Drilling Depth

[Craig Wilcox]

OK, metallurgists and engineer types:
I am wanting to put a small peep sight on my .45 cal barrel.  The octagon at the point where I would like it is 0.840 across the flats (the barrel is tapered octagon to round).
The two screws are 6-48, and 5 threads protrude through the sight.

Five threads on a 48 tpi = about 0.114.  Three threads would be 0.0624.

So, do I have room for the full 5 threads, or should I cut off two threads and leave only two?

When not in use, fillers will be in the holes - I still want to use an original-type dovetailed sight for some of the shooting contests.
All answers gratefully appreciated.

[B.Habermehl]

If it were mine I would mount it at the highest point of the tang shoulder even if you need to create a small flat spot. Then the hole depth issue goes away greatly simplify the process. BJH

[Craig Wilcox]

Thanks, BJH. With my olden eye, it needs to be 8-10" out in front.  Would love to have it on the tang, tho.

[PPatch]

Thanks, BJH. With my olden eye, it needs to be 8-10" out in front.  Would love to have it on the tang, tho.

I vote tang mounted also, I do not believe you will be happy with a peep sight so far forward on the barrel. Also another little trick is to put a piece of electrical tape with a 1/16 hole through it on your glasses...



Doing this clears up the sight picture a great deal and will help you with that peep sight.

dave

[smylee grouch]

If you can't see through a peep sight mounted on the tang-drill the hole out a little. You will lose the advantage of the longer sight sight radius if you mount it mid barrel.

[Acer Saccharum]

The tape peep like PPatch uses will bring your rear sight, front sight and target all into focus at once. It's worth a try.

[ltdann]

The tape peep like PPatch uses will bring your rear sight, front sight and target all into focus at once. It's worth a try.

I did this, it's amazing how much clearer the sights are. 

[Craig Wilcox]

I do wear clear protective glasses when I shoot.  I can try the "eye-patch" without too much trouble.

So, the vote is to NOT drill the little screw holes?  BTW, some matches prohibit peep sights, so there will be a dovetail cut for the traditional sight.

Last evening, I took a piece of tape and stuck on first the small open rear sight, then the peep sight.  Changing the distance from the tang.  Best viewing on both was about 6-7" in front of the tang, about where H.Rupp plans show.  Trying to keep it back a bit from the balance point.

In those positions, the little silver front sight was very clear and sharp with both sights, and I could clearly see the front sight AND the target (yellow reflector on phone pole, 140 yd) .  Was amazed at how the rifle comes naturally to the shoulder with my right eye looking straight down the barrel.  Great architecture?  I surely cannot take the credit for that!

Thank you to all - your suggestions are great!
Craig

[jerrywh]

Thanks, BJH. With my olden eye, it needs to be 8-10" out in front.  Would love to have it on the tang, tho.

  Don't matter if you have old eyes or not as long as you look through the hole. Put it on the tang.

[Mark Elliott]

I use a Merit disk which I stick on my shooting glasses with a little suction cup.   As long as I can get it in the right place, it clears up the sights and the target. 

[stubshaft]

I use a Merit disk which I stick on my shooting glasses with a little suction cup.   As long as I can get it in the right place, it clears up the sights and the target.

I use a Merit also.  It is a Godsend.

[Marcruger]

Craig, I have used peeps a long time. The idea is to look THROUGH a peep, and basically ignore it. You put the front blade on the target and press the trigger. It needs to be as close to the eye as recoil will allow. You don’t need to “align” the rear peep with anything, so mounting up on the barrel only hurts you on a peep by reducing sight radius and field of view. The tang is the spot for it. A longer tang bolt will hold a folded metal one just fine. Hope this helps. God Bless, Marc

[Craig Wilcox]

Thanks to ALL of you for the comments and suggestions.

A wealth of longrifle building, maintaining, and shooting in our group, fer shure!

Supposed to be in the Cleveland VA Hospital right now, getting prepped for some major heart surgery.  Alas, they called and postponed AGAIN!  Getting frustrated, and I am NOT going to work on my rifle while in that state of mind.

