• This community needs YOUR help today. We rely 100% on Supporting Memberships to fund our efforts. With the ever increasing fees of everything, we need help. We need more Supporting Members, today. Please invest back into this community. I will ship a few decals too in addition to all the account perks you get.



    Sign up here: https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/account/upgrades

NMLRA Rules Regarding Peep Sights

Muzzleloading Forum

Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

MikeC

45 Cal.
Joined
Feb 15, 2005
Messages
733
Reaction score
20
Anyone know what the rules are regarding peep sights and rifles. Can not find any links to their rules on their website.

I was wondering if non-adjustable peep sights were allowed during rifle matches.
 
I can find a number of NMLRA rules on the web but they seem to be aimed at specific competitions rather than listing the General NMLRA Competition rules.

I think the reason there is not a site that gives out the rules is they change from year to year.
If a site was out there with the rules from a year ago or more they would be outdated so rather than trying to keep track of who knows how many different copies that may be posted out there the NMLRA chooses to sell the rules book each year.

This book doesn't cost much and it can be ordered at this site: http://www.nmlra.org/store.asp?CatID=3
Check out the "Range Rules and Regulations" about the forth from the top.

I haven't competed at a NMLRA sanctioned event but the few muzzleloading matches I did shoot at did not allow peep sights or "shaders" on the front sight.

There may be matches that allow them depending on what the match is. I doubt that a "traditional" match for guns made before 1840 would allow peep sights though.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
If match is listed in shoot program as AMS (any metallic sight)peeps are legal if listed as open sights they are not. Would need to look on website at the shoot program to see how many AMS matches there are.
 
I've never been at a primitive match where peep sights were allowed either NMLRA sanctioned or otherwise. Chunk gun shooters allow shaders but not peep sights. I think if you shoot with peep sights you will have a hard time finding a match that you can shoot in. The only peepsight allowed muzzleloading matches that I have seen are the 500 yard gong matches shot prone with paper patched bullets.

Many Klatch
 
It all depends on where you shoot(at the NMLRA), on the primitive side you are required to use fixed open, there may be some matches where you can use adjustable open. If you shoot the offhand line matches there are about as many AMS matches as there are open sight matches, and many of the re-entry matches are AMS, you just have to look at the program. As far as the rules go there have not been any significant changes in the rules regarding sights in many years.
When it comes to local matches the ones I attend all allow AMS sights and one club allows any muzzleloader and any sight including scopes, I have never seen anyone using an inline or a scope but they are welcome. All of the clubs that host primitive matches and woodswalks usually require open sights but allow adjustable sights.
I shoot in northern Indiana and at a couple of clubs in southern Michigan and this is the norm.
I have visited a friend that lives in Ky and went to a couple of shoots with him and all of those clubs require open sights although they can be adjustable. So it just depends on where you shoot and what kind of matches they have.
Regards Longball58
 
Thanks all looks like it's boils down to club rules as it can go in many different directions.
 
Since this topic was posted some years ago, table shooting has been accepted and included in the matches at Friendship. There are 2 classes of table, Hunter and Open and peep sights are allowed in the "open" class.
 
TMLRA rules allow shooters over 60 to use peeps for any agg. NMLRA has pistol classes for older participants that allow red dot sights and 2 hand holds.
 
Fortunately, there are many clubs out there that allow peep sights to be used in their matches. That is a blessing for old guys like me that can't see open sights anymore. Unfortunately, there are some people out there who have good eyesight and don't want any shooters to use peep sights. And then they wonder why they are losing people from their monthly matches. Go figure . . .
 
Peep sight!!

Each time I see that written it's akin to a widow woman taking a dose of salts on me!!

What the heck does that mean?
 
Makes him want too sh..!

Makes me want too shoot too....

I have no problem with peeps, shaders or such in
competition as long as the local rules allow it...

To me it’s no different than getting my butt kicked by somebody
shooting a smoothbore in a rifle match.
 
Maybe if we called them Aperture sights everyone would be happy and they would get off their self righteous rear ends and legalize them for us old timers.
As for me I still consider them "Peep" sights.
 
Maybe if we called them Aperture sights everyone would be happy and they would get off their self righteous rear ends and legalize them for us old timers.
As for me I still consider them "Peep" sights.

Have you considered putting a peep on your shooting glasses instead of your rifle? h Would it be legal? There are several different makers of them.
 
Have you considered putting a peep on your shooting glasses instead of your rifle? h Would it be legal? There are several different makers of them.

A "peep" attached to one's shooting glasses is an optical aid for shooters with vision problems, not a peep sight. It allows vision-impaired shooters, primarily seniors, to better focus and compete with younger shooters. A peep sight is an aperture attached to a rifle. To be a "sight" it has to be on the rifle just like any other sight. Unfortunately, some misinformed people and clubs don't recognize this fact.
 
Have you considered putting a peep on your shooting glasses instead of your rifle? h Would it be legal? There are several different makers of them.
Yes I have. If I were still shooting matches I might try one out. But I'm a hunter and I want my sight attached to my rifle. Thing is, the closest club to me is a couple of hours away and they have classes that allow peep sights. The NMLRA should do the same.
 
Here you go Darkhorse, this is from the NMLRA Rules and Regulations August 2017 edition.

11856A51-262F-4E2A-ACE8-739622648890.jpeg



You would have to look at the available matches in the event , but apparently peeps are legal in some matches....
 
Last edited:
Anyone know what the rules are regarding peep sights and rifles. Can not find any links to their rules on their website.

I was wondering if non-adjustable peep sights were allowed during rifle matches.

The answer to your question depends on the match you enter. Offhand matches are based on the sights, flint/percussion, etc. Each match will say “primitive sights”, AMS meaning any metallic sights, etc. you need to read the match description in the shoot program, which you receive when you register.

You can find matches for any sight or ignition system. Any metallic sight matches allow peep sights. “Primitive sights”do not. So, the shooter picks matches that match his sights and ignition system. As an example I would look through the program for offhand, flint, primitive sights. Or offhand, percussion, any metallic sight matches. My flint gun has a peep, so I can’t choose a primitive sight match, but I can in an ams match.
Regards,
Pletch
 
Back
Top