Winchester 92 front sight hard to see (Miroku)

[marklyftogt]

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I have a Winchester 1892 in .357 I bought last year that was made by Miroku in Japan. It is a top ejector. It has the tang safety.

My wife and I have a heck of time seeing the front sight on it unless the light is just right.

Have any of you found a way to replace the front sight so it is more visible?

Most of the solutions I have seen won't work with the top ejector (ghost ring rear) or tang safety (tang sights cannot mount).

It is an awesome shooting gun if we can see the sights :)

(No..."that is what you get for not buying an American made one" are necessary...I couldn't find one :( )

[Cimarron Red]

markly,

I have the same rifle in .32-20, but I removed the tang safety (and eliminated the rebounding hammer.) Then it was easy to mount a tang sight. Here's picture of my rifle:

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j88/cimarronred/P1010010.jpg (http://s78.photobucket.com/user/cimarronred/media/P1010010.jpg.html)

Of course, you may have no need of a vernier soule sight, but you can put a hunting-style tang sight on your rifle just as readily. I use my gun for lever action silhouettes, so I installed a Lyman 17A globe sight with a home-made fiber optic insert. Here's a shot of the set up:

http://i78.photobucket.com/albums/j88/cimarronred/P1010008-2.jpg (http://s78.photobucket.com/user/cimarronred/media/P1010008-2.jpg.html)

[Cimarron Red]

Just a note about the extra length of fiber optic material you see lying along the barrel. I no longer use this as NRA rules stipulate that the fiber optic can be no longer that the globe or hood. So now the piece of fiber is about 5/8 ", and it works fine. You could use a commercially-available fiber optic front sight -- but in my experience they are too large in diameter for target work. For hunting I'd guess they are OK. The fiber I use is about .030".

[BCRider]

I can't help you or her with the "old folks eyes" issue. Heck, I'm part of that same "family" myself! ! ! :D But here's what I did with my Rossi that I use for cowboy action. As it turns out this has worked out very nicely for accuracy plinking as well.

The original buckhorn sights had a miniscule little notch in the base of the upper sideways "C". I used jeweler's files to cut the notch deeper with a slotting file then used the small jeweler's round "rat tail file" to produce the smaller sideways "C" shown in the pictures below. Now I can use the small C as a sort of ghost ring and center the front bead over the target for a good clean shot out to about 50 yards. For stuff at 100 yards shot with my cowboy action .38 loads I put the front bead between the points of the lower small "C" and hit spot on. Luck? YOU BET! ! ! ! But I'm not complaining... :D

There's lots of options of course but for me and how I use my 92 this works. The nice thing for shooting out to 50 yards IN MY CASE is that I put the bead in the middle of the opening much like using a ghost ring or peep sight. And of course if the sights were zero'ed for a different distance other than my 30 yards used for cowboy events it would be the same thing.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y252/BCRider/Gun%20pictures/RossiRearSight.jpg (http://s7.photobucket.com/user/BCRider/media/Gun%20pictures/RossiRearSight.jpg.html)

[bob208]

i have made front sight blades out of old brass keys. they stand out better for some people. get the right keys and you can make a wide one some times a copper penny works roo.

[Norbrat]

Most of the solutions I have seen won't work with the top ejector (ghost ring rear) or tang safety (tang sights cannot mount).



My Rossi 92 has a Williams 5D rear sight fitted. It requires D&T two holes in the side of the action, but works perfectly and does not interfere with the top ejection.


http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8237/8472296451_aa8701e764_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/11260137@N07/8472296451/)

The Williams website does not list sights for a Model 92, but I would assume the ones for a Model 94 should work.

http://www.williamsgunsight.com/gunsights/5D.htm

Or as kit complete with a "Firesight" front sight

http://www.williamsgunsight.com/gunsights/rifle1.htm#AR15

[marklyftogt]

Great ideas guys! Now i have to make a choice. I am kind of liking the Lyman 17A AND filing down the rear sight.

[Cosmiceyes]

I have the 92 in 357.I measured from the bottom to the top of the front sight from where it joins the barrel.(center top as if looking down your sights)Write this down.I cut it off at the tallest point of the square of the block.(where the ^ of the front sight ends at the square)I used a hacksaw with a very fine blade.(lots of teeth per inch)Slow and steady as rifle was pointing up at 90 degrees to the floor in my padded vise. Then I took Dykem Blue,and painted the flat top of the sight .Put gun back in vice horizontal now.Dykem is dry so I take my Starrett small adjustable square,set the fat flat on the top and measure the remaining height of the sight.Write this down. Now I have a ruff edge that needs to be smoothed,and squared so I pull the square edge of my square across from one side to the other.Where the Dykem Blue remains is low spots.I then take a 8" bastard file and start the job of making the top look flat,and smooth. When the blue just has very shallow spots reapply a new coat.Let dry.Pull square edge of square from front to back this time.You will see you high versus low again.Reapply file till it becomes flat as glass.Measure the new real height of the sight.Order the dove tail replacement sight of your choice from Midway,Brownells in your choice of black,ivory,brass,and fiber-optic.I t will be the difference of the original sight,and the top of the square.Also buy a dove tail file.
Now you mark the sides of the top for cutting a dove tail from left to right.I use a wire saw blade for this,and I stay inside of my scribed line.When you get the small piece cut out you will now start filling the area in the cut from one side only.It takes time.Do no go saw crazy as if you remove to much metal the front sight will just fall out.I went to school,and learned this so if there is a book or video to learn from I suggest you do it.As you get the dove tail to match the scribed lines start checking the fit of the sight.From one side only.Do not wack it in with a tool.Just finger pressure.When you have a little over 2/3 of the sight going towards the side you never cut from you can use a plastic small hammer to tap it.Do not force it.Tap it back out noting to always put the shiny metal end back in the same way that now is on the dove tail of the sight.This is a fitting process so many tap ins,and tap outs file once,put in tap,and tap out.When it's snug, even on both side,and you can't move it with you fingers your done.At this point I would remove the front sight out the way you filed from.Cold Blue the top,and inside of the dove tail.Put sight back in,and silver solder in place.
Writing this down is way harder than doing it to me.
If you have a good gunsmith he can do this for you.I have a small brass bead sight on mine.I don't have the tang safety model,and Midway has a page on which peep sight (TANG) fits yours exactly,and the screws.Because it makes a difference between the two.