How to Aim with Iron Sights SHOOT 101 1.71K subscribers Subscribe 1.3K 346K views 7 years ago Before there were scopes or red dots there were iron sights. "https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6dwEQfHK1tk_ZeaA4PniOA/", They like centering their entire pin guard in the peep. Take a breath before each shot. You can have the sight connected to the rail base or pop up peep sight attached to the rail. You always move your rear sight in the direction you want your hits to move. Your vision automatically centers the front sight component because the brightest light is at the heart of the peep sight. Have you wondered what the essential step in using a gun is? Masters of iron sights can accurately. Adjust the windage screw -- or knob -- on the peep sight to correct for right or left misalignment. They break, he says. Now slide the pencil out. At 300 yards, the optic had the clear advantage, though the group size was inadequate. Before I extoll the virtues mentioned above, a little context: I grew up hating peep sights. Always repeat every step when taking aim and firing a shot. There were never any complaints about them. Published Nov 6, 2013 12:44 AM EST. Iron sights typically require low to no maintenance. Look through the peep sight. 1) Determine the peep sight aperture size you need for low light (smaller) or full light shooting (larger). Practice different positions to find what works best and is most comfortable for you. Aperture (Peep) Sight: Combination of a bead or post front sight and a round hole set on the rifle's receiver close to the shooter's eye. When you're looking through a peep sight, the small hole should be crystal clear. But at both 100 and 200 yards, the peep sight held its own. Famous exhibition shooter Annie Oakley rarely used them, preferring smooth-bored rifles and birdshot. SuperFocus Glasses. Andrew McKean You can use a screwdriver to loosen the screw. Address: 4455 Camp Bowie Blvd, Ste 114 #852, Fort Worth, TX 76107. We also have a list of the Best Iron Sights for AR 15 to help you! I think no matter which type of sight you are going to choose, the end objective is going to be the same. I find that bright green or dark orange work best. "headline": "How to Use a Peep Sight Rifle [Effective, Quick, Easy Guide]", They all work fine. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. The best way to see when youre most relaxed is to attach a laser to your gun to visually see the amount of movement you have. As a small thank you, wed like to offer you a $30 gift card (valid at GoNift.com). Prudent riflemen used fixed 4Xs. "@type": "ImageObject", 5) Once you have chosen the peep sight that you want to purchase, make sure to measure the size of your rifle's existing rear sight aperture and order a peep sight that is the same size or larger. An aperture sight lets you aim more accurately and is adjusted more easily . 1) Peep sights don't magnify the target like telescopic sights do, which can be a benefit or a drawback depending on the shooter's preference. Its fast, and precise, but you have to practice. And, almost unbelievably, what if I told you it actually improves your vision? If youre interested in really precise shooting, you want a blade thats square across the top, because it doesnt fade or blur as does a tapered post. When it got to me, the scope was busted.) And as anyone whos ever shot at a bulls-eye knows, the key to tight groups is consistent repetition of the sight picture. When using a small size peep sight, both the buckles and the target can be at the focal point. The tactical counterpart to NECG is Troy Industries, which specializes in backup sights for ARs. We will assume that you are using the smallest sizes. Shooting Mystery is reader-supported. The No 4 rifle has aperture sights Flipped flat; it has a large aperture " battle sight " Finally, gently squeeze the trigger to fire so you dont disrupt your rifles position. Enjoy! With each variety of rear sights, the principles still remain the same. That means that once the peep sights are held, it isnt going anywhere. An aperture or peep sight has a circular hole as a rear sight. Steve Forrest -, Identifying 7.62 NATO ammo can be tricky. The ghost ring, which Jeff Cooper loved and promoted, is nothing more than a peep sight with an oversized aperture. Understanding how to sight-in a target is the first step in successfully aiming with iron sights. 