# Peep sights on a Traditions Hawkens rifle



## leoparddog (Oct 4, 2016)

My Traditions Hawkens was the rifle I killed my first deer with back in the early 90's and now that I'm 50, the sights are harder to work with.  I'm thinking about trying a rear aperture sight for it, but all the ones I see online are for the T/C, Lyman Hawkens "and similar"

https://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartDetail.aspx/883/1/RS-57-SML

Not sure how "similar" my old rifle is to these on the tang profile and angle though.  

Has anyone mounted a aperture sight on a Traditions Hawkens rifle?  I guess I could just throw the $ down and return it if it doesn't work but I hate doing that.


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## Roadking65 (Oct 4, 2016)

That link certainly is interesting. I own a TC Hawken myself. 
I have the orig iron sights it came with. I think I like being able to raise my iron sights/gun while keeping my eyes on the deer.
But that sight would be super adjustable. Kinda wish I could try it.


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## SASS249 (Oct 4, 2016)

Though the one pictured is not traditional, peep sights are a boon to older eyes.


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## leoparddog (Oct 4, 2016)

SASS249 said:


> Though the one pictured is not traditional, peep sights are a boon to older eyes.



At one time I had a slightly more traditional folding Lyman tang peep sight on a Marlin 1895 .45-70.  First time I fired it, I didn't have any eye protection on and after I pulled the trigger I wasn't sure I'd ever need it again.  The recoil "folded" it right back into my eyeball at a pretty good velocity.  Ouch

Could you recommend a more traditional peep that would be appropriate for a cap lock Hawkens?


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## frankwright (Oct 4, 2016)

I put one on A cabelas Hawken which is the same as a Lyman. 
One hole on the tang lined up and I drilled and tapped the other. It is not Traditional but it sure made it accurate for my old eyes.


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## leoparddog (Oct 4, 2016)

So a little more research and measuring the tang on my old rifle... The Lyman and Williams both seem to need about a 3" tang and one additional hole drilled and tapped.  My tang is only 1 1/4" long and has the screw through the middle.  I might make one hole work but the second hole would be through the wood in the wrist.  Also from photos, I'd have to mount the tang peep sight much closer to the breech than shown in photos, which would make the sight ride much higher over the bore and maybe not even parallel to the boar depending on the angles.  

So I may have to live with a barrel mounted peep or a folding peep if I want to put it on the tang.


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## Darkhorse (Oct 5, 2016)

If your peep is higher than the bore you may need a taller front sight. Just be aware. Sometimes you can adjust the peep, sometimes you can't quite get there.


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## Rabun Guy (Jan 23, 2022)

Hello; I am finishing on a Traditions St. Louis Hawken and trying to find a peep that would work for it. If I had known that finding a peep for it, I would have made a different selection. I have gotten a Williams muzzleloader peep that will be mounted to the barrel flats. I am really not happy with the sight as it is wider than the flats. As the tang is short, there is only one hole to be used in mounting a tang mounted sight with the second to be mounted to the wood. I am still looking and good luck in finding yours.


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## frankwright (Jan 24, 2022)

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1828132532
These work well if you have a dovetail or have one cut.
Traditions also has their own peep sight, I saw it on amazon.


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## Rabun Guy (Mar 9, 2022)

leoparddog said:


> So a little more research and measuring the tang on my old rifle... The Lyman and Williams both seem to need about a 3" tang and one additional hole drilled and tapped.  My tang is only 1 1/4" long and has the screw through the middle.  I might make one hole work but the second hole would be through the wood in the wrist.  Also from photos, I'd have to mount the tang peep sight much closer to the breech than shown in photos, which would make the sight ride much higher over the bore and maybe not even parallel to the boar depending on the angles.
> 
> So I may have to live with a barrel mounted peep or a folding peep if I want to put it on the tang.


That is the problem I have with my Traditions St. Louis Hawken. I have other ussues with Traditions. I ended up Getting A peep sight from Williams the I had mounted on the Barrel near the tang. It works great. I also had to install another front sight that matches the height of the peep. Good luck.


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## Jack Flynn (Mar 13, 2022)

Been shooting one for over 30 years. 200 plus yd shots are easy if you know your gun. Took a lot of animals with that White Whitetail muzzleloader and peep.


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## BuckskinBP (Mar 13, 2022)

that peep will not work on a traditions


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## Darkhorse (Mar 14, 2022)

If you can't find a peep then make one. I have one on each of my longrifles and they work great.


