Henry Rifle Forums

Well, it took me a while to let the peep do its job but it is finally happening.

I was still trying to align the rear and front sights like buckhorns and struggling with the peep, shooting the same with either system. Then about three weeks in I was plinking at a pop can with the top facing me and the peep lined up with the top of the can and sort of disappeared, squeezed and BINGO right in the tab rivet. Hmmm, maybe everything I read was true? OK dummy just concentrate on the front sight - ring disappears - pop can comes into focus - bead on the target - squeeze - BINGO. OMG this is great!!! Put the brass bead on the target and hit what you're lookin at!!

When I'm having a good day its almost like looking through a scope, 25 - 30 yards see the possum, look through peep, concentrate on front sight, see the possums ear hole.

The aperture effect on focal distance and the eyes natural centering of the front sight in the peep really works - if you let it.

That's how it was for me, anybody else have to work it through like this or was it just cause I'm really stubborn?

No, you're not just stubborn. You do have to trust and let a peep sight work its magic.

makes a lot of sense, thanks for sharing

I'm a recent convert to peep sights too. I tried a friend's target rifle which was fitted with peep sights, and I was convinced that they wouldn't work for me, but I was amazed at the result. 'Normal' open sights have been a no-no for me for the past 25+ years, but I've now fitted aperture sights to both of my smallbore target rifles, and I've found that I'm every bit as accurate - or even more so - than I was using a scope.

My H003T is wearing a Skinner peep sight now, too, and I'm thinking about ordering one for my H001T.

Old eyes can really benefit from peep sights vs open sights. If you are blind like me, a scope is your friend, but I didn't want to scope my lever guns. The skinner peep was just the ticket on the Big Boy 357 Carbine.

Yeah, wouldn't it be nice if peep sights came with instructions? Actually not a bad idea, with so many new peep sight users out there.

Peep sights are every bit as good as a scope as long as you can see your target. Years ago when I shot smallbore competition I could tear the x ring out of the 100yd target. I shot hi-power for a while too, did the same at 600yds. prone, of course the target is bigger than the 100yd smallbore. Now I am too old, wobbly and fat to get into the prone position,age sucks.

I've never had an opportunity to fire at anywhere near 600 yards but would love to do so .... of course I'd have to do it from a bench .... if you happen to be around and see me trying to get into a prone position, go on and dial 9-1-

Now that you've learned the Peep add a Lyman target globe front sight. It gets even better!

Squatch wrote:Now that you've learned the Peep add a Lyman target globe front sight. It gets even better!

I'm pretty happy with my sight picture right now but I am considering a 1/16 bead vs the factory 3/32 to block less of the target.

Does looking through a ring at/through another ring with another ring in it multiply the effect? Or does the globe with a dot in it work better? How is the globe in low light? Distance focus better? So many questions - I should probably just get one when I order the smaller bead sight and give it a try.

Gonna have to talk to my financial engineer now, my Midway list is growing. I might have to look at my wants vs needs for my 1911.

Moe60 wrote:

Squatch wrote:Now that you've learned the Peep add a Lyman target globe front sight. It gets even better!

I'm pretty happy with my sight picture right now but I am considering a 1/16 bead vs the factory 3/32 to block less of the target.

The 1/16th Williams fiber optic front sight is hard to beat.

Moe60, low light is not the strong point of the globe sights. But they work. In low light I will use a larger rear aperture in the Skinner and maybe change the insert in the front. The Lyman 20a is larger than the 17a so works better in low light.

Inserts are the best part of the globe sights. You can use a standard post type or a bead or a circle or more depending on what you are shooting.

As far as the circle within the circle. When I have mine properly set up for me the circles disappear. Size the rear aperture to match the front tube.
When you look through the rear sight you just see the target and the front insert. Put it on the target and squeeze!

Squatch wrote:
As far as the circle within the circle. When I have mine properly set up for me the circles disappear. Size the rear aperture to match the front tube.
When you look through the rear sight you just see the target and the front insert. Put it on the target and squeeze!

Hmm...2 circles disappear aim through the third... I'm gonna have to try it!

Step 1 buy digital calipers, step 2 measure existing front sight... step 5 or 6 spend to much at midway!

With the17a I normally use the .040 rear aperture. My bud has one of the Merit adjustable rear apertures. Makes it easy to adjust the rear so that you are just looking at the inside of the front sight. My only complaint with the Merit is they are deep so they can be harder to see through in low light.

Squatch wrote:With the17a I normally use the .040 rear aperture. My bud has one of the Merit adjustable rear apertures. Makes it easy to adjust the rear so that you are just looking at the inside of the front sight. My only complaint with the Merit is they are deep so they can be harder to see through in low light.

Thanks for your help, I will post here after I get the goods. Might be a while though, I already blew my toy budget this month on fishin tackle!

Just bought 2 new travel rods myself!

These are the peep sights on my two target rifles. They may not be peep sights in the accepted sense of the word, but they work exactly the same way. They have a small aperture - usually variable, but not always at the back, and a front sight - sometimes variable, but again, not always.

The first one is fitted to an Anschutz 16XX series rifle.
The aperture is variable between 0.6mm - 3.1mm [0.024" - 0.122"]. The sight also has 6 color filters to help with varying weather conditions, as well as a dual polarizer to reduce glare.

The front sight also has a variable aperture. It can be adjusted from 2.8mm - 4.8mm [0.11" - 0.189"].

My USSR era Vostok CM-2 rifle has a Gehmann 502 rear aperture sight. The aperture is variable between 0.6mm - 2.8mm [0.024" - 0.110"]. It also has a 'Clear view' or see through lens that allows you to see the wind flags without taking your eye away from the aperture

The front sight takes metal or plastic inserts with apertures ranging fron 2.2mm - 4.5mm [0.087" - 0.177"].

very interesting sights .... first time I've ever seen them .... thanks for posting the pictures

Very impressive, Les. Truly sophisticated target sights, not to mention those rifles.

Dang Les that's some fine equipment you got there. Wind Flags... I just lick my finger and lean towards the cold side. Then again cans at 50 is a lot different than what you do.