Vernier sight mount 1885

[NSB]

I'm thinking of buying an 1885 Higw Wall, either a Browning or Winchester, and have a question on mounting a vernier sight. I can't find a good picture of the top of the butt stock to see if there is a metal tang to mount a sight to of if the base of the sight would need to be mounted directly onto the wood (which to me would seem like a bad idea). If it makes any difference, I'm looking at a late model Winchester or Browning. Any help?

[Don McDowell]

The current production winchester have the top tang and are drilled and tapped.

[doubs43]

Don is correct. I have a pair of the "Traditional Hunter" Winchesters with 28" barrels. Mounting a vernier sight to each was a piece of cake.

[NSB]

OK, so far so good. Second question: Would the Pedersoli Soule or the Lee Shaver Soule be a good choice for a Winchester along with the globe front sight that comes with each. They seem to be reasonably priced (still not cheap, but...) and readily available. Any other suggested sights that might work better on this gun? Thanks for the help so far.

[Marine Sgt 2111]

The sights you mentioned are fine for target work however the rifle comes with a hunting tang sight and buckhorn iron sights. And yes the new 1885 Winchesters are drilled and tapped, I have two of them (.32-40 and .38-55)

[Don McDowell]

Between here http://www.buffaloarms.com/browse.cfm/2,217.html
and here http://www.montanavintagearms.com/
You should be able to come up with a sight that will serve about any purpose you want that rifle to perform. Not to mention the properly sized screws to mount the sight with.
Sights are like most things, you get what you pay for.

[montana_charlie]

Would the Pedersoli Soule or the Lee Shaver Soule be a good choice...
Since you mentioned the Pedersoli, it stands to reason that the Lee Shaver sight you are considering is his 'economy' Soule (at $225).
The Shaver will sit at the correct angle for the Winchester IF you specify the make and model when you order the sight from him. That tilt angle is not adjustable (on the Shaver economy) but it is adjustable on most any other make.
Therefore, the Pedersoli will also work on your Winchester.

I see that Don has pointed you toward Buffalo Arms and Montana Vintage Arms, neither of which are sources for Ron Heilman's sights.
Heilman's work appears to be top-notch, and his price is $285...not a huge increase over the Pedersoli/Shaver combination you have been looking at.

Strangely, Don recently aquired a Heilman sight, and I have been waiting to hear how well it is working for him. It seems to be a bad omen that he is not pointing you in that direction.

Anyway, an email to Heilman will get you his 'flyer' on front and rear sights.
r.a.h*eilman@worldn*et.att.net (delete the asterisks to get his true address)

CM

[Don McDowell]

IStrangely, Don recently aquired a Heilman sight, and I have been waiting to hear how well it is working for him. It seems to be a bad omen that he is not pointing you in that direction.

Anyway, an email to Heilman will get you his 'flyer' on front and rear sights.
r.a.h*eilman@worldn*et.att.net (delete the asterisks to get his true address)

CM

And just what Maxwell would be your purpose in trying to back slidingly impune Ron's sights?.
I have reported on numerous occasions that I liked the sight just fine, and thought it to be of first rate quality.

I simply did not bring that sight up here as to the vaqueness of the ops wants and needs to the sights, and while Ron will happily send someone that asks for a copy of the brochure for his very well built and quality, very good buy for the money sights, The links provided give the op a quicker view and broad scope of the type of sights that are available that will work on his rifle of the possibly near future.

[kokomokid]

Are you looking for a BPCR gun or just a hunting cal? I would favor the shaver sight over the pedersoli and add the good eyepiece. I have cheap import to baldwin sights and you get what you pay for.

[NSB]

I'm looking for something I can hunt deer, bear, elk, etc, with and the ranges would not be over 300 yards. I'm pretty sure I'm going with a Winchester High Wall unless there's something one of you might know that could persuade me otherwise. They look like a decent gun but finding reviews on them has been a waste of time. I can't find any good articles on them. I watched a show on tv where a couple of guys were hunting buffalo with them and they just looked like a lot of fun. I just don't enjoy shooting deer with scoped rifles.

[Gussy]

I'm thinking of buying an 1885 Higw Wall, either a Browning or Winchester, and have a question on mounting a vernier sight. I can't find a good picture of the top of the butt stock to see if there is a metal tang to mount a sight to of if the base of the sight would need to be mounted directly onto the wood (which to me would seem like a bad idea). If it makes any difference, I'm looking at a late model Winchester or Browning. Any help?

You didn't say WHICH one you were looking at. BPCR and Traditional Hunter HAVE tangs. Some other models DO NOT and you can't mount tang sights.

Gus

[NSB]

I'm thinking of the 125th anniversary edition model. It just has the buckhorn rear sight and bead front sight. I couldn't tell from any of the pictures if it had a metal tang or not.

[Don McDowell]

If a person is stuck onto a tang sight for hunting the Lyman or Marbles, or copy of either would be fine, a bit better at taking the abuse that can happen to a sight than a vernier/soule type tang sight. Myself for hunting I prefer the barrel mounted laddersights.

[kokomokid]

Check for post by texas mac as he posted a lot on the 78 and 85 models. 300 yds is short range for BPCR but 12# rifle and soule sights might be a little much to carry out and about.

[peerlesscowboy]

I'm thinking of the 125th anniversary edition model. It just has the buckhorn rear sight and bead front sight. I couldn't tell from any of the pictures if it had a metal tang or not.I doubt that model has a tang, somebody correct me if I'm wrong?
That caveat said..........if you want a serious Vernier sight, get a Montana Vintage Arms.

