Old Winchester 1894 sight picture question

I managed to fire lap this 1901 Winchester into shooting condition.

The sights are interesting, rear blade can be turned around and the front sight is new to me.

Rear:

https://i.postimg.cc/4xLyxmys/IMG-20...214958-802.jpg

Front:

https://i.postimg.cc/rsV24NZb/IMG-20...215140-145.jpg

My sight picture for claybirds @ 50 meters. I hit them ok but I'm not used to this "shotgun-like" aiming.

https://i.postimg.cc/W4NyX1wF/IMG-20210413-212109.jpg


My question being, is the sight picture supposed to be like that? Very little bead visible, the target floating over it? Why is there a "hole" in the front sight?

I can adjust to whatever is right.

(Looks like Postimages is acting up again, well, the pics are there. Just don't know when.)

Looks like your rear sight is missing the elevator piece. I don't think either are stock Winchester issue sights.

Your front sight is a Marble's "Improved Frobt Sight", which was intended to give a less obscured view of the object (game animal) than the traditional post or post-and-bead front sight... advertised as particularly useful for running game, or shots taken at longer range that that for which the sights were set for. For a Model 1894 in .32-40 or .38-55, it will be marked on the dovetail bottom with a 2. For all other Model 1894 chamberings, it will be marked with a 3.

Your rear sight is not reversible. The square notch is there to provide clearance for the elevator... a long, stair-step type piece... which your sight (possibly a Winchester No.22 B, standard for .25-35, .30-30, and .32 Win. Special. Standard for .32-40 and .38-55 was No.22 A) is missing.

Jim

Gentlemen, thank you very much.

What would be your preferred sight picture? Target sort of floating with very little bead showing or...?

I'm kinda interested in looking through the front sight. But my logic says it goes the wrong way. Three feet high as it is now .Unless I lower the rear sight by taking metal out of it from the bottom.

Just to get the target closer to the bead. Or even the front sight hole. Should it be there?

But my logic has failed before.

https://www.amazon.ca/Numrich-Gun-Pa...bb_marketplace

As mentioned above your rear sight is missing the elevator portion that allows you to adjust the height of the rear sight to poi. See an example rear sight with the missing piece in place

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.

Your front sight was a factory option, back in the day.

Your rear sight is a standard "Rocky Mountain" sight, which takes a 1A step elevator

Here's a few elevat6ors F/S:

https://homesteadparts.com/shop/sigh...l?cPath=87_167

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Winchester-...oAAOSwwWZgcLWU

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Winchester-...MAAOSwLsRgcLD-

The high point of impact is a very good clue as to why the elevator is missing, i.e. trying to get the POI as low as possible. Many old .22 rifles are the same way.

I don't know what the rear sight is worth, but I would probably try to lower the rear sight insert by loosening the screw and seeing if it will move. If it will, I would file a bit off the bottom.

With bead type front sights, I like the POI to be right under the bead. Not my favorite type of front sight, but they can be useable.

Robert

The bead should be nestled in the notch and the bullet should land right behind it on the target. If it's 3 ft high, I'd carefully remove those sights and store them away to save. Then replace them with correct sights for the cartridge- .30 WCF?

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Thanks again.

Yes the rear sight is almost as low as it can go now.

With the bead in the notch, poi is above the bead as my drawing shows.

Medium velocity cast is shootable as I described but Hornady 140 Leverevolution factory ammo went really high.

I started Break Free soaking, maybe a file is in order. Or a new rear leaf.

EDIT: no file for a 120 year old gun part. I can lower the leaf a little and maybe adjust my bullet/velocity closer to year 1901.

You may be better off replacing your front sight with a taller one and getting an elevator for the rear as mentioned. Assuming you have a 20" barrel with approximately 16.75" sight radius (measurement from my 1954 M94) you would need a front sight .051" higher than your current one to bring POI down 6" at 50m with rear sight bottomed out as it is now. Then using the elevator you can adjust the rear sight up for the slower cast load.

If sight radius or POI adjustment distance is different substitute it in this formula:

POI adjustment x sight radius ÷ target distance in inches = sight adjustment
6" x 16.75" ÷ 1968" = .051"

Front sight heights are measured from bottom of sight base to top of bead.
Dovetails are usually tapered to drift sight in from right to left looking down the barrel.