Sights on a Lancaster

[Dave K]

Did a search, but couldn't seem to find what I am looking for. My 50cal. Beck has a swamped 42", "B" weight barrel. It needs different sights or something better than what I currently have. Right now I have a silver front blade that is .060 wide and a rear sight that is flat across the top with square notch in it that makes it look as if I have about .030 of light showing on both sides of the from blade. The top of the rear sight is about .140 off of the barrel. It is time to make an improvement for me. What is a good style of hunting sight. How much light works best for most shooters on both sides of the front blade. Is it better to have a square notch or a "V" shaped notch. Pictures are great, if that helps me understand.  I just spent the day with this gun and I think I need some good advice on getting on target and seeing the target better. Frustrated....

[Nate McKenzie]

How old are you. Maybe its time to move the rear sight out the barrel a few inches. Worked wonders for my 60+ eyes.

[Dave K]

Can't say it hasn't passed my mind. I am 56 and have had the gun since 2001. I just think that just maybe there is a better design of sights, maybe not. I thought it was time to take to the board and see what others found worked for them.

[sonny]

I also have problems with getting a better picture with silver front and square notch rear sights.I started looking at military rifles an found my german mauser rear sight was much clearer with iron grey front blade an rear v shape notch.I know that a lot of people prefer a tiny square nick in rear sight an thin front blade, but these people can't understand how older guys with ageing eyes who were crack shots earlier in life ,could never be a crach shot again because of these sight problems,with open v rear sights.I believe that we must(i hate to say it!),open the rear sight square shape or otherwise,more open ,to let more light through so we can focus on alignment of sights.I am now trying different rear sights on my rifle at the range without changing my original rear sight....I take the flat magnetic business cards(you have seen them),an cut small square rear sight coverups with different shape size openings an let the magnite hold them there until i find a shape an size i like....the v shape is winning so far for me!................sonny

[Dave K]

I like that idea of the magnetic buisness card! That is an excellent idea to test it.

[Daryl]

For aging eyes, these are the very best sights I've found. Due to the bead front, if it's a bit fuzzy, the centre of the 'fuz' is the point of impact and due to this, it's a very accurate sight.  I've been using sights like this since 1986 and they are anything but close-range dangerous game sights.  My 14 bore rifle has never shot a 5 shot group at 100 yards and now meters larger than 1.5"- most are 1" to 1.2".  It is a fast, but very accurate sight. The pictures are of my .40 barrel - now a squirrel rifle 1/2 stock, 36" barrel with these sights and is still a 1/2" to 3/4" rifle at 50 yards. 

The bead sits in the "V" notch and doesn't move, it just rolls down into the notch and appears stationary - one doens't have to keep the 'light right on each side as with a blade in a V or U notch.  I think DP is now using this type of sight as well.  I've witnessed Taylor shooting a tea-cup off hand 5 shot group at 100 meters using a longrifle with this sight system - proving it's a good sight for many different people and eye types.

This is my favourite sight - just have to make a new set for the .45.  Suggestion, make the rear sight too high and file it at the range to get a perfect point of impact, shooting off the bags. Just remember to hold the gun as if shooting offhand - some change point of impact if letting the gun recoil by itself on the bags. They must be held with the left (or right-lefties) with the back of the hand on the bags. It's easy with a bit of practise.

Good shooting!

[hanshi]

In looking at the pictures and reading the posts the idea of a bead front & "V" notch "express" rear sounds like something that might work for me.  I'm in my 60s and get by with blade front and a wide filed "U" rear but it's a struggle.  What kind of front bead are we talking about?  What's the best material?  I'd like to hear more about the subject.

[Daryl]

Flintr - The sight has an iron base, with steel blade and 1/8" or smaller rod of brass soldered to it, on a sloping angle, the top being towards the rear.  This bead is filed off square, so any light it picks up, is flat and it shows the true position of the bead.  If the edges are rounded, they'll highlight and will definitely throw shots with varying light conditions.

I notch the angled flat of the blade with a fine needle file so the short bead rod sits in it without you touching it.  Both are finely tinned, with flux. They are set on a brick (fire brick preferred) and head applied to the bottom edge of the base, bringing up the temp until the solder flows.  When cool, the base is clamped in a vice, and the bead is filed to a tapered angle, large to small at the lower end.

I have also used other materials for the sight, but of course, they are best if of one piece, except for the bead - ie: only one solder joint.  I use low contend silver electrical solder, low melting point and it holds just fine.  I've also used 50/50, 30/70 tin/lead(or visa/vis) solders and they all work.

[chuck-ia]

I had the same problem with my 55 year old eyes using a square notch in the rear sight. I used a small triangle file and filed a v groove in it, front sight is steel and around .070", plenty of light on both sides, I can now shoot the gun and actually see what I am shooting at, made a big difference. Actually got the idea from shouldering a friends gun and comparing. He has a silver or brass sight on the front and allways paints it to see it better. Most the time I just leave mine alone and can see it ok. I guess if it were me and was planning on putting on a different rear sight, I would file a v in it and experiment a bit. chuck-ia

[hanshi]

That's what I wanted to know, Daryl; thanks.  I normally file a "U" with a rat tail file.  Think I'll experiment with a "V".

[tg]

I liked a square notch and a front blade painted white on the backside, I don't care much what amount of light shows on the sides and like sights that are fairly low, you will likley have to fiddle around to find what works for you as ageing eyes makes things troublesome one often has to step away from the HC type. I ended up changing completely to smoothbores about the time I started having major issues with the sights, one gun still has rear sights which are forward quite a bit, low and the front blade fills the slot pretty much, I level the front top to the rear top and it seems to work pretty well, low light conditions can be a bit dicy but when shooting close with a smoothbore the sight picture is generaly acceptable...if not another one walks.

[Harnic]

I've given up on political correctness.  I found a sight which is my variation on an actual closed buckhorn sight that works well for my old eyes on my fullstock flint Hawken.  I use an .080" silver front blade with it.  I just center the top of the blade in the opening & set that on the target.  The back sight can fuzz out all it wants, the eye naturally goes to the strongest point of light, the center.  Most folks don't even notice anything different about it as I took a semi-buckhorn, opened the notch with a chainsaw file & soldered a sliver of a 22 cal barrel sleeve in it.



If anyone whines too hard about it I put the rifle away & sit around the fire swapping stories.

[Dave K]

Thanks for the responses. Some very good insights, on sights have been shown!

[Darkhorse]

I started this game in 1996 and for years the simple square notch was just great. Never liked the silver front so it had to be darkened.
But now this is 2009 and I don't see so well.
I can still shoot a decent score on paper with the notch sights but in the woods shooting at deer is where the real problem begins to show itself.
So, on my hunting rifles I'm throwing a little PC to the wind and installing peep sights on the tang.
I've already tried this and like it. On a custom gun (as opposed to one from an assembly line) I use a Williams peep. I take a piece of 1/4" steel and bend it to fit the tang and breech of the rifle. Then you can use the tang bolt as one attachement point plus a 10-32 above it, or 2 10-32's or whatever size you desire. I just happened to have some 10-32's around. Now you attach the peep to the 1/4" plate.
The front sight will need to be taller. I made a couple and they work well. You could also order a non traditional looking sight from Marble sight co. in brass, ivory or fiber optic beads.
I say use what works best for you in a hunting rifle. 99% of the people who see my hunters won't know or care what kind of sights it has on it. The deer that gets the round ball won't care either.