Peep Sight Sight Picture

[spiderman852]

Hi,All, I used peep sights today for the very first time in my life. I didn't do to bad but was a little (actually a lot) confused on what a person should be seeing thru the rear sight. I shot the 50yd bull @ 50yds. Could someone with experience please enlighten me with what the sight picture should look like shooting rear peep with a doughnut hole front sight? 

Thanks, Mike

[smylee grouch]

Peep sights are to be looked through and concentrate on the front sight and the target. Your eye will naturaly look through the center of the sight each shot.

[spiderman852]

So my eye will naturally look through rear sight and naturally center up? How far away is your eye from the rear sight? I noticed if I was real close to the rear sight I could form(see)  a ring of light around the outside tube of the front sight. Do you not want to do this?  I did shoot a better group by being farther back on the stock and doing what you described.

Any more thoughts?

 Thanks, Mike

[smylee grouch]

Your eye will look through the center of the reare sight, dont try to look through the center of the rear sight, your eye will do that for you, then concentrate on the fron t sight , placing the sight on the target where you have the gun sighted so to hit your mark. If you have an apature front sight you would look through that too and have a goast ring around the bulls eye. Hope I explained it properly.

[spiderman852]

Smylee, thanks for your insight. I understand what you are saying. Now all I have to go do is PRACTICE!

Thanks, Mike

[William Worth]

A peep sight works much the same as the aperture on a camera.  The smaller the aperture is, it increases the depth of field (what you see in focus) but admits less light.  You need to have your eye very close to the rear sight for it to work.  With the really small target apertures, you really need your eye close.  And a smaller front bead helps, otherwise, it's like trying to draw a fine bead on a basketball.

[smokinbuck]

Mike,
The fellows are giving you the correct answer. If you are using one of Paul's post and bead front sights, the bead should be in the center of both the rear aperture and the bullseye, or spotter, with the ghost ring around it. The toughest part for me is to make sure the ghost ring is as uniform all around the bead as possible. I try to get within a very few inches of the rear sight. See you at Allen's.
Mark

[PPatch]

All good advice Mike.

Your eye will naturally center the front post looking through the peep. place the top of the post at the approximate middle of the target. Take a normal breath and watch the front sight lower. Release the breath until the front post is at your aim point at the bottom of  the intended target (round target, the chin of a squirrel?) and slowly squeeze the trigger.

Remember your hold on the rifle, hold it the same each shot, repeat your "sight picture" each time.

dp

[spiderman852]

Thanks for the advice guys. I'm still a little fuzzy on HOW close or far away your eye needs to be to the rear sight. Obviosly, the closer your eye gets the larger the aperature hole seems. What is the optimum distance? I'm making a new butt stock and want it to fit correctly.

Smokin' buck, I'm actually setting up a Light bench gun using Redfield Olympic font and rear. The front has a donut hole that a fifty yard bull target will have a ghost ring.

So, would an adjustable rear aperature be of any advantage?

Thanks for all your advice, Mike

[smylee grouch]

I have an adjustable rear on my light bench gun and wouldnt leave home with out it. Different days , sunny-overcast.,dictate different hole size for me.

[smokinbuck]

Mike,
I agree with Smylee. Light conditions will change the sight picture an aperture size will make a difference in clarity. Not a lot different than using different colored backing paper for sighters on bright or overcast days from a table or chunk. Distance from the aperture, That's something you will probably have to play with. You and I could use the same distance and see two different sight pictures. Once you establish the correct distance for you, mark the stock with a small notch or tack head or something that will allow you to use the same cheek location every time and consequently create the same eye relief.
Mark

[spiderman852]

Thanks Guys, I 'm  very appreciative of all your insight. I think I got it. Now to get to the range!!

Mike

[wmrike]

What Smylee said.  You have to pay attention, but the eye is very good at getting things centered - learn to trust it.

Most people unfamiliar with peeps choose much too small an aperture.  There should be fairly generous daylight between the object/target and the aperture.

[Jerry V Lape]

On my modern rifles, many of which have aperture sights, the eye relief is pretty close to the same as a scope so approx 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 inches is the distance.  However when competing in .22 rifle matches in college and later coaching championship team equipped with target peep sights, the eye relief was less and the aperture was smaller.  Apertures had to be changed at some of the indoor ranges if the lighting wasn't bright enough at the target.  Some teams purposely dropped the lights a bit at their home ranges for matches so that unsuspecting and unprepared visiting teams might not have the sense or equipment to open their apertures for the lighting conditions.  For hunting rifles stick to a large (ghost ring) aperture which makes the most of dim light like dawn and dusk and facilitates quicker acquisition and the longer eye relief on hunting sights.