aperture sights

[Scott Semmel]

The Pa game commission has decided that aperture sights are lawfull in our flintlock season. I suppose there are all sorts of opinions about that, me, I thought having a bunch of geezers like me with no depth of field in their vision shooting at critters with open sights in marginal lighting was akin to animal cruelty. And I am told that the concept of aperture sights predates firearms so my minimal PC needs are not injured. I have hung a couple of TC sights on some flintlocks and love the functionality. But they are butt ugly and I always made my open sights and would like to make aperture sights. I'm looking for designs/ideas for aperture sights and not the rearsight with a hole, I've done that with some success, I would like sights that are for tang area. thanks

[Daryl]

Although I don't like to see the screw-on aperture sights on muzzleloaders, there were integral aperture sights on some Matchlocks, with a hole bored through the vertical protrusion at the breech acting as one.  Some original, made in the USA rifles like Hawkens, had a rear 'horned' sight without any central knotch fro the blade, wherein sighting was or could be taken as with an aperture sight, in the middle of the 'hole'.

 Such sights would fine and OK as they are historic. The problem is, from a rule standpoint, allow one closed peep, even a tiny lump of dirlled raised metal and someone will show up with a Central, Redfield or AJ Parker rear sight claiming it to be identical as to rules allowance to the original one on your rifle.  A small diameter buckhorn can easily act as a peep, without hunrting rules of one's sensibilities.  Of course, where or how close you mount your buckhorn sight to the breech is up to you, but I'd at least make it look like an original open sight.

[Kermit]

TOW sells "trad" peeps that fit in a dovetail. Two sizes for different barrel sizes.

[SCLoyalist]

There was a MuzzleBlasts article back a few years  (Cheap Peeps, Feb 2002 issue).  There were a couple of options shown for modifying the tang screw to mount a homemade aperture.

[stuart cee dub]

The older I get the more tolerant I am becoming of peeps or any metallic sights at the local shoots .
Luckily I still have very little inclination to buy or shoot an inline so I guess I am still fit company. 

[northmn]

I made an aperture rear sight for my percussion using a 8X32 thumb screw and a nut.  You drill the tang and use the nut as a lock.  Drill the hole in the flat of the thumb screw.  Easily removed and a plug can be made if needed for the hole.  Killed a deer with it.

DP

[Daryl]

This is the sight I was referring to. It can be mounted closer to the eye than any other 'barrel mounted' sight, look just fine as to being period correct for a plains rifle, yet give the same sight picture as a tang mounted sight that wouldn't be appropriate.  It can be used with a bear or blade, of course.

[Ben I. Voss]

Daryl, what kind of a bear would you use that with? He-he-he-he!

[Daryl]

HA! - bead-type bear.

[Dphariss]

If an aperture is *needed* then a lollypop type is about the only traditional choice.
I have this sight which I built for the DK  flint Hawken. It mounts on an extended rear tang screw. I found a photo of an original perc Hawken with a small base attached in the same way.
It greatly increases my ability to see the barrel sights but is more difficult to use if I need to make a fast shot since it has a somewhat small aperture. But the barrel sights are still there so I can simply fold it up or down as needed when I have the need.
For fast work the peep needs to be about .080-.090"



I built a "lollipop" peep sight for a perc Hawken breech I put on a rifle (not a hawken). Its an 1/4-80 thread and has a lock plate under the tang that is threaded and attached with a fixed screw on one end and has a cramp screw on the other to lock it. Works good and the 80 pitch thread allows very precise adjustments with the long barreled rifle it is on.
No pic though. I have tried to rectify the habit of not taking pics but I have not caught up with this rifle when the sight was installed. It has a full set of open and iron target sights and the owner has been using it to win open sight matches recently.
If the 1/4" is too big an 8-40 or 10-40 will also work but less precise.
Its great option for older eyes though it might not pass muster with thread counters for authenticity it can allow people to hunt without a scope on their rifle.
Just be sure to drill the hole 90 degrees to the bore.

Dan

[Daryl]

Here's another one for barrel mounting, similar to one of the chunk sights that I've been told is being used.

[northmn]

MBS sells a rear apereature sight.  Johnson rear sight that screws to the barrel.  Whether anyone ever made one way back when   It is an alternative that does not look too bad.  I would really consider one if a peep sight is wanted.

DP

[Scott Semmel]

Dan I like the sights you mentioned but they are beyound my skill level, I think I'll try a variation of the MBS sight only use a dovetail so I can deal with windage. thanks all.