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Old August 30, 2010, 07:55 AM   #1
JimL
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Ghost rings

I see that ghost ring rear sights are available for hand guns. Anybody here use them? Do they actually "ghost" that far from your eye? Or is that just borrowed words to hype an ad?
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Old August 30, 2010, 07:59 AM   #2
geetarman
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One of the RSOs at Rio Salado has them on a Kimber 1911. It is pretty amazing. I would not mind having them on my handguns.

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Old August 30, 2010, 09:54 AM   #3
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I just had custom adjustable "dove tail" sight bases for 4 of my revolvers made, so I can fit Williams fiber optic ghost rings on 4 of my revolvers... in fact I shot my 2 - 6" barrel revolvers yesterday at 50 yards one is a custom 22 Hornet, the other a S&W 610 rechambered to fit 10 mm magnum...

I also did up 2 snubbies, one a Dan Wesson 44 Magnum ( with a custom comp nut ) the other ( just finished last Saturday ) a Ruger Alaskan in 454 Casull...

so far, I like the ring rear sights... though they aren't probably as accurate as target sights, they are pretty quick to use... & I think by using the Williams rings that are flanked by fiber optics, it gives you something to line up quick with...

I haven't got many pics of them yet... but here's my 22 Hornet, before installing the fiber optic front sight...


Last edited by Magnum Wheel Man; August 30, 2010 at 10:04 AM.
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Old August 30, 2010, 09:57 AM   #4
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I have one

Got one on my glock 19.

the advantages are that you automatically zero the front sight in the center of your ghost ring aperture. Like looking through a circle.
The front site is a fairly tight fit, though,and if the target is tiny or small then it is harder to see behind the front blade.

As I am originally a long time bullseye shooter with the habit of front sight level with rear notch, I do find it a little awkward, because the dot on the front sight needs to be centered on top of the target, instead of the top of the front blade being dead center, so I am always shoot low with my gun.

Also, as my eyes age, it is harder to see through all that without glasses, so I am going to go back to an open sight system.

I would say, good for fast shooting for those with good eyes.
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Old August 30, 2010, 11:09 AM   #5
JimL
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What to center

Quote:
the dot on the front sight needs to be centered on top of the target, instead of the top of the front blade being dead center
I'm seriously considering filing my Taurus front sight down to the center of the white dot. I hate completely hiding what I'm shooting at if it's small.
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Old August 30, 2010, 02:50 PM   #6
Jim March
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Look here:

http://www.thehighroad.us/showthread.php?t=419954
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Old August 30, 2010, 03:04 PM   #7
HighValleyRanch
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Rear tube attached?

Jim March,
How is that tube attached at the rear?
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Old August 30, 2010, 03:25 PM   #8
Jim March
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Screw tapped into the topstrap. There's a small hole in the top of the tube just big enough for the allen key for the screw head.

The front of the tube slips into a notch cut into the front sight, which started life as a tall fiber optic sight for a rifle.
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Old August 30, 2010, 03:57 PM   #9
HighValleyRanch
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Somehow that set up reminds me of some tube sights on rifles that I have seen in some old westerns......

What is the advantage of having one tube, instead of separate rear and front sight. If it is glare, couldn't the front sight be hooded and accomplish the same task with less metal?

Just wondering...
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Old August 30, 2010, 08:13 PM   #10
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Peep sights were military issue on rifles for years for a reason.

I'd like to try one on a pistol. Been thinking about putting one on my Glock.
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Old August 30, 2010, 08:52 PM   #11
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Peep sights on a pistol (or forward mounted on long guns) dont work like a true aperture sight. With the "long eye relief" peeps, you still have manually, and deliberatly, align the sights, where with a true peep, your eye and brain do it without thought.

I tried one on a 1911 when they first showed up, and quickly found they werent for me. Had the same problem with the Mojo type rifle sights too. For me, they require to much thought, and are to slow and awkward to shoot with.
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Old August 30, 2010, 09:00 PM   #12
Jim March
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Quote:
What is the advantage of having one tube, instead of separate rear and front sight. If it is glare, couldn't the front sight be hooded and accomplish the same task with less metal?
Sure, I could have gone hooded front and rear. Here's the "Mk1":





The front sight base has a 1/8ths rifle dovetail so yeah, I absolutely considered a hooded front rifle sight. And it would have worked - as a sight.

