Unusual Hawken sight detail.

[Dave B]

Original Hawken sight at musem of the fur trade was made to be fine tuned for ellevation. I have never run across this detail before.




Here is a non adjustable sight for comparison on one of their other Hawken rifles rifle

[MuskratMike]

Was the "adjustable" one held in place with a set screw or is it "friction" fit?

[Dave B]

I saw no screw but you can see the dovetail holding the insert  in place. I assume its just friction.

[44-henry]

I am guessing it was never meant to be adjustable, probably done after the fact to change the sight profile.

[smylee grouch]

Adjustable for when sighting in and just left where it was when the gun was shooting where the owner was happy. 

[PhDBrewer]

Interesting find David!
Where was this located?

William

[Mule Brain]

Instead of changing the entire sight, they modded it. I have done something similar before myself, however not as nice as that.

[Dave B]

William, the adjustable sight is on the S.  Hawken rifle in the stand alone glass display case at The museum of the fur trade in Chadron Nebraska

[Dave B]

This is the back of the last sight shown it give a better idea what the sight picture would look like.

[Taylorz1]

Im betting the owner ran out of front sight and wanted a higher point of impact so this was done. A generation later gunsmiths Frank Freund and Walter Cooper frequently put sliding inserts in their rear sights held with little set screws

[Dphariss]

I doubt that the Hawken Shop did this but its possible. IIRC Sam, in and interview, said that no matter what sights he installed people would change them. Someone could have done this in the 1920s or 30s if its a shooter.
I sure would not recreate it if I were building a rifle.
Dan