Got a new thumper, need sights.

[Any Cal.]

193870

193869

193871


Got this cool rifle, but can't shoot it for beans as it gets darker. Also, the rear sight won't go high enough to let me zero it at 50 yds. Would like to get something a bit better, but still fast. Don't want a scope, so leaning toward a peep of some sort. Any words of wisdom?

[Artful]

Red Dot sight if allowed by your game laws-

If not then self illuminating sight
See all open sight for example
http://truthaboutguns-zippykid.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/IMG_3131.jpg

[sawinredneck]

Red Dot sight if allowed by your game laws-

If not then self illuminating sight
See all open sight for example
http://truthaboutguns-zippykid.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/IMG_3131.jpg
I've always found those sights interesting, almost bought one a time or two, but can find limited real life use/reviews on them. How do you like your's?

[sw Idaho]

For me, Skinner sights are hard to beat. There is others out there. I just love the Skinner sights.

[Any Cal.]

Those SeeAll sights are interesting. How do they do at 100yds?

What do you like about the Skinners Idaho?

Hoping to get something that will let me shoot past 100yds, without being slow. Maybe it wouldn't matter, but was just getting in the routine of shooting past 300 w/ my old rifle, so up close seems REALLY close.

[sw Idaho]

I love them. I have them on 5 different rifles. The aperture is easy to change out. Depending on your eyes and size of target 100 should not be hard to do.

[rondog]

Is that rear sight the correct, original one for that Marlin? Surprised it doesn't have easy elevation adjustment.

[Harter66]

I put a Williams 5D on my 1895G as I ran out of elevation trying to get a 1600 fps 45-70-405 on paper at 100 . It makes a good picture within the limits of the factory front bead .

[Any Cal.]

I dont know that sight is correct, I sort of think it is wrong. Seems to be wrong height, and I would have expected a semi buckhorn or something. Seems more like a 10/22 pattern than anything, even folds down like one. Might be a bit larger though.

[Shawlerbrook]

Another vote for Skinner !

[northmn]

That is not an original sight for that make Marlin. I have an older waffle top of similar age and ended up putting a .530 sight front sight on it and a 5D Williams receiver sight. The front sight was a fiber optic green as they are easier for me to pick up nowadays. The rifle had an old Redfield receiver sight on it that barely adjusted to 170 grain bullets. I put it on another rifle. If you use a Williams you will need to use the one for a 94 Winchester as the new ones for Marlin are designed to screw into the back scope mount holes. I assume Skinner has a no tap waffle top sight? As for the rear sight if you need one you need a higher more typical one with the step type height adjustment.
Looks like it has had other modifications, like the recoil pad. Collectors really cry when one D&T's a waffle top.

DEP

[RickinTN]

Williams makes an aperture rear that mounts into the rear scope ring holes and has more adjustment than the skinner sights. WGRS is their designation. Cost in the mid $30 range so more reasonable than most. It is my favorite aperture sight as it takes up little room and works quite well. Many if not most times the front sight will have to be changed on order to achieve proper zero.
Good Luck,
Rick

[Harter66]

This is the Williams 5D . I got it for $36 at Midway .
193882
I have the same Remlin flip down sight on the 1895 45-70 and it runs out of elevation with 45-70-405 barely on paper at 100.

[bstone5]

I put a Williams peep sight on a 45-70 barrel in a H&R Handy Rifle barrel. The sight has a lot of adjustment and can be use out to 200 yards, works well for me.

[Any Cal.]

I dont know what a waffle top is.

This one is drilled and tapped on top.

How do I tell if it has the holes already for the 94/36 sight? Not sure what the pattern is or where it is at.

[Any Cal.]

193901

[Harter66]

If it is drilled and tapped on top it will take the 336 sights .

[Scharfschuetze]

Congrats on your new "thumper."

If you plan on playing with different bullet weight and powder combinations at low to high velocities, then you'll want a sight with repeatable settings. With a good aperture sight you'll be able to approach or equal scope sighted groups with your new rifle.

I use aperture sights on all my lever guns with a blade/post front sight. If you understand MOA and how a Lyman or Redfield sight works when making adjustments in MOA graduations, you can switch the sight setting from full power loads to squib loads easily as well as for various ranges. A good notebook for each rifle will get you to the zeros for various loads with ease and without having to rezero.

Here are the Lyman and the Redfield aperture sights.

[kfd518]

+1 I really like mine on 336w beat up brush gun had mine drilled and tapped at local gun smith though as it was a side mount older model. $free.99 made the price right though.
This is the Williams 5D . I got it for $36 at Midway .
193882
I have the same Remlin flip down sight on the 1895 45-70 (tel:1895 45-70) and it runs out of elevation with 45-70-405 (tel:45-70-405) barely on paper at 100.

