Sight question for older shooters

[ETipp]

The trick with peep sights is to ignore the peep and focus on the front sight and target, your eye will automatically centre on the peep.

Absolutely correct. In addition, having the optimum/proper size and sight is key.

 

[Nav]

Interestingly (I find it interesting anyway), the principal of creating an aperture can work in reverse as well. If you buy a lens cap and drill a hole in the center creating an aperture in front of the objective lens on a scope it will make targets that are very close seem very far away. We do this to dry fire train indoors. You can set up a whole course of fire that looks like it's @ 1000 yards through your scope in your basement (the lighting has to be good). I have all the typical shooting positions set up from a barricade to a cattle gate and practice with a shot clock. I don't know any ranked competitors who don't dry fire train like this when they can't get to a range.

In any discipline where you have to move and shoot I'd think it would be a serious disadvantage. My eyes aren't what they were, but I shoot everything both eyes open (even scoped rifles). I know that's not an option for some people, but we were designed that way to judge distance to our targets. Of course on a known distance range seeing in 2D isn't as much of a problem...

 

[#BPBReloadingFFL]

I have 2 set at 14" from the tang.

 

[Marplot]

No firearm alteration peep sight option !

Below is photo of the eyeglass frame clip-on DEADEYE peep-sight I designed 55+ years ago to resolve my blurry vision open-sight issues in competition & hunting.

This setup will provide you with a clear picture of front & rear sights & your target.
Back in my younger competition days I provided several of my fellow competitor friends with these & always received grins with the results.
This peep sight can be made for less than $12.00. The jewelers loupe can be purchased from Harbor Frt. for about $5.00 or ordered off Amazon for about $10.00.
For the black optics disc I've always used the bottom of a 35m film canister & use the removed glass lense as your pattern. Start with drilling a .040 dia. hole in the center for your aperture for clarity, I use .060 in mine.
The arm can be tweaked to conform to your eyeglass needs & nice benefit is the eyepiece swivels out of your line of vision when not needed between matches.

As usual there are always forum naysayers to this option but it sure beats sticking a piece of gooey tape on your lense & altering your upper barrel flat with holes & dovetails.
Relic shooter

View attachment 236957

Great idea! Will try this!

 

[snakebit]

I had fiber optic sights put on 2 of my rifles (they are both 32's, so I need them for fine sighting for squirrels. My 2 50's, I used automotive touch up paint to accent the sights. Sure I'll take a bashing, but you gotta do what you gotta do.

 

[tallPercshooter]

I recently bought a like-new Italian (Euroarms? not marked) .45 percussion fullstock rifle. The rear sight is only 4 inches from the breech. I shot it one session so far and got a pretty good group of 3 inches at 50 yds off bench, so I guess I'll leave it back there. Looks odd, though. I'm 72 and use reading glass for most fine stuff, not shooting.

 

[TCMonts]

For low light hunting, I'm mostly a shotgun guy these days.

 

[yellowhammer]

I'd like to resurrect this thread. I've gone as far as to build a test mule rifle just to verify some of the concepts. My first test is a ghost peep out at the normal rear sight position.

 

[necchi]

I'd like to resurrect this thread.

Ok,,?

I've gone as far as to build a test mule rifle just to verify some of the concepts.

What is a mule rifle? And what concepts do you intend to test? Which variables will be tested first? And How will you document your test variables?
Do you have provocation of the test standard?
What guideline for proof of variable is to be used?
I mean honest, the OP hasn't been here since last year,
What is the intention?
"I made a sight for my gun." "an it works good"..
yeah, well? welcome to the 18th century .
Sorry, it's 2024, Step it up a notch friend,, show us,,
What are your standard loads, what cleaning is done(?) between loads, how have the sight variables changed.

 

[New Hampshire]

I was having this issue when shooting my bow using a peep sight. I could see the target, but could not see the pins, or front sight clearly. In fact I would see three of them. Some guys can see the pins, but not the target. They make a peep sight that has interchangeable lenses in 9 different powers. Also 2 styles a Verifier and a clarifier depending what the issue is. I tried them out and it was a game changer. It would be great if someone could design a rear sight with the same changeable lenses. I am sure it would make a huge difference for many people.

