Dad Blasted Front Sight broke

[Tazman1602]

ARRRRGGGGHHHH!!!!

After finally getting a day off after 27 straight days of work (a GOOD thing around here...) I cast up some 500 grain NOE pills for my 45-70's and found a reasonable load, 29 grains of 4198. Sized primed, loaded and crimped a couple of rounds to check feed and got all excited about doing some shooting.

...........picked up my Marlin 1895 that I traded for some time ago. It has XS ghost ring rear and some type of fiber optic front sight -- I've been worried about that front sight since the hood is gone and the sight itself was plastic.

Checked function -- fine. Went to shoot it, hauled it up............and the @$%@$%#$%^ front sight was broken almost OFF. I'm guessing *someone* knocked it down and didn't tell me about it BUT.................

Does anyone have any idea WHICH front sight height I need for this blasted thing or should I just call Williams or XS for a new front sight?

As a kicker my Gibbs 45-70 is down with the blasted REAR sight blade falling out somewhere between here and the deer cabing.

At first this would seem like a really horrible day but I got to snowshoe out back with wife, make some nice bullets and have some fun in spite of the fact it was obvious God did not want me to shoot today...........

Any advice appreciated

Art

[6pt-sika]

Aaaaahhhhh Grasshopper !

I have one word for you !

SCOPE

As to sight height I don't know !

Better luck next time !

[Rick Hodges]

Tazman1602,

I have a 45/70 Marlin guide gun with the Williams Guide series reciever sight (top mounted). I had to change my front sight height from the factory sight. Is your 1895 the long bbl. weapon? I don't know how high the XS rear sight is....I could measure mine if you thought the info would help.

[Smoke-um if you got-um]

With the luck you're having sharp objects should stay in drawers and cling tightly to the railing when going down steps.......... but.... you did say you had some luck earning a paycheck this month, so everything wasn't for nought. Some days though, it just don't pay to get outa bed. :veryconfu

Mike

[Tazman1602]

Craig,

I'm only calling you a bass turd because you have more backup .444's than I have 45-70's.................

You and your big bullets, now I"m hooked. That 500 grain NOE is a real live thumper!

Yeah I was just thinking scope but I'd really like to keep this one an ironsight model, it's just that I know an Ashley Outdoors (or is it XS now???) scout scope mount and Leupold IER scope and QR rings are gonna cost me a ton................and I ain't taking that setup off my .450 Marlin...........

..............OH OH OH..............."450 Marlin"

That one still works, have to dig up some brass I guess!

Art


Aaaaahhhhh Grasshopper !

I have one word for you !

SCOPE

As to sight height I don't know !

Better luck next time !

[Tazman1602]

Thanks Rick, guess I'll just break down and do the math when I have the time and call Williams or XS

Mine is the guide gun with 18.5" barrel. Been avoiding iron sights for years but like them on this gun.

I really shouldn't complain too much because I was going to replace the front sight anyway -- guy who installed it didn't measure right and even at lowest ghost ring setting it still shot about 3 feet high at 100 yds, need a taller one so now I have an excuse.................this stuff always happens when thing like car and house insurance jumping $100 a month............or the washer breaks..................or the dryer breaks.................or.............<GRIN>

Art


Tazman1602,

I have a 45/70 Marlin guide gun with the Williams Guide series reciever sight (top mounted). I had to change my front sight height from the factory sight. Is your 1895 the long bbl. weapon? I don't know how high the XS rear sight is....I could measure mine if you thought the info would help.

[Tazman1602]

Yeah man I put the guns up after that and just had a good afternoon with wifey.

And dang man, gas here went to $3.25/gallon so it's eating big holes in the blasted paycheck too but it's still a good day!

