Williams Peep Sights on T/C Hawken

[Dagored]

My friend and I just recently purchased peep sights from the Williams Sight Company. We found them to be well made and a great addition to our rifles to assist our aging eyes. However, after mounting the sights both rifles shot 3" high at 25 yds. When we went to adjust the peep sight we found that the adjustment is already at the bottom and will not go any further. I have an email in to the company but I thought I would ask the forum for some answers. We had a gunsmith put the sight on and he used one of the screw holes on the tang. So why is this happening? I can't believe that it would be built that way, just doesn't make sense. Any thoughts are helpful.

 

[Walkin Stick]

My friend and I just recently purchased peep sights from the Williams Sight Company. We found them to be well made and a great addition to our rifles to assist our aging eyes. However, after mounting the sights both rifles shot 3" high at 25 yds. When we went to adjust the peep sight we found that the adjustment is already at the bottom and will not go any further. I have an email in to the company but I thought I would ask the forum for some answers. We had a gunsmith put the sight on and he used one of the screw holes on the tang. So why is this happening? I can't believe that it would be built that way, just doesn't make sense. Any thoughts are helpful.

I’m assuming you’re still using the original front sight? If that’s true then you’re probably going to have to replace it with a taller blade. That’s not an uncommon requirement when switching to peep sights. If you call the folks at Williams they may even be able to tell you what height you need and even supply the sight you need.

 

[leadhoarder]

Was the bottom or the top screw used? You may need a taller front sight.

 

[Dagored]

The bottom screw was used. I can change out the front sight but why should I have to do that? The way I look at it is, if I buy an expensive peep sight custom made for my T/C hawken it should have been designed to better allow for height adjustment. I will contact Williams today. thank you

 

[pilot]

You only used one mounting screw? The best practice is to drill and tap the tang for the second screw and use both.

 

[Don Steele]

The bottom screw was used. I can change out the front sight but why should I have to do that? The way I look at it is, if I buy an expensive peep sight custom made for my T/C hawken it should have been designed to better allow for height adjustment. I will contact Williams today. thank you

“ custom made for my T/C Hawken” means it will fit, which it clearly does. Getting the p.o.I. to where you want it is completely up to you, the purchaser who went with a modification of the original rifle. Nothing wrong with that and I venture to guess that the overwhelming majority of us here have done it. A taller front sight is the remedy, or change your hold point, or modify your stock… custom is well… custom. Enjoy the journey and I hope the peep style sight helps your shooting. Pretty much every “ mature” shooter I know, including myself ( I’m 74) has had to find some kind of “ custom” solution to continue enjoying shooting without optical sights.

 

[Rum River]

My friend and I just recently purchased peep sights from the Williams Sight Company. We found them to be well made and a great addition to our rifles to assist our aging eyes. However, after mounting the sights both rifles shot 3" high at 25 yds. When we went to adjust the peep sight we found that the adjustment is already at the bottom and will not go any further. I have an email in to the company but I thought I would ask the forum for some answers. We had a gunsmith put the sight on and he used one of the screw holes on the tang. So why is this happening? I can't believe that it would be built that way, just doesn't make sense. Any thoughts are helpful.

I love peep sights and install the adjustable versions to take the place of 'standard' iron sights often.
A T/C Hawken at my house plus a Lyman Great Plains Hunter are both set up exactly as you describe. I also have a bunch of unmentionable rifles where I have done the same thing.

In every single case I have had to install a taller front sight. The necessary bulk of an adjustable peep sight means they sit higher - and will require a correspondingly taller front sight.

 

[TreeMan]

Save yourself some time and order a $3 taller front sight.

 

[Dagored]

You only used one mounting screw? The best practice is to drill and tap the tang for the second screw and use both.

no we used two. one screw went in the hole that was already there and one new one was tapped and drilled. Wonderful job by the gunsmith. I just wonder why williams designed a sight that immediately runs out of adjustment. will contact them.

 

[Indy Durtdigger]

no we used two. one screw went in the hole that was already there and one new one was tapped and drilled. Wonderful job by the gunsmith. I just wonder why williams designed a sight that immediately runs out of adjustment. will contact them.

As others have said that sight has to be paired with an appropriate front sight. Their website and before that catalogue used to list ones. It doesn't anymore though. The rear sight is all they list and it's missing all the product specs as well as being out of stock on both models. Discontinued and not yet removed?
Used to show stuff like this so folks could order what they needed.

 

[Des52]

The bottom screw was used. I can change out the front sight but why should I have to do that? The way I look at it is, if I buy an expensive peep sight custom made for my T/C hawken it should have been designed to better allow for height adjustment. I will contact Williams today. thank you

You changed the back sight, that is why. Almost everybody I know that has changed to a peep has had to change the front sight too.

 

[pilot]

I didn't know to order a front sight for my T/C Hawken. Fortunately I was able to sight it in by running the rear sight all the way down.

 

[Rum River]

no we used two. one screw went in the hole that was already there and one new one was tapped and drilled. Wonderful job by the gunsmith. I just wonder why williams designed a sight that immediately runs out of adjustment. will contact them.

Williams did not design a sight to immediately run out of adjustment.

They designed a sight that can be used on a variety of different caliber muzzle loading rifles which then can be used with a variety of different combinations of powder and projectile.....
.....but which most likely will require a one-time purchase of a taller front sight.

In order to help choose the correct front sight height:
Set the rear sight to the lowest elevation you prefer to use.
Tape a vertical piece of cardboard (taller then the sight) along side the existing front sight.
Go to the range and 'sight in' using the top of the cardboard and cutting it off in increments until your elevation is where you want it.

Once you have a more compatible front sight you will be very happy with this sight arrangement.

Good luck and good shooting!

 

[SgtMaj65]

I installed a Williams FP Hawken peep on my .50 T/C Renegade and added a Lyman 17a front globe sight. Matched perfectly, works great. This was one of the first targets after installation of new peep/globe combination while I was still sighting in and getting used to peep.

 

[Greenjoytj]

Use the Internet to find the math formula that allows you to calculate the amount of sight hight change you need to zero the rifle at any range.
But 3” high poi at 25 yds is probably very close to being zeroed at 100 yds.
Test it and see.

 

[AML]

After building my Traditions Hawken I did not even put the plastic sights on, ordered Williams TC Hawken tang sight, and Lyman 17 Globe Front Sight (shortest). My rifle has the short tang so could not mount to it but mounted to the stock with a little inletting (just enough to flatten area for mounting). Works just fine, will be trying at extended range (300-500) later in the year. Target is the first shot at 25 yard sighting, the ragged hole in the center is 10-50 cal holes the two flyers were intentional after returning sight to 25 yards from 100 where hit the paper after guessing on how many clicks to raise the sight.