 

[yellowhammer]

Ok,,?
What is a mule rifle? And what concepts do you intend to test? Which variables will be tested first? And How will you document your test variables?
Do you have provocation of the test standard?
What guideline for proof of variable is to be used?
I mean honest, the OP hasn't been here since last year,
What is the intention?
"I made a sight for my gun." "an it works good"..
yeah, well? welcome to the 18th century .
Sorry, it's 2024, Step it up a notch friend,, show us,,
What are your standard loads, what cleaning is done(?) between loads, how have the sight variables changed.

Cool it, dude; I'm on your side; one question at a time please [dang].

I come from an engineering background and old habits and terms die hard, sorry: "Mule" is not derisive; it is simply a term for a quick & inexpensive platform meant to thoroughly test concepts without reservation i.e. "beaten like a government mule". In this case it's a SDI Traditions Shenandoah. I'm not going to scar and scratch up my Kiblers by repeatedly beating the sights in and out of the dovetails, clamping stuff on the barrel, etc.

I already stated in the my post that my first test is a ghost peep out at the normal rear sight position. I used a magnet and various diameter washers and slid them fore and aft, high and low, and came to the conclusion that a .1" dia peep set at the stock rear sight position, in combination with the stock front sight, will be my first test:

(dupe pic; posted elsewhere)

ETA: I already tried various reading glasses and stick on diopters as suggested in here without satisfactory results.

 

[yellowhammer]

"I made a sight for my gun." "an it works good"..
yeah, well? welcome to the 18th century .

My Goodle-fu works as well any anybody's; I know the history. Peeps work for me on "other" weapons.

I was hoping for a continuation of kindly discussions and responses from those who have recently gone through similar age-related eye degradation.

 

[yellowhammer]

...It would be great if someone could design a rear sight with the same changeable lenses...

A very good product development suggestion...

 

[New Hampshire]

A very good product development suggestion...

It seems so simple and I would think there are a lot more people shooting firearms than bows. I wish I was a machinist so I could make a metal pep site. One could even use the current lenses that are available separately. The picture shows one of the sets available. The lens is above the dime. You place the lens in the peep site and screw the aperture over it. The hole size is even adjustable from 1/32 to 5/32. Seems like such a simple system and I think would help so many. I know I struggled for a while and almost gave up shooting my bow until I started using this.

 

[Johnny Tremain]

I made this in 2005, see how far up the rear sight is.
The Gent who's shop I used to build this had a way of sighting in for you.
He has a flat board he puts on a fence post, then lays the rifle on it.
I sighted down the barrel until the rear sight was crystal clear.
All these years later and I can still see it.

 

[yellowhammer]

I made this in 2005, see how far up the rear sight is... All these years later and I can still see it.

That looks about like optimal for my eyes, also. If dovetail wasn't already cut I would do that right now.

ETA: sweet rifle

 

[Bad Karma]

Cool it, dude; I'm on your side; one question at a time please [dang].

I come from an engineering background and old habits and terms die hard, sorry: "Mule" is not derisive; it is simply a term for a quick & inexpensive platform meant to thoroughly test concepts without reservation i.e. "beaten like a government mule". In this case it's a SDI Traditions Shenandoah. I'm not going to scar and scratch up my Kiblers by repeatedly beating the sights in and out of the dovetails, clamping stuff on the barrel, etc.

I already stated in the my post that my first test is a ghost peep out at the normal rear sight position. I used a magnet and various diameter washers and slid them fore and aft, high and low, and came to the conclusion that a .1" dia peep set at the stock rear sight position, in combination with the stock front sight, will be my first test:

View attachment 284129

(dupe pic; posted elsewhere)

ETA: I already tried various reading glasses and stick on diopters as suggested in here without satisfactory results.

I hope you’re using at least a 50 caliber heavy bullet for your mules… they’re tough!

 

[smokeum54]

Just for giggles and food for thought. I've always been a fan of the big ugly cva style wide notch rear sight. Its no secret to flip it around and get 3 inch further away sight picture. Has anybody ever thought about a front "peep" sight. I bring this up because I've never personally seen it done before me and my dad thought of it. We found that the light entering the front site helped to clear up te rear. No need for a six o clock hold, or covering the target, its in the center.

Couldn't get a clear pic, but im sure you can tell what I'm getting at.

 

[yellowhammer]

Back from fun range day. Kept best group to post in here:

50 yds, .490 ball, red pillow ticking patch, Muzzle Magic lube, 50 grains Goex 2F


Peep exceeded expectations to say the least. Experiments over - I'm sticking with these peeps for now and will prob put one on my Woodsrunner next to try to improve groups.