Peep/globe sights for hunting

[10 Ga.]

I currently own a .22 with peep sights and a circle front target sight. I love it and can shoot it very accurately. I currently am working on a .54 GPR and am not very impressed with the factory sights. Does anyone have good luck with globe sights for hunting? Or do you have other sights for a GPR that you like?

-10Ga

 

[deerstalkert]

its all i use. look at the target and shoot.

 

[07Kingpin]

How do they do in low light compared to a buckhorn type?

 

[Nor'Easter]

They make an aperture for low light shooting, it has a gold/brass ring around the edge. I have one and it works OK. I find that if lighting is questionable I just unscrew the aperture and use the rear sight as a ghost ring. In low light what you use for the front sight is super important. The last buck I shot was less than two minutes before the end of legal shooting Hours.

 

[BS]

https://meritcorporation.com/products.html
#4 Hunter is what you want in the rear.

Had one for near 40 years.

 

[Nor'Easter]

I can shoot you some pictures of the front sights I use. They are not HC / PC, but are the ticket for low light and brush guns.

 

[BS]

This is on my 36 cal.

This one glows in the dark

This is on my 69 cal.
Hope this give you some ideas.

 

[mtfishn]

I'm not a big fan of a globe front sight for hunting. I have tried ...and failed to get good sight pictures in darker conditions. I have taken some big game with a globe front , but numerous times have had to pass up shots because of poor light or more often, poor contrast between the sight and the target. One instance was a moose who was so close and so "black" I could not see my sights against the dark hide. I managed to get him anyway....because he was big and close. Another time had a bull elk standing with just his face visible at about 30yds. The background was also about the same color as the dark elk head and I couldn't see my sight against the dark hair. Elk won that day. I could go on with examples of times it did not work as well as a traditional buckhorn, semi-buckhorn or peep and post would have worked. The best combination for me on rifles where I did not want to remove the front globe was to use one with a post insert or one like BS posted above. This still allows a fair amount of light around the post to see where you are on the animal.

 

[SOLANCO]

When the range opens up, I can have problems acquiring my target with these types of sights. But then I also have age related eye disease so your mileage may vary.

 

[ETipp]

I currently own a .22 with peep sights and a circle front target sight. I love it and can shoot it very accurately. I currently am working on a .54 GPR and am not very impressed with the factory sights. Does anyone have good luck with globe sights for hunting? Or do you have other sights for a GPR that you like?

-10Ga

Personally, I do not see how "most" globe front sights are good during hunting, especially in low light conditions.

My GPR is now wearing a Lyman 57 peep that I drilled out the aperture some. I still have the factory front bead but am looking to change that to something better. And here is the reason why. Last week I took it out squirrel hunting and could not, for the life of me, see the front bead to align it on a squirrel that was close up. And it was not due to the peep. I could see the squirrel just fine.

It is to my belief that unless someone has some sort of front bead that illuminates well (such as the one BS has posted) then any other front globe sight would be counter productive for many hunting applications, especially during lower light conditions, which is often the most critical time.

 

[BS]

If you use the post, you can have a regular rear sight and use the peep.

Low light you remove the peep insert and use the rear as a "ghost ring" . [While viewing the rear sight.]

The ghost ring may improve the sight picture.

Options, I like options!

 

[ETipp]

If you use the post, you can have a regular rear sight and use the peep.

Low light you remove the peep insert and use the rear as a "ghost ring" .

The ghost ring may improve the sight picture.

Options, I like options!

Ghost rings work quite well. Try as I did, I removed the aperture from one of my peeps and tried to use the housing for a Ghost Ring sight. However, the ring itself is too thin of diameter for my now older and damaged eyes.

So I drill out my peep apertures large enough to be not as large as ghost rings but still get good sight pictures in poor light conditions with the proper size front bead. IMO and from my real world testing/hunting in low light conditions, the proper size and style of front bead when compared to the aperture is critical.

I'm now in search for a Marbles front bead for my GPR, and perhaps even my New Englander.

 

[ORBushman]

I have a Lyman peep setup on a new to me T/C carbine. So far I am ok to view though them but, have not hit the range with it yet. I'll post a shooting report when I do but, I think they'll be fine for the brush hunting that I encounter. Good luck on your GPR!

 

[Nor'Easter]

These are what I've startedly using for fronts. Not made any more but find them regularly on ebay.

Another trick is to buy a roll of the reflective tape used on the sides of trailers. Cut a thin strip that just fits your front sight post, and stick it to the degreased sight. Then, if the need or desire to be HC/PC arises it's easy to just roll it off with your fingers.

 

[Nor'Easter]

View attachment 255812

This is on my 36 cal.
View attachment 255813View attachment 255814
This one glows in the dark
View attachment 255815
This is on my 69 cal.
Hope this give you some ideas.

Do you make these or buy them?

 

[SOLANCO]

I have been known to paint the back sides of front sight blades with white paint or nail polish. Comes off easy enough. Sometimes too easy so I keep the nail polish handy.

 

[10 Ga.]

Thank you everyone for your ideas. It sounds like a peep rear with a blade front might work well. Does anyone else have a favorite hunting sight set up? Does anyone use any tricks that are more historically correct like German silver/brass blades? I’m not stuck on being HC but am interested in what works for everyone.

-10Ga

 

[Nor'Easter]

At some point I want to try a german silver front sight, medium width, flat faced and a matte finish.

 

[BS]

Do you make these or buy them?

I make them as I need them, just for my personal use.
Just sharing ideas.

 

[Nor'Easter]

I make them as I need them, just for my personal use.
Just sharing ideas.

Do you use the same material as 'night sights' for the glow in the dark post?

BTW, nice job on the sights!