Art



With the luck you're having sharp objects should stay in drawers and cling tightly to the railing when going down steps.......... but.... you did say you had some luck earning a paycheck this month, so everything wasn't for nought. Some days though, it just don't pay to get outa bed. :veryconfu

Mike

[stubshaft]

IIRC - the ghost front sight came in different heights. I want to say that I ordered the tallest and filed it down to fit. I didn't feel like ordering the "try" sight, sighting the gun in, measuring it and then waiting some more for the proper height.

[Rick Hodges]

Tazman,

My receiver sight is the backup for the XS scout mount and 2.5x Leupold IER scope. It really is the way to go...although I really wish I had a heavy reticle in the scope. Good luck with whatever you choose. I found that I really lost a lot of hunting time with the irons, both in the morning and evening.


Thanks Rick, guess I'll just break down and do the math when I have the time and call Williams or XS

Mine is the guide gun with 18.5" barrel. Been avoiding iron sights for years but like them on this gun.

I really shouldn't complain too much because I was going to replace the front sight anyway -- guy who installed it didn't measure right and even at lowest ghost ring setting it still shot about 3 feet high at 100 yds, need a taller one so now I have an excuse.................this stuff always happens when thing like car and house insurance jumping $100 a month............or the washer breaks..................or the dryer breaks.................or.............<GRIN>

Art

[Tazman1602]

Rick I hear ya' on that setup --- got the same thing on my 450 Marlin and I LOVE it.................just that cash is a bit shy these days............

I think I've got the height figured out to .500, just need to take some more measurements.

thanks for all the advice.

Art

[NHlever]

Brownell's has a front sight calculator in their paper catalog, and I expect that they have one online too. If I remember right the height I had to use for the1895 I used to have was about .413, but I could be wrong. Perhaps Williams has something at their web site because they have receiver sight / front sight packages for some popular guns, and might have that combination. Good luck getting it running again.

[cajun shooter]

NH lever is correct in that Brownell's has a forumla for finding your correct front sight. They also carry the replacement glow front sights in many colors. If you want to change to a different style sight they can help you with that. I have had a armorer's account with them since 1984 IIRC. They are good people to deal with.

[6pt-sika]

Art , I never knock anyone for using a peep if they want it !

However finding yourself a nice old Weaver K2.5 or K3 isn't a bad way to go either !

I bet I have around 12-18 of the old Weavers in those two powers ! All mounted of course !
And for what I do with 444's and 45-70's they do a very good job at a more reasonable cost then buying nice new Leupold VX2 1-4's !

I still have a nice Leupold Vari XII 1-4 I bought new to go on the just released Marlin 1895M I used to have ! Scope worked great on that rifle and then went to a Marlin 444P where it still worked great and then on to a Marlin 336D again with good results !
Now that same scope is tied to my Ruger #1H in 416 REM MAG , think it'll stay there for awhile !

[MtGun44]

Dad blasting will do that. I suggest walnut hulls ground fine and no more than
20 psi pressure in the future.

:bigsmyl2:

Bill

[giz189]

You could also buy the XS sight that comes with both rear and front sight made for the Marlin from Brownells. However you might have to buy another Marlin to put the extra rear sight on.

[Tazman1602]

Hey Craig,

Eventually it's bound to get a scope, just not today. I did find the right (I *think*) front blade since it shot so high. Drove the old sight out and it was stamped "406" on the bottom so I ordered a .450 height from Brownells...........and a rear sight for my Williams WGOS on my Gibbs 45-70 that fell out........and a sight hood so I don't break the dam thing off again.

On my .444 that I got some years back, bushnell at the time made a shotgun scope 1.5-4X that works GREAT but they don't make it anymore!

And giz189, that is a GREAT idea....................................these dog gone Marlins are more addictive than my bolt guns simply because I CAN cast for them. Getting 30 cal's to shoot decent cast is WAY too much work for me.

I lit off one of the 500 grain NOE's the other day and it went through a pretty big tree and left a massive hole out the other side. What fun, a hand mortar!!!

Bill -- I'll try the walnut hulls next time.................<GRIN>

Art