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Old October 17, 2018, 12:17 PM   #1
Winny
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Advantage of Ghost Ring Sights on a Rifle?

I have a Marlin 30-30 Lever gun that I use for whitetail hunting and have recently installed a Williams fiberoptic Peep sight on the rifle.

I sighted the gun in with the peep sight on, and it shoots like a dream. The "peep" unscrews to open up the rear sight to a ghost ring.

What is the advantage of using a ghost ring for deer hunting? I understand its "faster" sight alignment, but for me, the rear sight was disappearing at the range with the ghost ring set up.
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Old October 17, 2018, 12:29 PM   #2
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Quote:
the rear sight was disappearing at the range with the ghost ring set up
That exactly why its named a “ghost ring”. The rear is suspossed to “ghost” out during use.

The principle behind it is the human eyes desire to center things up at an unconscious level. You give up some precision for the speed advantage.

I dont think its an advantage on a deer rifle. On a SD rifle or shotgun its a nice addition.
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Old October 17, 2018, 01:40 PM   #3
reinert
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Old guy comment...

If your rifle already shoots, as you say, "like a dream," then don't mess with it; just my opinion, nothing more. Play with it after hunting season to see if you'd rather use the ghost ring option. Practice will tell you what you need to know, and what and how your hunting situation allows (tree stand, blind, heavy brush, max range, etc.). It's pretty amazing how your shooting eye will automatically, and naturally, center through that rear aperture using either the peep or the ghost ring when aiming.

I have a really nice Redfield Olympic aperture sight on my old M1917 '06. It's got a great hunting aperture on it, but I can unscrew it (taking it out completely), which really opens up the receiver ap. It would (IMO) be very much like a ghost ring, and I'm sure it might be an aid in a close running shot, but personally, I don't take those anymore; just don't need to these days. The ramped front sight has a small, brass, vertical rectangle inset on the top of the blade, which works very well for my near 68 year old eyes. I've just never found in my shooting that rifle with those sights that I need to "ghost" the rear ap, but that's just me.

I would think that sitting in a blind or a treestand, and knowing my shot wouldn't be much over 50 yards, the ghost ring option might be a good way to go especially in early morning or late evening (legal hours, of course) hunting/shooting times. Again, especially with my older eyes, a more spacious ap would probably be a good thing. I've even considered purchasing one of these, the #4 hunting disc:

www.meritcorporation.com/products.html
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Old October 17, 2018, 02:10 PM   #4
T. O'Heir
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"...the rear sight was disappearing..." Ghost rings are primarily a shotgun sight, but since they're nothing more than a large hole peep sight that you look through not at, a disappearance is ok.
"...The "peep" unscrews..." That's not to create a Ghost Ring. That's to change to a different insert that may be bigger or smaller. If you ever get the chance, you can compare larger and smaller rifle peeps on an M1 Carbine and Rifle. The Carbine's is a wee bit bigger and makes for faster target acquisition(not 'sight alignment'.) than with the rifle. Ditto with a Number 4 Lee-Enfield's 300/600 battle sight vs the ladder style.
Like reinert says, follow Rule Number One. It works. Don't fix it.
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Old October 17, 2018, 02:17 PM   #5
emcon5
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Quote:
the rear sight was disappearing at the range with the ghost ring set up.
As mentioned, that is kind of the point of a ghost ring sight.

Quoting Col Cooper, from The Art of the Rifle, p22

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jeff Cooper
The most efficient aperture sight for field shooting is known as the "ghost ring' because its combination of a relatively large aperture and a relatively thin rim causes it to disappear when the piece is properly mounted for firing. If a ghost rig employs a rectangular front post it can be quite precise.
The important bit of the Cooper quote is "when the piece is properly mounted for firing". If your noggin is in the right place, the rear sight "disappears", if it isn't, it doesn't.

I would say take it to the range and try it both ways. I always found a standard peep site to be pretty quick, if you hunting doesn't require snap shots, I would go with what you shoot better with.
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Old October 17, 2018, 02:28 PM   #6
mete
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A proper ghost ring is both fast and accurate !! the ring must be close to the eye [it's not for handguns ] to function properly. You really don't see the ring but the eye automatically centers the ring to the eye. Removing that center piece on that sight works fine
I installed them on all my hunting buddy's rifles as he loves them for deer hunting.
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Old October 17, 2018, 03:09 PM   #7
bamaranger
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ghost rings

Properly run, the shooter should not consciously see the ring, focus goes forward to almost exclusively on the front sight. Not seeing the ring is using the system as intended.

