Question about peep sights

[B.Habermehl]

I am in the earliest planning stages of building a percussion half stock rifle. It will be in .54 cal and have a 15/16 straight octagon barrel. I am planning to make a set of custom rear peep sights. My main question is approximately what would be the difference in height between the front and rear sights. Being a strictly custom project filling the front sight is not a problem. I just do not want a overly tall front sight. I seem to remember from J V Howe's books i read forever ago he said about .050 difference in the sight heights from the bore centerline was a good starting point. I am trying to design the rear peep sight first. It will not be adjustable for elevation as of my current mental design, it will however be set in a dovetail to allow a bit of windage. The peep will be a ghost ring with no aperature insert. I am thinking that the centerline of the peep should be about .250 over the top flat of the barrel. Useing Howe's guidelines the front sight should wind up around 3/16 high. Any real world expierence out there?  BJH

[Herb]

.250 is 4/16", minus 3/16 (.187) leaves  1/16" (.0625) elevation of the rear sight over the front.  You said you wanted .050 difference.  I think about .040 difference is what I usually wind up with.  I'd  file it down to bring the elevation up to your zero range.

[Daryl]

Depending on your load (ball&patch or bullet + powder), 1/16" difference, as Herb noted, should be about right - for a 1/2 stock, 28" to 34" bl.  A longer barrel might need a bit more elevation, but again, load and range for the zero also come into it.

With some rifles, equal heights are right.

With peep sights, most people use a bead - ball or bullet hits in the centre of the bead for a hunting rifle - not it's top edge.  With a blade front sight, the impact should be the top edge.

With failing eyes, a bead is usually the more accurate sight design as even if it's fuzzy- they are sighted in so the ball or bullet still hits in the middle of the bead.  An indistinct/fuzzy or multiple front sight blade top edge causes high or low misses.

[B.Habermehl]

The barrrel blank is 36 inches long. I was thinking of trimming it to 32". As far as front sights are concerned i was planning on a polished brass front sight, having had good results here in Pennsylvania's woods. They shine nearly as well as fiber optics. Presently i can see a polished brass sight well enough to use them with open sights past the limit of legal shooting hours here. The idea for the peep was to allow for my eyes in the future years. Also perhaps, for a Maine bear hunt. BJH

[Daryl]

A polished brass bead works for me, too.