Ghost ring sights, how accurate?
02-23-2004, 08:36 AM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Maine
Posts: 690
Ghost ring sights, how accurate?
My new rifle will be .35 Whelen, many people are suggesting Ghost ring sights. My question is this;( Ihave never carried a rifle with peep or ghost ring)
How accurate can you shoot these things? I know that it depends on the man, but say, if you have a rifle capable of shooting 1" groups at 100 yards with a SCOPE, what loss of accuracy, or how much larger would the groups be with a ghost ring?
How accurate can you shoot these things? I know that it depends on the man, but say, if you have a rifle capable of shooting 1" groups at 100 yards with a SCOPE, what loss of accuracy, or how much larger would the groups be with a ghost ring?
02-23-2004, 11:30 AM
#3
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location:
Posts: 582
RE: Ghost ring sights, how accurate?
Ghost rings are outstanding for short range and woods hunting. I am going to buy the new Marlin in .475 and Linebaugh and some Ashley ghost rings are going on that thing. Who wants to shoot more than 150 yards anyway? 
That should ruffle some feathers.
That should ruffle some feathers.
02-23-2004, 11:59 AM
#5
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: VA USA
Posts: 570
RE: Ghost ring sights, how accurate?
With good target peep sights, I can shoot just as about as well as I can with a low powered scope out to 100 yards or so. The ghost ring won't be as precise, but I'd think a 1 MOA with scope rifle should still be 2 to 3 MOA.
02-24-2004, 04:58 AM
#6
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: dedham massachusetts USA
Posts: 1,361
RE: Ghost ring sights, how accurate?
maine hunt...
what kind of rifle is it? is it a pump? i will vouche for the willaims peep sights that you can buy for rem 7400/7600's.
i had great accuracy out to 2050yds with my old rem 7600 in 280rem.which i got about 1.25" at 100yds and about 3-4" at 200yds and about 4-6" at 250yds. also had one on my rem 7600 in 308win.which was dead nutz at 50yds 100yds and 150yds. but when she got to 200yds i got to get about 5" also have one on my savage scout rifle chambered in 308win. which gets 3/4" at 75yds 1" at 100yds 1-1.5" at 150yds.
there are some better than others. since i perfer ( used to ) perfer peep sights over scopes in stalking/still hunting applications.untill i found the light ( and the $$$$ ) to buy a nice vari-X-III
i also like to paint my rear peep sight ring with a red or white paint so it was easier to see the front sight in darker days or early in the morning.
A.O. outdoors also makes a great peep sight setup but sometimes i have found that you will have to replace the front sight to compensate the rear peep sight. i had one of them on my old marlin 336SS chambered in 30-30win and get decent groups at 50yds 100yds and sometimes 150yds. but the trigger was rough.
mainehunt... let me know what you have and what you are looking for.i beleive i have several lying around in my gunsafe/ gun draws acess. that i can give you for FREE!! P.M. me if you are interested. always willing to help a fellow hunter out . like others have done for me.
what kind of rifle is it? is it a pump? i will vouche for the willaims peep sights that you can buy for rem 7400/7600's.
i had great accuracy out to 2050yds with my old rem 7600 in 280rem.which i got about 1.25" at 100yds and about 3-4" at 200yds and about 4-6" at 250yds. also had one on my rem 7600 in 308win.which was dead nutz at 50yds 100yds and 150yds. but when she got to 200yds i got to get about 5" also have one on my savage scout rifle chambered in 308win. which gets 3/4" at 75yds 1" at 100yds 1-1.5" at 150yds.
there are some better than others. since i perfer ( used to ) perfer peep sights over scopes in stalking/still hunting applications.untill i found the light ( and the $$$$ ) to buy a nice vari-X-III
i also like to paint my rear peep sight ring with a red or white paint so it was easier to see the front sight in darker days or early in the morning.
A.O. outdoors also makes a great peep sight setup but sometimes i have found that you will have to replace the front sight to compensate the rear peep sight. i had one of them on my old marlin 336SS chambered in 30-30win and get decent groups at 50yds 100yds and sometimes 150yds. but the trigger was rough.
mainehunt... let me know what you have and what you are looking for.i beleive i have several lying around in my gunsafe/ gun draws acess. that i can give you for FREE!! P.M. me if you are interested. always willing to help a fellow hunter out . like others have done for me.
