Peep sight question

HGHCOUNTRY · Aug 25, 2015

I have only hunted with the factory sights on my knight bighorn until this year. I just bought a williams fp peep with target knobs and have it all mounted and ready to shoot. I left the front bead factory. I was all ready to get it dialed in this week, but today I was in a local gun shop and the gunsmith tells me if I installed a peep my front bead probably needs to be adjusted. I am sure he knows 100X more about such things than I do. But I have seen a bunch of guys with this same set up and haven't heard any of them mention the need to raise/lower the front bead. Am I crazy in thinking I should probably just be able to go shoot it and not worry? Obviously if it was way off that might necessitate a trip to a smith. This is an ID legal gun hence the peep/open sights. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Blank · Aug 26, 2015

Sometimes you do, sometimes not. Depends on the height of your replacement sight. There might be enough adjustment, or you can change your sight picture aand hold slightly. If you mounted a peep to a Weaver base, I would expect it to be much higher. If the mount is directly to the barrel, it is much lower and should work fine.

Shooting it and seeing how much adjustment is required is the only absolute way of knowing.

txhunter58 · Aug 26, 2015

I have not generally had a problem with knights. The problem you might experience is generally your back peep will not adjust enough and you have to replace the front sight. However, with the target knobs, there may be enough adjustment.

You won't know until you try so go out and shoot. If you can't get it in the area of the bullseye, you will have to get a different front sight. That is usually pretty easy to do

txhunter58

venor, ergo sum (I hunt, therefore I am)

Idahoron · Aug 26, 2015

The Williams FP peep will be fine. I have the FP on both of my knights and they both use the factory front. Now if he means the factory front is so damn big that it totally covers the target at 200 yards, then he is right. The factory front sight is thick and not good to aim with at and over 200 yards. If for some reason you might need more elevation adjustment than the FP provides just put a shim under the sight. I don't think you will need it.

HGHCOUNTRY · Aug 26, 2015

LAST EDITED ON Aug-26-15 AT 09:49PM (MST)[p]Thanks for the feedback everyone! You all confirmed what I was thinking more or less.

This is what I ended up doing for now:

Headed out over the next couple days to see how I like it. Ron my next step is to fool with the front-after my elk hunt. Truth be told if this will help me tighten up my groups between 100-150 I will be thrilled. 200 yards for me is going to take alot more practice!

Idahoron · Aug 27, 2015

You are using the same as my son. We are leaving the vertical adjustment slightly lose and using the target adjustment to move the sight for the shot presented. If the shot is 125 yards we set the sight for 125. if it is 150 we set it for 150.
I am going to add a Lyman peep after the hunting season. It is quite a bit taller. My Hot rods all have had them for the last 10 years. When I add the Lyman to the Knight I might have to add a shim under the peep to have enough adjustment. If I do that I might have to add a cheep pad to make the stock a little taller. I will see when that happens.

HGHCOUNTRY · Aug 28, 2015

LAST EDITED ON Aug-28-15 AT 10:16PM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Aug-28-15 AT 09:38?PM (MST)

First time out with the new sight, shooting low-but slowly getting there, still trying to figure the adjustment knobs out. Shooting 100 gr of triple 7 with 348 gr powerbelts. Does it seem like alot of adjustment on the peep and still low @ 100 yards? The lower two shots were before I adjusted the peep the first time, the second two were after another adjustment, and the top two were the last adjustment I made.

Idahoron · Aug 28, 2015

Your setting on the last picture is my 50 yard mark with my 50 and a 460 gr bullet with 80 gr of pyrodex P. You have a ton of elevation left on that sight.

txhunter58 · Aug 29, 2015

You should be fine. You have plenty of elevation adjustment left. If for some reason, you don't want to have it elevated that much (having to raise your head off the stock) then you can get a shorter front sight. Either way, it will work.

txhunter58

venor, ergo sum (I hunt, therefore I am)

HGHCOUNTRY · Aug 29, 2015

Ron,tx,

Thanks guys for sharing your knowledge, I am kind of flying blind here with this. Makes a guy question if he is way off base sometimes, its nice to have some confirmation I am at least heading in the right direction. This muzzle loader thing is getting addicting! (Ron I will be in your general area today- picking up a new bird dog, then back at the range this afternoon).

Thanks again guys!