Williams peep sight on Savage 99?

[Gary7]

I'm thinking about getting a Williams peep sight (receiver mounted) for my Savage 99. Anyone have any experience with this sight?

[Hobie]

Yep. All good.

[Naphtali]

While the Williams sight is functional, I have an antipathy for aluminum structural parts. And since you intend your aperture sight plus front sight to be primary - the only? - sight for your 99, perhaps you should consider Marble's windage-elevation adjustable tang sight. It is well made, all steel, and obtains a substantially longer sight radius.

The only downside might be the pivot knob bashing your nose. I mention this because I chose to use Marble's sight on my Marlin 1895s. Probably because Marlin put my rifles' serial numbers on the 1895's tang, I believe the sight's base is positioned farther to the rear than on earlier Marlins. Being left-handed, I experienced the nose bash with every shot. This, of course, is no problem for righties. And my Marble's sights for 1895s will be sold as I have time.

Hope this helps.

[Hobie]

A "tang" peep will be all of 1" further to the rear. Earlier guns, than mine, are drilled and tapped in a different location for the sights. That sight is intended to be mounted in the rear scope holes. One could get a steel Lyman or Redfield sight, but they are rarer than the rifles.

[J Miller]

A Williams receiver sight, although made from aluminum, IS NOT a structural component. Neither is it fragile, nor prone to breakage. You would have to drop the rifle on the sight, or drop something very heavy on the sight to damage it, and a steel sight would suffer the same fate.

I have been using Williams FP series of receiver sights on my Win 94s since the 1970s. My 94 Trapper 30-30 was bought in 1980 and fitted with a Williams FP sight then. It still wears the same exact sight and it's never malfunctioned.

I like steel too, but that won't interfere with my mounting a quality sight on my rifle.

Joe

[damienph]

I have Williams sights on one Winchester and three Marlins, never had a problem. I have a newer aluminum Lyman on my Winchester 30-30 Trapper, no problems with it either.

[Pete44ru]

My .300 is an EG of 1953 issue, and IMHO the Williams goes with it just fine.

.

[AJMD429]

Love the Williams FP - on leverguns, bolt guns, semiautos, and single shots!

I'd rather have aluminum than steel; my Lyman peep sights are all rusty..!

As for durability, I'd trust a plastic receiver sight to survive the gun being dropped, before I'd trust a titanium tang sight, just due to the amount of protrusion and design.

[J Miller]

Love the Williams FP - on leverguns, bolt guns, semiautos, and sinble shots!

I'd rather have aluminum than steel; my Lyman peep sights are all rusty..!

As for durability, I'd trust a plastic receiver sight to survive the gun being dropped, before I'd trust a titanium tang sight, just due to the amount of protrusion and design.

Umm, AJ, didn't your daddy tell you you're sposed to wipe them down with an oily rag once in a while?

I'm not bragging you understand, but I have a steel Lyman 66A on my Win 94AE Trapper. Been there since about 87, 88. It's not rusted. Shows a wee bit of wear, but no rust.

Joe

[AJMD429]

Umm, AJ, didn't your daddy tell you you're sposed to wipe them down with an oily rag once in a while?

Actually, I only have two Lymans, and both were purchased used, so they already had their rust-stippling, and the shiny graduated elevation plates were not so shiny any more.

I'll have to admit, though, even if I'd had them since new, they might look no better. The trouble is, as much as I like stainless steel, it doesn't make very good sights.

The sight I really want is the Williams FP base, with a Marbles Bullseye aperture...

+

The base of the Bullseye isn't thick enough to just tap for the windage screw, though, so I don't know how I'll approach the project...

[Mike D.]

I couldn't remember what my old 1899 H TD wore, so I dug the poor old thing out from under all the Winchesters. I has a Redfield receiver sight mounted on the two original tang holes.

[J Miller]

Umm, AJ, didn't your daddy tell you you're sposed to wipe them down with an oily rag once in a while?

Actually, I only have two Lymans, and both were purchased used, so they already had their rust-stippling, and the shiny graduated elevation plates were not so shiny any more.

I'll have to admit, though, even if I'd had them since new, they might look no better. The trouble is, as much as I like stainless steel, it doesn't make very good sights.

The sight I really want is the Williams FP base, with a Marbles Bullseye aperture...

+

The base of the Bullseye isn't thick enough to just tap for the windage screw, though, so I don't know how I'll approach the project...

AJ,

Seems to me that with enough ingenuity that should be a doable project.
Remove the dovetail from the Marbles sight and solder on a square piece of steel, then shape it, drill and tap it, you've got it made.

Let me know when get it done and come over and test fire it for you.
You know, critique it.

Joe

[AJMD429]

Seems to me that with enough ingenuity that should be a doable project.
Remove the dovetail from the Marbles sight and solder on a square piece of steel, then shape it, drill and tap it, you've got it made.

Yeah, I guess so...

I'm not much good at 'sweat soldering' and all that (I can use a MIG welder half-decently, though... ), but I need more practice.

I also have to see if I can find out the thread/pitch and a left-hand tap, for the windage screw, or if the 'long' elevation ones are right-hand, I might be able to substitute and avoid the odd tap. OR I could use the already-tapped Williams aperture base, filing a surface on it to join the Bullseye to.

Decisions, decisions...

However, I WILL let you know if/when I get it done, so you can come test-fire it...

[DougB]

A "tang" peep will be all of 1" further to the rear. Earlier guns, than mine, are drilled and tapped in a different location for the sights. That sight is intended to be mounted in the rear scope holes. One could get a steel Lyman or Redfield sight, but they are rarer than the rifles.

Hobie....I was able to find an old Redfield which replaced a Williams FP that I had on my '99 for literally a month and a half.




I prefer the Redfield and it wasn't too difficult to find. I think it is more fitting for my 1953 model EG.

[Hobie]

I'm glad for you, those are nice sights!