Barrel mounted Ghost Ring Sight

[Stuart C.]

Hi all,

I could use some advice on a sight question.

I have a nice XS barrel mounted peep that takes Williams inserts that I would like to mount mid-barrel (in the area where the factory adjustable rear sight is currently).  I would like to use this for some paper punching work and probably remove the insert for hunting use.

My eyes aren't getting any younger and when a peep is mounted near the breach and SO close to the eye it is almost inperceptable.  I FULLY understand the concept that the peep should be looked 'through' and even though fuzzy, the eyes will center the front sight naturally, and it offers a longer sighting plane, etc.

But...

just testing the peep in the mid barrel location down in the shop seems to give a nice sight picture.  This puts the peep 10" - 12" from the eye - where the other styles of rear sights are normally mounted.   

Shouldn't this work fine??

Is there any reason a peep shouldn't be mounted in this location/this far from the eye?

Thanks very much.  Any input is appreciated.

[Cowpox]

Hello Stuart C.
      I would think such an installation would work well for target work.   However, in a hunting situation, two drawbacks come to mind.

  (1)  Having a peep that far away, would negate the speed of target acquisition that is the peep sights claim to fame.

  (2)  The "ghost ring" would become a block of steel with a hole in it, and would obscure a large part of your intended target.

      I can sympathize with fading eyesight.  My 63 year old peepers are slipping too.  You will just have to experiment until you find what works best for you.  Not liking the idea of a scope on a traditional BP rifle, I have (so far) had decent results with bright red nail polish on the front sight, and use a coarse square notch in back.

[Semisane]

I have two guns set up with a peep in the regular rear sight position, a Great Plains .54 flintlock and a .58 Zouave.  It works fine fore me - very well in fact.  Both of my sights are home made and use various size apertures.  For hunting I use a 1/4" aperture and it's quick and easy, even in low light.  For low light conditions I paint the front sight white with fingernail polish.  Put it on before a early morning hunt.  Scrape it off after sunrise, and put it on again in late afternoon.

Here's the home made sight on my Great Plains.



Here's the original sight.



I cut the buckhorn ears off of the original sight, soldered on a modified 3/8" fine thread hex nut, and modified three fine thread bolts to make the aperture inserts.  Actually, the 3/8" nut with no apertures screwed in works really well too.