Peep Sight on flintlock?

[Griz44Mag]

I have in the past had both the Lyman and the similar Williams sights.
I just could not ever get past the huge chunk hanging on the side of the gun. It just looks bad. They do function just fine though.
For peeps I have changed mine to the Pedersoli Ghost tang mount or used a Marbles bullseye long mounted in the rear dovetail.
Both look much better and function great.
The Pedersoli is adjustable for both windage and elevation. (Really nice features)
The marbles is adjustable for elevation and can be drifted for windage.

 

[Nameless Hunter]

I have in the past had both the Lyman and the similar Williams sights.
I just could not ever get past the huge chunk hanging on the side of the gun. It just looks bad. They do function just fine though.
For peeps I have changed mine to the Pedersoli Ghost tang mount or used a Marbles bullseye long mounted in the rear dovetail.
Both look much better and function great.
The Pedersoli is adjustable for both windage and elevation. (Really nice features)
The marbles is adjustable for elevation and can be drifted for windage.

I put the Marble peep sight on my GPR, and have been satisfied with both the appearance and performance of it.

 

[Spyder83]

It is not uncommon to have a peep on a flintlock. There are numerous posts that have discussed the topic here over the years. Peep sights have been around since well before the invention of the flintlock, so while probably not all that common back in the day, they did exist.

Here's the Johnson Peep on a fullstock flint Hawken I built. I kind of like a rear peep on a traditional gun that looks more traditional. I use the Williams Twilight Apertures.

I like you peep sight and the way you have mounted it. Could you tell me where you got the Johnson peep sight at. I think this will help me with my failing eyes.

 

[Eric Krewson]

Simple but it works for my old eyes, I am making another one today for my latest Haines rifle build. I tried 1/16" thick metal but didn't like it, to flimsy, with this thick stuff I can countersink the tang bolt hole in the sight and get away with a one bolt attachment that is secure.

 

[M. De Land]

I have a custom flintlock that is not HC. It is a take on an English Sporting Rifle that I use for hunting. The rear sight is an open blade but adjustable. The rifle fell and the rear sight screw broke. I used this as an excuse to send the rifle to my favorite rifle-maker. He is doing some work on it and suggested a rear peep sight. I recently got the ol' T/C branded adjustable peep sight and my riflesmith says it will work on the tang of this rifle by the addition of one screw. Of course, the rear sight could be put back on and the peep taken off within a few minutes if desired. The peep might even remain sighted-in, but I doubt the rear sight would. Anyway, for a hunting rifle that I am not trying in any way to be HC with, what do you say about putting a peep sight on it?

I have competed for many years both with peep and open sights and a good open (large) rear aperture peep sight is much more accurate than is the best open sight. A double aperture (front and rear sight) is nearly as accurate as is a scope sight, in decent lighting on bull targets.
You will be able to hold elevation even in poor light better than you can with an open sight.
For gong shooting I like a wide front post ( at least .100 wide) and a rear open aperture about 1/16th diameter.
Also tang peeps give you more sight radius ( distance between rear and front sight) than does open sights which is always more accurate.

 

[M. De Land]

Simple but it works for my old eyes, I am making another one today for my latest Haines rifle build. I tried 1/16" thick metal but didn't like it, to flimsy, with this thick stuff I can countersink the tang bolt hole in the sight and get away with a one bolt attachment that is secure.

View attachment 105057View attachment 105058

Yeah, that will work fine once you get the front blade height and windage set to the rifles most accurate load. Muzzle loaders for a max of 200 yard shooting don't really need micro meter adjustable sights, in my opinion.
I like that sight but I think I would add a pivot stake up front and cut a windage adjustment radial slot at the rear screw so you could move it and then lock it down when sighting in. This will help not having to have all the windage adjustment up front.

 

[Spikebuck]

I like you peep sight and the way you have mounted it. Could you tell me where you got the Johnson peep sight at. I think this will help me with my failing eyes.

I purchase Johnson Peep Sights through Muzzleloader Builders Supply. They are available in steel, brass, or German Silver (or at least they used to be.) As mentioned, I like the Williams Twilight apertures.

 

[TerryK]

Factory option on a Pedersoli Jaeger.

