I ordered a new Williams rear peep sight for my Omega the other day and am waiting on its arrival. Do any of you use peep sights on your rifles? If so do they help cut your group sizes?

I shot my Omega today and got 1-2" groups at 50 yards with open sights. I can get 1-2" groups at 100 yards with a scope. I would like to leave this gun unscoped.

Thanks for any replies...8point

I know a lot of older shooters that swear to get better groups with peep sights than they could with scopes,they are using the front apetures too,as in the Lyman 17a or the larger higher priced models.I had good luck with the Redfield rear and 17a front on my 6.5x55 built on a 98 action.also look at some of the scores and group sizes fired in high-power rifle shooting,this must say something for them.

I have several muzzleloaders on which I have used Lyman or Williams Foolproof aperture sights since 1968. While I cannot shoot them any better with a peep than with a scope, the peep sure beats the hell out of most of those abortion rear sights that come from the factories! The absolute worst are the Buckhorns, closely followed by so-called Semi-Buckhorns. And, ANY type of rear sight that blocks off your view of most of your target is very poor. About the best open rear sight is the British Express shallow "V" type, with a big prominent ivory or gold bead up front, and these are mainly good for fast snap shooting at close ranges!! The problem most people have with "ordinary" open sights is, when shooting in a hurry, they don't settle the front blade (or bead) far enough down in the rear sight notch, and consequently tend to shoot high or overshoot the deer entirely!! You won't have this problem with a peep, which is the fastest kind of iron sight there is!!

Hello again folks:

I wanted to keep ya'll posted on my results with the peep. I got the peep today and installed it on my Omega rifle. After I got it to hitting paper, I shot a three shot group at 55 yards. I used a front rest only, no rear bag and shot a 0.9" group. I used a 6:00 hold because the front sight completely covered the bullseye. I only had the chance to shoot one group because I ran out of light. I can't wait to shoot it at 100 with a front and rear bag and see what it will do. I'm happy so far!

8point

I put a peep from T/C on my Black Diamond before I ever shot it once. I think they are great, though I'm not a big muzzle loader buff, I can roll a paint can 9 out of 10 times at 150yds or more. Which, in my humble opinion, is probably at the extreme effective range anyway. At any rate, I enjoy it so much that I've put peeps on most all my iron sight rifles since.

FWIW

I grew up using peep sights on my .22 and .32 special. I still have the .32 special. As a result, I have always used peep sights and a gold bead on my hunting muzzleloaders quite succesfully. Until a couple of years ago, I could shoot these as ghost rings, but now find that the front sight is pretty fuzzy until I put the disc back in. In Oregon, during muzzleloader seasons, we must use iron sights only, so the peep is the only way to go. I have yet to have fogging or water on the lenses....Chuck

Peep fan here too. Have several close to a hundred years old. I purchased a playne jayne Marlin 336 30-30 for my son to hunt deer with a few years ago. Very disapointed in the sights, so had a shop install Williams FireSights. Was thinking of trading the rifle actually due to the inaccuracy. The peeps completely changed the accuracy of this rather inexpensive rifle.

Do any of you use peeps on a rifle like the Hawken?

I was taught to shoot with a Marbles tang sight on my Grandfather's M62 Winchester. Used peeps up until about 8 years ago when I got into Contender carbines. I've put scopes on all of these but a .38-55 22" and a 10mm Auto 16". I've also got a Williams Foolproof on my M94 (made in 1943) .30-30 and M96 "sporterized". I've actually fired a sub-MOA group at 100 yards with that Swede 6.5x55mm and then followed up with a group that measured right at 1", standing and witnessed. Since I hardly ever shoot for groups and my eyesight is noticeably worse, I doubt I'll ever beat that now! But it does go to show that these sights properly used can exploit an accurate rifle.

I had a peep on my T/C Hawken and it was great for punching paper. For hunting, it has two draw backs. Early morning and late evening. I had to pass on several deer because I couldn't see the sites clearly. I replaced it with a scope. jim

I forgot to mention that my .36 TC Seneca wears a peep sight. This outfit is death on squirrels to 50 yards or better. While aperture sights are seldom a handicap in my area, I can see how they might be. I've used it on groundhogs to 100 yards or so. It works fine for that, I'm sure you'll have no problem with deer AND it will be much more portable.

I use peep sights on a variety of rifles, both BP and metallic cartridge, sometimes for different reasons. For ex., my T/C Hawken wears a tang sight (T/C long-range type) which I use with a .50cal Green Mt. bbl. and T/C target sight. Accuracy is excellent. My Marlin #336 wore a Williams peep (with target knobs) with the "as issued" front sight, but since I was experimenting with a variety of cast bullets & powders, it was easier to mount a 4X scope. Accuracy with the peep was about the same as the scope, but adjusting the latter is much quicker. I also added a Lyman peep to my #336 Marlin when I removed the 4X scope [to put on the .45-70]. I like the Lyman peep better than the Williams (sits closer to the top of the receiver). It too is a pleasure to use. Lastly, I have an "as issued" Arg. Mau., Modelo 1909, which needed the front sight pushed so far to one side, it was almost out of the dovetail. Moreover, I didn't like the sight picture with the inverted V front sight. In spite of it, I was able to shoot some very good groups with cast bullets @ 100 yds. Since the cocked sight really bothered me, and I had a Lyman peep (for that action) on hand, I asked my gunsmith to mount it. I haven't fired it that much of late (winter weather), but groups were good, though not quite as good with the open sights. I think more practice will make perfect...well, perhaps better!