One of the advantages to a peep sight applies to the older shooter. With age, it becomes more and more difficult for some shooters to see both front and rear sights and the target, all at the same time. With the peep sight, it is only required for the eye to see the front sight and the target. The eye need not focus at all on the rear sight as long as it is seeing through the peep sight aperture. And, the eye automatically centers objects, such as a front sight bead, in the aperture opening. Thus, all the shooter has to do is line the bead with the target.

     The sight radius is the distance from the front sight to the rear sight. The longer that distance, the more accurate is the aiming point. It makes sense then, that the tang mounted  peep sight will be more accurate than simple barrel sights, because it has increased the sight radius, usually be at least 50%.

     The peep sight also blocks out less of the target and surroundings than does a rear sight such as the standard semi-buckhorn. For hunting, the aperture disc may be entirely removed. This leaves a larger hole with considerably greater field of vision. The impression left by the aperture hole is only a blurred image, hence the old timers’ term “ghost ring”.