What kind of Open sights are best? What do you use?

[Tim Liedtke]

 

[Shootist43]

I have two DG caliber rifles with Iron Sights. Both proudly wear NECG front and rears. The rear sights are on removable bases so I can mount a scope if desired.

 

[IvW]

Ghost ring(not a peep site!) on the back or a shallow 140 degree deep V rear with only one fixed blade and no additional pop up sites for further distance. Front sight white bead and rear sight if deep V, line down the middle rear.

 

[Velo Dog]

Ghost ring(not a peep site!) on the back or a shallow 140 degree deep V rear with only one fixed blade and no additional pop up sites for further distance. Front sight white bead and rear sight if deep V, line down the middle rear.

+1

 

[ve7poi]

Age related eyes so Sako large front shallow v rear hold at 6oclock point of impact just above front sight at 50m

 

[Cousin Bongo]

The "ghost-ring" (the term coined by Jeff Cooper for this type of sight).

Some of what Jeff had to say about the ghost-ring:

"The proper rear iron sight is the ghost-ring, first brought to my attention almost simultaneously by Townsend Whelen and Karamojo Bell, though they did not use that term. The ghost-ring is so called because it vanishes when you look through it. It features a large ring with a thin rim, and should be mounted as close to the eye as the action type will permit. It was long held by many that the large aperture, 3/16 to a quarter of an inch, did not afford sufficient precision, but results on paper refute this. It appears that even if the shooter makes no effort to center his front sight in the ring, he will do so more or less instinctively. Whether you believe this or not, the fact remains that group sizes on paper targets are not affected by the size of the rear aperture - within limits, of course." Jeff Cooper 2003

“Hard as it may be to believe, there are still people around who do not know about the "ghost-ring" sight. This sighting system was described in the early decades of the twentieth century by both Townsend Whelen and Karamojo Bell. It is so far superior to any form of open sight, for either snap shooting or precision work, that there is simply nothing to discuss. Yet, the manufacturers of the world have not heard about this, and they keep putting sighting systems on their rifles as issued over the counter that are little better than useless. As far as I know, there is no rifle in the world which comes from the factory to the shooter with a ghost-ring sight installed." Jeff Cooper 1993

CB

 

[ve7poi]

I’m fortunate that I found a rear peep made by Sako that slips onto rear ring mount for rifle but find I can still use shallow v rear sight. Ghost ring will find its way onto 500 Jeffery set up for heavier bullet 600gr. Then best of both.

 

[Shootist43]

Tim, is this sight for the 10.75 x 68 that you have been building for a while?" I purchased a 404 Jeffery several months ago. It was equipped with NECG front and rear sights. I found them to be quite accurate. However after talking to several PHs I've decided to install a 1.5 -4 x Nikon scope with Warne QD rings. That way I'll have a choice as to which sighting system I need to use on any given hunt. Ghost rings are fantastic for close and or open areas. They will not help you see through brush.

 

[Scott Slough]

The one where you open a box and put a proper scope on it.

 

[lcq]

I don't own anything bigger than 300 mag. At my age I use optics because my closeup vision sucks. The only iron sights I can use are Peep or Ghost Ring sights. Not only do they allow us old guys to use irons again target acquisition is very fast.

 

[PeteG]

I’ve just filed down my standard cz rear sight to something that I prefer.
I also removed the 200 & 300yd flip up leaves as they are not going to be used.
This is on a 416 and I shoot better with this rear sight than the standard one.

 

[postoak]

In addition to Bell and Townsend, John Taylor also spoke highly of the peep sight. I used to have a bolt action with a Lyman 48 peep sight on it and could shoot 5 shot groups under an inch with it. It always seemed like magic to me the way they automatically work.

 

[BeeMaa]

Does anyone use red dot optics? Aimpoint Micro H1/2, Trijicon Reflex/RMR...etc?

I know batteries fail. But these can be mounted on the receiver to co-wittness with the iron sights mounted on the barrel.

 

[postoak]

BeeMaa

https://www.africahunting.com/threads/reflex-sights-on-dangerous-game-rifles.42063/#post-423522

 

[BeeMaa]

Thank you sir. I have Vortex red dots on my turkey gun and on a handgun as well. Obviously neither are DG considerations. My eyes find these sight quickly and follow up shots are a snap. I would have to make sure the optic is co-witnessed with the iron sight for it to be DG worthy. If that wan't possible, I'd stick with the iron sights.

 

[mdwest]

I am about to embark on another rifle build soon.. my intent is to use NECG front and rear sights (single leaf express.. I dont see a need for "long range" leafs on a .458 win mag.. and if I do need to take a shot at anything past 100 I will have a 1-4x optic on there as well)..

Honestly my eyes are getting a bit old for reliable use of irons.. I am much better with a red dot or a low power optic.. but, I also cant see building a big bore rifle that is intended for DG hunting only and not including a set of irons on it..

 

[lcq]

In addition to Bell and Townsend, John Taylor also spoke highly of the peep sight. I used to have a bolt action with a Lyman 48 peep sight on it and could shoot 5 shot groups under an inch with it. It always seemed like magic to me the way they automatically work.

peep sights improve vision based on the aperture effect . Look at an object then look at it through a peep. I got groups right at an inch with an M-14 and handloads

 

[CTDolan]

I am about to embark on another rifle build soon.. my intent is to use NECG front and rear sights (single leaf express.. I dont see a need for "long range" leafs on a .458 win mag.. and if I do need to take a shot at anything past 100 I will have a 1-4x optic on there as well)..

Honestly my eyes are getting a bit old for reliable use of irons.. I am much better with a red dot or a low power optic.. but, I also cant see building a big bore rifle that is intended for DG hunting only and not including a set of irons on it..

NECG front and rear (decent sized white bead, shallow V) is my preference as well (and yeah, my aged eyes are not as reliable with irons, either, but they nevertheless remain a strong preference).

 

[Alexandro Faria]

Sorry for reviving an old thread, what's the difference between a peep sight and a ghost ring??

 

[spike.t]

Basically t

Sorry for reviving an old thread, what's the difference between a peep sight and a ghost ring??

The same thing just the peep sight tends to be a smaller aperture more used in target shooting but you can get different size apertures that you screw in...if you take the aperture sight out then you have a larger hole which is easier to quickly picture up the target in a hunting /close quarter situation. That's what I did on my two 458 lotts....so a sort of ghost ring sight . ..but there are purpose made ghost ring sights made