[WALLNUTT]

If you get a Williams, there are two models. One has micrometer type adjustment, the other is just slide and tighten the screws. Get the more expensive one (still pretty inexpensive) with knobs. The slide and tighten model is a pain in the butt.

[Ramjet-SS]

I am big fan of Skinner and XS sights both are very rugged and simple combined with green light pipe front sight and that works really well for me.

[OverMax]

If you intend to hunt? Williams FP peep. (fool proof)

Your rifle is drilled and taped for a peeps mounting.

Rear Sight pictured is not the Marlins original.

What I like about the Williams peep verses the Lyman models. Williams adjustments are flush with the sights body/frame. Less likely to snag on brush or what ever. Lymans adjustments are exposed up'ing the chances for a (peeps misalignment)

Want a quick point & shoot sight? or wanting to hunt up until twilight? Just remove the Williams aperture for a larger sight picture thus allowing more light to focus in on your darkened target. Not sure if a Skinner has ability? (aperture removal)

[JFE]

Any cal - is that an early 444? Nice looking levergun.

If you are going to be changing loads and needing to re-sight often, then an easily adjustable peep sight would be a better option. I prefer older versions made from steel, like those made by Redfield or Lyman. Williams also work but I find them a little bulkier, being made out of alminium alloy. The new Lyman 66 peep sights have a thin alloy aperture arm and arent very robust at all. Most peep sights came in target or hunter versions. The target ones have knurled adjustment knobs and are easier to adjust and possibly knock out of alignment. The hunter versions need a screwdriver to adjust them and are preferred for hunting rifles.

If you are going to settle on a load and not mess with adjustment, the X-S or Skinner are even more robust, but adjustment is not as convenient. You will need a taller front sight for the X-S but not sure on the Skinner.

The older steel Lyman and Redfield peeps were discontinued some time ago so you will need to trawl ebay, gunbroker, gun shows etc to find one.

[Edward]

I vote for the Lyman 66A receiver site and a Lyman Globe on the front ,they (3) work for me !

[Crazy Carl]

Want a quick point & shoot sight? or wanting to hunt up until twilight? Just remove the Williams aperture for a larger sight picture thus allowing more light to focus in on your darkened target. Not sure if a Skinner has ability? (aperture removal)

Yep, Skinner's do the same. They make good stuff.

[Any Cal.]

Thank you all for the excellent info! Looked up the serial #, apparently it is a 1965. I just ordered the FoolProof sight for it. The Skinners looked good, but cost more than I wanted to spend right now. Some of the old steel sights look great, but run about $200 on Ebay, so they weren't happening either.

I kept toying with building a rear peep, but figured I have plenty of irons in the fire already. $64 for a sight could buy me days to work on other projects...:groner:

[Texas by God]

You did good. My Win 94 has had a Williams on it for years- nary a problem. That is a nice Marlin you have there- enjoy it.
Best, Thomas.

[Norske]

When I bought my 1895 from my backyard gunsmith, I also ordered a Leupold 1-4X slug gun scope with heavy crosshairs. The nice neighbor dug out an old Weaver Pivot mount. Later, I had the little brass front bead replaced by a Trijicon tritium dot, and had the buckhorn rear sight milled to shallow express vee. it works very well at sundown and even 1/2 hour later (end of legal hunting hours).

[Any Cal.]

194617

Played with this sight in the dusk. Sighted it in when it was dark enough for headlights, but they didn't do anything, and shot until it was too dark to see the black 3" target spot on the cardboard at 50 yds. Watched the muzzle flash the whole time.

Love it! Still have to shoot with it more, but easily as good as a cheap scope, and much handier. I think $250+ would give a bit more precision, but that is 4x what I spent, and the rifle wouldn't carry nearly as well.

I had a similar sight 7-8 years ago and didn't love it, so don't know if my eyes changed or preferences did. Last one was on a bolt rifle that shoot well out to 500 yds, so expectations were a bit different. I think this would let me shoot big game out to 200 until it was too dark to identify them as legal. Can't ask for much more imo.

Oh, and I didn't have to change the front sight, though a couple were included. It is sights in near the bottom of adjustment at 50 yds to start, with LOTS of adjustment to run out farther. Got the 336 version that mounts to rear scope mount holes.

[pipehand]

Nice 1895. I am a big fan of the XS sights. The rear ghost ri g setup lets in a lot of light, but it is a bit fiddly to adjust. I tend to leave it set up as a one load gun. An older all steel Lyman receiver sight with the aperaturs removed would give more convenient adjustment.
The XS vertical white stripe front sight give me a great useable sight picture in varying light conditions. The white shows up on the dark targets, and the black on both sides shows up on the light. Great field sight.