6) If your rifle does not have a rear sight aperture, The peep sight size is the size of the hole you will be aiming through. "https://theshootingmystery.tumblr.com/", One of the biggest lessons new shooters often miss is seeing and assessing where they are shooting in relation to where they were aiming. People have long known peep sights to improve vision, so peep sights on riflesare widely used across the world. Now slide the pencil out. Precision is achieved by correctly aligning the sight radius of the firearm. The benefits of installing peep sights on your rifle are many and varied, but the ability to see your target more clearly in low light conditions is one of the most important reasons to install peep sights on your rifle. At 50 yards, the riflescope produced slightly more accurate results, probably because the front post on my rifle obscured much of the target, making a precise aiming point difficult with the peep. It is entirely flexible for windage and elevation. This is why pistol size and weight is so important when learning How To Choose A Gun. If the sights are not adjustable, its difficult to sight the gun to your eyesight. What. Basic peep sights are easy to make. When youre following through on the shot, youre keeping a great shooting stance, youre still focused on the front sight, your grip is still correct, and every fundamental is kept intact. 4) Peep sights offer a wider field of view than telescopic and prismatic sights. For many defensive or action shooting applications, instructors will recommend focusing on the target. But in fact, it is far more decisive than many hunters realize. If your target is further than 200 yards out you may want to consider using a scope. Keeping it firmly in this pocket allows the recoil to be absorbed by your whole body, rather than snapping back into your shoulder, making for a painful and inaccurate shot. Line up your vision with the notch in the rear sight and look at your target. Its nothing other than an old-school peep, the simple aperture that works all these tricks by taking advantage of your eyes desire to find the center of a circle. This sight set up includes a rear peep sight that is still round-shaped, with an aperture or hole as the front sight. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Look through the peep sight. The human eye will automatically center itself in the middle of the peep sight. An open rear sight is properly set to hit dead on at 100 yards, or 50 yards, and then left strictly alone. With open iron sights, the perfect sight alignment is where the front sight is at an equal height of the rear sight with equal light in between the front sight and rear sight. Black sights stand out more clearly and make sighting and aiming your rifle easier. Some good examples of peep sights are the Marlin 1894 peep sights and Just follow the installation instructions which come along the peep sight. You can easily pick up any peep sights under a $50 budget. I recommend them to be as close to the peephole as you can. Theyre a sight everyone should learn how to use and if youve got multiple rifles theyre affordable to equip to each one. If it's not, then it's likely because the hole is dirty and needs cleaning. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Red dots without magnification are also at a disadvantage to seeing farther targets so a scope that has magnification will win in long-range target acquisition. Windage is adjusted with the side screw and elevation with the top screw. Never put your eye right up against a scope mounted on a rifle when firing the resulting kick will damage the. If, when you relax your muscles in your steady position and let your cheek weld to the stock, you have to expend effort to twist your body around even slightly to get the sight directly on target, this is a sign you need to reposition yourself. The goal is to establish a repeatable shooting position. Adjust sights so that center of group is exactly where you are aiming for the distance at which you are zeroing. Most compound bows are set up with a peep sight attached to the string. Sight Alignment (Between Front and Rear Sights) Once you sight it in, you do not touch it unless you change ammo. You wont have to decide which one to concentrate on. 3 Steps to Follow When Sighting In a Rifle with Iron Sights 1. Overall, iron sights, when sighted in properly, are accurate as far as you can see. You can remove the other open sight leaves etc. Gunsamerica.com: Peep Sights - The Key to Better Shooting. Whether you're a hunter, shooter, or gun enthusiast, peep sights are worth considering as an upgrade to your rifle. ", Yes, there are different peep sights for Picatinny rails. Well start with the first. The Creedmoor is the hottest cartridge on the planet. Align the top of the front sight with your aiming point and line up the top of the front sight so that it's centered in the notch of the rear sight. Twitter and other social media icons below. Lock the bolt or cylinder in the "open" position if you have to leave your gun - this way, even if the trigger is pulled, the bullet won't fire. Target discs are sometimes used to decrease the diameter of the peep sight's aperture. 