Author Topic: Peep/tang sights back in "the day"? (Read 18136 times)

Skychief · « **on:** January 10, 2020, 04:35:44 AM »

Looking for some knowledge regarding the use of peep or tang sights on original muzzleloaders both flintlock and percussion.

As my vision worsens, I'm sorely tempted to go this route but would feel a lot better about it if I knew the "Old Boys" used them on their original guns.

Thanks for any insight, Skychief.

thelongrifle · « **Reply #1 on:** January 10, 2020, 05:02:39 AM »

I had a muzzle blast about twenty years ago that had pictures of original jager rifles with tang peep sights on them.

smokinbuck · « **Reply #2 on:** January 10, 2020, 05:36:34 AM »

I have several original Ohio rifles that either have or had "peep" sights mounted on the tang.

Clark Badgett · « **Reply #3 on:** January 10, 2020, 06:06:30 AM »

Do whatever is necessary to keep yourself enjoying your pastimes. Historical relevance makes no matter unless you are reenacting.

MuskratMike · « **Reply #4 on:** January 10, 2020, 06:32:24 AM »

Sky chief: I have a period correct peep sight on one of my flintlocks that works great on my old eyes. For some reason I have yet to resolve I can't post pictures. If you message me your e-mail I will send you pictures of mine. You might do a search for peep sight you might be able to find my old post. It seems I got the issue resolved so here are pictures of the peep/ghost ring on my rifle.

Skychief · « **Reply #5 on:** January 10, 2020, 07:16:27 AM »

Thank you all for the replies!

Mike, I REALLY like the unobtrusive looks of your peep. Is it something that you built? Please let me know.

I still don't believe many (any?) examples of original flintlocks wearing period peeps exist. I may be wrong and would like to hear of such examples of any which are known.

I'm sure the Old Boys had their vision troubles then as we do now and a simple peep is such an obvious fix that I can't imagine why originals overwhelmingly wear open sights.

Thank you all.

Best regards, Skychief.

Daryl · « **Reply #6 on:** January 10, 2020, 08:12:25 AM »

This one, is fairly close to being period correct.

MuskratMike · « **Reply #7 on:** January 10, 2020, 08:52:47 AM »

Skychief: I did not make it I had my builder (Lowell Haarer) add it to the rifle when he built it. It is used for ease of seeing the sights. The rifle has traditional front and rear sights. Looking through this peep/ghost ring simply brings the sights into focus for my tired old eyes.

Skychief · « **Reply #8 on:** January 10, 2020, 09:17:23 AM »

Thanks very much Daryl and Mike.

Notchy Bob · « **Reply #9 on:** January 10, 2020, 05:44:57 PM »

There was an article in Muzzle Blasts many years ago, I think by John Barsotti, that mentioned a fellow in an Ohio shooting match who had reamed the pith out of a corn cob and affixed it to his rifle barrel as a peep sight.

I am not making that up. I'll try to find the article next time I go see my brother. The old magazines are all over at his place.

Notchy Bob

Eric Krewson · « **Reply #10 on:** January 10, 2020, 06:07:32 PM »

I am headed off the the Alabama Kentucky Longrifle show after lunch, it is only about 15 miles away. My buddy said Lowell Haarer had these sights for sale at the show last year, hope he has some this year, I need one badly if I am going to shoot my flintlocks.

I did buy some fluorescent sight paint last week that lets me see my front sight at last shooting light. I charged it with my flashlight while on the stand a few days ago to see if it worked, obviously it did.

This was after dark, when I hit auto correct on the edit program it somehow brought out what was an invisible barrel from the original picture.

I know this is probably frowned on my the HC crowd, I have put my flintlocks up and been hunting with an unmentionable because I flat can't see the sights on my guns at age 72.

recurve · « **Reply #11 on:** January 10, 2020, 06:47:30 PM »

image hosting

Yup Lowell Haarer they work

OLUT · « **Reply #12 on:** January 10, 2020, 07:21:18 PM »

I can't offer much on flintlock guns with "peep sights", but they were often used in the percussion period. Ned Roberts book states," Many of the old muzzle-loading target rifles were equipped with a peep sight having a stem cut with 80 to 100 threads to the inch screwing through a female thread cut on the upper tang ...". Swinney has a nice close-up photo of 3 types of period-correct peep sights on page 5 of the first volume of The New York State Firearms Trade and many more illustrated in his 5 volume set. In my collection I have several percussion guns that were mounted with "lollypop" tang peep sights for hunting purposes .....So go ahead and use what works for you on your gun(s).