But think about draw times. Ow. The full-length tube turns out to be the slickest setup possible on the draw, and it's more stable front to rear across the whole thing. Needs custom leather of course(!) but then so would a hooded front.

Towards the end of the Mk1 period I ditched the fiber optic core. Tim was right: it gets in the way. Looks cool as hell, but...no, wrong answer.

The Mk2 was a full-length brass tube. Worked great but too delicate.

The Mk3 was a steel tube wrapped in leather for cosmetic reasons. Bzzzt. Nope .

The Mk4 is on there now and works great, but there are still minor strength issues. The Mk5 will be very different and feature a much stronger bolted-down front mount among other radical differences.

Hey, I'm learning as I go. Failure IS an option - it's all experimentation and if something doesn't work, OK, go revise.
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Old August 30, 2010, 10:35 PM   #13
Dc9Loser
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jim, that is cool!
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Old August 31, 2010, 06:54 AM   #14
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for a while

I've used a Caspian ghost-ring-bladed Bomar rear on my Caspian 1911 (mated with a Caspian optic-rod front) for over a dozen years.
I have the full Caspian adjustable ghost-ring rear sight on a 9x19 1911 (front is a Dawson optic-rod).

I like them.

(I tried a Ragged Hole on one GP, but found its ring OD too large; its ring ID matches the Caspian units).
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Old September 2, 2010, 11:53 PM   #15
gatopardo
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Ghost rings

Ghost rings are fast acquisition target sights, centering the front sight inside the ring is relatively easy for most people, they are not available for most guns, in fact the idea I think was borrowed from anti aircraft guns and some machine guns.

They call it ghost ring because originally it was supposed to be unobtrusive, so the gunner could see the targets clearly and thence direct the fire in their direction.
Here a couple of versions from hipoint guns with glow-on.com super phosphorescent pigment:

This is a modified ghost ring:


Just like everything else not everyone likes them, they take a little practice to get used to them.
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Old September 3, 2010, 09:52 AM   #16
Magnum Wheel Man
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I've had some people ask for a few pics of mine, so I took a couple last night... these all have custom adjustable rear dove tail sight bases, & the standard Williams Fiber optic ghost ring sights on those custom bases... some have custom front sights, some have aftermarket front sights... all are ghost ring & fiber optic revolvers now...

the 6" guns... one a Taurus Raging Hornet with a custom fast twist barrel ( 1 in 9" ) with a 6" Stainless Dan Wesson Shroud grafted on to it, & a custom barrel nut / compensator... the other a standard S&W 610, that has has the chambers deepened a little to fit the 10mm Magnum cartridge... this gun shoots 40 S&W, 10mm & 10 mm Magnum with moon clips...





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Old September 3, 2010, 10:27 AM   #17
Magnum Wheel Man
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the snubbies... one a custom Dan Wesson 44 mag, & one a Ruger Alaskan in 454 Casull...





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File Type: jpg Guns 385.jpg (49.3 KB, 4454 views)
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Old September 3, 2010, 10:43 AM   #18
JimL
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Ghost of the past

Quote:
Ghost rings are fast acquisition target sights,
There is probably at least one person here who will know about a ghost ring effect I experienced a long time ago with an old British Enfield .303. Apparently it was not the actual reason they called them ghost rings.

I couldn't hit with anything near sniper accuracy with the small peep sight, a hole between 1/16 and 1/8 inch in diameter. But I discovered that with the ghost ring in position, under certain lighting conditions at least, there was an optical illusion of a tiny dark spot in the center of view - actually I guess where the paler ghost ended. Using that spot I could hit a very small spot at 200 yards, iron sights only. (I had at least 20/10 then.)

No doubt this effect is never seen with hand guns, but since I have dovetails I may try a ring anyway.
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