Solved a Problem

[Ed in North Texas]

I guess everyone knows about presbyopia, and some of us have the problem. Since my arms have gotten much too short, I try to get an aperture (peep) sight when possible. I picked up a Japanese Type 38 a while back, and of course it had open sights on it. I didn't want to permanently alter it as it has an untouched "mum" and is in good condition.

Found my answer on e-Bay. A late war aperture sight for a Type 38. I'll keep the ladder and slide open sight in case I want to put this one back to original condition. But since it was a "sporterized" rifle (stock only, barrel is full length), I don't know that I'll ever do that.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_174564f34074b8e20b.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=3879)

Getting the pin out to switch the ladder and slide was a challenge. I had two less expensive pin punch sets, both are now short one punch. Finally broke down and bought a Starrett set, which took care of getting the pin out. Now I need the NOE Group Buy .269 mould.

Ed

[Shooter]

Good job.
My mil-surp purchases are limited to ones with peep sights.

[Ed in North Texas]

Good job.
My mil-surp purchases are limited to ones with peep sights.

Thanks. Unfortunately I've been bitten by the "old" military rifle bug since acquiring this rifle. BP Martini-Henry, Snider and Rolling Block rifles. No original peep sights to be had. I have to figure out a temporary, non-marring adapter to add an aperture to the rear sights. Got a nice group out of a New York State Militia Rolling Block a couple of weeks ago, but down at 7 o'clock. I was surprised as I really couldn't see the rear sight. I'd pull the front sight down to where I couldn't see it, then bring it up and kind of guess as to where the top of the rear sight vee was. At least I was pretty consistent with my guessing - only a bit low and to the left.

Ed

[flounderman]

if you can come up with a way to change the front sight to an aperature, it will clear your sight picture up. the aperature on your glasses will clear up the sight picture, and you can use a low magnification glasses and a piece of paper with a pin hole you look thru and test out the possibilities. I have the suction cup with the clear plastic aperature but it only has 1 hole. merit I think it was made one with an adjustable aperature and a suction cup. the attatchments on the eye glasses work for target work but are not practical for most hunting situations. just put a pinhole in a piece of paper and adjust it behind your glasses so you see the sights thru it. try it in front of your glasses lens. you should see quite a difference. works for pistol because it clears both sights up. depending on the degree of correction you need, a dollar pair of low powered reading glasses and a pin hole might work for you. I can't see the rifling in a barrel clear any more, but for some reason, using 2 pair of glasses sharpens it up for me.

[bcp477]

Another alternative....which I worked VERY well for me, when I was still shooting with irons :


A FRONT aperture, teamed with a rear notch sight, with the notch machined to a half-round profile. You line up the aperture on the target, place the aperture in the round notch.....and look THROUGH both sights, focusing your eyes on the TARGET. The target, NOT the front sight. Your eye works the same as with any other aperture - centres the target in the aperture......and no focusing problems, as you focus on the target, not the sights.

[Ed in North Texas]

The Merit disc has occurred to me (and in a senior moment forgot them), just haven't gotten a round tuit (actually, there is a German company which makes a similar item which receives better comments than the Merit). As these are original firearms, I don't want to alter them unless it is impossible to avoid it. I find it amazing that, as an example, a Snider Cavalry Carbine Mark I*, converted around 1870 from an 1861 .577 Enfield Cavalry Carbine, has a bore as shiny as a cleaned new in box Remington 700. I do not wish to alter that carbine in any way. Clean and preserve - yes. Period/firearm correct parts to replace broken parts are OK too. Alter, no.

The above Type 38 came to me as a "sporter", with the original stock cut down and the upper and lower tang pieces missing. I found tang pieces and replaced the open sight with a period and rifle correct aperture sight, but I'm keeping the original sight so I can restore the rifle to the way it came to me if I want to. The aperture sight was an issue sight, just for a Type 38 produced later than my rifle. To my mind this type of alteration is OK.

Ed

[leadman]

If a mil-surp is already altered I seen no harm in making it work for a person. If you have a nice clean example I do the same as you, clean and preserve.

I have a locally made device for my glasses that has a hole in the disc. It has a thin wire frame that goes thry 2 brass posts with thumb screws for adjusting to suite the individual.

I did see some peel and stick type soft plastic discs with a hole in them. I am going to try to locate these as I think they would be much easier to use. Seems like there was 4 or 6 of these on a sheet.

[Hang Fire]

Thanks. Unfortunately I've been bitten by the "old" military rifle bug since acquiring this rifle. BP Martini-Henry, Snider and Rolling Block rifles. No original peep sights to be had. I have to figure out a temporary, non-marring adapter to add an aperture to the rear sights. Got a nice group out of a New York State Militia Rolling Block a couple of weeks ago, but down at 7 o'clock. I was surprised as I really couldn't see the rear sight. I'd pull the front sight down to where I couldn't see it, then bring it up and kind of guess as to where the top of the rear sight vee was. At least I was pretty consistent with my guessing - only a bit low and to the left.

Ed

I have found JB Weld takes care of many such problems,