Peep sights

[TonyL]

Okay, it certainly isn't the first time that I, or other people, have raised this topic. But......

I've always loved using opens. I love the simplicity and the ruggedness (well, of some designs, anyway) and the fact that lots of guns seem to handle better on opens and the lack of magnification doesn't exaggerate movement and, hence, gives extra confidence on standers.

And, for pretty much the same reasons I love the idea of sturdy, "sporting" peep rear sights.

Now, ever since the cataract operation, if using conventional opens, with my glasses on the target is sharp but the sights are blurred. Without glasses the sights are clear but the target blurred. And I just knew that the peep is the answer.

No this was confirmed at The Bash on Satutday as I had a go with one or two of Vhippendale's peep sighted rifles (thank you, Melv) and they were an absolute revelation. So that's the way I must go!

But there's a severe lack of sturdy, "sporting", 11mm dovetail mounted peeps. There must be an opening for something here.

Anyway, I've been for an eye appointment today. And they put drops into your eyes which means you have blurry vision for hours. So did a bit of YouTube viewing. When I put "peep sight" into the search I come across some vids which made pretty good viewing. Not wanting to sound cocky or anything, but I don't think I learned anything new, but a good few confirmed what I thought / knew anyway and they certainly entertained.

Especially the ones from "Peep Sight" (Are Peep Sights Still Relevant?), "Vintage Peep Sight vs Modern Scope for Accuracy" by Tom River - Simple Living and there was another very, very good one. Bear with me, I've lost it....will find it....Ah, yes, found it....."Why peep sights" by Snapshots Corner. All made very good viewing and I'd highly recommend for some quality viewing.

Also, one ultra-useful little did-on that I had come across before and must look into / make my own version of.....the Eye Pal Peep Sighting System, which is basically a stick-on patch with a hole in the centre that you stick onto your glasses / shooting glasses to increase sharpness and depth of field.

Hope this is of use to others.

[Hsing-ee]

And, for pretty much the same reasons I love the idea of sturdy, "sporting" peep rear sights.

But there's a severe lack of sturdy, "sporting", 11mm dovetail mounted peeps. There must be an opening for something here.

There is the PreciHole aperture imported by Air Arse .. Ninety squids or at least they were.

In good light with a clear round target a peep-sight matches a scope. The captain of our shooting team at university could shoot sub MOA at 100 yards with a .22 rimfire Anshutz using the match sights on that rifle, a club rifle mark you.

You can order a Williams from Airguns of Arizona, just phone them at the right time and give them your credit card deets. I'm sure they could do with a sale. Easier than paying £150 for a secondhand one in the UK.

https://www.airgunsofarizona.com/sig...e-sight/#tab-2

[TonyL]

Another seemingly good one just coming on...."Peep sights: why bother" by GUNS and American Handgunner Magazines.

[TonyL]

There is the PreciHole aperture imported by Air Arse .. Ninety squids or at least they were.

In good light with a clear round target a peep-sight matches a scope. The captain of our shooting team at university could shoot sub MOA at 100 yards with a .22 rimfire Anshutz using the match sights on that rifle, a club rifle mark you.

You can order a Williams from Airguns of Arizona, just phone them at the right time and give them your credit card deets. I'm sure they could do with a sale. Easier than paying £150 for a secondhand one in the UK.

https://www.airgunsofarizona.com/sig...e-sight/#tab-2

Thank you, Al.

However, I was thinking of something more along the lines of what I'd mentioned months ago. Something built into a mount or arrestor block. Even if it relatively crude adjustment (like the Tempest / 2240 / 1377 type of arrangement), it would have the advantage of once it was set up it would be set up and very difficult to be knocked off zero. I think I'm going to have a play initially by putting some holes in black card fixed in a scope mount, refine the position and then try and make something out of matt black tin or hard plastic.

But it would be lovely if an engineering company could take the idea up nd make them commercially available.

[Hsing-ee]

American air gunners are also much keener on peep sights than U.K. ones, perhaps because they have easy access to firearms which can make use of a scope. You should still be able to kill a polo mint at 30 yards with your HW30 so why encumber it with a bunch of lenses?

[TonyL]

American air gunners are also much keener on peep sights than U.K. ones, perhaps because they have easy access to firearms which can make use of a scope. You should still be able to kill a polo mint at 30 yards with your HW30 so why encumber it with a bunch of lenses?

Exactly that, Al. That last recommended video is sounding very good, too. I think I'm going to listen to it whilst I go and have a shave....

[Hsing-ee]

Thank you, Al.

However, I was thinking of something more along the lines of what I'd mentioned months ago. Something built into a mount or arrestor block. Even if it relatively crude adjustment (like the Tempest / 2240 / 1377 type of arrangement), it would have the advantage of once it was set up it would be set up and very difficult to be knocked off zero. I think I'm going to have a play initially by putting some holes in black card fixed in a scope mount, refine the position and then try and make something out of matt black tin or hard plastic.

