it came that way from the factory. The rifle I'm thinking of right off the top as a good example is a cartridge gun, and they won't allow me to post pics of cartridge guns in this forum. It's a Henry Classic Lever in .22 WMR if you want to look it up online.

 

[azmntman]

Thanks for the pic, beautiful browning job.

Beautiful WOOD! as well

 

[The Crisco Kid]

After all this time I just figured out that Phil Coffins is an alias for Jack Crabb from Little Big Man. It's no wonder he's had to move his sight forward!

 

[SmokepoleSam]

Another option may be a peep sight mounted on the tang,

That's what I would do if you are not shooting in a match that will not allow aftermarket or peep sights. I worked for me.
Good luck

 

[Flintlock Whiskey]

After all this time I just figured out that Phil Coffins is an alias for Jack Crabb from Little Big Man. It's no wonder he's had to move his sight forward!

And here I was thinking it was a play on Phil Collins.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

It is manufactured by Pedersoli. I very much enjoy shooting it except I have difficulty with the sighting picture, my eyes are not what they used to be and I wear trifocals. I have heard of the rear sight being moved forward, but cutting another dovetail into the barrel is not something I want to do. So, I know there are a number of others in my situation. What did you do or what do you suggest?

Get a Bullseye Peep Sight. It's much easier for you to center a front sight post in an out-of-focus circle. Use the portion of your glasses that has the front sight post in focus, and you should be fine

Bullseye Peep Sight

LD

 

[M. De Land]

I've got a couple rifles with the rear sight well forward, and they're much easier to use with my old eyes and prescription shooting glasses with focal point on the front sight. Rear sights too far back just get too fuzzy to properly position that front sight in the notch. I think you're going to have to bite the bullet and move that sight forward, or just live with it the way it is.

Some of our fore fathers knew about aperture sights and used them as they are always more accurate and adaptable to declining visual acuity. The two main reasons is they make one less focal plane the eye has to compensate for and they lengthen sighting plane distance .
One does not need a tiny, hard to see through hole, in the rear aperture for good accuracy. An easily seen through rear aperture hole is plenty accurate for most application, even target shooting.
They are faster to acquire on target and work better in low light given large enough aperture hole.

 

[Howard Pippin]

I did find a post where a member epoxied a small washer to the rear sight to form a kind of peep. Anyone else done this?

Yes, I took and braised a washer with a 3/16 hole in it to an old rear sight and it makes a dandy peep. It's big enough that it doesn't have to be against the eye, i can see clearly through it, and yet I can also see around it which makes hunting with it a plus. It's surprisingly accurate compared to what most people use for a peep site as I can hold my own in what club shooting I do. Most of my shots o
are 50 yards or not over 65, those things aren't that critical anyway. I have way more bullet spread by using the wrong Lube then I do with this sight.
Squint

 

[Larry Akers]

Whiskey, you might try an adjustable iris, such as made by Merit, which attach to your glasses by a suction cup. The iris increases the depth of focus to bring the sights into focus. If it works for you, you won't have to move the sights at all.

 

[CuNosecap]

Phil, using brass to fill the dovetail was brilliant. It makes it look like a planned inlay instead of a fill in. Great idea.

 

[Kmcmichael]

Get a Bullseye Peep Sight. It's much easier for you to center a front sight post in an out-of-focus circle. Use the portion of your glasses that has the front sight post in focus, and you should be fine

Bullseye Peep Sight

View attachment 249540

LD

Have you used this?

 

[Mike in FL]

My answer to old eyes is reading glasses of low magnitude. 1.25 for me. Although the target is a tad fuzzy, I can see the open sights clearly, enough so that my flintlock rifle will print nickel size groups at 50 yards. Con semi v the unmentionable, I bought a read peep sight from Skinner sights. I have that exact same gun. The Skinner simp!y goes in the factory dovetail.