Lee Shaver rear sight

[JSnover]

I just came back from my first serious outing with my Shaver soule and it's pretty nice... but... It tends to creep forward under recoil. I bought it used. Appears to be in near-new condition, certainly not damaged or abused, anyway. The spring feels tight enough, just feels to me like the detent is a little sloppy (worn?). Anyone else have this happen? It's mounted on a Rolling Block in 45-70, shooting a 385 grain boolit at maybe 1200 fps. Is this common with folding tang sights?

[Jon K]

I have found that to be typical, you can put meore tension on the detent spring on the base.
Although it shouldn't be a problem, if you're shooting BP, cause either wiping or blowing between shots, you'll fold the sight down anyway.

Jon

[ktw]

Play with the torque on the bolt holding the sight to the mount. Mine will or won't move under recoil depending on how snug that bolt is.

-ktw

[JSnover]

Thanks! Thought I'd ask before trying to "fix" it. I'll just add 'rear sight check' to my firing sequence.

[SharpsShooter]

Thanks! Thought I'd ask before trying to "fix" it. I'll just add 'rear sight check' to my firing sequence.

That's what I do exactly. It is just normal physics in motion. I "thumb" the sight staff each shot to be sure it is in it's proper position.


SS

[NickSS]

I have 10 rifles with tang sights including a shaver soule sight. Almost none of them stay upright during recoil. In fact the sight usually hits my hat brim and is pushed forward during recoil. Its no big deal and I make it a practice of checking the sight when cocking the hammer for the next shot.

[Dan Cash]

Tang sights like the Shaver are intended to fold forward under recoil to prevent contact with your face under recoil. Do not tighten to the point that they don't move.
Dan

[montana_charlie]

NickSS and Dan Cash have it right.
As a matter of fact, these old buffalo guns are pretty complicated to shoot.

After a shot, you have to:
- Drop the breechblock
- Lay the empty someplace
- Run through your wiping or blowtube routine
- Load the next round
- Close the breech
- Cock the hammer
- Thumb the tang sight into place
- Pick up the front sight in the rear aperture
- Place the sights on the target
- Get plumb with the spirit level
- Set the trigger
- Blink your eyes and get your breathing in tune
- Check the spirit level, again
- Line up on the bull
- Fire the round

Then, do it all over again.

Somebody had to invent magazine rifles and smokeless powder...just so shooters could get some rest!

CM

[Jbar4Ranch]

I just mounted a Shaver super grade long range Soule w/Hadley eye cup on a Uberti High Wall .45-70, replacing the mid range Taylor's sight that came on it. WOW, what a difference! The Taylor's sight would only go high enough to shoot about 450 yards and I was getting 20+" groups, but with the long range Shaver, I'm only a third of the way up the mast at 500 yards, and getting sub 10" groups using 65 grains Goex FF and a 405 grain cast bullet.

[August]

Mine do that too. Just make squaring it part of the ritual.

[marlinman93]

If you check Lee's sights you'll notice they are easier to push forward, than pull back. This makes them move forward under recoil, which does two things. As Dan Cash mentioned it keeps you from hurting yourself, but it also keeps the detent from wearing out under recoil.
I've just received my latest Lee Shaver Soule sight from Lee for my Rolling Block Sporting rifle project. As soon as I get the parts back from bluing and casehardening it will go on the Roller!

[JSnover]

Cool. Now that I know it's normal I can find something else to fret over.

[Timbo]

I have a Shaver on a 40-65 Rolling Block. I absolutely love that caliber; you can shoot all day comfortably. Can't beat that...

Recently I discovered that when flipping it down to run a between-shots patch down the bore, it was progressively moving my windage to the right. Be sure to keep an eye on your windage hash marks or you may wind up trying to dope wind that isn't really there!

When I flip the sight back up after loading a round, I have made a habit of checking my windage.

Timbo

[marlinman93]

I have a Shaver on a 40-65 Rolling Block. I absolutely love that caliber; you can shoot all day comfortably. Can't beat that...

Recently I discovered that when flipping it down to run a between-shots patch down the bore, it was progressively moving my windage to the right. Be sure to keep an eye on your windage hash marks or you may wind up trying to dope wind that isn't really there!

When I flip the sight back up after loading a round, I have made a habit of checking my windage.

Timbo

That's the same caliber I had my #1 Rolling Block barreled for! I went with a heavy 32" full round Green Mountian barrel. Good to hear the .40-65 is a nice low recoiling round. I've got a number of .45-70's, and they're not bad, but I wanted a caliber that I could shoot a lot and not get recoil fatigue.