Aperture (Poll)

[Tatume]

Hello Folks,

Among those of us who use aperture sights for hunting, what is your favorite size, and why? In comments, what conditions do you usually hunt in (open country, deep woods or swamps, etc.)? I'm probably going to post another poll about the sights themselves. Right now I'd like to talk only about aperture diameters.

Take care, Tom

[338RemUltraMag]

My favorite setup is on my 1954 Winchester M70 30-06, it is a lyman 48 WJS and the aperture is adjustable like a camera shutter. Got the rear sight/aperture from a darn good friend "forty rod ray" now I normally keep all my sights on a medium size hole if they are fixed, I shoot in brush low light and open stuff, I wish I had another 10 of those shutter style apertures.

[Tatume]

Hi Mag,

That's the adjustable iris, usually made by Merit.

Take care, Tom

[btroj]

I like a .093 for hunting. Small enough for some precision, big enough to quickly find the front sight in lower light.

I bet most responses will be age based. Younger eyes can use smaller apertures in lower light in manny cases.

Oh to have young eyes again.

[kawasakifreak77]

.090" here. I'd agree it's a good combination of precision & speed.

Wanting to try a size or two smaller someday though, to compare accuracy.

[338RemUltraMag]

Hi Mag,

That's the adjustable iris, usually made by Merit.

Take care, Tom

Are they still being sold as a new item?

[44man]

Do you mean the fuzzy thing at the rear? Things kind of go the way of the Dodo with age!
Where did my sights go? Have to use a scope or red dot now.

[357shooter]

.093 works well for all around but my favorite is .070. So I had to vote "other".

I tried .040, and couldn't see much of anything through it. That's a tiny hole! I like ghost rings too. I think it depends some on the front sight.

[338RemUltraMag]

I won't be ordering 10 but I found em! These will now go on a few of my regular range rifles!

http://www.meritcorporation.com/index-2.html

[Pepe Ray]

Check out most any of your gun rags. You'll find the Merit sights advertised.
I got my 3 from Brownells. No contest!!
Pepe Ray

[Rick Hodges]

I have peep sights on only two rifles. A marlin 1895 ssg in 45-70 and a .54 cal. Lyman Plains rifle. Both wear open .125-.150 Ghost type apertures. I hunt in Michigan forests where the shots are usually under 50 yds. They work well for me and give me a sight picture at dawn and dusk that I can't get with smaller apertures.

[oger]

Agree with 44Man, haven't seen a front site in years.

[country gent]

I have the nm sights 052 on my m1as and the old garand has been sleeved to that. On the BPCR rifles im ussually around 080 or a little smaller depending on light (Hadley Style adjustable eye cup). The match rifles have adjustable gehmans appetures and are set for a given days light and vision needs. Keep in mind I dont think the merit eye piece is sanctioned for bpcr but the hadleys style are. I made an eye cup up tha used a 10-32 set screw for the appeture. Instead of making a bunch of eye cups I made one with a set of set screws and diffrent size holes.

[BruceB]

I got my 3 from Brownells. No contest!!
Pepe Ray

Ehen ordering replacement apertures, be VERY CAREFUL that you order the correct thread specs to match or your sight.

There are many different thread patterns used by the various makers with very limited commonality. Brownell's does a good job of cataloging the differences, but you must read the fine print.

The best "field" type aperture sight I've ever used is the "battle sight" found on the #4 Mk1 Enfield. It looks huge to an unknowing eye, but is marvelously fast to use and surprisingly accurate. I don't recall the aperture diameter right now, but it's VERY large.

We do NOT need a small aperture to do good shooting, especially at woods ranges and on large animals. I once put a bullet through a moose's heart from over 200 yards using a #4's battle sight.... no difficulty whatever.

[Just Duke]

A 30MM tube and at least 2X magnification works best for me.

[adrians]

Hello, I voted for the adjustable sight ,depending on situation and light conditions it's a handy sight to have although some of my rifles wear Redfield or Lyman peeps with a "medium" (0.093) size hole ,
Have a great weekend.

[Doc Highwall]

I have used both .093" and .125" depending on which gun they mounted in and how far they are from my eye. I have the Williams Twilight series.

[Tatume]

Brownells has the Merit adjustable iris but they are out of stock at the moment.

http://www.brownells.com/rifle-parts...prod26066.aspx

[Walter Laich]

haven't saved enough yet to buy an adjustable one

[M-Tecs]

.125-.150 Ghost type apertures for me. If I go smaller the light level becomes an issue for early morning or late evening.