Question about mounting a peep sight

[smart dog]

Hi Folks,
The owner of the Little Fella's rifle I am building asked me to install a peep sight.  He selected and sent me a Johnson sight.  It is a nice sturdy sight with no vertical and very limited horizontal adjustment. It has a long base and is meant to be mounted with screws. I am going to attach it to a shallow dovetailed base rather than using the screws. I want to mount it as close to the barrel tang as I can and with a shallow dovetail, I can place it so the aperture hangs over the tang. My question is do peeps mounted near the breech get fouled and obscured by residue from the flash in the pan?  Do any of you have experience with this?  Is it better to move it down the barrel toward where a traditional rear sight is located to avoid that?  I am not worried about cutting a shallow dovetail at the breech of the barrel.  I would have more heartburn if I used the screws though.  Also, it is clear the sight was designed for straight barrels because the view in the hole is of the muzzle of the gun barrel when mounted on the swamped barrel.  I ground the base so the view is parallel with the bore not the top flat of the barrel.

dave

[smylee grouch]

Mounted that close to the flash hole I would think some fowling to eventually find its way onto the sight. That might vary with how well the shooter cleans his gun and other factors such as weather conditions, amount of prime, etc.

[David Price]

Smart dog,

The further back you mount your peep sight the better.  If you mount it up where the open sight would normally be you won't be able to see through it.   Attached is a picture of my light bench rifle.  I have fired hundreds of shots with it and I have never had a problem with anything getting into the peep. 

[smylee grouch]

Please forgive me but that light bench gun is a stunning bit of New England beauty.

[Daryl]

I agree - isn't that a lovely rifle!

A similar sight, if you are serious. Just needs a base to attach this sight's base to. It fits my Palma rifle.

[okieboy]

 Maybe I do not understand the goal, but wouldn't a lollipop style peep sight threading into the tang be a more elegant and traditional solution for a neat little flintlock? It would also locate the sight at its optimal position.

[smart dog]

Hi Folks,
Thanks for the replies. I think I will mount it as far back as possible and risk that powder fowling from the flash needs to be cleaned away occasionally. Actually I am thinking of screwing it to the tang.  I was not looking for peep sight model suggestions as the owner selected the Johnson sight, so that is what I will mount.  I am not sure his shooting club allows adjustable sights in their matches. Dave that is a beautiful NE rifle.  The sight mount is great and reminds me of my modern biathlon rifle. Thanks again folks for your input.

dave 

[Adrie luke]

Okyboy.

More elegant and traditional solution.
But not the best.

[smart dog]

Hi Folks,
Adrie, that is the sight that I am working with.  My question was and still is, not what kind of sight to install but does a peep sight mounted at the breech similar to the sight Adrie shows have a problem with powder fouling from the flash in the pan?

dave     

[jerrywh]

 I agree with David Price. You need that peep sight as far back as you can get it. If it is down the barrel some it is near impossible to see the hole. Screw holes are a lot stronger than dove tails. But don't drill them make them with a milling cutter. Then they have a flat bottom and you will have more control of the depth.

[Craig Wilcox]

Adrie, others - what aperture are you using?  I have the same sight, with two apertures, and thus it can be mounted further forward, with "filler" screws for when it is not being used.  I used tape, and slid it to different places until it was possible to see the front sight clearly.

I have not drilled the holes yet, so it is still possible for me to get a smaller aperture and mount it to the tang.  And a bit of work on the rear screw hole enables a small amount of windage adjustment.

Love that "light target rifle"!

[Adrie luke]

Craig Wilcox,

The picture is only an example for Okyboy.
I tray to make the same on scale.
Sorry, it is not what I use.

[Darkhorse]

Dave, if a peep sight is located in this position or farther back it will pick up a minimum of fouling and strikes from chipped flints.


But if it is mounted within the area white with prime fouling it will collect a good bit of it and special precautions need to be taken to avoid corrosion.


I have put peeps in both locations while experimenting with them. I have peeps on both my hunting rifles in the position of the first photo and I'm very pleased with them.

[Craig Wilcox]

Thanks for the post, Adrie.  I believe I will make a small wedge-shaped piece on the tang to give me a level base for my brass sight.  Shouldn't be too hard to do, and I do happen to have some steel to do it with.
I will have to use a smaller aperture smaller than the .093 I have on it currently. 

Tbhanks, all.

[recurve]

This a Lowell Haarer sight

[recurve]

[smart dog]

Hi Darkhorse,
Thanks, that is the kind of info input I am requesting. I think the sight I am installing will be positioned like yours.

dave

[bgf]

SmartDog,
A few people I know very well shoot flintlocks with the long peep site set well back towards their eye for table matches.  I've never heard them complain about peep getting fouled, for what it's worth, and they do quite well!  My Flint table match barrel has open sights just like my chunk barrel (open required in chunk), and I shoot only the occasional table match with it (chunk and other stuff keeps me busy), but I wouldn't worry if I decide to put on a peep.

[smart dog]

Hi BGF,
Thanks, that helps me a lot.

dave

[Bob Roller]

Please forgive me but that light bench gun is a stunning bit of New England beauty.

Beautiful piece of work.Can you send a full length picture of it.
Does it have a rib and rod or is it full stock???

Bob Roller

[Adrie luke]

Hi Smart Dog,

I don't understand everything in English, but now I understand what you mean.
Today I had a thinking day for what I are going to do or make.
I made a drawing, may be it helps.
With this peep sight you don't need to drill holes.
May be it helps.

Adrie

[smart dog]

Hi Folks,
I wanted to show you all what I did.  First, let thank all of you again for your thoughts and advice.  It helped me determine what to do.  The owner can use a hooded front sight and adjustable peep in his club matches so I went ahead and cut the Johnson sight apart and turned it into a peep with adjustable elevation.  Windage can be adjusted by moving the front sight. The sight post has flattened sides so it can be locked into place with a set screw. The sight base can be swung off to the side to expose the tang bolt but it has a detent on the bottom that snaps into a hole in the tang assuring it is always centered when swung back in place and the mounting screw tightened down. The peep and front globe, which is just a Lyman globe front sight offers a really nice sight picture of concentric rings.  I think Frank will be deadly with this gun as long as the barrel is good.  Thanks again for all your help.

dave

[bgf]

Looking good! 

[Darkhorse]

Dave, the detent idea was brilliant. I've approached that problem a couple of different ways in the  past, now I'll add that one to my arsenal.