John C. Saubak

[Gunlaker]

I have a few different sights on different rifles now. I have a Pedersoli (the mid range soule, not the ones that some call the "throw away ones"), and a Lee Shaver deluxe one with the Hadley eye cup. The windage marks on my Lee Shaver sight are done poorly (looks like someone from high school shop class did them), other than that the sight is great. The Pedersoli one works well but is very bulky and gets in the way of the wiping rod.

Of the two, I prefer the Lee Shaver.

I also like the CSA sights and find them superior to both.

Chris.

[Gunlaker]

I doubt that model has a tang, somebody correct me if I'm wrong?
That caveat said..........if you want a serious Vernier sight, get a Montana Vintage Arms.

John C. Saubak

Isn't that basically the "Traditional Hunter" with some extra engraving? If that's the case then it's definitely drilled and tapped. I have a Traditional Hunter in .45-70 that I use for smokeless powder "off hand" practice.

Chris.

[Doc Highwall]

The 125 Anniversary was made by Browning and IIRC it does not have a tang.

[montana_charlie]

And just what Maxwell would be your purpose in trying to back slidingly impune Ron's sights?.
I said, "Heilman's work appears to be top-notch, and his price is $285..." Do you mean to impune that I intended to impugn Heilman's skill in that sentence?
(Those are two different words, Cowboy, with different definitions. The first means to imply something, the second means to denigrate something, or someone. You used the first to accuse me of the second. Best stick with words you know...)
I have reported on numerous occasions that I liked the sight just fine, and thought it to be of first rate quality.
Numerous occasions?
The last time you posted, you had just received it, and said this...

The post office got thru with the silly bugger games and got the Heilman sight to me today, instead of Saturday when it originally arrived.
It's a basic sight, came recommended to me by two shooters who's opinion and ability I have a good bit of respect for. Not fancy by anymeans but seems to be solid as a rock. For 285$ it seems to be fine.
Now for the test to see how well it holds up against a season of bpcr competition.

The fact that you did not see fit to mention your new toy led me to think you may not like it as much after using it for awhile.

CM

[Don McDowell]

Sorry Charlie that may be the last time I posted anything about it here, but certainly not the last time I posted anything about it.....

[doubs43]

The 125 Anniversary was made by Browning and IIRC it does not have a tang.

Doc, according to Winchester's web page, it does. Read the top line "Receiver".

Link: http://www.winchesterguns.com/products/catalog/detail.asp?family=002C&mid=534170

[Doc Highwall]

You are right I just checked and it does maybe I was thinking of another one.

[peerlesscowboy]

Doc, according to Winchester's web page, it does. Read the top line "Receiver".

Link: http://www.winchesterguns.com/products/catalog/detail.asp?family=002C&mid=534170
So, I was wrong, it appears it does have a tang :oops: Nice rifle! Padded butt instead of that infernal curved steel buttplate that's on the Traditional Hunter.........If they'd only made it with a pistol grip they'da got it perfect [smilie=w:

[dromia]

Don, I'm currently looking at the Heilman sights. Would you share your view on them please?

[Don McDowell]

Dromia, I'm very pleased with my Heilman sight. It's solid, it's adjustments and settings are repeatable. I especially like the way he runs the lead screw for the elevation on the inside of the frame, if that screw gets bent there's going to be bigger problems to worry about. That's one thing that always seems to get the sights with the elevation screw on the outside of the frame sooner or later something is going to put a glitch in it, and there'll be an area where the adjustments and repeatabilty will be gone.
It's not the high polished finish of the MVA's, but I suspect you could give Ron another 200$ and get that if you wanted.
I'm looking forward to running this sight and seeing just how it actually does stand up to the abuse a sight gets in a couple years shooting.I don't have any doubt it will come thru as Ron's sights were recommended to me by two other shooters who's opinions and skills I have a good deal of respect for.

[Cimarron Red]

Don,

Do you rotate the soule drum on your Heilman sight in the same direction as you do on an MVA to adjust windage or as on a Baldwin?

[Don McDowell]

Using the right knob, counter clock goes left, clock goes right.

[Cimarron Red]

Thanks, Don. That's the same as the MVA and opposite of the Baldwin and Browning.

[Don McDowell]

CR if you get one I think you'll like it, I know I like mine, I just had him put the large hole in the eye cup, and thread it so if I decided I needed to play with the aperature size I could take the "hadley" off of my CSA vernier sight.

[Cimarron Red]

Don,

I'm sure the Heilman is a high quality sight. I may try one. Thanks for the information.

[bigted]

I'm thinking of the 125th anniversary edition model. It just has the buckhorn rear sight and bead front sight. I couldn't tell from any of the pictures if it had a metal tang or not.




so the thing is is that the "traditional hunter" model winchester DOES have the post marples style sight on the wrist and it is mounted in steel on the wrist area. my 45-70 is a hoot and is plenty accurate with smokless for hunting. i also loaded some rem 405 jacketed ahead of black powder and they cut the same hole at 50 yards. this is a shooter and yours ...im betting...will be too. if that 125th anniversary is the winchester im betting that the wrist has the steel tang with the holes there already...but for hunting n dragging thru the pucker brush id go with the "traditional hunter" model as it has everything your looking for it seems.

[Patman]

NSB... you may want to take a look at the Winchester web sight, they are introducing a new model of the 1885 highwall. Winchester is calling this new version a Traditional Sporter. It has a 28'' round barrel and BPCR style stock.(pistol grip) Tang is drilled and tapped for sights.Calibers available are 38-55, 40-65, 45-70 and 45-90. I know I want one.