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## Rabun Guy (Mar 14, 2022)

BuckskinBP said:


> that peep will not work on a traditions


What model Traditions? What will not work?


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## cowhornedspike (Mar 14, 2022)

Here is a tip about peep sights.  For deer hunting use a larger peep than you think you will need.  Low light conditions make it real hard to see through a small peep like you would use for target shooting.  With a little practice you can be very accurate with a very large peep.


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## Rabun Guy (Mar 14, 2022)

cowhornedspike said:


> Here is a tip about peep sights.  For deer hunting use a larger peep than you think you will need.  Low light conditions make it real hard to see through a small peep like you would use for target shooting.  With a little practice you can be very accurate with a very large peep.


Years ago I installed a peep on my Browning BAR for my deer hunting. It worked very well for me. Recently I have got back interested back into my Hawken 50 cal Hawken. Years ago I had a peep installed on my 45 cal TC Hawken and kill several deer with it. Now I have built a Traditions St. Louis Hawken in 50 cal . I have installed a peep on it and managed to get my front sight installed. I hope that I can use the peep. As my vision is not as good as back in the day, I don't know if I will be able to use the peep. I hope I will. If I have to put the open sights back on I will. It is **** to get older in some ways. Thank you for your replys.


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## cowhornedspike (Mar 14, 2022)

I installed the peep on my TC Hawken and it came with a large and small thread-in peep inserts.  I found that for hunting I just left the inserts out and used the large threaded hole. Inserts were great for target.


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## gma1320 (Mar 18, 2022)

Jack Flynn said:


> Been shooting one for over 30 years. 200 plus yd shots are easy if you know your gun. Took a lot of animals with that White Whitetail muzzleloader and peep.


What gun is that? It looks the same as one I just inherited.  The one I have has no marking or name on it. Doesn't even have the caliber on it.


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## Jack Flynn (Mar 19, 2022)

That is a White Whitetail  rifle.


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## GregoryB. (Mar 19, 2022)

Peep sights seem to be hard to find. I looked briefly for one for a Italian made Investarms 50 calibre Hawkins.  Need to get back to searching so I can hunt the WV Heritage season with it.


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## flconch53 (Mar 19, 2022)

gma1320 said:


> What gun is that? It looks the same as one I just inherited.  The one I have has no marking or name on it. Doesn't even have the caliber on it.


This is the probelm with lumping traditional and modern muzzleloaders into one category.


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## gma1320 (Mar 19, 2022)

flconch53 said:


> This is the probelm with lumping traditional and modern muzzleloaders into one category.


How is me asking of he knew what kind of gun that is because I inherited one I would like to identify a problem?


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## flconch53 (Mar 19, 2022)

I was talking about mixing inlines with traditional guns. They are just different


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## Rabun Guy (Mar 20, 2022)

Rabun Guy said:


> Years ago I installed a peep on my Browning BAR for my deer hunting. It worked very well for me. Recently I have got back interested back into my Hawken 50 cal Hawken. Years ago I had a peep installed on my 45 cal TC Hawken and kill several deer with it. Now I have built a Traditions St. Louis Hawken in 50 cal . I have installed a peep on it and managed to get my front sight installed. I hope that I can use the peep. As my vision is not as good as back in the day, I don't know if I will be able to use the peep. I hope I will. If I have to put the open sights back on I will. It is **** to get older in some ways. Thank you for your replys.


Just to update my peep install. I got everything on my Traditions Hawken ready to take out for the first fire. The problem when I look through the peep is that the front sight is burred and that is not good so I don't know if I will be able to use the peep sight. My sorry old eyes. I might have to install a low non variable scope . Have anyone on here installed a scope on their Hawken? Just asking.


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## flconch53 (Mar 20, 2022)

Not on mine but on many others. They make mounts for octagon barrels. Sometimes you have to slightly bend the hammer. I had the best luck with 4x shotgun scopes.


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## Darkhorse (Mar 20, 2022)

flconch53 said:


> I was talking about mixing inlines with traditional guns. They are just different



Years ago it caused mostly no problems mixing inlines with traditional guns. Now a days, not so much. Now someone will probably jump in here and demand I explain myself. My answer is "Use your brain for what it was designed for"
Just because the two are different is why they don't mix well. Years ago this forum was a source of good information for both caplock and flintlock rifles now not so much. I would much prefer 2 forums for black powder, one for inlines and another, separate, for traditional black powder.
This is just my opinion and if it differs from yours so be it.


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