02-24-2004, 05:02 AM
#7
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location:
Posts: 1,491
RE: Ghost ring sights, how accurate?
Hi mainehunt,
The "ghost ring" is a peep sight with a larger rear hole. What the larger hole does is several things. One, it makes finding a target in the sights easier. Two, it is by it's nature, somewhat less precise than a smaller peep hole would be. Many adjustable aperture sights (peep sights) come threaded to accept different sized apertures. So you can tailer, to a degree, the sight to your needs. You can even get "twilight peeps" which have a "bronze" ring around the aperture.......which helps during periods of limited light. (It tends to gather light....extending how early or how late you can effectively use the sight.)
To a large degree the size of the aperture will determine how accurate the rifle can be fired. But the trade off is in speed of target acquisition. Aperture sights are less precise than good scopes.....for many shooters. But they have benefits as well as disadvantages. They are considerably smaller, lighter, quicker (as in Ghost Rings), and less prone to damage. They are highly recommended on rifles used for dangerous game or defensive use. And they are extremely useful particularly on rifles that their caliber would dictate they are not necessarily well suited for "true long range work". (Though we used aperture sights on Match Grade M-14's for shooting matches through 600 yards.......and some at 1000 yards. So they can be used accurately.....but that was not hunting!)
In the end......only you can decide if you are willing to "trade" one set of advantages.....for a "different" set of advantages. Either low powered scopes.....or "peeps" can be used to accomplish the same goal!
Good luck with the decision!
Dave
The "ghost ring" is a peep sight with a larger rear hole. What the larger hole does is several things. One, it makes finding a target in the sights easier. Two, it is by it's nature, somewhat less precise than a smaller peep hole would be. Many adjustable aperture sights (peep sights) come threaded to accept different sized apertures. So you can tailer, to a degree, the sight to your needs. You can even get "twilight peeps" which have a "bronze" ring around the aperture.......which helps during periods of limited light. (It tends to gather light....extending how early or how late you can effectively use the sight.)
To a large degree the size of the aperture will determine how accurate the rifle can be fired. But the trade off is in speed of target acquisition. Aperture sights are less precise than good scopes.....for many shooters. But they have benefits as well as disadvantages. They are considerably smaller, lighter, quicker (as in Ghost Rings), and less prone to damage. They are highly recommended on rifles used for dangerous game or defensive use. And they are extremely useful particularly on rifles that their caliber would dictate they are not necessarily well suited for "true long range work". (Though we used aperture sights on Match Grade M-14's for shooting matches through 600 yards.......and some at 1000 yards. So they can be used accurately.....but that was not hunting!)
In the end......only you can decide if you are willing to "trade" one set of advantages.....for a "different" set of advantages. Either low powered scopes.....or "peeps" can be used to accomplish the same goal!
Good luck with the decision!
Dave
02-24-2004, 10:02 AM
#8
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location:
Posts: 1,491
RE: Ghost ring sights, how accurate?
Hi again Kevin,
One other thing I forgot to mention. In periods of really inclement weather......it is great having that aperture sight.....and not worrying about optics getting wet. (Even with Butler Creek caps I nearly always use.....you have wet lenses to contend with in really bad weather.) The worst I've ever seen peeps in either heavy rain or snow.....is just blow hard through the aperture....to clear it! (Can't do that on glass
, unless you want it fogged.)
If you take the time to make the adjustment......peeps on a rifle like a .35 Whelen make a lot of sense. Especially when you have other scoped rifles that can be applied in different circumstances. But having a "heavy timber" rifle with a peep......or a "big bore" rifle for short to intermediate ranges on heavy game......would perfectly compliment your .308 and .300 Win Mag. (And makes for an easy decision in snotty weather.) Just a few other considerations!
If you really aren't sure how you'd handle it. Put a Williams peep on a Ruger 10/22, (or something similar....like buy either the Taurus pump or Taurus semi-auto .22's with Tang peeps installed), where you can shoot thousands of rounds for a few tens of dollars. That will give you a fair chance to evaluate your ability with peeps. And if you do the shooting from typical field positions......it will most likely prepare you for the upcoming season like you've never been prepared before! (Plus who can't always use an extra .22....especially with a ten year old around?!)
