Gallery Peep Sight
Moderators: Regnier (gunrunner), JohnK, Sure-Shot
Gallery Peep Sight
Can anyone give me an idea as to how rare the taller gallery peep is compared to the shorter sight? I've only seen one of the taller ones compared to seeing a couple dozen of the shorter ones. Ballards in this area are few and far between so any help would be appreciated. Thanks, John
-
marlinman93
- Distinguished Expert
- Posts: 2856
- Joined: Sun Nov 10, 2002 1:22 pm
- Location: Portland, Oregon
Re: Gallery Peep Sight
Pretty darn rare from what I've seen John! Out of over three dozen Ballards I've owned, and many dozens more I've examined, I've only seen one of the tall gallery peeps. Just as rare is the tall Ballard "Graduated Peep", which is just like the tall Gallery peep, but has a graduated marking on the left side, and uses the plunger type spring of later vintage, rather than the flat leaf spring of the earlier Gallery Peep.
I think these two sights were seldom seen because most users who wanted a taller tang sight went with the vernier midrange, which was the same height and much easier to accurately adjust. My Ballard Pacific in .45-70 has the tall Graduated peep, and making height adjustments is tricky to say the least! I try to barely loosen it, and then tap it with my finger tip. Even then it occasionally moves much more than needed, and that means starting all over if I didn't note where it was before attempting to adjust it!
I think these two sights were seldom seen because most users who wanted a taller tang sight went with the vernier midrange, which was the same height and much easier to accurately adjust. My Ballard Pacific in .45-70 has the tall Graduated peep, and making height adjustments is tricky to say the least! I try to barely loosen it, and then tap it with my finger tip. Even then it occasionally moves much more than needed, and that means starting all over if I didn't note where it was before attempting to adjust it!
Marlin lever actions 1870's-WWI, Ballards, and single shot rifles!
Re: Gallery Peep Sight
Val,
Thanks for the info! I now own this site on a #3 that had a 100+yrs of crud in the breach block. The trigger pull was better than 5lbs until I removed the crud out of the trigger spring. It was completely full of hard dirt and now pulls just shy of 2lbs. after a good scrubbing and a little hone work. I understand your issues with the graduated sites, as these gallery sites are a real pain to adjust without ANY reference mark. When I was shooting my other #3 a few weeks ago, it was hitting an inch high and a half inch to the right at 50yrds, but that was close enough considering it was shooting under 1" with 2 of the 9 targets having 1/2" groups.Now if I ever get a day off to see how this new one shoots!
Thanks again, John
Thanks for the info! I now own this site on a #3 that had a 100+yrs of crud in the breach block. The trigger pull was better than 5lbs until I removed the crud out of the trigger spring. It was completely full of hard dirt and now pulls just shy of 2lbs. after a good scrubbing and a little hone work. I understand your issues with the graduated sites, as these gallery sites are a real pain to adjust without ANY reference mark. When I was shooting my other #3 a few weeks ago, it was hitting an inch high and a half inch to the right at 50yrds, but that was close enough considering it was shooting under 1" with 2 of the 9 targets having 1/2" groups.Now if I ever get a day off to see how this new one shoots!
Thanks again, John