Sights for 94 winchester

[glockky]

I searched this topic several times before posting and found answers all over the place and never was able to make a decision based on the info. I am picking up a 94 winchester 30-30 this evening. It is D&T on the left side of the receiver for the peep sight. I have personally never shot peep or aperture sights but do know I hate the factory sights on marlins and winchesters.

So now I am looking to get info on the different sights offer by Williams, the product descriptions don't tell much. Looks like they offer the fool proof, 5D, and the fire sight. What are the pros and cons to these sights? Will all of them mount on a top eject 94 winchester?

thanks for the help

[Wind]

Hey there glockky -- The Williams 5D is the base line sight. You will need a screw driver to make adjustments for both windage and elevation. It looks like this...

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The Fool Proof is very similar but has threaded knobs to make windage and elevation adjustments. Depending on your load and front sight height, you should be able to get 400 yards out of them.

I prefer the Lyman 66 series side mounted receiver sights. You'll want a 66A for your Winchester. They adjust for windage and elevation with knobs. These can be coin slot knobs or upgraded to knurled target knobs. They also have a push button release on the rear of the sight base which allows elevation adjustment in large/small increments without cranking. It also allows the removal of the bridge if other sights are being used. They look like this...

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Sorry to have to use Marlins for models, but all my Winchesters have tang sights!!

Hope this helps. Best regards. Wind

[milrifle]

I've got a Marbles tang sight on my pre-64 94 Win. I love it, but it does kinda appear fragile. I fold it down when not in use. Certainly nothing to just throw behind the seat of the truck, if you know what I mean. My wife recently acquired a post '64 Win 94 with the Williams sight. It is more robust, but having to use a screwdriver to adjust is sort of a pain. Once you get a load dialed in, I guess it will be OK.

[glockky]

Thanks for the responses and pictures they help a lot. I do have another questions now though.

Do the sights with adjustment knobs have a way to lock the sight down once it is set? I plan to hunt with the rifle some and am afraid the knobs could get hit while hunting.

[Wind]

Hey again glockky -- Again, as I'm a fan of the Lyman66 series I'll use that as an example. Here is another look at one form of adjustment knob. You can see the oval spring under it which loads the knob and makes it resistant to turning. They offer a coin slot which makes it easy to adjust, but not move inadvertently. The small set screw between the adjustment knob and the aperture can be adjusted for provide a known "point of return" - or fixed yardage adjustment. The index on the side of the sight is easy to read and thus check for proper setting. All in all I've never had a sight moved by handling.

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The coin adjustable knobs are also numbered for fine tuning. They offer another check on your sight setting at a glance.

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And just a note... The silver bridge in these pictures represent the only sight like this I have ever seen! Most are all black.

Hope this helps. Best regards. Wind

[glockky]

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Well I picked up the 94 winchester yesterday looks like it was made in 1971. Bore looked good on it as did the blueing.
Thanks for all the info on peep sights and for the pictures which I know takes some time to mess with.

[Scharfschuetze]

Nice rifle!

Windy is all over the sight issue and gives good advice.

I too am a big fan of the either the Lyman 66 or the old Redfield equivalent. I've used 'em for over 40 years on hunting rifles and target rifles and I've yet to have one slip its zero.

You can also record your zero for any given load at any range and return to it quickly without having to rezero the rifle from cast to jacketed loads or from 100 yards to whatever range you want to shoot at. On average and depending on your barrel length, each click is 1/4 MOA and there are 3 MOA (12 clicks) per rotation with the current versions. Each graduation on the vertical and deflection scales is 3 MOA or 1 revolution of the knob. Older sights from the 20s and 30s often will have 4 MOA per revolution.

While there are some very good sights out there such as Skinners, none really are as versatile for a wide range of loads and ranges than the Lyman, Redfield or top of the line Williams sights.

Some of my sights on lever guns.

[Scharfschuetze]

Nice rifle!

Windy is all over the sight issue and gives good advice.

I too am a big fan of the either the Lyman 66 or the old Redfield equivalent. I've used 'em for over 40 years on hunting rifles and target rifles and I've yet to have one slip its zero if care is taken in handling the rifle.

You can also record your zero for any given load at any range and return to it quickly without having to rezero the rifle from cast to jacketed loads or from 100 yards to whatever range you want to shoot at. On average and depending on your barrel length, each click is 1/4 MOA and there are 3 MOA (12 clicks) per rotation with the current versions. Each graduation on the vertical and deflection scales is 3 MOA or 1 revolution of the knob.

While there are some very good sights out there such as Skinners, none really are as versatile for a wide range of loads and ranges than the Lyman, Redfield or top of the line Williams sights.

Some of my sights on lever guns.

[pietro]

Thanks for the responses and pictures they help a lot. I do have another questions now though.

Do the sights with adjustment knobs have a way to lock the sight down once it is set? I plan to hunt with the rifle some and am afraid the knobs could get hit while hunting.


The Williams FoolProof is available with micrometer W/E adjustments via a screwdriver.

The FoolProof target knobs are an optional extra.
The FoolProof has small setscrews that lock the W/E adjusters, with either target knobs or the flat head adjustment screws.

The Williams 5D sight is a "set-'n-forget" receiver peep sight with sliding W/E adjustments held by two grub screws.

There are no "Firesight" peep sights - the Williams Firesight set consists of either a 5D-94 or an FP-94/36 receiver peep sight and a fiber-optic front sight blade of the proper height to achieve zero the a receiver peep. (Firesight is the Williams trademarked name for a FO sight)

This is the FoolProof without the optional target knobs:

http://www.williamsgunsight.com/gunsights/images/63331fp94seset.jpg


If/when you order a receiver peep sight, don't forget to order (or make) a dovetail slot filler blank, to fill the rear bbl sight slot after the rear open/iron sight is removed from the bbl to give a clean sight picture through the peep sight.
(I made this one from the male dovetail section of an old longleaf rear bbl sight)


http://i354.photobucket.com/albums/r431/pwawryk/DSCN0466.jpg



You stated that you've never shot with a peep sight before, so you're going to need a little practice.

Properly used, peep sights should not be looked AT - they should be looked THROUGH (the closer to the shooter's eye, the better) with no conscious effort to center the front sight in the peep sight's aperture.

The human eye will subconsiously center the front sight.

Just look through the peep (with the aperture mounted or removed for a "ghost ring" effect) and place the front sight "on target".




.

[Bear Tooth Billy]

I have sights on the way for my 94 Winchester, a Marbles improved rear tang sight and a Lyman 17a front sight, this will be similar
to the set up I have on my Sharps 45/90. The tang sight will give you a longer sight radius. I use a front aperture sight with
different inserts, once you get used to it you just center the target in the ring and shoot. My sharps will shoot 1 1/2 moa with
this setup at 300 yds although it's a MVA brand