Once again good luck.
Dave
P.S. Once again.....I apologize about those house projects!
One other thing I forgot to mention. In periods of really inclement weather......it is great having that aperture sight.....and not worrying about optics getting wet. (Even with Butler Creek caps I nearly always use.....you have wet lenses to contend with in really bad weather.) The worst I've ever seen peeps in either heavy rain or snow.....is just blow hard through the aperture....to clear it! (Can't do that on glass
, unless you want it fogged.)If you take the time to make the adjustment......peeps on a rifle like a .35 Whelen make a lot of sense. Especially when you have other scoped rifles that can be applied in different circumstances. But having a "heavy timber" rifle with a peep......or a "big bore" rifle for short to intermediate ranges on heavy game......would perfectly compliment your .308 and .300 Win Mag. (And makes for an easy decision in snotty weather.) Just a few other considerations!
If you really aren't sure how you'd handle it. Put a Williams peep on a Ruger 10/22, (or something similar....like buy either the Taurus pump or Taurus semi-auto .22's with Tang peeps installed), where you can shoot thousands of rounds for a few tens of dollars. That will give you a fair chance to evaluate your ability with peeps. And if you do the shooting from typical field positions......it will most likely prepare you for the upcoming season like you've never been prepared before! (Plus who can't always use an extra .22....especially with a ten year old around?!
)Once again good luck.
Dave
P.S. Once again.....I apologize about those house projects
!
02-24-2004, 10:12 AM
#9
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Gypsum KS USA
Posts: 1,289
RE: Ghost ring sights, how accurate?
There's no reason that a ghost ring sight should ever be put on a hunting rifle, period.
They're not accurate enough for ANY long range shooting, i.e. you'll be lucky to get hunting accuracy at 100yrds with them, even in a rifle accurate enough to be a 400yrd shooter...they're great for short range, quick shots, really good for shotguns that need a bit more accuracy than beads allow, but on a .35Whelen (assuming levergun) that should be a 250yrd shooter (in most people's hands, that isn't asking TOO much with a scope), there's no reason to limit your range. Stock iron sights are MUCH more accurate than any ghost ring, your peep sight would be a better combo yet, but not as many people like peep sights as should...it's harder to aquire your target, and some people can't get their eyes right for them. I use a peep on a lever action .45-70, in conjunction with a tang mounted ladder sight, it's capable of incredible accuracy, I've shot those big slugs out there to 650yrds accurately enough to hunt deer with. I have ghost rings on a .44mag levergun for cowboy action shooting-shots are fast and at targets only 30yrds+/- away, and it's just right for that, I've got the same gun with stock buckhorns on it and I get slower shots, but accuracy out to 250yrds (.44mag mind you).
At any rate, don't do something stupid and put a ghost ring on a hunting rifle. I absolutely love them for "tactical" shotguns or rifles/carbines, or on say a turkey gun or maybe a shotgun for deer with buckshot or slugs, but certainly NOT on a hunting rifle.
They're not accurate enough for ANY long range shooting, i.e. you'll be lucky to get hunting accuracy at 100yrds with them, even in a rifle accurate enough to be a 400yrd shooter...they're great for short range, quick shots, really good for shotguns that need a bit more accuracy than beads allow, but on a .35Whelen (assuming levergun) that should be a 250yrd shooter (in most people's hands, that isn't asking TOO much with a scope), there's no reason to limit your range. Stock iron sights are MUCH more accurate than any ghost ring, your peep sight would be a better combo yet, but not as many people like peep sights as should...it's harder to aquire your target, and some people can't get their eyes right for them. I use a peep on a lever action .45-70, in conjunction with a tang mounted ladder sight, it's capable of incredible accuracy, I've shot those big slugs out there to 650yrds accurately enough to hunt deer with. I have ghost rings on a .44mag levergun for cowboy action shooting-shots are fast and at targets only 30yrds+/- away, and it's just right for that, I've got the same gun with stock buckhorns on it and I get slower shots, but accuracy out to 250yrds (.44mag mind you).
At any rate, don't do something stupid and put a ghost ring on a hunting rifle. I absolutely love them for "tactical" shotguns or rifles/carbines, or on say a turkey gun or maybe a shotgun for deer with buckshot or slugs, but certainly NOT on a hunting rifle.