Newbie with a Sight Question

[Treetop]

First of all, thanks for allowing me to become a member here! This place is packed with information and stories that have kept me busy for hours at a time!

At 65, and with 3 gun safes full of firearms, I seem to have finally come a full circle... back to single action six guns and lever action rifles! Over the decades of competing in most of the "action pistol" and "practical rifle" matches, I had forgotten just how much joy can be had by shooting six guns and lever rifles!

Recently, I have bought a couple of old 3 screw Rugers, a SBH and a .45 Colt/.45ACP Blackhawk in 7 1/2" barrel. In addition to these, over the Thanksgiving holiday, I bought two Rossi's, a 20" in .44 magnum and a 24" in .45 Colt.

My plan is to order a Rossi tang rear sight and a Lyman globe front sight for the 24" .45 Colt. My problem is: The Lyman globe front sight comes in several heights and I don't know which height would be the most compatible with the Rossi tang.

Can anyone who has done this sight conversion give me some guidance? Thanks a bunch, I'm really looking forward to my membership here! Tt.

[Alan Wood]

Welcome to the campfire Treetop! Someone who knows the answer should be along shortly. Though at this hour it might be tomorrow. Those rossi's sound very nice indeed!

[pwl44m]

Welcome Treetop, I like Your choice in barrel lengths for Ur 6shooters. Others will disagree but what do They know. anyhow welcome to the fire, sounds like You have hung around a bit as a spectator and if thats the case "WHERES THE PICTURES" ? 3 safes full is a heap-O-guns, much like Myself who also is 65.
Oh on Ur question, I haven't the foggiest. I just like to ramble.
Perry

[Mescalero]

Yeah,
I am at three safe's and overflowing to the point of can afford to lose & replace, replace being the operative word.
Hard decisions but ones that have to be made.

[Blaine]

First of all, thanks for allowing me to become a member here! This place is packed with information and stories that have kept me busy for hours at a time!

At 65, and with 3 gun safes full of firearms, I seem to have finally come a full circle... back to single action six guns and lever action rifles! Over the decades of competing in most of the "action pistol" and "practical rifle" matches, I had forgotten just how much joy can be had by shooting six guns and lever rifles!

Recently, I have bought a couple of old 3 screw Rugers, a SBH and a .45 Colt/.45ACP Blackhawk in 7 1/2" barrel. In addition to these, over the Thanksgiving holiday, I bought two Rossi's, a 20" in .44 magnum and a 24" in .45 Colt.

My plan is to order a Rossi tang rear sight and a Lyman globe front sight for the 24" .45 Colt. My problem is: The Lyman globe front sight comes in several heights and I don't know which height would be the most compatible with the Rossi tang.

Can anyone who has done this sight conversion give me some guidance? Thanks a bunch, I'm really looking forward to my membership here! Tt.

A safe plan would be to install the tang, then shoot, and then see where you are.....Leave yourself some leeway in case you want to change loads....You can also rig a wad of modeling clay and a toothpick, which you can snip until you find the right height.

[Shasta]

Welcome Treetop!

As for your sight question, it has been my experience that when using a tang rear sight and a globe front, get the lowest front sight you can. Even with that, I have had to install a longer stem into some of my Marble's tang sights in order to get enough elevation to shoot Ram silhouettes at 100 and 200 meters.

SHASTA

[1894c]

HELLO ... :)

[Pete44ru]

Welcome, Treetop !

Generally, tang sights can use any height front sight, but work best when the front sight's as close to the same height as the issue front as possible.

While some remove the rear barrel open/iron sight, recommended for a clear receiver sight picture, and replace it with a dovetail slot filler blank, I would suggest a more usable option - dual (2) zeros.

Dual zeros are accomplished by using the issue (height) front sight, and then replacing the rear barrel sight with a folding sight, like a Lyman #16.

The bbl sights are then zeroed for a relatively short range (say, 50-75 yards), and the tang sight for a significantly longer range (say, 125-150 yds).

In practical use, the rifle's hunted with the rear bbl sight "up", and the tanger folded down - in case a sudden shot at game presents.

If/when game is spotted at a longer range, I've always found that there's ample time to flip up the tanger & fold down the bbl sight to make the shot.


.

[Pitchy]

Welcome aboard.

[Don McDowell]

You will get the most elevation from your tang sight with the lowest front sight you can put on.
That middle lyman will likely be your most versatile, in that it will give you decent elevation, without having to cheek the stock real hard, yet won't use all the elevation adjustment to get a zero at distance.
Depending on what you're shooting with that rifle the inserts that come with the Lyman 17 may not work real well, and if that turns out to be the case, then you can order a set of Lee Shaver inserts for that sight from Buffalo Arms co. There'll be enough different shaped inserts there to handle about any type of shooting.

[M. M. Wright]

Welcome, Treetop !

Generally, tang sights can use any height front sight, but work best when the front sight's as close to the same height as the issue front as possible.

While some remove the rear barrel open/iron sight, recommended for a clear receiver sight picture, and replace it with a dovetail slot filler blank, I would suggest a more usable option - dual (2) zeros.

Dual zeros are accomplished by using the issue (height) front sight, and then replacing the rear barrel sight with a folding sight, like a Lyman #16.

The bbl sights are then zeroed for a relatively short range (say, 50-75 yards), and the tang sight for a significantly longer range (say, 125-150 yds).

In practical use, the rifle's hunted with the rear bbl sight "up", and the tanger folded down - in case a sudden shot at game presents.