 

[Gvilleddie]

Would it accomplish anything to put a peep sight in the existing rear sight dovetail? I too am going to need some help for these old eyes.

 

[Gvilleddie]

Can you buy the Lowell HaarerGhost Ring?

 

[DuncNZ]

My early matchlock and my wheel lock both have period correct aperture sights . My .54 hunting flintlock has an aperture rear sight whether it is PC or not is not a concern to me , It isn't click adjusting which would make it ineligible

for competition here in New Zealand

 

[Cpt Flint]

I solved my sight in problems by asking the buck to wait a minute while I put on my Specks....
SM

Deep thinking here! Impressive!

 

[Nameless Hunter]

Would it accomplish anything to put a peep sight in the existing rear sight dovetail? I too am going to need some help for these old eyes.

You might want to take a look at the Marble's Bullseye - not as good as a true peep but it tightened the groups on my GPR. I found the inner wall to be a bit thin for my taste so I ended up press fitting a short piece of small stainless tubing I bought from McMaster Carr into the inner hole.

 

[Griz44Mag]

You might want to take a look at the Marble's Bullseye - not as good as a true peep but it tightened the groups on my GPR. I found the inner wall to be a bit thin for my taste so I ended up press fitting a short piece of small stainless tubing I bought from McMaster Carr into the inner hole.
View attachment 105211

See that extra hole in tang? Tha'st for mounting a Pedersoli Ghost ring sight.
Here's mine - set up for shooting at 200 yards. The sight is windage and elevation adjustable.
I can reliably hit 5 of 5 in the torso of a life size silhouette with 90gr 3F and a .535 round ball with it.
I threaded the eyelet and put a peep in it to reduce the hole size for longer ranges.

 

[nkbj]

A fast twist flinter with a peep sight could be some kinda fun.

 

[Loja man]

Simple but it works for my old eyes, I am making another one today for my latest Haines rifle build. I tried 1/16" thick metal but didn't like it, to flimsy, with this thick stuff I can countersink the tang bolt hole in the sight and get away with a one bolt attachment that is secure.

View attachment 105057View attachment 105058

Great job Eric!! I love the simplicity of it. What thickness of metal did you use? I do blacksmithing and am contemplating making something similar to yours for my Traditions Kentucky rifle. You have found one screw to be adequate? Did you replace your front blade with a bead style?

 

[OldSmoky1967]

I've always had excellent eyesight and really loved shooting iron sights. Then 3 or 4 years ago the rear sight suddenly got real blurry and I couldn't shoot iron sights anymore. This happened about the same time I was diagnosed with Diabetes. Fortunately I had anticipated this and had some ideas about a simple peep sight.
I made one of these for each of my rifles and it restored my ability to hit with open sights.

 

[OldSmoky1967]

I've always had excellent eyesight and really loved shooting iron sights. Then 3 or 4 years ago the rear sight suddenly got real blurry and I couldn't shoot iron sights anymore. This happened about the same time I was diagnosed with Diabetes. Fortunately I had anticipated this and had some ideas about a simple peep sight.
I made one of these for each of my rifles and it restored my ability to hit with open sights.

How is it attached?

 

[Grenadier1758]

Would it accomplish anything to put a peep sight in the existing rear sight dovetail? I too am going to need some help for these old eyes.

The peep sight is most effective when the peep is close to the eye. The peep sights mounted on the tang are the best for getting a good focus of the front sight and the target.

 

[Eric Krewson]

The metal of the peep in the picture is 1/8" thick, I made one from 1/16" metal but like the thicker metal better.

A lot of people have suggested that I put a second attachment screw in the sight to hold it in place, with the deep countersink and a tight tang bolt mounting it is stable. This sight is just a temp, I am closing in on the time that I will need have cataract surgery at which point I will no longer need it. Because of this I don't want to drill another hole in any of the tangs of the guns I mount these sights on.

This peep sight is for hunting, I really have it torqued down to hold it in place it doesn't move easily. I set it up and adjusted it to have the front blade perfectly centered in the rear sight notch and even with the top of the rear sight for a 6 o'clock hold, if it should shift I can easily tap it back into alignment.

Here is the peep sight that I made out of 1/16" metal. It is Ok but I like the thicker metal better, this one has a little give (spring) to it, the thicker metal is rock solid.