Lyman Sights on 94 Winchester

[Pop Watts]

Hi all,

Just picked up my NIB Buffalo Bill rifle and need some advise on sights to put on it.

I want to fit a Lyman 66 receiver sight (or a Williams FP I guess) and a globe type front sight.
Can anyone give me a tip on the front sight height? (say that three times quickly)

The Lyman 17a comes in .404" / .494" /.584"

The Lyman 20 MJT is .700"

I am hoping to practice up a bit and then try to shoot some silhouette with it, so eventually I may try to shoot it to 300 yards.

Any help would be appreciated as I will order the sights from the US and once they get to Australia I was hoping I could be somewhere in the Ball Park.

Pop.

[J Miller]

Hi all,

Just picked up my NIB Buffalo Bill rifle and need some advise on sights to put on it.

I want to fit a Lyman 66 receiver sight (or a Williams FP I guess) and a globe type front sight.
Can anyone give me a tip on the front sight height? (say that three times quickly)

The Lyman 17a comes in .404" / .494" /.584"

The Lyman 20 MJT is .700"

I am hoping to practice up a bit and then try to shoot some silhouette with it, so eventually I may try to shoot it to 300 yards.

Any help would be appreciated as I will order the sights from the US and once they get to Australia I was hoping I could be somewhere in the Ball Park.

Pop.

Pop,

I don't know what to tell you about the globe front sight heights, except to install your receiver sight and shoot it with the factory front sight. Then go from there. So far I've never needed to install a taller front sight when going to a receiver sight.
But find out how yours shoots and adjust as needed.

Joe

[Griff]

Winchester 94s generally have a sight height of ¾" from the centerline of the bore. Measure from the centerline of the bore to the bottom of the dovetail, and subtract from .75; that should give you the height of the sight you need in order to have full adjustment of the rear sight.

Or, probably more simply, just measure from the bottom of the dovetail to the tip of your current sight... why change sight heights, those silly receiver sights are adjustable, no?

[Marc]

I have the .494" tall Lyman 17A on a 24" AE 30-30 barrel. I probably bought that height because it is closest to the original height. The top of the post looks to be about .690" above bore centerline. It is in the barrel dovetail, not on a ramp.

I have a Redfield receiver sight on the rifle so I don't know how it would work with a Lyman or Williams. With the Redfield sight bottomed out the bullet hits at about point of aim at 100 yards depending on the load. The center of the peep is about .430" above the top of the receiver rails when it is bottomed out.

I don't remember any problems with getting this set up zeroed. I have shot 500 meter silhouette with cast bullets with no problems other than my poor shooting. My best advice is to get nothing shorter than the .494" if your front sight is dovetailed into the barrel. If the Lyman or Williams won't go as low as the Redfield you may need to go to the .584" but that is a bunch taller. If you hold 6 o'clock on silhouette you have more room to play with too.

[jlchucker]

I've installed Williams and Lyman receiver sights on a few Winchesters and Marlins. These days I prefer the Williams Foolproof over the new-style, aluminum Lyman 66. Before doing anything at all with the front sight, why not just install (yourself) the receiver sight, set the thing at the middle of its adjustment, and shoot it at a target from a rest, at 25 yards. Your 94 is already drilled and tapped for a receiver sight--the two little plug screws just ahead of your hammer need to be removed, and then all you have to do is put on the sight. If you have to adjust it really a lot to bring it in (about an inch low at 25 yd) then you may need a different front sight--higher or lower. Until you shoot it you'll never know for certain. I've got a Winnie Classic rifle (same as your Canadian Centennial but with different trim and logo) and I never had to change a front sight on it. Once, I just put a receiver sight on and I was in business. The Octagon barrelled Winnies of that era had great barrels. Some of the more glittery models probably never got shot, and it's too bad. I've never heard of anyone who had any of these and shot them complain of inaccuracy. I've got a feeling your front sight is just fine the way it is.

I got you mixed up with another post about a Winnie. Sorry. Your rifle is a Buffalo Bill, you said--not a Canadian. Except for the trim, there's really no difference. Either of these commemoratives usually are found to be excellent shooters.