Tang mounted sights?

[2ndAmendmentNut]

Quick question for the people that have them. With those tang mounted peep sights for lever actions do you have to remove the original rear sight? Please excuse my ignorance, for I have neither the sight nor the lever gun yet, but hope to own one of each eventually.

[doubs43]

You don't HAVE to but they are a distraction and could interfere with short distance settings. I have two LA rifles - a Puma 92 and Marlin 1895 Cowboy - and I replaced the rear barrel sights with blank inserts which look much nicer.

[2ndAmendmentNut]

Well how do those tang mounted peep sights work as brush gun sights? Inside of 50yards I would think the original open sights would be much quicker and equally effective.

I kind of thought that for close shots, and low light shots I would just have the peep sight folded down and use the originals, and then for the longer shots fold the peep sight up. Is this practical? Or should I really consider some other form of sights.

[Doc Highwall]

For quick shooting in all kinds of conditions I would use a receiver peep sight like a Lyman or a Williams with about a .090 aperture.

[Hanzerik]

I put a folding rear on mine.
http://home.bresnan.net/~hanzerik/pics/Puma/Carbine%20Rear%20Sight.JPG
http://home.bresnan.net/~hanzerik/pics/Puma/Carbine%20Rear%202.JPG

[2ndAmendmentNut]

Hanzerik I like it. So, for quick close shots use that folding sight that replaces the original, then for long shots you fold that one down and flip up the peep sight. Very nice.

[Buckshot]

...............If I was hunting with a M92 (pistol caliber) I'd probably be in cover heavy enough to warrant using that rifle, and I doubt a tang mounted peep would be all that much better. It might even be slower to find the animal with the peep over the barrel mounted sights? But I'm only 'supposing' as I don't have any real experience in that venue.

The main benefit of the tang mounted sight (Marbles or Lyman) is that the elevation adjustment is much finer. With the Marbles sight you also have easily used windage. The other positive is with the peep closer to your eye you have the longer sight radius, and it would also be more accurate at longer ranges (which wouldn't be such a big benefit in the above scenario, IMHO). The only real issue with the tang mounted sights is in their placement on the tang, and what you may have to do with your thumb if the sight occupies that spot.

http://www.fototime.com/C5172D22760ADBF/standard.jpg http://www.fototime.com/2C9E4B8FED00076/standard.jpg

On my Rossi 45 Colt, the sight sits enough forward I can still get my thumb over the wrist, behind the sight staff. On my Winchester/Miroku M92, due to the stupid placement of the safety on the tang, the sight sits way at the rear of the wrist. All you can do then is to lay your thumb along the right side of the wrist.

..............Buckshot

[NickSS]

I have a 94 winchester in 30-30 that I have a Lyman tang sight on. This rifle is my hunting rifle and one thing about it is that I have it zeroed with the barrel sights for 100 yards point of aim and I have the tang sight zeroed for 200 yards to hit 3 inches high at that range. I use the barrel sights when hunting in heavy cover and close range but if and when I come out onto a clear cut area I pop up the tang so I am ready for longer shots.

[Bret4207]

The tang mounted sights can be a hassle if you aren't used to them. Some interfere with your grip, no doubt. But by removing the disc you get the same "ghost ring" type sight as with a receiver sight. You just need to train a bit to get it under control. The human body is very adaptable to different sighting arraignments.

[cajun shooter]

I have Marble's on all my lever action rifles and they are great. As far as being in heavy brush with them they are indeed faster than the buckhorn sights. To touch on what Bret posted, You take out the sighting disc and it becomes a Ghost Ring type of sight that will work perfect in the 50 yd range. Try it and you will be surprised at how quick your eye goes to that front bead. I also do as was posted and remove the barrel sight and put in a filler. The tang sight is something that has been around for well over a hundred years and there is reason for that. I also know that they keep old eyes shooting when the others are a blur. A lot of people don't realize that the tang sight was a standard thing on factory guns in the 1800's.

[19112TAP]

I have a Lyman #2 on a Marlin .32 mag cowboy and I removed the back sight nad have had excellent results so far. I also have a 1894cl 32-20 that I'm planning on putting on a Marble's because of the windage adjustment.