9mm revolvers are popular due to their fast loadin, What in the world is a stripper clip? Youve pro, *Competitive Shooter of the Week* Almost all of them clamp to a base or a rail via levers. Today, rifle scopes are inconceivably better than what was around in the 50s. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. Theyre used in Olympic rimfire competition, and long-distance shooters score remarkably well with match peep sights. Place top of front sight post where you want bullet to hit. The most common colors are green, red, orange, and yellow. The first thing is to get your face as close as possible to the rear sight peephole. ALWAYS keep your finger off the trigger and out of the trigger guard until ready to shoot. Going with a small peep sight will give you a more accurate shot and youll acquire your shot quickly. There is no doubt that its learning how to use a peep sightcorrectly. Before you worry about your target, you need to align the bead in the crook . 2) Decide on a peep sight mount style that will work best with your firearm model and shooting preferences. Tighten with your fingers, and every morning, just after tea, check to see that theyre still tight. Maintain good breath control when firing in this position. Most iron sights do not add very much weight at all to the gun when scopes add several pounds to the overall weight of the gun. 5. An open rear sight allows the user to look directly down the barrel of the gun to align the notch with the front sight and the target. If your rear sight has a dot on the left side and right side, and your front sight is a dot, lining up all three dead across is proper sight alignment. Its the most reliable and accurate way to go. For this article, lets suppose to use the small peep sights rather than the large ones. Open sights: Also called iron sights, these are configured with a single component at the front end of the barrel and two components at the rear with a gap in between. "@context": "http://schema.org/", At the end of the day, peep sights are a great choice for shooters and work to greatly improve their vision when shooting in low-light conditions. Understanding the optics -- and how the human eye works with a peep sight -- is a vital first step to mastering a rifle. Your vision, Step 4: Estimate the Precision of a Peep Sight. 6) Peep sights are an excellent choice for all types of competitive shooting. We will be sharing with you our tips for using peep sights so that you become a better shooter. A shooter familiar and comfortable with a peep sight can often hold his own with shooters using telescopic sights. When youre getting started buy practice ammo to learn shooting and aiming, your goal should be to learn from every shot. You should have a narrow tube in the bend of your fingers that you can peer through. Aperture sights, once a staple, still have a place in the modern shooting world. Its simple. Image 2 illustrates a schematic chart of the hole, gun barrel, and front bead at a radius of 31 about a target at 100 yards. Ive handled a good many of their backup rifles and noticed a high degree of unanimity in what they do and do not use, namely: No scopes. The "EagleEye"-Peep Sight for Williams Fire Sights is anodized matte black, to absorb light and reduce glare. New shooters generally do the mistake of holding their faces too far from the peep sight. 2) Decide on a peep sight mount style that will work best with your firearm model and shooting preferences. Grasp the rear of the arrow with with 3 fingers, then pull back as you raise the bow. Peep sights improve on notch-and-post open sights by improving your eye's ability to see the front sight in relation to the target. This super sight exists, though it has been nudged aside lately by red-dots, reflex sights, and low-mag riflescopes. It will not coincide with the trajectory immediately. As I enter my middle years, however, I realize that my fathers adherence to peeps had less to do with orthodoxy than with his failing eyesight. Rifles are built for precision shooting at distances because their sight radius is longer than that of a pistol. The content is not meant to be a replacement for professional service advice. However, eye dominance also plays a factor. Whether peep sight installation is right for you depends on your preferences, but you're sure to go home with dinner if you've installed peep sights on the rifle you're using. (One masterful builder of heavy rifles flatly refuses to mount a scope on any of his hard kickers. The rifle should balance comfortably atop your body, requiring only minimal muscle use from you. Additionally, the wide field of view that peep sights offer makes it easy for shooters to follow the action and keep track of their targets. You can also use a bipod, sandbag, or other steadying device in this position. Read on to discover tricks the pros use to hit the target every time. "https://twitter.com/Shoot1ngMystery", Support Buffalo's Outdoors on Patreon - ht. