I grew up with the typical "semi- buck horns on several .22s and my dad's Monkey Wards 303-30. Started using full buck horns when I started shooting and building
loaders. I have found that I could use the horns part as a large peep or ghost ring sight for hitting a fast moving jack rabbit with my percussion rifle. I could also "draw a fine bead" by sinking the front sight into the small notch at the bottom of the horns.
Is this how they were intended to be used?

--
Of the Troops & For the Troops

But it shot way too high with them and I had to replace them. I really liked them and yes I think it was sort of intended as a ghost ring.

That's my understanding of how they were intended to be used. Don't currently have a full B/H on anything, but the forward mounted Williams large-aperture peep on my SKS carbine is lightning fast.

Since my eyes ain't what they used to be anymore, I have considered taking a Dremel to one of the notch sights on a .22 and grinding it out to a sort of open-top aperture to center the bead in. Would work like a full buckhorn- just haven't gotten around to it.

they are too tall and get in the way when going to multiple targets.

It is that very tendency, to use the buckhorn as a peep (and consequently shoot high) which I do not like about them. My favorite barrel-mounted sight is still the old flat top, found on Winchester 94's made through the 50's.

I've got a perfectly good, all steel Lyman 66 sitting in a tool box because I get along with the Winchester OEM sight so well.

http://sargesrollcall.blogspot.com/2010/05/are-you-nuts-94-winchester-at-330-yards.html

My dad called them "shootover sights". The horns are *only* for double-quick minute-of-coin-toss close in work. But they do optically center the blade for your eyes to suck it as low into the bottom notch as it will go, and *then* you're on the money. As long as I remember to bury that blade in the bottom notch, they work very well for me.

JLF

with my old Marlin 1889's in 32-20, but the semi-B is what I use the most and I think that would be my choice. The fine bead of the buckhorn is nice for accurate shooting with the 32-20 but I can do as well with the semi-B.