How accurate are peephole iron sights

[scythefwd]

Not with the standard aperture sights that are on an M16, but with better aperture sights you can do sub moa. You can probably do that with the one's on an M16, but if you move up to something like the gehmann (sp?) or lyman or redfields you can definately do sub moa with them. My target 22 has a redfield international rear aperture sight and a hooded post for a front sight (also know as a globe sight).

 

[sniper5]

I shoot apertures on most of my more accurate rifles and have never wanted for a scope. Shooting positions (prone, sitting, standing, kneeling) your sight picture will not be the limiting factor of accuracy. There is very little advantage to a scope.

 

[DMK]

I have another aperture sight which is a Mojo on an SKS. It is better for my eyes than the original notch site, but it is so far forward I do not gain any "eyesight enhancement" like a typical receiver mounted aperture.

Tech Sights (www.tech-sights.com) has a rear mounted aperture sight for the SKS. It won't make the SKS shoot MOA, but it is definitely an improvement.

 

[chicharrones]

The only reason I didn't install a Tech Sight is because you have to remove it to take down the gun. I personally don't like any sight or scope system that has to be removed and reinstalled regardless of any potential to hold zero.

However, I hear that many people are very happy with the Tech Sight.

 

[ronto]

The Williams FP receiver peep sight on my Marlin 336 lever gun makes a world of differnce compared to the factory buckhorn iron sight...Accuracy is so good with the peep sight that I wouldn't even consider using a scope...Now if I miss the target, I can't blame the gun, the ammo, or weather conditions...it's me that's the problem and I can solve that problem with practice.

 

[Haifisch]

It's amazing how accurate the post and peep can be with practice.
I qualified Expert several times with the M16 in the Marine Corps.
From 550 meters the target looks like a match box.
Now that I have older eyes I prefer my FNH .308 with a 3x10 scope.

 

[Ryder]

not good in low light

I have tritium sights on my AR. Dots on the rear ring at 9 and 3 O'clock. Just line the three dots up in a row, works great and I like them.

 

[TexasPatriot.308]

practice,practice, practice... the reason you spend hours on the range in the military.

 

[U.S.SFC_RET]

IMHO the absolutely best type of sights ever made.

Your eye has the natural ability of centering the rear peep. Learn to achieve a good cheek weld and focus on the front sight.

 

[usmc1371]

they are good enough that every Marine shoots with them at 500 yds and the majority manage to hit the black, in basic training. During rapid fire from 200 and 300 yds I shot sevral sub 6" 10 shot groups with an M16.

 

[Curator]

Aperture sights properly set up can be as accurate as a telescopic sight of up to 6X or maybe a bit higher. To work at their very best, the shooter has to have good vision and proper cheek weld. The target has to have the correct size for the distance so as to appear the same width as the front sight with a post front sight or a small ring of white if aperture front sight. Having an adjustable iris on the rear is a benefit for changing light conditions allowing smaller for bright or larger for dim conditions. Good shooters I have trained can shoot less than one minute of arc with an accurate rifle and Parker Hale or Redfield Palma sights. Most recently one of our high school JrNRA shooters shot a 10 shot group that a dime could cover from prone at 100 yards with a Marlin 2000 .22rf with double aperture sights.

 

[bushmaster1313]

Thanks to all for the great posts!
Looks like I have plenty of practice to do before I can shoot better than my peep sight.

 

[rondog]

Combat rifles have been using aperture sights for a whole buncha years, and many wars. Not to mention all the M1 Garands fired in matches over many, many years, all with aperture sights. Gotta be something to 'em.

 

[bigfatdave]

Adding peep sights to a rifle took me to a whole new level of iron sight accuracy, I'm working on getting a aperture to every rifle I own, only one left at the moment.

Some have mentioned "as accurate as a moderate scope", and I've never gotten the hang of shooting with a scope, but a peep is more accurate than a red-dot for me, and I seem to stay on target better with a peep than anything else.

 

[Eb1]

More accurate than any other iron sight.

 

[Sebastian the Ibis]

Curator-

What new rimfire rifle w a diopter sight would you recommend for teaching HS students/Boyscouts to shoot really well. A Savage Mk II, a CZ?

Sorry if this is taking the post too off topic.

 

[wombat13]

i like them but not good in low light

Yes, aperture sights can be difficult to use in low light and they can also be difficult to use in poor weather. The aperture can become clogged with snow and even rain water. It is a real PITA trying to blow the snow/water out of the aperture without scaring the deer that's fifty yards away.

 

[Kwanger]

I'm another big fan of aperture sights.
My personal favourite is the HK drum diopter style with instant elevation adjustment out to 400.

IMHO there seems to be a trend today to hang the latest new fangled optic on your rifle, even brand new shooters, without ever even using irons. While optics do certainly have their place, everyone should learn iron sight skills.

 

[Bw2k2000]

Well with a Bushmaster XM15-E2S straight out of the box I was hitting a 55 gallon drum at 450 yards with no BZO.

 

[jayjaypunisher]

While optics do certainly have their place, everyone should learn iron sight skills.

ABSOLUETLY, never teach a kid or new shooter on optics, you dont start teaching a kid algebra before learning to read do you

but on point, aperture rear sights aid in accuracy, your eye has the natural ability to center the front sight in rear circle making it easier to shoot quicker more accuratly, the military makes the right call now and then

 

[336A]

How accurate are basic iron sights on a black rifle?

Peephole back
Front post

Incude the fact that shots are at 100 yards and the shooter has almost 20/20 vision

Thank you

Peep sights are vey accurate. The limiting factor of course will be the quality of the rifle, ammunition, and the skill of the user. I have a pic that I used just to show students how accurate one can be with their aperature sights while teaching Advance Rifle Marsmanship. The pic was of a perfect score taget fired by a AMU service member at 1000yd. All of the shots on the target would have fit on a standard E-type shiloette target. Yes the rifle was modified with a better trigger, barrel, sights to get the elevation to shoot that far, and of course better ammo was being used as well. However the sights they use are of the same style used on our standard issue M4/M16 service rifles and carbines.

The most important thing about apperature sights is getting proper and consistent eye sight alignment (clear tip of the front sight post centered both vertically and horizontally in the rear sight apperature). If your in the right conditions outside you may even be able to see the penumbra. It will look like a piece of fuzz in the rear sight apperature. What that actually is is the true center of the rear sight apperature. Then all you have to do is place the tip of the front sight post on that spot, focus on the clear tip of the front sight post and squeeze off a round. Don't let people fool you in that sight picture is the most important as it is not. If you don't have proper eye sight alignment sight picture don't mean squat.

Fortunately for us instructors we got to shoot with the AMU guys perodically. Of course we also had to ensure that our course material was still relevant and up to date which was the main reason for the get togethers. But the mentoring and tutalage those guys offered was awesome, IMHO that was the highlight of my military career.

 

[Coronach]

As has been mentioned, aperture sights can be very precise. Varying the size of the aperture will vary precision and speed of acquistion inversely (that is, make the aperture large and it will be quick to acquire but less precise, make it smaller and it will be more precise but slower to acquire, and less useful in low light). Aperture sights, as exemplified by the M16 series and the M1/M14 series rifles are the ultimate expression of iron-sights for combat shooting. They are just as deadly accurate today as they were 75 years ago. They fall behind magnified optics in the area of target identification, and behind red-dots in speed of use, but they still work, and IMO no combat rifle should be without them as a backup to the fancy-pants glass, and every shooter should know how to use them.

Mike