But it would be lovely if an engineering company could take the idea up nd make them commercially available.

This is what you mean?

https://www.amazon.com/Williams-WGRS.../dp/B004VBS8X0

Otherwise, get into your bits box and retrieve the HW77 rearsight. With a little ingenuity it can be modded to make an acceptable peep which clamps to the rear of your rail.

[Geezer]

Big fan of peep sights. I have Williams ones on my Sheridan C9, Beeman C1 and Webley Tracker (the last two Beeman branded, which is quite cool IMHO). And some kind of Parker-Hale on one of my Webley Mk3s.

They deserve to be much more popular. I think they aren’t/weren’t because:

1. Except on military rifles, they were an added cost option.
2. Which often involved drilling and tapping. Scary and a cost.
3. You could get a (usually not very good) scope for similar money, which people thought was “better”.
4. People wrongly think they will be slow to gain target acquisition, whereas they are actually faster than opens or a lot of scopes.

It’s a dang shame the Williams sights are basically unobtainable now in the U.K.

[EricP]

This is what you mean?

https://www.amazon.com/Williams-WGRS.../dp/B004VBS8X0

Otherwise, get into your bits box and retrieve the HW77 rearsight. With a little ingenuity it can be modded to make an acceptable peep which clamps to the rear of your rail.

There is a discussion of the WGRS-54 on the Gateway to Airguns forum. They reckon it is too low on most Weihrauchs and needs a 4mm riser, I.e. a block underneath the sight.
Pity because it looks good and is available from Krale in the Netherlands for £66.

[EricP]

throwing another into the mix, I will probably get laughed at for this but SMK do a rear target sight which is available for £40
https://southlondonairguncentre.co.u...diopter-sight/
I have one I bought a while back, I am tempted to put it onto my HW80 with the CS600 Tyrolean stock.
I suspect it is for their QB78 target CO2 rifle so it would probably need drilling and tapping for a recoil pin (e.g. a short M4 or M3 screw, black).
It is adjustable for windage and elevation.

Sorry I got a little confused and posted this on an older thread, but I have just copied it across.

[Neil54]

The thread on the SMK and Gamo units is very fine and in alloy.
It strips easily, especially the windage.
It can be repaired by epoxying an M4 fine nut on the body.

I too posted on the older thread. For completeness I have copied here.

[deejayuu]

Thank you, Al.

However, I was thinking of something more along the lines of what I'd mentioned months ago. Something built into a mount or arrestor block. Even if it relatively crude adjustment (like the Tempest / 2240 / 1377 type of arrangement), it would have the advantage of once it was set up it would be set up and very difficult to be knocked off zero. I think I'm going to have a play initially by putting some holes in black card fixed in a scope mount, refine the position and then try and make something out of matt black tin or hard plastic.

But it would be lovely if an engineering company could take the idea up nd make them commercially available.

Seen a scope ring modified to provide the aperture mount. Robust and readily available in different rail widths

[TonyL]

This is what you mean?

https://www.amazon.com/Williams-WGRS.../dp/B004VBS8X0

Otherwise, get into your bits box and retrieve the HW77 rearsight. With a little ingenuity it can be modded to make an acceptable peep which clamps to the rear of your rail.

That looks awesome, doesn't it? I had viewed them before as well as the Ghost Rings on the Brownell site. Must do more digging.

I've often thought about the HW77 block and rear sight and modding it. But would not want to alter a minty one. Now, if I stumbled across a very cheap used one.....

[TonyL]

Big fan of peep sights. I have Williams ones on my Sheridan C9, Beeman C1 and Webley Tracker (the last two Beeman branded, which is quite cool IMHO). And some kind of Parker-Hale on one of my Webley Mk3s.

They deserve to be much more popular. I think they aren’t/weren’t because:

1. Except on military rifles, they were an added cost option.
2. Which often involved drilling and tapping. Scary and a cost.
3. You could get a (usually not very good) scope for similar money, which people thought was “better”.
4. People wrongly think they will be slow to gain target acquisition, whereas they are actually faster than opens or a lot of scopes.

It’s a dang shame the Williams sights are basically unobtainable now in the U.K.

Fully agree with all of the above, Geez. Some of the aperture rear sights (mainly Parker Hale, I think) on images of pre and early post-war rifles looked superb to me.

[TonyL]

There is a discussion of the WGRS-54 on the Gateway to Airguns forum. They reckon it is too low on most Weihrauchs and needs a 4mm riser, I.e. a block underneath the sight.
Pity because it looks good and is available from Krale in the Netherlands for £66.

Cheers, Eric.