Bert

Bob

Steve

But do shoot first with the "ghost ring" to build confidence. It's much more relaxing to start with lots of light and narrow down if you still want, than to start too narrow and get frustrated. 

With experience, the target apertures are useable for making tiny groups at long ranges - even 500 yards or more for experts who can read wind and know their load's trajectory like a book. 

But the advantage of aperture sights for us - the users of top ejecting, scopeless Winchesters.-- lies in getting away from having to align 3 objects, particularly with aging eyes. My shooting eye has seen more than eighty Winters but in last shooting light it can focus on the front sight and let the deer's shoulder blur. The bigger the aperture the better.

A second benefit is a much more accurate way of adjusting elevation, to get sighted in. 

Although it drives some Collectors [note the capitalized "C"] crazy,  later Winchester lever actions' receiver sidewalls are tapped for micrometer receiver sights. Lyman 56, 66, Redfield 70 and 80. Attached see the newly installed Redfield 80 on my rice-powered 1886 45/90. If you care about factory issue originality, don't ever try a Redfield 80 or you will be publicly drawn and quartered for tapping your vintage 94! They are that good.

I just have to get to the range now. 

The two hole diameters I find most useful are 0.90 and 0.125 and I prefer the latter with a white 3/32 bead. A squirrel.hunter might prefer something smaller but the average deer hunter at dusk and dawn would find it very useful.

At the range, shoot a group using only the bare frame.  Then do the same at 50 yards and a hundred yards. 

I think you will be surprised at the targets you make with the bare frame. 

The large disks with tiny holes are for target shooters, not hunters. They require time and lots of bright light. They are not fast. 

I will send you a chart of hole diameter ranges but first convince yourself by trying the bare frame hole. At dusk, you will find this useful on a deer stand. 

Williams will sell you a set of aperture disks that will fit the Lyman threads. I believe Williams, Lyman and Redfield aperture disk threads are all the same. 

A good set of drill bits is useful for measuring and enlarging aperture holes. 

Don't hobble yourself with target apertures. Try the bare frame before you do anything else. The late, great Jack O'Connor recommended this repeatedly in his books. 

Steve