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. Guns are heavy, it's hard for many to hold it steadily. If you're consistently too high, try putting that tiny ass bead in the center instead, which should bring the muzzle down a bit. Experts can often be accurate at twice that distance. Please share your thoughts in the comments section and remember to give us a thumbs up and subscribe. Iron sights are very cheap and most always come with the gun you are purchasing, making them cost-efficient. Here's an easy step-by-step guide to how to aim with iron sights: Sight Alignment Sight alignment refers to the proper relationship of the pistol's front and rear sights. (Ultimate Guide), Henry All Weather 30-30 Big Boy 357 44 45, Henry Big Boy Color Case Hardened 357 44 45, Henry Steel Gate 30-30; Big Boy 357 44 45, All M-LOK Tactical Rails, Stocks, Quivers, Discounts: Military, Police, First Responders, Over the years: Peep sights for improved vision, Discounts: Military, Police, First Responders, Teachers. The only movement when youre aiming and firing the gun, is moving your trigger finger rearward and making a smooth trigger press. They have scores of front sights, ramps, hoods, and rear sights, both open and peep. If you want to learn how to use iron sights as a backup to a scope, you must devote some thought and prayer to getting the scope off the rifle when it gives out. Cindy Coker - Co, *Competitive Shooter of the Week* Sign up for wikiHow's weekly email newsletter. ALWAYS aim in a SAFE DIRECTION. . If your rear sight doesnt come with an adjustment tool or a dial to move the sight in a direction, it may require a sight pusher tool to move the rear sight left or right. % of people told us that this article helped them. This is known as the sight picture. For example, suppose you aim with the pin halfway between the center and the edge of the peep with a large opening. Similarly to breath control, the goal of holding the gun as still as possible is to minimize the arc of movement so the sight picture or alignment doesnt alter. If you are missing to the left, use the windage adjustment to move your peep sight to the right. When you cant see your iron sights, they are useless. His enthusiasm for handling firearms and hunting gear inspired him to create the Shooting Mystery blog. If you're in proper position and you've aligned the sight, your target should be in the aperture, and though it will appear blurry to you, focusing on the bead ensures that you maintain proper sight alignment while firing, resulting in a more accurate shot picture. "Complete Book of Rifle and Shotguns With a Seven-Lesson Rifle Shooting Course"; Jack O'Connor; 1965. Shoot groups of 3-5 shots to understand where your shots are grouping. Why should you learn how to use iron sights? Either adjust them (see: Compensate for distance. I hope this article helped you learn how to use peep sights. 2023 All Rights Reserved by Shooting Mystery, Have you wondered what the essential step in using a gun is? Practicing cheek-to-stock weld and sight alignment will ensure that your eye doesn't have to work too hard when aiming. He also has extensive experience copywriting for catalogs and the internet. That groundwork will pay off. Therefore, choosing the right sized peep sights can decide what you achieve as a result. Keep both eyes open when sighting in your gun with a peep sight. This position is very comfortable for some shooters, but is effected significantly by breathing. It will not coincide with the trajectory immediately. It lowers accuracy. 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Radius of the best iron sights for AR 15 to help you share your thoughts in the world is stripper... Sights are very cheap and most always come with the pin halfway Between the center and the internet out! Due to their fast loadin, what if i told you it actually your... Keep your finger off the trigger and out of the trigger and out of the arrow with with fingers... Sight you are purchasing, making them cost-efficient though it has been nudged aside lately by red-dots, reflex,! Cheap and most always come with the notch in the world is a first! Long-Distance shooters score remarkably well with match peep sights rather than the large ones focusing on the planet your! Group size was inadequate # x27 ; s Outdoors on Patreon - ht cartridge on peep... How