A proper peep sight

[MuskratMike]

I just received my new rifle and matching pistol from Lowell Haarer (see full photo layout in Contemporary builders tab). Awhile back there was a topic about proper vintage peep sights for a long rifle. I had Lowell add one of his "ghost rings" to the rifle. The aperture is large enough you aren't using it so much as a rear sight as a focusing tool for old eyes like mine. The rifle has a rear sight and when I throw up the rifle both the target, front sight and rear are now in focus. I am only going to post a few pictures here so this post won't be moved elsewhere. Tell me what you think, and please see the wonderful photo layout in the above mentioned section. Could not possibly be happier, heading to the range on Monday for load testing and final sight adjustments. I am not nearly the photographer a Lowell is so for better pictures go to the July/August 2018 issue of Muzzleloader magazine pages 60-75 for a great article and better peep sight pictures than I took on some of his rifles.

[Marcruger]

Lowell is a very talented man.  Nice little peep sight on there.  A good peep setup can shoot amazingly well.  I have seen shots at 100 yards that would worry a scope mounted rifle. 

[Darkhorse]

Is there any documentation that a peep like that was ever used on an original longrifle?
It appears that the hole is drilled straight through with a drill bit? Most peeps that I've seen have either a tapered hole or some kind of enlargement done to the front of the hole. I assume for definition or sharpness. I have no idea if that is needed or not.
The concept looks fine, the sight itself would have to grow on me though. But that wouldn't matter, form follows function.

[Daryl]

The length of the hole, if excessive, causes glare from the sides of the hole, due to frontal light reflecting off the sides.
If the hole is short enough, there will be reduced glare. 
A sharply tapered hole (from the front) that leaves a knife edge hole at the rear, may be cocked slightly to the front sight and still give a perfectly round sight picture.
The longer the parallel sides of the aperture hole, the more perfectly in line it must be, to the front sight.
To reduce glare on a drilled hole that is parallel, placing a sight shade over it will eliminate that glare.
This is a picture of, Roger Fisher's chunk rifle (for our postal matches) with sight shades.

A smaller sight shade can be made from the old black 35mm film containers, or even shotshell cases.
Simply split and they will fit over and shade sights with dovetails wider than the top flat.

[recurve]

looks familiar

[Dphariss]

Aperture sights predate firearms. This is fairly traditional I have seen photos of an original Hawken plains rifle with a tang sight base, apparently, at the rear tang screw.

[Daryl]

Just like this one, Dan?











Many Matchlocks, Flint Locks and Cap Locks of the Middle Eastern Arab tribes had peep, or aperture rear sights, with multiple elevation holes as well. 

[hanshi]

Simple and neat sights.  I'm thinking of trying cobbling a simple peep.  The idea is something with a tad of adjustment in it.

[Daryl]

The sight Taylor made to copy the original Hawken Tang sight, has 80 tpi, same as the original.
That's a fine thread with tap and die most graciously sent to Taylor by Bob Roller.