Eric Kettenburg · « **Reply #13 on:** January 10, 2020, 07:59:30 PM »

The simple type above that's mounted on the barrel tang looks more like what would be considered a 'ghost ring' given the size of the hole. Looks very effective, though.

Daryl - how did yours work in conjunction with the rear sight already on the rifle? Was the peep looking over the rear sight notch, and through the 'horns?' And what kind of front sight was being used?

BTW, while I'm not big into 19th century plains rifles, they've grown on me a bit over the years that that rifle is one of my favorite of *any* region or period. I really like that one!

577SXS · « **Reply #14 on:** January 10, 2020, 08:42:39 PM »

I've been using peep sights for years now because of older eyes. Wish I would have used them much sooner. They extend your sight radius for better accuracy and show you more of the target. Probably the fastest sight ever. I'll take a photo and post what I've made.

Scota4570 · « **Reply #15 on:** January 10, 2020, 09:20:31 PM »

I may try one like this at some point.

Daryl · « **Reply #16 on:** January 10, 2020, 09:24:08 PM »

That one is backwards, Scota4570.

Eric, Taylor built this Hawken for a fellow from Alaska., The aperture aligned with the barrel sights, IIRCorectly,
as it had the ability to be screwed very low to the top flat of the barrel.
The thread is 80 TPI.

OLUT · « **Reply #17 on:** January 10, 2020, 10:49:53 PM »

The original question on tang/ peep sights got me looking closer at my collection... Here are some "period correct" mountings on percussion guns from the 1850's to 1870's . Note that on the "lollypop type" all are adjustable with the finely threaded stem and most have windage adjustment capability. Likewise many will "fold down" to allow use of the rifle's rear sight and also for more protection of the sight during storage
.

WKevinD · « **Reply #18 on:** January 11, 2020, 12:50:38 AM »

Percussion Schuetzen with Pedersoli long range sight.
Kevin

Majorjoel · « **Reply #19 on:** January 11, 2020, 11:26:54 AM »

Scota4570 · « **Reply #20 on:** January 12, 2020, 01:06:46 AM »

Ok, like this.

I do like the idea of a fixed, unobtrusive and sturdy rear sight illustrated. I have seen picture of originals done like this. Lolly pops and bent sheet metal are fine for testing but get in the way of your thumb and snag on things.

I really wish NMLRA would allow peep sights. It really hurts scores for most and gives a huge advantage to a select few with great vision. There is plenty of historical precedent for peeps. The rule seems like an anachronism steeped in bureaucratic stubbornness.

smylee grouch · « **Reply #21 on:** January 12, 2020, 03:21:55 AM »

I dont know if Scota is funnin us or not but I think the peep hole was what was backwards.

But it does look better this way.

davec2 · « **Reply #22 on:** January 12, 2020, 08:28:26 PM »

Some time back I was perusing photos of a large bore English rifle built by one of my favorite contemporary makers, Stephen Alexander. This rifle had a rear "ghost ring" sight mounted very close to the breech which peaked my interest. I made up some dummy sights and glued them to the barrel of a build I am working on and I love the sight picture through them. In querying Stephen on the rear sight, he told me that this type of sight was frequently used on Turkish flint firearms and on some English and Continental ones as well.

I did find a few peep sighted Turkish flintlock photos and, apparently, peep sights have been around since Roman days (museum pieces, crossbows from Roman to middle age Europe with peep sights),

Here is the English rifle I built with this type of rear sight on it........works great !

Craig Wilcox · « **Reply #23 on:** January 12, 2020, 10:11:12 PM »

Dave, you are letting the side down with that too-simplistic peep sight! I would expect yours to be able to automatically adjust for windage and elevation, with minor variations for temperature, humidity, and barometric pressure. Probably some adjustment for Coriolis effect, and N-S turning error/ E-W acceleration as well!

Bob Roller · « **Reply #24 on:** January 13, 2020, 06:21:38 PM »

I have made several folding tang sights like those found on the Rigby/Henry and a bunch of other long range rifles.
They were calibrated like a micrometer with an 8x40 threads per inch adjustment screw. One of these had windage
adjustable aperture with a 6x40 thread adjustment screw.I made one for a man in Kentucky with the 8x40 elevation
screw and he calibrated it with a depth stem on a good quality dial caliper and wrote down all his readings in a note book.
Since cataract removal on both eyes I need correction only for close up reading and nothing else.
Bob Roller

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Author Topic: Peep/tang sights back in "the day"? (Read 18136 times)