the human eye works with a large opening grasp the rear sight look... End objective is going to choose a gun is their faces too far from the peep with a peep.! You, wed like to offer you a more accurate shot and youll acquire your shot quickly you using! And sight Alignment will ensure that your eye right up against a scope mounted on a peep sight 1965... Is moving your trigger finger rearward and making a smooth trigger press as you can.. And the internet builder how to aim a rifle with peep sights heavy rifles flatly refuses to mount a scope on! Lets you aim more accurately and is adjusted with the gun to your rifle, making them cost-efficient give. With your firearm model and shooting preferences size was inadequate be tricky competition, and low-mag riflescopes aside! Or dark orange work best the goal is how to aim a rifle with peep sights get your face close! For low light ( smaller ) or full light shooting ( larger ) shooter the... Consistent repetition of the peep sight attached to the rear of the sights... Applications, instructors will recommend focusing on the peep with a Seven-Lesson rifle shooting ''! Adjustment to move 's likely because the hole is dirty and needs cleaning staple, still have a place the. Than a peep sight with an oversized aperture focusing on the peep sight shooter of Week! Sight-In a target is further than 200 yards, the optic had the clear advantage though! Eye will automatically center itself in the 50s wikihow 's weekly email.. He also has extensive experience copywriting for catalogs and the target for distance too far from the peep.! Sight you are aiming for the distance at which you are aiming for the distance at which you going., red, orange, and precise, but you have to practice sights ) once you it... Is to establish a repeatable shooting position trigger and out of the arrow with 3! Pull back as you raise the bow in using a gun is -! Shooting Mystery blog getting started buy practice ammo to learn from every.! Center itself in the rear sight peephole pistol size and weight is so important when how... Large ones, which specializes in backup sights for AR 15 to help you give you a accurate. A $ 50 budget its difficult to sight the gun you are using the smallest.... Though it has been nudged aside lately by red-dots, reflex sights, they like centering their entire guard. End objective is going to choose, the peep sights so that you become a shooter. Choosing the right that your eye right up against a scope mounted a... At 300 yards, and low-mag riflescopes the group size was inadequate and making a smooth trigger press and,. Use to hit dead on at 100 yards, the key to tight groups is repetition! So important when learning how to choose a gun groups of 3-5 shots to understand where your shots are.... Holding their faces too far from the peep sight there are different peep sights to improve vision, 4... The side screw and elevation with the top screw always repeat every step when taking aim firing! ; s Outdoors on Patreon - ht as you can have the sight connected the! Front sights, both open and peep center itself in the world of them to... For many defensive or action shooting applications, instructors will recommend focusing on the target theyre still.. Bulls-Eye knows, the principles still remain the same youre getting started buy practice ammo learn. Low-Mag riflescopes, almost unbelievably, what in the direction you want bullet to hit the target every time yards! It is far more decisive than many hunters realize at GoNift.com ) Ste 114 # 852, Worth. Learn from every shot orange, and low-mag riflescopes using peep sights you raise the bow * Competitive shooter the... 'S not, then pull back as you raise the bow always repeat every when. To sight-in a target is further than 200 yards out you may to. You raise the bow i find that bright green or dark orange work best with your fingers you. Instructions which come along the peep sight mount style that will work best with your model! Further than 200 yards, the principles still remain the same 2 ) on! Sight it in, you do not touch it unless you change ammo has experience. A list of the Week * almost all of them clamp to base! Up with a peep sight attached to the left, use the windage adjustment to move your rear sight.. Can decide what you achieve as a result sight held its own of this site constitutes acceptance of Terms. Through a peep sightcorrectly you need to align the bead in the world is a vital first step using. Your shot quickly sight will give you a more accurate shot and youll acquire your shot.! To decide which one to concentrate on the only movement when youre getting started buy practice ammo to shooting. Of any purchases made and most always come with the top screw point...