Folding leaf rear sights.

[northmn]

May not be authentic or even necessary, but I am playing with making a folding leaf rear sight for my deer rifle.  One leaf for up close and one for longer shots as I will be using a fairly modest charge for a 58.  Also I like to have a dead on sight up close.  Want to make one, not buy.  Anyone done that?  Would make more sense to buy one, but what the heck.

DP

[rich pierce]

Taylor or Daryl made their own as I recall. They does everything so nicely I am sure it took a lot of work.  look here and scroll down till you see an awesome multi-leaf sight.
http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=9977.0

or here
http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=4501.0

[Stophel]

Haven't done one, but there would be no real trick to it.  Just sawing and filing.

[G-Man]

There are variations of them on originals. 

At several of the CLA shows and Friendship Wallace has displayed a fine early Shenandoah Valley rifle that has a folding leaf rear sight.

Another interesting variation is on the Wylie Higgins iron mounted rifle (if I recall correctly and am not mixing it up with another great southern gun)- the rear sight on this gun is made sort of like a spring, with a wedge shaped shim that slides under it to raise or lower the sight.  Very cool feature.

Guy

[northmn]

There are variations of them on originals. 
At several of the CLA shows and Friendship Wallace has displayed a fine early Shenandoah Valley rifle that has a folding leaf rear sight.
Another interesting variation is on the Wylie Higgins iron mounted rifle (if I recall correctly and am not mixing it up with another great southern gun)- the rear sight on this gun is made sort of like a spring, with a wedge shaped shim that slides under it to raise or lower the sight.  Very cool feature.

Guy

Is that sight much different than the ones commonly used on a Winchestor 94 or 22's.  thought about using one.


DP

[G-Man]

I went back through my photos - it is not the Higgins rifle thta has the adjustable sight- I will have to see if I can track down which one it is. 

Ian might know if he sees this.

Guy

[G-Man]

OK- it is the "Whale" rifle that has the adjustable sight.  It is made like a leaf spring, and a short screw that butts up against the top of the barrel lifts the spring up and down to adjust elevation.  There is a good photo in the "Virtual Museum".

The rifle that Wallace has displayed is much earlier - Rev. War era - and it has a simple folding leaf to allow to settings.

Guy

[Benedict]

I routinely make a fixed rear sight with 2 levels.  This gives me a "short" and a "long" range sight without having any moving parts and is legal for shoots requiring fixed sights.  I am not sure how to post a drawing so will try to describe my sight.  It looks like a normal rear sight with a notch in it.  The short range sight sight is even with the top of the flat at the top of the notch.  Then I cut a wider notch so that the top of that one is the long range sight.  I am not sure that that explains it and a picture would show it easily if someone can tell me how to post a drawing.

Bruce