Has anybody got experience with reflex or holographic sights on a double rifle?

Considered it once for an old Sauer combination gun. Would have needed a rail to mount it. I decided it would look just too weird on a hundred year old sxs hammer-gun...Geo

In Europe reflex sights are used on both drillings and DRs

The claw mounts on many guns make creating a rail mounted by claw possible.

I would not consider putting a reflex sight on a double that did not already have a claw system

Thanks Geo.Newbern and Old Colone
Problem is what do you do if you want to shoot your double but eyesight is not good for iron sights anymore?

Get closer
Is your double rifle fitted with claw bases?
What sights are there now?
Thanks,
Mike

If I had a double rifle and was considering a reflex site and mounting it, it would be either a Docter, a Docter clone or a Trijicon RMR. These are very small units, under 2 oz., but tough and reliable. With the Docter and its clones, the Burris Fast Fire 336 mount is a flush mount and the above sights screw directly to it making it low profile and without bulky Picatinny base and it dispenses with clamping. The Burris Fast Fire red dot is considerably less expensive than the Docter. Burris's customer service is unparalleled. Unlike the Docter and clones, the RMR depends on a Tritium lamp and fiber optics for illumination dispensing with batteries. The Docter and Fast Fire series have long lasting batteries and are reported to be good for 50,000 hours of continuous use. I am aware of some that have used the 336 mount and Fast Fire on double shot guns for turkeys where the payload is extremely tight and the shooter's eyes have trouble with conventional sights. I have been using reflex sites for about 20 years because of difficulties with blade, leaf and target acquisition. I have progressed from the bulkier to the smaller sights and am pleased with their performance on single barreled pumps, autos and break open single shots used for wild turkeys.

My eyesight was what tempted me to consider a reflex. The gun/rifle has an original folding leaf rear sight. The cuts for the rear sights are so shallow I cannot seem to see them while aligning the front sight with the target.

After I discarded the idea of a reflex/rail system, I considered an adjustable ghost ring to be mounted in place of the folding leaf(s) on the dove-tail insert through the rib and just ran out of gas on the project. Anyone know who might be able to do this?...Geo

p.s.: I know that the adjustable ghost ring would interfere with shooting a turkey with the 12ga side of things, but I figure I can pattern the shotgun and see where the point of impact is in relation to the rifle sight.

note: I'd primarily hunt Turkey with this combination gun, but the 11mm .43 Mauser side would be nice for a "piney woods rooter".

Yes, I use a reflex sight on many of my doubles. I like the Docter, Meopta, & Trijicon. They are very fast.

Meopta reflex on a V-C 450 NE

Geo,
the distance from your eye to the rear sight or ghost ring is critical for good shooting. The way a ghost ring works it wants to be as close to your eye as practical while most older shooters do best with an open sight placed pretty far forward. You may consider a folding ghost ring in place of a top lever screw. This puts the ghost ring in the proper place so your eye can focus on the front sight with the added bonus of being able to fold it away for turkey. I can still use open sights but for how much longer I am unsure.
Steve

George,
Take your combination gun to Pat Felix in Cusseta GA.(just outside Ft. Benning).A reflex sight is light enough that an unobtrusive base can be screwed to the rear section of the top rib. If you don't like it, the base can be removed and the screw holes filled to match the "matting" on the rib. I don't recall if you ever said where you live, but you must be within driving range of Cusseta.
Mike

Good ideas from both Steve and Mike. I was not aware of how critical the eye relief was for the ghost ring. Steve, who makes a top lever screw mounted ghost ring? Thank you both. I spent some time in the army at Ft. Benning and know where Cusseta is, in fact I shot my 1st deer there in 1966...Geo

Mike
Would be nice if getting closer worked!
Current sights are wide open v and bead front which I suppose is one of the best as far as open sights are concerned.

GLS
Am considering Docter or similar due to small size low weight. For me at least a small reflex sight is more acceptable on a double rifle than a scope although others will no doubt have different views but to each his own.

Ken
Thanks for your input and photo much appreciated.

Geo,
one would need to be made. A fair bit of machine work involved but an excellent solution. I have seen them that JJ made and on a few high end British guns.
Steve

I considered ghost rings, but decided the reflex red dot suited my needs better. With a ghost ring, the shooter still has to align the post with the ring. With the red dot, where the dot lies is where the shot flies. Target acquisition is quicker. Most of the medium to high end red dots are parallax free. I looked for an adjustable tritium illuminated ghost ring, but none were available that suited my needs. Gil

I used to hunt deer a lot with a .54 Leman half stock round ball rifle I built in the '80s. I mounted a Swiss style peep sight on the wrist for target work. When I hunted deer I would leave the disc in place on the rear sight, with it's tiny aperture, but when dusk came I would unscrew the disc and use the threaded female base as a ghost ring. With a good post (blade) front, I could shoot it very well. Actually, not much larger groups than with the disc in place.

Peeps and ghost rings are capable of very fine work. Low light is no issue with a ghost ring. They are the cat's meow for aged eyes, as you basically ignore the rear sight and let your brain center the front sight in it automatically, focusing only on the front. No effort involved.

NECG makes a nice ghost ring rear sight. http://www.newenglandcustomgun.com/gun_services/Peep_Sights.asp

SRH

Thanks Stan. The ghost ring seems the most appropriate to me for a hammer combo-gun. The reflex would be easiest to accomplish. I've seen Stacy's reflex sighted guns and it would sure work though. Decisions, decisions...Geo

Ivan Carter uses a reflex sight on a double rifle.

This is what I ended up buying to put on it. I'll have to screw a rail onto the top rib, but could be removed and the holes plugged if someone with better vision later wants to use the three leaf rear sight on the gun...Geo

<https://seeallopensight.com/>