Historically, the adjustable rear peep sight has been around since the 1500’s on crossbows and arbelesques, and later applied to matchlocks, flintlocks, etc.
The penultimate form of folding tanf mount peep can be seen here, adjustable for both windage and elevation
https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/33739Tang mounted Peeps were used regularly in europe, but not as so much here in the states. Howver the “lolipop screw peep” mounted in the tang was used enough on flinters and caplock rifles to show up in survivng examples, usually in museums now, often as target rifles.
https://proxy.imagearchive.com/65f/65fb63ed6a81072f24d10c6bedf0da7e.jpgHOWEVER, for cartridge buffaloe style guns, the quintiscential adjustable tang mounted peep was
Availabl as early as 1860 ish
Courtesey, 4V50Gary
“ In Manual of Rifling and Rifle Sights by Lt. Col. Viscount Bury, the illustration on page 29 (illustration 17) does show a tang rear sight that is screw adjustable for windage. Published in London, Bury's booklet is dated 1864.”
More words coutesy Lyman Co.
“ THE LYMAN No. 2 TANG SIGHT
The Lyman Gun Sight Company was founded in 1878 on the invention of William Lyman. That invention was the Tang-mounted Peep Sight, unequaled on the target range or in the field. Its introduction not only created a company, but set the standard for shooting accuracy for years to come.
History of the Aperture Sight
Most shooters probably think of the rear aperture sight as a development of the last eighty or ninety years. In fact, the rear aperture sight was first used by the ancient Romans on their cross bows.
When firearms first came into use, sights of any
kind were more or less superfluous, especially
on weapons such as the blunderbuss, and it is
for this reason that guns were pointed rather
than aimed. With improvements in the barrels,
especially with the introduction of rifling and the
ability to shoot accurately at comparatively long
ranges, came either a resurrection or re-discovery
of the rear aperture sight and in the last century
some crude attempts were made at an elevating
rear aperture sight. These usually consisted
merely of screws flattened on the end with a small hole drilled in this flat portion. The elevation was obtained by turning this screw in the stock, one-half rotation giving an elevation equal to one-half the pitch of the thread.
Later, sights were manufactured with the base that screwed to the tang and to which perpendicular slides were attached on which the aperture rode. This type of sight was not positive in adjustment, and in fact, could not be said to be superior to the crude screw mentioned above.
The rear aperture sight was in this condition up to the latter part of the eighteen sixties and early part of the eighteen seventies.”
And John Soule's Patent is dated 1889, but the Soule adjustable Wind Gauge Micrometer Peep Sight, was announced in the “Shooting and Fishing” imagazine September 27, 1888, as the first vernier tang peep sight with micrometer wind gauge adjustments in the base.
So now you have more information than you wanted, and must decide how complicated a sight you want and for which time periond
Yhs
Prof babbles
Words stolen shamelessly from sources, rescources, books, and interweb stuff worldwide