[ReloaderFred]

There are a lot of tang sights used on lever rifles for Cowboy Action Shooting. That's fast and close shooting, and they work fine. Of course, the shots aren't taken through brush, but the shooting is fast and furious.

The only tang sighted rifle I have is my High Wall in .45-120 Sharps, which makes it a perfect long range rifle.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[Doc Highwall]

Just take a look at any military rifle M-1, M-14, M-16 and you will see a reciever sight with a ghost ring.

[looseprojectile]

got it right. For close shooting in the brush you don't need sights. Or you can shoot minute of deer at close range without even seeing the sights. I have just a tang sight on my 24" barreled Rossi .44 mag. with a dovetail filler. I have both on the 40 65 highwall. Take out the peep insert when you anticipate a close fast shot.

Life is good

[August]

I added a Marbles tang sight to my 336 Cowboy in 38-55. I use the gun for long range competition, it doesn't handle fast and isn't particularly comfortable -- can't get a good grip on the gun.

I put a lower front sight on the gun when the Marbles was added. Get enough elevation to easily clobber the pigs with 1200-1300 fps ammo.

I took the open sight off, but plan to get one of those fold down numbers some day.

[helice]

If you look at Buckshot's first picture you will knote a knurled adjustment knob on the right side of the tang sight. My tang sight has the same nob and that stinker keeps jumping out and biting the skin off my thumb when I use heavy loads.:x I never much liked the looks of the receiver sight but they do the same thing as the tang sight and they don't goof up the grip or bite the thumb. My vote goes to the Williams 5D. They're relatively cheap and durable -- Set it and forget it. My opinion. It' worth what Patty shot at.:D Helice

[Hardcast416taylor]

As I recall the Williams 5D sight was so named because it had a price tag of $5.Robert

[Char-Gar]

From 60 plus years of rifling shooting here is my two cents worth on the subject at hand.

1. There is no sight faster, for quick rifle snap shooting, than a good peep with a generous hole in it. With a little practice and a good stock fit, you can pop the rifle to your shoulder and you will be looking through the hole at the front sight. Forget the rear sight, just place the front sight where you want and press the tigger. If you want to also keep a barrel mounted open sight for backup, get one that folks down and stays out of the line of sight. They are not needed, unless some tragedy happens to your receiver sight, which is not bloody likely.

2. Tang sights predate the receiver mounted peep and some like them, mostly for nostalga reasons.

3. I consider tang sights inferior to receiver mounted peeps because;
A. When you want them up, they are likely to be down.
B. When you want them down, they are likely to be up.
C. With a receiver sight they are always read and no need to check it's postion.
D. I want the tang available for my thumb.

3. Some folks trumpet tang sights over receiver as they give a few more inches of length to the front sight and therefore are a smidge more accurate. I have fired both many times over the years and if there is any "smidge" of difference in accuracy, it has never revealed itself to me.

4. Bottom line... I eschew tang sights for receiver peep sight.

[cajun shooter]

I have heard this complaint about tang sights being in the way of your grip for many years. My take on this is it's all in how you train to grip the rifle. I love the lever action and work with it all the time. I also do drills of picking up the rifle and seeing how fast that first shot is to get off. (These drills are for CAS shooting)I have yet had a problem with the tang sight being in the way but if you look for a problem you will find it. Try all the sights and see what feels good to you. The choice of sights is no different than anything else in this life of ours. It's a good thing we are different and that Baskin Robbins has 31 flavors. Later David

[Catshooter]

I use a tang mounted Lyman #2 on my .38-55 Win 94 for silhouette. Barrel mounted rear sight is a fold down and is sighted in same as the tang, in case something happens to the tang.

The tang sight isn't in my thumb's way when I shoot or carry. I do find though that at the shot it often folds itself about half way down due to recoil. The rifle weighs seven pounds and the load is a 285 grain boolit at 1750 fps so there is some recoil.


Cat

[Jon K]

I will ditto ditto what cajun shooter said......just like Ford & Chevy.

I own both, I like to wrap my thumb over the stock, but I prefer the tang closer to my eye..........and the worse my eyesight gets the harder it is to see a sight on the reciever or barrel.

That's my $.02,

Jon