I second this combo as I use it on several of my rifles. And welcome to the fire!

If/when game is spotted at a longer range, I've always found that there's ample time to flip up the tanger & fold down the bbl sight to make the shot.


.

[AJMD429]

Here's what I did with my 24" Rossi octagonal levergun (.357 not .45, but same setup)...

• > http://www.levergunscommunity.com/viewt ... =1&t=20359

I used the 'lowest' globe base - see the thread above for details.

[Griff]

IIRC, most factory front iron sights on my mdl 94 Winchesters are about ¾" above the centerline of the bore when installed. That's the same for both rifles and carbines. And the 2 rifles with globe front replacement sights are the same. So... taking that correlation, I'd recommend that you just find the height of the factory front sight, and get a globe with the same measurement.

With that said, I just measured the one on my 20" octagon barreled Rossi 92 in .45 Colt. The front sight is only about .613" above the centerline of the bore. The flats at the muzzle on this 20" 'Rifle' measure at .812". On my Uberti 1873 24" octagon rifle the muzzle measures .742 across the flats and the sight is approx. .544 above the centerline of the bore. I don't have a 24" barreled mdl 1892. I know that COSteve has one in .357... maybe he has a dial caliper and can give you some measurements that could at least get you into the ballpark.

My .45 Colt 1885 Browning with a ½round/½octagon barrel has both barrel and a tang sight on it. With the tang sight up, the barrel sight is just barely visible in the bottom of the peep, when the front sight is centered in the peep. With the tang flipped down, the barrel rear sight give me a good sight picture to about 100 yards on its lowest step, flip up the rear sight... well, let's just say that my POI jumps up about 5"! That's with my "cowboy action" loads of approx. 850fps with a 200 grain bullet. I'm extrapolating info here, as I know what that load does from both 20" and 24" barrels from different actions and its trajectory. Basically, what M. M. Wright said.

Barrel sight shot on lower portion of plate, tang peep shot on upper portion of plate... approx. 40 yards. Plate measures 12" in height (sight hold was on bottom edge of plate in both cases, which is a sight picture I like. But to each their own.):


But, since I seldom shoot at "paper" there's just a bunch of redneck engineering here at my place!

[Griff]

Oh yeah! and Welcome to THE Forum!

[Nate Kiowa Jones]

Howdy and welcome,


This Rossi 92 is a 45lc converted to 454 casull, with a Marbles rear and Lyman 17a up front. It's the low one.

[Treetop]

Thanks to all for the warm welcome and providing me with the information I need about the Lyman globe front sight!

Also, thanks for the folding "middle" sight idea, Pete44ru and M. M. Wright.

Has anyone else noticed when joining an online forum, sometimes the "newbie" is treated much like a leper after their first post or question, whereas other forums, like this one, you just "feel" an immediate kinship with the other members?


Thanks again for all the help, and the beautiful levergun pictures! Tt.

[ollogger]

Glad you are getting some good ideas for your gun, I put a lyman tang on my 45 Rossi
along with a low front sight with a fair sized white bead

welcome to you & all your guns


ollogger

[Treetop]

welcome to you & all your guns

I have been very fortunate, ollogger. My Dad was an avid hunter, shooter and collector. As his only son, I was the recipient of probably 35-40 various long guns and a few sidearms. His passion was Browning A-5s made in Belgium and Winchester Model 12s. He also couldn't seem to pass up a .22 rifle. He didn't care if it was a 10-22 or an old beat up Sears and Roebuck bolt action, he loved em, bought em, shot em, and left em to me.

I'm not a wealthy guy by any means, just an hourly paid machinist and tool/die maker, but I'm almost always able to work a little over time for "extras" like gun purchases and special items for Mrs. Treetop

She wants me to retire and move to our place in central Texas (25 acres that was ALSO inherited from my Dad!), but I'm not ready to be tied down to a fixed income just yet. I've worked for the same company for almost 36 years now. We have excellent pay and benefits... hard to walk away from + I still really like my job, precision machine work...

I guess I just didn't want to sound like I'm a big shot rich guy with 3 gun safes and a huge mansion, etc. I'm not and I apologize if anyone got that impression. Reading my first post again, it does sound like I'm bragging... Tt.

[ollogger]

Naw, I for one never give it a thought that you might be loaded & have a bunch of guns
I got more guns than common sense! I pick em up when i can, but its more often I cant
I make a living with a frill throwed in once in a while


ollogger

[AJMD429]

I'm not a wealthy guy by any means, just an hourly paid machinist and tool/die maker, but I'm almost always able to work a little over time for "extras" like gun purchases and special items for Mrs. Treetop

Lots of machinists on the forum and among gun owners in general. Probably because they appreciate fine machines (guns) and precision (target work, reloading).

[Treetop]

Lots of machinists on the forum and among gun owners in general. Probably because they appreciate fine machines (guns) and precision (target work, reloading).

Yes, that's exactly what led me to my 4 year formal apprenticeship with the National Tool Die and Precision Machining Association. The VA paid me to attend the program and it has led to me and my family enjoying a nice middle class life style. Later on, I wound up with a degree in business administration, but never really pursued that line of work. I just couldn't get used to sitting in front of a computer and attending endless meetings all day long! Called my old boss back and asked for my machinist job back. I don't know who was happier, me or him!

Anyway, my love of firearms, loading, gunsmithing, and bullet casting, taught to me by my Dad, during the 60s is what led me to a life long love of precision machine work! Tt.