So, You Want A Peep Sight....

[centershot]

Good morning all! There has been a lot of discussion regarding the advanced age of many of our members and the visual acuity that is sometimes/usually lost with age. Peep sights are a solution to that problem for many of us. I, like many here, would like to install a peep sight on my guns but don't want one of Lyman's or Willian's fine, but expensive, and large, products residing on the tang of my rifle. OK, well, a number of years ago I purchased a lonely and forlorn Bubba'd N-44 Mosin Nagant carbine, just because........well, it was cheap, and handy anf I thought it might be fun to mess around with. And it has been all of that, EXCEPT, for those tiny, obscure, almost useless sights. As it happened, I was perusing a forum for frugal outdoorsmen hosted by a Cajun fellow from, whwere else, Looozanna, you knw, that state next to Texas down on the Gulf. In one of his articles he showed how he fitted new sights to an old MN that he had. I wasn't particularly interested in replacing the front sight, but his solution for the rear sight was genius! You know those sling swivel studs with the 1/4-20 threaded shank? Yup! He D&T'd the bolt body and screwed it right in with a small lock nut to hold it. I promptly took the bolt from my M-44 to my gunsmith and said, "Do this!" while showing him the picture. Well, rather than fuss with MAKING a peep sight for you favorite smokepole, just D&T the tang and screw one of those swivel studs in. The first pic is not a swivel stud, but you get the idea. The next two are my M-44.

 

[64Springer]

A fine accessory to be sure.

Should enhance any high end muzzleloader.

Will common browning solution work on those beautimus peeps?

 

[centershot]

Those in the first pic are not my work, that photo is one I found here. It looks like brass tubing was used to create them so I would say no to browning. The swivel studs, being steel, could be stripped of bluing and then browned, of course.

 

[Greg_E]

An interesting (and cheap) solution, I'll have to think about this for my "Hawken".

 

[user 48679]

Skinner Sights make a very similar sight called LO-Pro, adjustable for elevation

http://www.skinnersights.com/lo-pro_sight_7.html

 

[William Lincoln]

Peep sights, properly adjusted, are superior to other open
sights because they naturally force the eye to center on the
target. Thanks for the interesting post.

 

[centershot]

Skinner Sights make a very similar sight called LO-Pro, adjustable for elevation

http://www.skinnersights.com/lo-pro_sight_7.html

Yes, using the swivel stud in this manner it is also adjustable for elevation. If you also install a globe front sight of appropriate outside diameter, the sight picture is a "circle-in-a-circle", thereby quickly and naturally centering the sights. It works pretty good on the rifle pictured.

 

[Rifleman1776]

The Johnson is also a good alternative.

 

[Eterry]

I'd be sure to use a fine a thread as I could locate. Because you are making adjustments at half turns. But should be an easy and inexpensive solution. I've seen many lollipop aperature designs on here over the years.

 

[Tom A Hawk]

https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/folding-peep-sight.145105/

 

[Greyrider]

That’s a great idea. My 2 main guns I’m working on right now have peeps on them. I love them for hunting. But was considering going to a couple walk through shoots to meet people with the same interest. And see I can’t shoot them because of the peep. Don’t know if they would let me shoot for fun because that’s all I want to do anyway. I’ve done enough 3D archery shoots don’t want to really get into competitions again just fun and meet other guys that do this. Haven’t seen anyone shooting smoke poles in years.

 

[BS2366]

I have to try this! Anyone know the thread pitch of a fine thread sling swivel? Have to make sure I have the correct tap.

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

Anyone know the thread pitch of a fine thread sling swivel? Have to make sure I have the correct tap.

Uncle Mike's are 10-32, as I presume most are ...

 

[BS2366]

I have a set of Tech sights on the 10/22 and really like them. They are a peep rear with a pin front. Very similar to using an M16 A2 sight.

 

[ETipp]

Good morning all! There has been a lot of discussion regarding the advanced age of many of our members and the visual acuity that is sometimes/usually lost with age. Peep sights are a solution to that problem for many of us. I, like many here, would like to install a peep sight on my guns but don't want one of Lyman's or Willian's fine, but expensive, and large, products residing on the tang of my rifle. OK, well, a number of years ago I purchased a lonely and forlorn Bubba'd N-44 Mosin Nagant carbine, just because........well, it was cheap, and handy anf I thought it might be fun to mess around with. And it has been all of that, EXCEPT, for those tiny, obscure, almost useless sights. As it happened, I was perusing a forum for frugal outdoorsmen hosted by a Cajun fellow from, whwere else, Looozanna, you knw, that state next to Texas down on the Gulf. In one of his articles he showed how he fitted new sights to an old MN that he had. I wasn't particularly interested in replacing the front sight, but his solution for the rear sight was genius! You know those sling swivel studs with the 1/4-20 threaded shank? Yup! He D&T'd the bolt body and screwed it right in with a small lock nut to hold it. I promptly took the bolt from my M-44 to my gunsmith and said, "Do this!" while showing him the picture. Well, rather than fuss with MAKING a peep sight for you favorite smokepole, just D&T the tang and screw one of those swivel studs in. The first pic is not a swivel stud, but you get the idea. The next two are my M-44.

Danged if that might just work. The only issue I'm seeing is where to put them on certain ML rifles. I'm going to check into this, considering I have a few different sling studs stashed away. I'm really wanting (and needing) a peep sight for my Crockett Rifle. Maybe even my GPR as well.

 

[ETipp]

Peep sights, properly adjusted, are superior to other open
sights because they naturally force the eye to center on the
target. Thanks for the interesting post.

Yeppers, especially for old eyes.

 

[TransYank]

FYI. I had a Skinner Peep sight that was on a Henry Yellowboy I purchased and removed. A few years ago (Because of aging eyes) I removed rear sight from my 36 caliber Investarms Hawkin. And installed peep on ML used the factory hole and then drilled and tapped 2 hole works perfect for squirrel and different size aperture are available at their website. But I actually remove the aperture and use the larger threaded hole for hunting and install it for shooting paper targets.

 

[Crawfish]

I am 76, and while I used to be a genuine Hawkeye, my vision has gone south. i was struggling to shoot accurately, and it was very disappointing.
I put a Lyman 57 peep sight on the TC Hawken I built.
actually a combo of the sight, and thicker patch material. First photo at 50 yards with .010 patch material, peep sight installed. Should be noted that this is better than my usual efforts. Second group was with .015 patching and a slight tweak of peep sight settings. A great improvement for me. All shots off a bench. .490 ball, .010, then later .015 patching. 70 grains of 2F