A big peep aperture allows for a tad more speed in quick shooting. The shooters focus goes forward to the front sight, seeing thru the peep subconsciously. In my own experience, it also allows use of the peep sight in a bit lower light. The big drawback of the peep for me was inability to see game in low light, PM hunts. A ghost ring helps with this a bit.

Again speaking for myself, although Cooper maintained that the ghost ring did not sacrifice accuracy, that has not been my experience. It may be better said "useable accuracy" ( and maybe Cooper DID say that) Inside 100 yds, on game or gun games, I shot both about the same. But on smaller targets and longer ranges, a smaller peep aided accuracy (note use of aided, NOT added by intent). Note too that the service rifle match apertures are all smaller than the GI peep, all in a search for accuracy.

I shot ghost rings on my Marlin '94 carbine, a Mini 30, a Savage scout, and an AR carbine (14" tube). As I aged, I found that a smaller peep actually allowed my slipping eyes to resolve the front sight better with the little aperture as opposed to the big ghost ring. But I sacrificed some speed and definitely low light, flat light shooting. A lot of peeps allow using different size apertures . Changing aperture size should not alter point of impact if the sight is being used correctly. Eventually most all my carbines got some type of optic, much the pity.

Contrary to an earlier comment, ghost rings are not primarily a shotgun sight. They were and are still common on AR rifles, and all manner of deer carbines before the scope became common. I'd go so far as to say that a peep/ghost ring on a shotgun is a fairly recent trend comparatively speaking.
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Old October 17, 2018, 03:34 PM   #8
Drm50
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I have Reciever sights on a couple dozen deer rifles, a few 22S and a couple slug
guns. Most are Lyman but a few are Redfield, Redding & Williams. 99% of the
deer I shoot in Ohio are in thick cover and shot on the jump. The first thing I do
is screw out aperature and put in my watch pocket. Their is nothing faster than
"Ghost Ring"on running game. If you are using any aperature sight you should
be looking through it without thinking, reguardless of hole size. So it should
disappear. I carry a Williams Twi-lite aperature in case I would get a long shot at
a stationary deer. The pin hole aperatures are fine for target but worthless in the
woods. Most of my guns are fitted with Patridge blade fronts, plain black. A good
way to test out the speed of ghost rings is to put cans out at random distances
to 50yds, the number of cans to equal capacity of your rifle. Shoot them fast as
you can get on them, you will be surprised how quick they are. I can come close
with open sights on certain rifles, but not even close with a scope. I have one
rifle with full buck horn rear and ivory bead front. I have it sighted to shoot thru
buck horn like a ghost ring. The only reason I set this up was for a Turkey shot
held locally that didn't allow scopes or peep sights or aperature front sights. It
worked out well for me. The matches were for hunting rifles and rules were to
keep things from evolving into target rifles where the matches could eventually
be "bought" by who was willing to spend the most on a target rifle.
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Old October 18, 2018, 02:14 PM   #9
Winny
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Quote:
if you hunting doesn't require snap shots, I would go with what you shoot better with.
Seems like the logical decision!

I hunt mostly stationary from a stand so speed isn’t the absolute factor.

I’ll finish up this season with the sight as-is and mess around with different aperatures (or lack there of) after and see what feels best.

Thanks for the info y’all!
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Old October 18, 2018, 04:47 PM   #10
gw44
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My first hunting gun was a 336 Marlin 35cal that had a peep sight, my dad drilled it out as big as he could worked great !!!
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Old October 18, 2018, 06:37 PM   #11
math teacher
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Two things not mentioned so far. A large aperture makes it easier to see the target in low light. Also it is much less likely to clog up with water when hunting in the rain.
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Old October 19, 2018, 04:39 AM   #12
Mobuck
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"What is the advantage of using a ghost ring for deer hunting? "

Only advantage is close range fast shooting low light or precipitation.
The smaller the peep aperture, the smaller the groups on target. The bigger the aperture, the quicker on target.
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Old October 19, 2018, 01:52 PM   #13
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There is no advantage.
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Old October 19, 2018, 02:02 PM   #14
Art Eatman
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A notable advantage is for rapidity in acquiring the target in a "snapshot" situation.
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Old October 20, 2018, 04:13 PM   #15
Winny
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Quote:
The smaller the peep aperture, the smaller the groups on target. The bigger the aperture, the quicker on target.
Seems to be the concensus. I’m going to stick with it for the next couple hunts from the stand and maybe go “larger” on a bush push hunt towards the end of season when quicker acquisition is a bigger factor.

Thanks
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