Were ghost rings ever used

[MuskratMike]

Were ghost rings ever used on fowlers? I know smooth rifles used a rear sight but just curious if people ever used on smoothbores as a sighting aid?

[Daryl]

Are you asking about in the past, as in historically, or today?
Personally, I don't see a rear sight helping, except for when a single shooting round ball I guess.
The sight would be in the way of my vision when shooting shot. As I don't want anything on the barrel.
I don't even see the front sight when shooting shot. An aperture would just be in the way of a clear
sight picture.

[Ezra]

Ghost ring meaning peep sights? 

Ez

[smylee grouch]

I have always thought that you aim a rifle and point a shotgun. 

[MuskratMike]

As usual I didn't make my question clear.
Historically correct, yes/no
Ghost ring not peep sight
Will be shooting primarily patched round ball in .54 caliber smoothbore.
Thanks to those who tried to answer my poorly worded question.

[Daryl]

If its allowed, why not. It will make it easier to hit with  Mike.

[Dphariss]

Ghost rings….
Might work OK for matches but for hunting they suck if the shot is early or late light conditions.
If we are talking about a true ghost ring.

[RAT]

Fyi... a "ghost ring" as currently defined is, in fact, a peep sight... just with a larger aperture hole.

I don't think peep sights are historical for flintlocks... but it was for matchlocks and wheellocks...

[Austin]

Lol!

[davec2]

Two older links that might be of help....

https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=63728.msg639490#msg639490

And this one even covers the use of a telescopic sight on a flintlock during the American Revolution....

https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=60660.msg607647#msg607647

I wouldn't worry too much about a peep / ghost ring being HC....


And my post as part of another thread on the topic.......

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 !