sight suggestions

[duke76]

I have a friend with a 1895 cowboy in 45-70 and he is looking for a sight to put on this gun that he could shoot out to 700 yards as we have another friend with a buffalo target at 700 yards. He really does not want to drill into the receiver to put a receiver sight on as Marlin no longer drills them, so my question is what sights would you recommend.

[arkypete]

Not sure if Marples makes a tang sight for the Marlin, seems like they would.
I found one for my Winchester 1886, found it to be very accurate, but it's a pain in the patoot to work with. The tang sight uses longer screws and replaces the factory tang screws.
I put a Redfield receiver sight on instead.
Jim

[rmb721]

Williams makes a receiver sight that mounts to the rear two scope base mounting holes.

The model is 336-FP. You can also get it with target knobs,336-FP-TK.

Brownell's has them in stock.

Their product numbers are: 336-FP (#962-200-002)
336-FP-TK (#962-000-062)

[duke76]

Would that sight go out to 700 yards? Also what Lee mold do you recommend(I have apost in th mold section but my questions are geting answered here alot faster) Thanks,Todd

[rmb721]

The Williams sight adjusts up quite a ways, but I don't know if it would be high enough for 700 yards.

You could use a lower front sight.

You could gain a little by mounting the Williams sight in the front two scope base mounting holes. That would give a shorter sight radius.

[Char-Gar]

If your pal is wanting to shoot his 45-70 at 700 yards that is going to take a rear sight with more ajustment that comes in the standard Williams.

You can of course use a very short front sight, but when you back down to 100 and 200 yards you will be way over the target.

This is one of those cases when you friends really can't get what he wants. He is going to have to use a rear sight with a fairly tall staff.

You can use one of those long range barrel mounted buckhorn sights with the lift up slide. It will work at 700 yards, but it won't be a peep. Smith makes a barrel mounted replacement sight for the Marlin 95 with a long staff for long range adjustment. It will work just fine, but it will be a notch and not a peep. They cost about $100.00 and you can get them from Buffalo Arms.

Installation is simple, just drive out the factory rear and replace with the new Smith.

We live in a real world and the rainbow trajectory of the 45-70 says you pal can't have it his way if he wants a peep. If he doesn't want a peep and can be happy with a notch rear, the Smith will make him happy as a clam.

[NickSS]

You will need a rear sight that will give you around 90 minutes of elevation over your 100 yard sight setting to get on with a 45-70 AT 700 YARDS at black powder velocities. I have shot at that range with a mid range tang sight on my Sharps rifle but it was almost out of elevation to get there. Of course if you load smokeless and hot loads you can reduce the hight of the rear sight by at least half but then your shoulder will take a real pounding.

[lovedogs]

I have a shooting buddy who had the exact same predicament. Same gun but we shoot 876 yds. He had to go to a tang-mounted aperture sight to get enough elevation. None of the receiver sights will go high enough. Likewise, the regular flip-up tang sights like Marble's or Lyman's. You need a long-range vernier sight like Lee Shaver or equivilent. I and two other friends all use Lee Shaver's sights and like them real well. They'll run you around $150 but are needed to shoot the course you're talking about. They're a good sight and very reasonable for this type sight.

[Larry Gibson]

Check out the Smith Enterprise M-95 long range sight on page 323 of Brownell's #58 catalog. It is barrel mounted and will get you out "there" with the Marlin.

Larry Gibson

[rmb721]

The M-95 sight is on page 329 in catalog#59. (#851-000-046)

Long range buckhorn on page 321 (#851-000-026)

[duke76]

Thanks guys, I talked to my buddy and he said he would prefer a receiver sight but it doesn't look like it is possible to shootfrom 100 yards out to 700+ with it so the Shaver or the M-95 might be his only options. Last night I looked in the Midway Catalog and there is a Williams FP for 336 and 94 Marlin and it said screws in rear scope mounting holes would that sight fit on a 1895 Marlin cowboy? It also came with a front fire sight it was like $67.99.

[Larry Gibson]

Thanks guys, I talked to my buddy and he said he would prefer a receiver sight but it doesn't look like it is possible to shootfrom 100 yards out to 700+ with it so the Shaver or the M-95 might be his only options. Last night I looked in the Midway Catalog and there is a Williams FP for 336 and 94 Marlin and it said screws in rear scope mounting holes would that sight fit on a 1895 Marlin cowboy? It also came with a front fire sight it was like $67.99.

Won't have the elevation required.

Larry Gibson

[lovedogs]

Larry is correct. The Williams won't have the elevation. Also note that the CB's that are drilled and tapped on the left receiver should use the Williams FP94/36 sight. If not d&t'd you need the other (FP 336) which mounts on the scope mount holes.

The Smith sight is a good one but has much longer eye relief than a Shaver which presents a problem for some. The closer the aperture to the eye the better it works. The Shaver will require mounting on the rear tang area but will work better for long-range work. Take my word for that. I regularly shoot a half-mile silhouette course. Closer is better! The Shaver is also a Soule-type sight which allows precise windage as well as elevation adjustment.

[duke76]

Will the bolt on the Marlin 1895 cowboy reproduction hit the sight when the lever is cycled? Do you have to fold down the sight between shots?

[lovedogs]

No and No.

[Chuck 100 yd]

Marbles has just the sight for you. It is available with extra sight stems and is made just for what you want. I would call them with my needs.

[Cimarron Red]

Chuck 100 yd is correct. Here is a link to a Marble's video featuring this sight:

http://www.marblearms.com/peep.html

[duke76]

Thanks fellas, that looks like just the ticket for what he wants to do.:drinks: