Peep sights on original early/ transitional guns?

[Justin Urbantas]

Do you guys know if any of the earlier guns made in Pennsylvania were mounted with peep sights similar to the target Jaeger rifles in Europe where the gunmakers emigrated from? Any reason why it wouldn't be used? Seems like a great target sight system.
Something like this.

[Ron Scott]

I would be cautious about assuming the sight in the photo is original to the rifle. My Paul Poser jaeger came to me with a similar arrangement. The sight base was inlet into the tang caving, suggesting it was added later. Peep sights on Jaeger rifles are extremely rare.

[Not English]

Ron & Justin, I can't truthfully answer regarding jaegers and peep sights. A good friend of my father's was a quarter master stationed in Germany at the end of WWII. He managed to bring back quite a few old german rifles when he returned to the US. I was a high school kid at the time and knew nothing of black powder or rifles at the time. I remember virtually all of them having peep sights. They were full stocked and had cheek pieces that literally cradled the side of you face. Now that i know quite a bit more about black powder weapons 50 years later, they may have well been schuetzens. Either way they were pretty magnificent regarding stock work and carving.

[Stophel]

In a word, no.

The Diopters were added in the 19th century, and apparently the original rear sights were still used.  It seems to have just been an aperture much like you see on shooting glasses, and not a "sight" as such.

[Mike Brooks]

I owned a ca 1670 english rifle with a peep sight. I doubt you'll find a colonial american gun with peeps

[Justin Urbantas]

I owned a ca 1670 english rifle with a peep sight. I doubt you'll find a colonial american gun with peeps

Do you have any pics? I'd love to see

[Mike Brooks]

I owned a ca 1670 english rifle with a peep sight. I doubt you'll find a colonial american gun with peeps

Do you have any pics? I'd love to see

Somewhere's...I'll have to scout about.

[davec2]

Peep sights have been around since Roman times (on cross bows) and there is at least one documented case of a flintlock rifle with a telescopic sight during the American Revolution (cooperative effort between a telescope maker and a gunsmith).  So peep sights may not be common, but they could certainly have been used on anything that fired a projectile or aligned any type of sighting instrument (sextant, alidade, astrolabe, telescope, etc.) for the last couple of thousand years.

[Stophel]

Sandals and togas existed in Roman times, but did average people in 18th century America walk around in sandals and togas?

Just because something technically existed, doesn't mean it was really used.

If you want a peep sight on your rifle, fine.  No problem.  Enjoy it.   But this is one of those things that a lot of people REALLLLLY want to try to justify historically... and honestly, ya just can't.

If someone discovers a ca 1775 signed Jacob Dickert rifle in original condition that has a peep sight on it, I will gladly assent to the existence of the peep sight..... ONE peep sight.   

[James Rogers]

I owned a ca 1670 english rifle with a peep sight. I doubt you'll find a colonial american gun with peeps

I should have got that one from you but I'm usually  skint when things come along

[heinz]

there are several sight styles on 17th century guns in the Paris Museum de Armee.  The first picture shows a tube sight. the second shows a peep, the third shows another peep on the gun above the one in the second picture.  There were 4 or 4 peeps one tube and several very ornamental v sights in those two cases of guns.

[Stophel]

I've always wanted to see what was in a tube sight.  Is there an aperture in there, or is it like a shaded notch sight??

[heinz]

Stophel, from what I could tell it has no V sight, it is just an aperture  But I was 3 ft away looking through a glass case in bad light. I could see a round hole

[Daryl]

I expect the rear tube is hollow, so what is seen, is a round peep-type sight, with a bead or maybe a blade in the front tube, if it has one.

[Mike Brooks]

A tube sight is just that. A tube. Living so close to RIACO I get to play with all those early types of guns.

[Mike Brooks]

I owned a ca 1670 english rifle with a peep sight. I doubt you'll find a colonial american gun with peeps

I should have got that one from you but I'm usually  skint when things come along

It's back in jolly old England. I heard the last time it sold it went for 9K.