Peep Sight or Scope

[Doug627]

I like old rifles. Savage 99s, Remington Model 8 and 81s, Winchester Model 71s and old Marlins. I hunt deer in West Virginia and my shots are under 150 years 100% of the time and under 80 yards 90% of the time. I have used peep sights and scopes. For this kind of hunting, I am leaning toward peep sights for my older rifles. What are your thoughts? Peep sights even work with my 67 year old eyes.

 

[Bald1]

I love Skinner Sights (ghost ring) on my old Ruger 44 carbine. Out to 100 yds they work for my eyes. What part of WV do you hunt? I hunt Greenbrier Co.

 

[Doug627]

Calhoun county. Ravines with about 80 to 100 yards between them. You had better anchor that deer or you will work hard to retrieve it. We have old family property there. It will never be sold. Been in the family for a couple hundred years.

 

[StrawHat]

Peeps are fine for hunting or target.

Kevin

 

[alwslate]

Most deer are actually taken at less than 50 yds when hunting in the woods. I hunted deer for many years, took thirty five total, and many were taken with open sight guns. I'm no longer to hunt deer by myself due to age and health conditions and I sorely miss it. Never used a peep sight. The woods are pretty dark at times. I think the very best sight for hunting deer is the small Leupold 1-4X variable. At 1X, actually 1.4X you can keep both eyes open and watch your game and use the scope at the same time with it's very wide field of view.

 

[rockquarry]

Calhoun county. Ravines with about 80 to 100 yards between them. You had better anchor that deer or you will work hard to retrieve it. We have old family property there. It will never be sold. Been in the family for a couple hundred years.

A peep sight will work just as well as a low-powered scope out to about 150 yards or so if your aperture is of the right diameter and your front sight isn't too coarse.

 

[Warren Sear]

Here is what I have, built on a 98 Mauser receiver and a new Israeli surplus 7.62 NATO (308 Winchester) barrel. Redfield ghost ring mounted to the receiver.

 

[smoothshooter]

Most deer are actually taken at less than 50 yds when hunting in the woods. I hunted deer for many years, took thirty five total, and many were taken with open sight guns. I'm no longer to hunt deer by myself due to age and health conditions and I sorely miss it. Never used a peep sight. The woods are pretty dark at times. I think the very best sight for hunting deer is the small Leupold 1-4X variable. At 1X, actually 1.4X you can keep both eyes open and watch your game and use the scope at the same time with it's very wide field of view.

If at all possible you should always shoot with both eyes open regardless of sighting system.
Almost anyone can learn to do it.
I was lucky and started doing it automatically on my own, without being told from age 7 with my first BB gun. Never gave it any thought. Seemed natural, I guess. Everyone I knew did it too, never even heard it discussed until I was at least 16 years old.

 

[Spurdann]

If your eyes can make the shot with peep sights go for it, they are much sexier than a scope. Alas my eyes need a scope for hunting. At the range I can miss with the best of them with iron sights.

 

[s&wchad]

I'm not a fan of drilling and tapping classic rifles, but scopes are much more effective in low light when deer movement is higher.

 

[Yendor357]

Nobody is a bigger fan of peep sights than I. But on their best day, peep sights aren’t as good as a low powered scope. Greater clarity, magnification, light gathering properties all go to the scope.

Any size game animal deserves the best you have. I’ll kill stuff, but I don’t want to inflict any more pain than necessary. A wounded animal can’t go to the hospital for pain meds. Your best chance of putting that bullet exactly where it needs to be when the shot is less than optimal, lies with a scope.

This is one of my favorite deer hunting scopes. Leupold 1.5-5X on a 30 MM tube.

 

[Bald1]

It’s like anything else. If you’re capable with the peep or open sights go for it. Some guns don’t look right with a scope. My original Ruger 44 carbine (Deerstalker) came with a 4x Nikon on it. I ditched that quick for the Skinner peep and taller front blade. First deer I shot with it was a doe at 65yds.

 

[Patrick L]

I love peep sights, and I can shoot them very accurately as far out as I ever shoot ( max just a hair over 100 yards.) I would hunt with them in a second, EXCEPT I can't always ID buck vs doe, or # of points without the aid of optics. And I don't want to jostle between binoculars and my rifle, too much commotion to spook the deer. So I hunt with scopes.

 

[Fishinfool]

I have killed a good number of deer with my old Mauser .35 Whelen and it's Lyman peep sight. If your eyes are sharp, then go for it. These days, I use optics on my rifles, as my eyesight is not as sharp as it was when I was younger, and find a low powered scope really helps, especially in the low light, thick woods I usually deer hunt in.

My last attempt at open sight deer hunting was with my Lyman black powder rifle that has peeps. Hunting a field edge in Tenn., a nice buck walked out at about 125 yards. The huge white front bead covered 3/4 of the deer, so I didn't shoot. My fault though, I should have replaced it with a smaller gold bead, but it had never been an issue with other deer, usually shot at 50 yards or so.

I still like aperture sights though, and use them on the range. Just bought a Browning model 52 with Lyman peeps - In good light, it puts them in there.

Larry

 

[pantannojack]

I believe peep sights are actually good exercise for your eye muscles to return to spherical shape after aged muscles become tired and out of tone.

 

[Drm50]

I hunted Eastern WVa area all the way down to Western Virginia.
1st deer gun was Rem#8/35cal my #1 deer killer Rem 141/ 35cal
with peep. Also Marlin 336 / 30-30 with peep. Firm believer in peeps in thick stuff and practical ranges. I hunt with aperture in my pocket. Just use frame because most shots are fast moving deer at close range. I run peeps on several other guns including 22s and shotguns. Up Paw-Paw way on last day of season I layed 9 down with the old 141, everyone went home with a deer. My PB in WVa.

 

[Warren Sear]

No scope can "gather light". Even the best of them block a degree of light.

In my experience, a ghost sight blocks less light than any scope, although I have no scientific data to support this.

Open sights will never fog, and it would be extremely rare for them to be impeded by rain or snow. I have never heard of one going bad from a fall, or from recoil from a hard-kicking firearm, but I am sure either could happen. However, I have witnessed both of these events occurring with a scope.

 

[Doug627]

I just bought a Marbles peep sight for my Model 81s. I will be shooting from a deer blind with shots under 100 yards. Mostly 50 yards or less. Thank you all for the opinions and replies.

 

[GypsmJim]

If at all possible you should always shoot with both eyes open regardless of sighting system.
Almost anyone can learn to do it.
I was lucky and started doing it automatically on my own, without being told from age 7 with my first BB gun. Never gave it any thought. Seemed natural, I guess. Everyone I knew did it too, never even heard it discussed until I was at least 16 years old.

^^^^^100%. That's what Dad taught me 70 years ago. And it worked for my 2 sons that got started early.

But DON'T try to teach someone that learned the wrong way. You can't teach an old dog new tricks. Once a squinter, always a squinter.

 

[Andyd]

Peep sights need to be fully understood. The size of the hole in the aperture, front sight size and shape have to be adjusted for lighting conditions but in low light conditions peep sights are inferior to standard notched sights.

H&K understood that when they designed the sight drum for the G3, with the low light sight and rapid acquisition sight having a v-notch.