Author Topic: Maximum Aperture? (Read 555 times)

BrushBuster · « **on:** August 02, 2004, 05:35:16 AM »

I have been a fan of iron sights for a lot of years. The simplicity and fast acquisition of the peep sight in particular has served me well. Recently I read an article that stated that the eye cannot effectively centre itself in an aperture larger than .200? I checked my rifles and found that none of my current sights have openings larger than .190 and began to believe this might just be a fact.

However, I commonly see advertised a "new" style of aperture sight referred to as "Ghost Ring Style" with apertures of .2400 and possibly larger. Does anybody have the straight goods on this? How are you Ghost Ringers out there doing on game and targets ?

:shock:

CJ · « **Reply #1 on:** August 02, 2004, 06:47:41 AM »

Like the "Express sights" vs square notch. On average Ghost rings give up a little precision for speed. The smaller the opening the more precise. Im not saying ghost rings can not be accurate, but on average you will shoot tighter with with a smaller hole.

ScoutMan · « **Reply #2 on:** August 02, 2004, 11:09:45 AM »

I respectfully disagree with CJ.

The size of the aperture (within reason) has no affect on precision. The physical properties of a circle say that when light passes through a circle, the greatest consentation of light passing through the circle is at the center of the circle. The eye, when looking through a circle (aperture) automatically focuses on the point with the highest light consentration.

That is why an aperture is so fast. The proper technique for their use is thus: look through the aperture, pick up the front sight, put the front sight on the vital zone of the target, shift your focus back to the front sight for the shot. It is not necessary to align the front sight in the center of the aperture for the reason stated above. Just focus on the front sight and consentate on your trigger squeeze.

The tendency is to shift your focus to your target, as you want to see the impact of your bulllet strike. You need to overcome this and stay focused on the front sight until after the shot has been delivered.

BrushBuster · « **Reply #3 on:** August 02, 2004, 01:50:38 PM »

Thanks for the responses:

I really don't want to enter into the subjects of how to use a peep sight or whether or not they are good. What I would like to find out is if there is indeed a maximum aperture size beyond which there is no further advantage in accuracy or quick acquisition of the target?

I quote from a recent article by John Barsness in the July/03 issue of Rifle magazine entitled "The Optics of Irons".

"Peep hunters normally prefer as wide an aperture as possible, but the human eye will naturally center itself only behind holes less than .2 inch in diameter - the reason the largest aperture for the XS sights measures .19 inch. "

If this is so, then some of these new "large aperture" peep sights are just so much malarkey and hype. Are there any optometrists out there that shoot?

Castaway · « **Reply #4 on:** August 03, 2004, 01:29:14 AM »

The "best" aperture size is a function of available light and consequently pupil size. In bright sunlight, a smaller peep can be used effectively, but most hunting I do is early or late or under a thick canopy so I have to adjust myaperture accordingly. I use the largest available on my Lyman or Marble's sight. At dusk, I take it out to get even a larger aperture and another 5 or 10 minutes of hunting. Haven't measured it, but I don't think the Ghsot Ring is larger than my sights without an disk screwed in.

PA-Joe · « **Reply #5 on:** August 03, 2004, 01:32:01 AM »

XD Sights make some that are .230. My eyes have problems finding the center of some of the larger sizes, particularly if you are using a post front sight.