Old eyes and rear sight dovetails

[Darkhorse]

I seem to remember reading in my copy of "Building the American Longrifle", Which I can't find for looking. About an old gun with multiple dovetails cut further down the barrel. Perhaps to compensate for aging eyes?
Well I'm at that stage now and I'm not interested in eyeglasses or those little pin on things with a small hole. The rifle has a 38" Colrane "C" Profile .54 cal. barrel and I finally can get no accuracy. I also have a 38" Rice "B" profile .40 and I can focus on the rear sight real well. When I built the .40 I cut the dovetail further down the barrel to help compensate for focus problems as I aged.
So I'm just wondering if anyone else has done this and the results. I want to keep the primitive fixed sights.
I am also aware that the wall thickness may be thinner in the C profile Colerane. I don't really care about how the barrel will look, I just want my favorite deer rifle back in action.

[stuart cee dub]

The shallow vee rear sight really does work. With either a fat blade or a bead.More than likely you will not even have to move the dovetail.I had a rifle built recently for me even though I have built a number of guns.
The builder Mr Gates suggested the shallow vee. My late 50's eyes are ''reading glasses and computer glasses'' needed.I figured he probably knew something.So I went with the suggestion.

The vee has plenty of light around it, the blade seems to find the bottom well enough,and the front sight is crisp.Taylor has repeatedly written of this kind of sight.Those old british gunmakers pre-optics had lots of clients who needed help in an age of hand ground eyeglasses.It's not just a quick sight for dangerous game.It can be quite precise as well.

Or just move it down and shorten the sight radius .

Really you have nothing to loose .
 

 

[Darkhorse]

I have seen reference to this sight but it brings up a question. How is the bottom of the shallow V shaped in order to use a blade sight? I can see how it would work with a bead but not a blade.
The rear sight has become so fuzzy now I can't tell whether I'm aiming high or low so I'll most likely cut a new dovetail.
This took me by surprise. Medical problems has kept me from shooting a flintlock for quite awhile. Last time I shot it I could see well enough.

[Daryl]

With a blade of appropriate width - with the back rear facing corner filed at a 45 degree angle,- any light striking it's surface will make it glow a square light - depending on your sight, it might even seem round.  Hold it in the bottom of the V just as you would a bead.

I personally prefer a bead.  It matters not how fuzzy that bead might be, the rifle is sighted in to hit in the middle of the bead.  With failing eyesight, the tops of flat objects become fuzzy - indistinct - cannot tell which line is the correct one (for me) - BUT- the ball strikes in the middle of a bead - it just makes sighting easier.

[stuart cee dub]

The eye will center the bead or a blade at the bottom ,just like your eye will naturally center the flat topped blade through a peep.Once it is centered the back sight should be fuzzy anyway .The front sight should be sharp,the back sight and the target should not be and (can't be) in sharp focus .This is what the old target shooters taught.

Younger eyes are able to shift focus more quickly sometimes making it appear you can see both the back and the front in focus equally and at the same time ,they never really could .
 
On my gun for close range just the tip of the blade appears in the sharp bottomed valley ,for long range about 100 yds half the blade .The blade on my rifle is round topped or ,more accurately, elliptical not squared but it does not come to a sharp point.
It really does work.

[Long Ears]

Nope, just move it out to about 15" from the breach. Works great. JMHP Bob

[Darkhorse]

I think I'm getting the gist of the V blade and front sight now. I think first I'll file the blades to a shallow V and shoot it to see how it goes.
If I don't like it I'll just file another dovetail a little further from the breech. After someone slides the sight for me to identify the optimum spot.

[elkhorne]

Darkhorse,
If you decide to move your rear site, try putting a piece of sticky backed magnetic tape on the site and then you can set it anywhere on the top flat of your barrel to experiment and obtain the best position. Good luck.
elkhorne

[Darkhorse]

Made a new rear blade with a V, hard to tell in the waning light but I'll shoot it some tomorrow and decide then which way to go.