Has Anyone Changed The Rear Sight or Both Sights on Their Lever Gun?

[JohnnyFlake]

I have a Rossi M92 Lever Gun in .454/.45 Colt and I am having a hard time, with my old eyes, using the stock sights on the gun. I am thinking of changing the rear sight to something larger and more visible, at the point it is now mounted, or maybe going to some type of Tang Sight that mounts back behind the hammer.

Any thoughts and/or suggestions will be appreciated.

[357Mag]

JohnnyF -

Howdy !

Yeh...... I switched the rear size on a M-336 .35 Rem to one from Marbles. I made use of the replaceable rear sight blades that they offer in various styles/heights. I used it w/ the stock gold bead front sight.

I also had a 'smith install a tang-mounted peep sight ( a slightly modified sight that was offered for M-94 use ).

This made a great combo for use out to 100yd, and I could have shot confidently, to even further out.

I DK the ranges or game you have in-mind, but wonder whether you could make use of a "dot" sifght, or reflex-type unit ?


With regards,
357Mag

[JWFilips]

Switched one of my 336 Marlins to Williams Receiver rear and Lyman 17 Target front. This way I can swap out the front insert from a post or bead for times in the woods and aperture disc insert when I'm on the range working up loads. Best of both worlds Same with the Williams Receiver rear.... Disc in for target work & disc out for hunting

[Der Gebirgsjager]

My choice would be a receiver mounted adjustable peep sight. Most modern lever actions come drilled and tapped for them from the factory.
Some aren't, but it's a relatively easy job if you have to do the drilling and tapping yourself. It's not hard to pick up a used one on e-bay. I've done several, sometimes required replacement of the front sight. Somehow those tang mounted folding peeps always seem to get in the way of my thumb.

[minmax]

I've been looking at getting a Skiner sight. For my Marlin 1894 45 colt, but have not pulled the trigger yet. They get really good reviews.

[JohnnyFlake]

JohnnyF -

Howdy !

Yeh...... I switched the rear size on a M-336 .35 Rem to one from Marbles. I made use of the replaceable rear sight blades that they offer in various styles/heights. I used it w/ the stock gold bead front sight.

I also had a 'smith install a tang-mounted peep sight ( a slightly modified sight that was offered for M-94 use ).

This made a great combo for use out to 100yd, and I could have shot confidently, to even further out.

I DK the ranges or game you have in-mind, but wonder whether you could make use of a "dot" sifght, or reflex-type unit ?


With regards,
357Mag

I have tried a Red Dot type sight that my son has for one of his rifles, but I just don't like it.

I am looking to zero in at 100 yards and then adjust from there for different ranges out to 200 yards max.

[JohnnyFlake]

There have been several rear sights mentioned, Williams, Skinner and Marble. I am going to start checking them out.

Thanks

[pietro]

.

IMHO, a receiver peep sight is more practicaL than a tang peep sight - which may effect one's hold due to the tang sight base interfering with grasping the wrist of the stock with the trigger hand.

I added peep sights to both my Rossi M92's, and replaced the rear bbl open sight with a slot filler blank.


On one rifle, I installed a Williams 5D-94AE receiver sight intended for an Angle-eject Winchester 94, which allowed the aperture holding bar to be adjusted low enough atop the receiver to easily zero using the issue height front sight blade.
I did have to replace the bolt-top safety with a lower blank to achieve the lowest aperture positioning.




On the other rifle, I elected to replace the safety with a Skinner LoPro peep sight to make a bolt peep sight - which (although it had no windage adjustment) allowed an easy zeroing via slightly moving the front sight blade a tad.




Instead of purchasing commercial slot filler blanks to fill the rear bbl open sight's dovetail in the bbl, I made filler blanks from old longleaf rear open sights.





.

[JohnnyFlake]

Good info pietro, about the Skinner LoPro peep sight. That is one I will be checking out.

[stubert]

I put a Williams fp in the back and a fire sight on the front. They are on a 1895 guide gun, it gives a nice long sight radius, and you can change the size of the aperture.

