Shooting Mystery is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more

How to Use a Peep Sight Rifle [Effective, Quick, Easy Guide]

Peep Sight Rifle

Have you wondered what the essential step in using a gun is? There is no doubt that it’s learning how to use a peep sight correctly.

This may seem like a relatively benevolent part of your gun that you rarely think about. But in fact, it is far more decisive than many hunters realize.

Anything that influences your sight picture is a problem, and few things affect the sight picture more immediately than your peep.

This informative article will walk you through what you need to know about using a peep sight correctly, smoothly, and efficiently.

2 Common Types of Peep Sights

1. Brockman’s Ghost Ring Sights

Brockman's Ghost Ring sights

This peep sight has a pop-up hole that can be set once the scope is detached. It is entirely flexible for windage and elevation.

2. Talley Peep Sight

Talley peep sight

This peep sight has a thoughtful look. It was originally designed to go with Talley’s excellent scope bases. 

Each has two recoil shoulders milled into them. That means that once the peep sights are held, it isn’t going anywhere.

The hole provides a vivid picture of the target, allowing for fast shooting. This system also permits you to change over a scope wearing Talley rings.

How to Use a Peep Sight on Your Rifle

Step 1: Find the Right Size

Apertures

This is one of the most significant factors in professional shooting. Different persons have different sights. Therefore, choosing the right sized peep sights can decide what you achieve as a result.

For this article, let’s suppose to use the small peep sights rather than the large ones.

There are two brief explanations for using a small peep sight:

Minimal Edge for Error

By reducing the aperture’s size, you can minimize your edge for error when aiming.

For example, suppose you aim with the pin halfway between the center and the edge of the peep with a large opening.

Your gun will hit much farther from the focusing point than if you aim the same way using peep sights with a small opening.

Richer Depth of Field

A small peep enriches your depth of field.

When using a small size peep sight, both the buckles and the target can be at the focal point. You won’t have to decide which one to concentrate on.

This is one of the reasons why some shooters like using a large peep sight. They like centering their entire pin guard in the peep.

Step 2: Install and Adjust the New Peep Sight

Installing sight

  1. First, you need to attach the peep sights to the gun. It will not coincide with the trajectory immediately. It would help if you manipulated the bullet’s path to coincide with your gun’s center.
  2. Second, you need to make the peep sight parallel to the gun barrel’s axis by screwing the tripods tightly to the gun’s body and adjusting the arm firmly.
  3. After fixing the gun, let it face the target and turn the zoom adjusting knob to the minimum zoom size. You can then fire the first shot. You will identify the bullet holes on the target through the peep sight.
  4. When you have a bullet hole in the pipe, you turn the center adjusting knob on the tube: the U-shaped knob (stands for Up) is the adjusting knob used to move up and down. The knob has an L (Left) is the fixing knob used to scroll to the left and right.

Step 3: Enter the Peep

Man aiming

Now, the real “battle” starts.

Peep sights enhance notch-and-post open sights by strengthening your eye’s ability to see the front sight in connection to the target.

Don’t you believe it?

Then try this: Hold a pencil in your palm, then coil your fingers around it. Now slide the pencil out.

If you look at the distant objects in bright light, they come out sharper and more focused than they do without your hand-made peep.

You set your eye, so you look through the rear peep sight/rear hole/rear sight peephole. Your vision automatically centers the front sight component because the brightest light is at the heart of the peep sight.

All you have to do is set the front sight part out with the target and shoot! It’s simple. 

Step 4: Estimate the Precision of a Peep Sight

Woman aiming

You may ignore accuracy when using peep sights, but this step is no less critical. It would be best if you focused on what is in front of you.

However, you don’t have to be too concentrated because it can also lead to some unexpected errors.

Here are two pictures to help you imagine:

Picture one presents three superimposed sight pictures; the correct one is in the center, and then left- and right-misaligned sight pictures are for aperture organization.

Peep Sight Rifle Illustration 1 Aperture Sight

Image 2 illustrates a schematic chart of the hole, gun barrel, and front bead at a radius of 31 about a target at 100 yards.

Peep Sight Rifle Illustration 2 Aperture Sight Error

If you hinge on the two instructions above, you will find a new and more exact way to precise your peep sight.

However, it also still depends much on what your objective is. If your target is big, always remember to adjust your precision to the brightest points.

Conclusion

Even though you tried learning the methods of using peep sights with this article, you’ll probably still be very confused when using it at first.

Therefore, don’t be afraid to try some new experiments.

We hope this article helped you learn more about how to use peep sight rifles and has encouraged you to try better!

To learn more, we’ve compiled a list of the best air rifle scopes for you to check out!

FINAL TIP: To refine your overall aiming skills, especially with iron sights, you could also take a look at our Guide to Aiming with Iron Sights to learn more. We also have a list of the Best Iron Sights for AR 15 to help you!

About the author