Tang mounted peep! A skeptic converted!

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wetcoaster

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I have heard the various arguments for and against peep sights on this and other web based forums and in magazines but before this last weekend I had never shot a rifle using a peep for more than a few rounds plinking at very short range in camp with the following rifle. I finally got around to some serious playing with my savage model 99 take down in .300 savage built in 1939. It carries the original lyman tang mounted peep sight that was installed from the factory. I love the nostalga factor of the above package but my guns are meant to be hunted and I must admit I have been thinking about changing it to a fixed four power scope for hunting the bc coast being skepticle about the merits and my ability to use the peep effectively. This was that peep sights chance to make me a believer before I was going to get out the drill (Maddog would kill me if he heard this kind of talk!).

Now at the range peering down the bore with that old rudimentay sight I was more than just a little doubtfull that I could be consistant with it at hunting distances. I don't consider myself a great marksman, likely being about an average shooter, so I was thinking to myself; I struggle enough with my optical sights, why am I looking for a challenge? I started on paper at 25 yards to adjust the elevation etc. It was nearly dead on right off the hop. I couldn't believe how effortlesly the gun pointed! My shots made a single hole a little bigger with each of three shots but after all this was only 25 yards. How would it fair at distance?

I switched to targeting at 100 yards and became even more skepticle. I felt as though I couldn't see the target well and was aiming at the center of the target more as an area instead of a precise point. As I targeted I became aware of how steady I was holding the rifle! I don't ever remember my sight picture being that steady, it was so effortless! I squeezed off the first shot and checked the spotting scope. I had hit dead center on the target you couldn't have made a better shot! My innitial three shot group measured 2.6 inches centered right around the bullseye! I was more than pleasantly surprised!

I proceeded to squeeze off a box of ammunition in fairly short succession out of a warm barrel from various bench and realistic hunting positions including several standing offhand. Despite knowing I had pulled a few shots I didn't put one round outside of the standard 4 inch radius circle around the bullseye. Near the end of that session I was shouldering and firing that rifle in as close to a continuous motion as I have ever managed with any rifle and sight combo in what I consider adequet results at 100 yards.

I can't remeber having this much fun shooting in some time. Do I shoot as well with this combination off the bench as with my other guns carrying scopes at 100 yards? The answer is no but I can't say enough about that rifle, cartridge and old flip up peep for speed, comfort and more than adequet hunting accuracy out to at least 100 yards. My next trip I will try out to 150 yards and see how I fair with a little more practice. I am a shooter that struggles to be comfortable and consistant with my sight picture with scopes and I had no such trouble with this peep. It doesn't replace the merits of a scope or my other guns but for the purpose I had hoped to use this rifle it will be excellent. Guess what gun I will be using for hunting the thick bush here on the coast now.
 
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Congratulations, and welcome to the world of Peep sights.
I prefer the reciever type for hunting, but the tang sight has the longest sighting plane unless you shoot from the supine position with a butt mounted peep.
 
JohnyCanuck and others that shoot or have knowledge about peep sights,

Ignoring differences among rifles what sort of results are realistically achievable in terms of accuracy out of a peep at 100 yards and beyond? What would be considered excellent, average and below average shooting for 100 yards with a peep in your opinion from hunting and bench shooting positions? Try to keep the exageration to at least a moderate level as it would be nice to know how well I am doing.;)
 
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I'm glad you had fun with your peep. Mine caused me problems at first, but I love it anyway. My rifle is also a 99 Savage, a .250 takedown. Unfortunately, the front sight is a blade insert type and sits very low. When I installed my Marbles peep, the rifle shot abot 24" high at 100 yards. No, not a typo....2 FEET high! I e-mailed customer service at Marbles, who sent me an extra-short stem and instructions to change it out. Now it shoots about 4 inches high at 100 yards, and makes some lovely groups. What a fun gun to shoot!
 
With a good target, an aperture sight can shoot almost as good as a scope. These are 8 consecutive .22 targets shot with a peep - not picking the best targets.

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I replaced my front sight with a ''fire sight''and hopefully that will help my eyes when using the peep site on my old 30/30 219
 
with my hawken and a set of target peeps I used to be able to hold 2" and under occasionally with a patched round ball at 50 yards with 5 shots offhand.
Myy 45/70 falling block with cast bullets will do that with a set of lyman receiver sights at 100 offhand , but a shotgun shell box sized group is about the average these days.

