Front sight for 1895 Win

[Wayne Smith]

Thank you Dutch4122! Ever since I put the copy of the Lyman receiver sight (#38?) that I got from Buffalo Arms on my Japanese made '95 Win. (405Win) it would shoot the factory 300 gr loads about 6" high with the sight 'bottomed' out. Bottoming that sight out is when the windage adjustment wheel hits the top of the bolt and nicely adjusts your windage every time you throw the bolt! That's when I found out the reason for the screw stop on the sight arm.

Since Dutch posted Tim Skinner's site I e-mailed him about making me a new, higher front sight blade. Upshot of it is that my current blade and a letter are going to him tomorrow and I'll see what he does. That sight blade is nicely pinned to a base, so it's easy.

I'll still shoot Bullshop's 350gr boolet @ 2000fps, which is right on the way the sights are now. I'll just have to raise the elevation a touch. But I'll also be able to load the 300 gr condoms the way they are supposed to be loaded.

[bigbear]

I ordered a Lyman sight from Bufffalo Arms last spring, still waiting. Called them yesterday, the guy said it could be up to a year if they are still making them," so just wait and see, if you really want one". I want to put it on my Browning 1895 in 30'06. I am a shooter, not a purist collector. Is the Lyman worth the wait rather than just d&t and put a new Williams sight on the rifle? I'm not into even more hassle and expense of having to change the front sight to boot.

[Dorf]

FWIW- I ran into a rifle years ago that had the same problem: with the elevation slide all the way "down" it still shot high. The solution I used was to find a copper nail (used to build lobster traps) that measured 1/16" (.060" +/-) and soft soldered a piece of it on top of the existing sight. A little work on the rear face of the nail section with a file and I had a reasonable facsimile of the old "sourdough" sight that moved the grouping down to where it could be adjusted with the rear sight elevation slide. Of course you could do the same with a piece of #10 or#12 copper electrical wire. A little bit of wire and a Bernz-o-matic and you're back in business again.

[Wayne Smith]

Bear, I really like the sight. Course, after putting that much money into it, would I claim less?! My only problem was the low front sight, and we'll see what Mr. Skinner comes up with, but in the $10-20 range to replace the front blade I'd say wait. He will know the dimensions to make it by the time you need one, having done mine. All you will need to give him will be the height. The blade is pinned to the base, so it's only one pin to remove/replace it.

[blackhawk44]

Best bet: go to the Brownell's site and look under XS sights for their white stripe ramped blade. Best upgrade I made to my '95. Maintains windage and elevation far better than any bead while that white stripe lets me stay on stand as long as the boys with scopes. With that blade and a Marble's tang on my '95 '06, I haven't picked up a scoped rifle in six years.

[Wayne Smith]

Imagine my disappointment when I received an envelope from Tim Skinner stamped "Non-Machineable" on the outside. Not again, I thought. Now imagine my delight when I opened it and two, not one, sight dropped out! Beautiful copy of what I sent him, even to the brass sighting disk.

A few licks with the file on each side, a little more than a few on the bottom, some cold blue and a little oil, and a little fooling with the pin until I figured out that I should press it in with a small brass clamp I have (!) and hey, presto!, it's mounted!

Mr. Skinner isn't much on communication, not a word from him, including any pricing! He'll be getting a bonus check from me today! He does appear to know his signts, though. The proof will be when I take it to the range.

[bigbear]

Waiting to hear of your range success:)

[Wayne Smith]

Honeydos to do this weekend, so it won't be immediately. However, with the elevation adjustment I have in that rear sight, it's just a matter of establishing the sight settings. This blade sits in the same base as the original so it's a simple matter.

[Old Ironsights]

You will be VERY HAPPY with Tim's work. I am. Best $10/sight I ever spent.