Since the rifle w/barrel is in the vise, pointed right at me, I noticed that the stick is twisted at the end.  The left side at the muzzle is about 1/8"+ lower than the right.  Anyone have ideas on that?  It appears that the twist begins about 16" aft of the muzzle.

Took it out of the vise, removed the barrel, and re-mounted the stock, checking level and plumb.  At the muzzle, the left side is still 1/8" lower.  I guess I could just plane the right side a bit.  Other option is to have a half-stock H. Rupp rifle!!  That would sure be weird!

[ltdann]

Craig, I have used peeps a long time. The idea is to look THROUGH a peep, and basically ignore it. You put the front blade on the target and press the trigger. It needs to be as close to the eye as recoil will allow. You don’t need to “align” the rear peep with anything, so mounting up on the barrel only hurts you on a peep by reducing sight radius and field of view. The tang is the spot for it. A longer tang bolt will hold a folded metal one just fine. Hope this helps. God Bless, Marc

Don't need to align?  Can you expound on that?

[Hungry Horse]

The human eye when focused through a small hole, close to the eye,  will self center. That is the reason peep sights work in the first place.

  Hungry Horse

[Craig Wilcox]

Totally correct, H.H.  It is always amazing how it works.  Learned "peep and open" in the basement of the Marine Corps HQ, 8th and "Eye", DC., back in '59-'62.
The peep concentrates the image, and all you have to do is put the front sight on the target - your Mk1 Mod 1 eyeball will automatically center the front sight for you.  Very easy, very accurate.  But banned at some BP shooting matches, as an unfair advantage.  Not quite HC!

Surgery is re-scheduled for this coming Monday early morning.  Hoping it will give me more energy to have properly oxygenated blood going through my ancient body,

Craig

[ltdann]

So  you Just center the peep on the tang, no adjustments needed for windage corrections?

[Craig Wilcox]

You can center it on the tang, or a bit further forward on the top flat of the barrel.  Unfortunately, with the new lenses that were put in when I had cataracts, my eyes will NOT see anything that close - it just becomes a big blur.  It does work very well if I can put it 7-10 inches in front of where my eye is.

[ltdann]

I'm still unclear on windage adjustments.  I can imagine a peep on top of a dovetail....is that the way to do it?  Or just drift the front sight left and right as needed?

[Craig Wilcox]

A lot of tang-mounted sights are on a small post - adjustable for elevation.  Many will have similar adjustments for windage.  Remember that you only need fractions of a millimeter for windage.   I think TOW has some that you can look at either in their catalog or online. Some of theirs are not "excellent" - the really great ones are a bit pricey.  But they work extremely well - adjustable or changeable diopters, adjustments for elevation and windage, front sights similar - usually a small tube with changeable inserts.
You could probably google "peep sights", and come up with tons of info.

Good shooting to ya - Craig

[bgf]

You can center it on the tang, or a bit further forward on the top flat of the barrel.  Unfortunately, with the new lenses that were put in when I had cataracts, my eyes will NOT see anything that close - it just becomes a big blur.  It does work very well if I can put it 7-10 inches in front of where my eye is.

You don't need to see the peep sight, you need to see through the hole in the peep sight !

[Craig Wilcox]

Well said, bgf!

It is amazing how our human eye, peeping through a small hole, can focus not only on the front sight, but also on the target, be it 100 yd away, or 500 yd.

Used to shoot at 1,000 yards, but gave that stuff up long ago!

[Steve-In]

Peeps work like the aperture on a camera lens.  The smaller the hole the greater depth of field. 
So a ghost ring with an opening of 1/4" may be almost like looking with the naked eye.  A opening of 1/16" would make objects at different distances in sharper focus.
Someone made one that looks similar to one of the long Hawken sites.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

That was a diopter sight mounted on the tang, and used in conjunction with both the buckhorn rear and blade front sight.  The diopter sight made the buckhorn and front sight perfectly focused.