How to use a peep sight

[mattd]

I can shoot my open/rifle sights just fine, and scoped guns are easy. But I struggle w my peep sighted guns. My eyes are weird and I get some ghosting inside the peep. And if I can manage to get past that then I see the target clear for a second then it can get blurry, or at least my eye ends up focusing somewhere between the front sight and target. And I'm talking at only 50y. Tried changing the distance between my eye and the peep. Tried enlarging some of my peeps slightly. Try closing one eye, tried both open. Can't find anything that works. I'm I missing something? Besides the target.

[JohnMiller]

Mostly likely one those attachment for your glasses will do it for you, I don't know which version or what maker is the best but they are very popular and work well. http://www.meritcorporation.com/index-2.html just as an example

[leebuilder]

I experence the same. I have damage to my eyes, scuffing and ware at the point where i focus. I still practice with peep.sights. I have good days and not so good days. What helps me is shade and good target contrast.
be well

[Rustyleee]

Try a smaller peep not a larger one.

[NC_JEFF]

The only really clear picture I try to maintain is on the front sight post. The eye naturally centers the front post inside the "ghost ring" that the rest sight becomes. Its ok to quickly change focal points between target and front sight checking sight picture and site alignment. But I think I make all my shots into a "fuzzy" target with as crisp a front sight as my eyes can still maintain. Now some of you PMIs chime in with the correct answer please.

[dg31872]

Thank you, John Miller. I did not know about Merrit corporation . I will get in touch with them. I just got a new M1A and can not see the sights well and was dreading going to a scope. I wonder if the M1A rear sight can be drilled and tapped for their apperature sights?

[juzme]

Ditto all these problems folks have. It has gotten worse with my age so I've just junked the peeps.

[LynC2]

It would help your sight picture if you had a pair of shooting glasses with a + or - adjustment to your normal prescription that allows you to focus on your front sight. Another way is to use one of these inserts in a match hood on your rifle. I used one when I shot service rifle high power competition.
http://www.bjonessights.com/SR.html

[gnoahhh]

That sounds weird, and I doubt that jockeying the aperture diameters or using store-bought magnifying glasses will help. Were it me, I would sit my butt down in an optometrist's chair and get to the bottom of it. Eyes are the one thing I don't fool around with.

[pietro]

.

The best practice, for peep sight use, indicates that a peep sight aperture should be looked THROUGH, and not "AT", and placing the front sight "on-target".

For hunting use, I unscrew/remove the aperture, and shoot using the resulting "ghost ring".


.

[Ben]

mattd

You may need to discuss this problem with your eye Dr.
They can often times recommend a solution.

Ben

[gkainz]

same results with either eye?

[JSnover]

The only really clear picture I try to maintain is on the front sight post. The eye naturally centers the front post inside the "ghost ring" that the rest sight becomes. Its ok to quickly change focal points between target and front sight checking sight picture and site alignment. But I think I make all my shots into a "fuzzy" target with as crisp a front sight as my eyes can still maintain. Now some of you PMIs chime in with the correct answer please.

I've always done it that way.
The aperture is always fuzzy. The distance between the front sight and the target is so great, you won't ever see both clearly using only one eye.

[mattd]

I had corrective surgery years ago. Not lasic, which fades from what I hear, but full on lens replacement. Been seeing great ever since, and no eye doc visits since either. Don't really feel like I need one either except for this issue. But like I said...I can see everything fine when shooting open sights. It's just looking thru the ring that makes it difficult. On my bow I use the largest peep and see well with it beyond 60y. Thinking about that peep, it's pretty close to my ey and a large dia.

[rmcc]

The USA Shooting Team has this advice....." as a general rule, the front aperature should be as large as possible to maintain as much annular space around the target bull...this results in less eye movement resulting in less eye fatigue....."

I am 57 and my eyes are not what they used to be, bifocals and all. I put a globe front on my M1 Garand. I tried the above and my score went to 93% first time out.

[Ed Barrett]

I'm 73 and still like peep sights best for hunting.

[30calflash]

If you are older a larger diameter hole in the rear aperture should be the better way to go. If young or corrected the smaller may be better. It's all about how well you can see.

Are you using your master eye? Some folks are cross eye dominant. You can change this by blocking your eye with a piece of paper behind your eyeglass lens, to change your vision to your dominant side. The blocked eye will work for your non shooting eye also, helps prevent squinting which is additional work you don't need to do when firing a shot.

Eye doctor may not help, especially if correction is for more 'normal' use. I use a set of glasses that are at least 15 years old to shoot with, both pistol and rifle. This is why:

You are focusing on the FRONT SIGHT, not the rear sight or target. If you are firing under cover the lack of daylight can cause your pupil to open more, giving you less clear vision. If out from under the cover, in the daylight, it will help to see your front sight better.

If using a white target or target backer glare can be bothersome. Try using an off white backer, or a light /pastel color with the target darker or black. Use sight blac, a carbide lamp or a candle to blacken your sights, BOTH front and rear. The front will stand out better and the rear will not have any glare off it from possibly being backlit.

If you've an older set of glasses, try them. You won't harm your vision as the difference is much greater when you remove them, as told by my doctor. As a test hold your trigger finger out at arm's length and try to focus on your finger tip. Whatever glasses you use that allow this should work well for both rifle and pistol with sights.

When shooting don't look at the front sight too long. Your eyes can trick you or start to loose focus. Don't fuss the shot.

If you can't get the shot off in 3 - 6 seconds, look away from the sight, at something not too bright or dark, let your eye rest, take a breath and start over.

I'm 57, haven't shot much lately but did this routine a few years ago when firing in a pistol league, indoors, with open sights and a clip on aperture on my old specs. Called the shots well most of the time, except for those 'off' nights. HTH.

[30calflash]

Also, if you are using a center hold your focus may be drifting between the front sight and the target. Try a 6 o'clock hold, or even a sub 6/ line of white hold. This would be having some of the backer showing under the target, between it and the top of the front sight post.

[303Guy]

Interesting comments. I find that with peep sights there is a dark spot in the centre of the peep that focuses the front sight while looking at the target.

I must confess the concept of focusing on the front sight is very strange to me. I've never done that. I've always focused on the target and I've never had difficulty hitting what I aimed at. Maybe my eyes are just weird. I'll be trying out open sights again soon so I'll see how my eyes are doing.

[30calflash]

I must confess the concept of focusing on the front sight is very strange to me. I've never done that. I've always focused on the target and I've never had difficulty hitting what I aimed at. Maybe my eyes are just weird. I'll be trying out open sights again soon so I'll see how my eyes are doing.

I've heard of folks doing it that way also, but it's not the standard, typical way taught in most circles. If it works, keep working it!

Some older guys (70+) I shot ML with fired with open sights just fine. Several of them won in their class on a decent day. Your focal point is typically further away, so the front sight on a '63 Springfield can stand out quite well, even with the barrel mounted rear sight.

I think that many folks give up with sights way too soon. I worked with a guy that was a high master in NRA high power, the guy could shoot 1 MOA on his belly, prone with a sling, with match sights on a 308 M70. Really! The guy had coke bottle lenses in his glasses also. He never tested loads from a bench, always prone with the sling.

The point is he was one hard holding shooter and I think that if you work on your hold and trust the sight alignment/sight picture much good results will be seen downrange.