I can normally "swing the chicken" at 200 meters offhand with any of my peepsighted rifles...
cat
 
wetcoaster said:
JohnyCanuck and others that shoot or have knowledge about peep sights,

Ignoring differences among rifles what sort of results are realistically achievable in terms of accuracy out of a peep at 100 yards and beyond? What would be considered excellent, average and below average shooting for 100 yards with a peep in your opinion from hunting and bench shooting positions? Try to keep the exageration to at least a moderate level as it would be nice to know how well I am doing.;)
Click to expand...

One hole groups are quite possible with a peep at 100 yards, if your eyes, and ability are up to it.
The eye is not only centered automatically in the back sight, but vision is improved noticably by looking through a small aperature.
To try this, find some small print that you have difficulty reading, and look at it again through a pin hole.
At distances beyond 100 yards, the scopes magnification advantage really begins to show. However, decent groups are still possible, assuming you can still see the target, and have the sights adjusted for that range. Certainly far superior to what's possible with traditional notch and post sights.
If it's target work alone you're interested in, (No good for hunting big game) replace the front sight with a second aperature, and you get another jump in accuracy.
 
I always take whatever apeture is in the back sight out, and put in my parts box.
That way I'm aiming through a very big hole so the sight picture is super fast to aquire.
The small aperatures on most of the sights are too fiine for me in low light condition such as fog or early morning, and the take to long to get the sight picture/target aquired.
The front sight naturaly centers in the big hole of the rear sight this way anbd there is nothing to obstruct the light at all.
Just look right through the rear , and let it go fuzzy, concentrating on the
target.
Let's face it, I used to be able to run some master class score with my match riflees at 100yards with my smallbores , but that kind of accurcay is not what is needed for a quick hunting shot with a center fire rifle!:rolleyes:
Cat
 
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catnthehatt said:
I always take whatever apeture is in the back sight out, and put in my parts box.
That way I'm aiming through a very big hole so the sight picture is super fast to aquire.
The small aperatures on most of the sights are too fiine for me in low light condition such as fog or early morning, and the take to long to get the sight picture/target aquired.
The front sight naturaly centers in the big hole of the rear sight this way anbd there is nothing to obstruct the light at all.
Just look right through the rear , and let it go fuzzy, concentrating on the
target.

Cat
Click to expand...

Damm the word is out:(
Oh well the collectors have driven the prices of good peeps way up anyway!

Most guys don't understand when you tell them your peep just naturally centres on the front site if you don't pay attention to it.
The easiest way to show some-one how that works is to give them a peep sited gun & tell them to pick a target & hold on it with both eyes open. the peep site will just be a blurr!! Then close the non-aiming eye & vwola, they will instantly notice the peep is dead centred when a moment before they couldn't even see it:)

There is a reason so many old rifles had peeps on them & when you see some-one headed out into the bush with a peep sited rifle you just know it's probably in the hands of a knowledgable & capable hunter;)
 
I'm one that takes the back peep out and looks through the threaded hole when hunting close up game as well.
It does make a difference on target, so if you were shooting long range, I'd leave it in. But, speed is dramatically improved with a big peep in the rear.
 
West Coaster, what makes you think the tang is factory mounted? Is there 100% bluing underneath the tang sight? I'm not saying it isn't as some were actually added at the factory but alot of them were added at the local gunsmiths shop as well. What model is the tang sight your using? 1A SA with the flip down peep or a 2A with the screw in peep?

Charlie, is that the new windage adjustable Marbles tang your using? Just wondering if the new stems fit the old tang sights as well.

Ratherbfishin, what model receiver sight do you have on the 219? Been thinking of adding one to my 219 30-30 barrel, my 22 hornet barrel is scoped so I wouldn't need it on that, is it the Lyman 48 SS?

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I've a WIN 69A 22 it can shoot comparable groups at fifty yards peep sights or Leupold Compact 4X in good light conditions, where the scope becomes the better tool is in bad light. Even then in some poor weather conditions the peep sight can be the better option. Nothing should be set in silly putty
 
Maddog your in the know here you tell me what it is? I had just assumed it was a factory sight but if many were added later perhaps it was. I'll have a look when I get home tonight and check on the bluing. It doesn't have a flip down piece in the aperature in fact it is pretty open. In general it looks exactly like the furthest one down on your photo with the little side locking lever? Perhaps it is missing it's guts as it doesn't have as small an aperature as the one in your photo? From the info you all gave me a long while back on the campfire it is a model G deluxe take down from 1939. The front side is a blade in a raised ramp.
 
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