Sights - Peep

[Frank Costa]

How early were peep sights used on the tang or barrel? In the mid 1800's I am sure a lot of those old boys had bad eyes and no glasses and trouble seeing the open sights.

Frank

 

[Rifleman1776]

How early were peep sights used on the tang or barrel? In the mid 1800's I am sure a lot of those old boys had bad eyes and no glasses and trouble seeing the open sights.

Frank

It's my understanding they go back to the days of knights and crossbows.

 

[Spikebuck]

In the mid 1800's I am sure a lot of those old boys had bad eyes and no glasses and trouble seeing the open sights.

"Old" was probably 40! :grin:

I checked out several websites with this topic as it's also of interest to me. Seems like this is one of those topics many cannot completely agree on. A central theme in all of them was that the popularity of peeps picked up in the mid-19th century, but that they had been around a long time and used on crossbows.

 

[Rat Trapper]

I'm guess since a lot of those guys didn't live as long as people do today, most of them were ok with the sights that came with the gun. Also peep sights would increase the cost of the gun, and most of them were short of funds most of the time. So I think most of them did without. The peep sight is a real advantage to us older guys today.

 

[fleener]

of coarse it depends on your rifle type, but in the mid to late 1800's they were certainly used.

I shoot english sporting rifles and peep sights are the only sights on these rifles.

But I do shoot them out to 1,000 yards as well.

I just orderd a set of peep sights for my latest rigby english sporting rifle project. Rifle should be ready to go by the Feb.

snapper

 

[Black Jack]

I've resisted using using peep sights on my muzzleloader so far, but at age 68, I can see the writing on the wall.