[historicfirearms]

If your rossi has that extra bolt mounted safety, Steve's Gunz has a sight that will replace that safety.
http://store.stevesgunz.com/index.ph...&products_id=5

[milrifle]

I put a Marbles tang sight on my Win 94. I did not have to replace the front sight. It makes sighting MUCH easier. No more fuzzy sights. I love it.

[Tn Jim]

I put a Skinner Black Gold peep on my Henry Big Boy 44. I then had to go to a Skinner Brass front sight because I couldn't get it down on target with the stock brass bead. I also removed the factory rear buckhorn and put the Skinner blank in it's place. This was a huge improvement for me. Trying to focus on targets at three different distances with progressive bi-focals was not happening. My group sizes dropped 50% at 50 yards.

Another plus to the Skinner is you can remove the screw in aperture and use it as a ghost ring, if you like. That would be my choice for a early morning/late evening deer hunt. Peeps are definitely a lot faster to get on target and more accurate.

[dragon813gt]

All my Marlins wear Skinners in some form.




The front posts have been replaced w/ brass ones. My Savage 99s all wear Skinner barrel mount apertures. Works surprisingly well. Front posts have been replaced on them as well but the stock ones work.

Recently bought a Merit aperture to work w/ the Skinners. It's great and I will be buying one for every rifle. The ability to change the aperture size on the spot is nice.

[pietro]

.

All nice suggestions, EXCEPT they're solutions for closed-top receivered rifles, and not for a Winchester/Rossi/etc Model 1892/92.

While the Skinner LoPro was half the cost of Steve's drop-in bolt peep sight, I DID have to fashion a safety replacement plug that could then be D/T'd to accept the LoPro.



.

[GoodOlBoy]

I replaced the stock rear sight on mine with a marbles semi-buckhorn rear and it helped for a good long time.

GoodOlBoy

[JohnnyFlake]

.

All nice suggestions, EXCEPT they're solutions for closed-top receivered rifles, and not for a Winchester/Rossi/etc Model 1892/92.

While the Skinner LoPro was half the cost of Steve's drop-in bolt peep sight, I DID have to fashion a safety replacement plug that could then be D/T'd to accept the LoPro.



.

Yes, there are many good suggestions, however, most will not work for the Winchester/Rossi Style Lever Guns.

[Edster]

I replaced the buckhorn with a Skinners barrel mounted peep sight. This was on the Rossi in 45Colt. The front sight did not have to be changed. The quality of the Skinner is outstanding and really made the difference with aging eyes.

[tygar]

[QUOTE=JohnnyFlake;3041000]I have a Rossi M92 Lever Gun in .454/.45 Colt and I am having a hard time, with my old eyes, using the stock sights on the gun. I am thinking of changing the rear sight to something larger and more visible, at the point it is now mounted, or maybe going to some type of Tang Sight that mounts back behind the hammer.

I'm old & cant focus well either. I put the green glass site on the front & the double ghost ring on the rear. It works very well. Got them from Midway.

They just fit into the current stock cutouts.

[Scharfschuetze]

For maximum flexibility with boolit weights and zeros at various ranges a good Lyman Model 66, an older Redfield or the top of the line Williams sights will give you the most bang for the buck.

With a Merritt adjustable iris in any of the above sights you'll be able to adjust for light and actually help your front sight focus a bit.

If you put a Lyman Model 17 front sight on your rifle, you can then use interchangeable front sight inserts. While I like and use the included mid-width blade/post style, if you are having trouble focusing on the front sight, you can go to one of the many aperture sizes included with the sight. You can then relax your focus a bit and still maintain good sight alignment and excellent sight picture, particularly with bullseye targets. They come in different heights so you can select a height that will help maintain a comfortable cheek weld on your rifle's comb.

Below are shots of a Merritt disc on a Redfield aperture sight, Model 17 Lyman front sight, sight picture with an aperture front and rear sight, and two of my Marlins equipped both front and rear with the above described sights.