Correct sights for a 1914-vintage Winchester 1892?

Post by **Ysabel Kid** » Fri Apr 11, 2008 3:57 pm

Okay - I know that Winchester put on various sights on their lever-actions; especially if the customer custom-ordered the gun and was willing to pay! But I was wondering if their was a "standard" of sorts for the 1892 lever-action. If so, what would that have been, or what would have been the common sight found on one of 1914 vintage?

J Miller · Post by **J Miller** » Fri Apr 11, 2008 4:19 pm

YK,

"I THINK" the most common sights on the carbines were like the ones in Paradiddles 94 he sold: viewtopic.php?t=5667 .

I could be wrong, it's happened before, but that's my thoughts.

Joe

Nate Kiowa Jones · Post by **Nate Kiowa Jones** » Fri Apr 11, 2008 6:31 pm

Joes right. The standard for the carbines was the ladder pictured here on the left. The semibuckhorn pictured on the right is correct for most of the rifles except for the setscrew. The semi on the EMF is period correct (no setscrew). But Win also used a flattop very simular to the one on the older rossi's and the current Puma.

The Carbine ladder is once again available as a reproduction. It's not cheap though. $120

John Y Cannuck · Post by **John Y Cannuck** » Fri Apr 11, 2008 7:09 pm

My 1908 originally had a ladder sight. (Busted version)
Now wears a peep. Gun was pretty much scrap metal when I got it.

Post by **Ysabel Kid** » Fri Apr 11, 2008 10:28 pm

Thanks guys. As I stated in a previous post, I had a real hard time with the sights that came on my "new" 1892 .25-20 that I bought from hfcable here on the board. My eyes are not what they used to be. I'm thinking about replacing the rear with a semi-buckhorn or full buckhorn sight. It sound like that won't be "like-factory", but would be period correct.

Perhaps an ivory-bead front? I've heard some complain of glare off a brass bead. What do you think?

Thanks again,

JerryB · Post by **JerryB** » Fri Apr 11, 2008 10:49 pm

My 1917 Winchester '92 32-20 has a flat top with a very fine notch. I was 15 when I got the rifle and thought that sight was just great, suprisingly I can still shoot good with it maybe tomorrow I can get a good picture posted of the rear sight.

Nate Kiowa Jones · Post by **Nate Kiowa Jones** » Fri Apr 11, 2008 11:51 pm

Ysabel Kid wrote:Thanks guys. As I stated in a previous post, I had a real hard time with the sights that came on my "new" 1892 .25-20 that I bought from hfcable here on the board. My eyes are not what they used to be. I'm thinking about replacing the rear with a semi-buckhorn or full buckhorn sight. It sound like that won't be "like-factory", but would be period correct.

Perhaps an ivory-bead front? I've heard some complain of glare off a brass bead. What do you think?

Thanks again,

JerryB wrote:My 1917 Winchester '92 32-20 has a flat top with a very fine notch. I was 15 when I got the rifle and thought that sight was just great, suprisingly I can still shoot good with it maybe tomorrow I can get a good picture posted of the rear sight.

Are those carbines or rifles?

YK,
the brass will dull down after awhile. The white beads now days are plastic and I've seen a few break off. I don't like them.

Gun Smith · Post by **Gun Smith** » Sat Apr 12, 2008 12:15 am

If you are having "old" eye problems, don't overlook a tang peep sight. Much easier to use than the traditional rear barrel sight. Ther are a bucketfull of pros and cons. I'll let others sort them out.

Jaguarundi · Post by **Jaguarundi** » Sat Apr 12, 2008 1:32 am

Nate Kiowa Jones-Who makes the Carbine ladder as a reproduction?

KirkD · Post by **KirkD** » Sat Apr 12, 2008 8:04 am

Nate is right. I have two original 1892's from that period. One was made in 1913 and the other made in 1914. Both are rifles. The 1913 has the less common flat top rear sight and the 1914 has the semi-buckhorn rear sight. Carbines of that era pretty much always came with the ladder rear sight.

If you got eye-problems, do what I did. I got a pair of glasses for shooting that only have one focal length, infinity. You can't read with them, but they sure make a difference shooting (I'm 53).

3855 · Post by **3855** » Sat Apr 12, 2008 9:11 am

The photo below illustrates the 3 styles of sights that could come as standard on early Winchester Models 1892 and 1894 rifles. Carbines were standard with either the ladder or 3 leaf express sight.

Left to right: the semi buckhorn (most common), the flat top (2nd most common) and the much more rare full buckhorn. The original full buckhorns are highly sought after in the collecting world and I have seen them sell for as much as $400.

[/img]

Post by **Ysabel Kid** » Sat Apr 12, 2008 9:32 am

3855 wrote:The photo below illustrates the 3 styles of sights that could come as standard on early Winchester Models 1892 and 1894 rifles. Carbines were standard with either the ladder or 3 leaf express sight.

Left to right: the semi buckhorn (most common), the flat top (2nd most common) and the much more rare full buckhorn. The original full buckhorns are highly sought after in the collecting world and I have seen them sell for as much as $400. [/img]

Awesome photo! When I try to get that close for detail I get miserable pictures!

NKJ - Thanks for the tip on the "ivory" beads - hadn't though of that!

KirkD - I may just do that. I think my vision is still better than average, and this may have been a combination of a very dark indoor range with a very small rear notch on the sight.

Going to have to play around a bit to figure what works best. May go to the tang site as well, though I love looking at the information on the tang and would hate to cover it up!

I'll keep the original sights safe, so switching it out will just be for ease of shooting.

Thanks all!

JerryB · Post by **JerryB** » Sat Apr 12, 2008 8:01 pm

Sorry,I forgot to say my '92 is a 24 inch round barrel rifle.I think I'll try a couple of pictures and see if I can get a clear one.

JerryB · Post by **JerryB** » Sat Apr 12, 2008 8:43 pm

This is the rear sight on my 1917 '92 32-20

Correct sights for a 1914-vintage Winchester 1892?

Correct sights for a 1914-vintage Winchester 1892?

'92 rear sight