Tang Sights

Mistered · Apr 30, 2017

Anyone use a tang sight on a Mod 94? I assume when using one the front sight will need to be changed to a bead style. Now when it is installed and looking through it will (or should) any part of the barrel be seen or will the line of sight be 'clear' - Reason is I made a 'mock up' of a tang sight out of cardboard and taped to the stock of my Mod 94 and used the aperture from a Williams sight to test the practicality of a tang sight before buying one. Mostly I want to make sure I have a clear sight picture as I am dealing with the effects of cataract surgery in my right eye but fortunately it is better than I expected. Anyway I didn't have much to go on other than pictures as a guide but when I look through it I see the top area of the front of the receiver. So you tang sight users please fill me in on the details of tang sight usage! Thanks!

DWalt · Apr 30, 2017

I'd suggest using a receiver peep sight if you just want a peep sight. Much easier and cheaper, and I think more practical. I don't believe that tang sights for the 94 (and similar lever actions) have been made for a long time, although it is possible that someone may be making them on a custom ($$$) basis. One problem is that the sight must be located on the tang beyond the bolt throw.

Onomea · Apr 30, 2017

I suggest contacting this guy, Richard Beck: Home. He has been providing tang sights for many years, knows a lot about them, and is also quite a marksman with them.

H Richard · Apr 30, 2017

I might suggest a long eye relief low power scope, mounted forward of the receiver.

Lonegle57 · Apr 30, 2017

I put a tang sight on my grandfathers 1894 a few years ago, the original sights had a tendency to shoot high. I think it was a lyman sight and I put a globe sight on the front. I decided to hunt with it and took a deer two years ago. Research says it was made in 1906 and is a 25-35, I have it sighted in at 75 yards.

moosedog · May 1, 2017

Marble makes a great adjustable tang sight for your gun and others. They run around a C note. Brownells, Midway..the usuals.

5-Shot · May 1, 2017

I have a tang sight on a Browning Traditional Hunter falling block. It initially was matched with a bead front sight but I eventually went to a small globe. This combination works extremely well for targets but would be hopeless for hunting. I can see perhaps the last 3 inches of the barrel through the sight. I like this arrangement very much and would like to have more like it.

Ed

BAM-BAM · May 1, 2017

Another option...........................

I put a Skinner barrel mount peep sight on my .357 Trapper....... replacing the
factory buckhorn.

Also added the Skinner sight to a 10/22 Take-down and my Ruger 77/357.

Ivan the Butcher · May 1, 2017

The Win 92, 94, and some Low wall rifles use the same sight. Historically, Lyman, Winchester, and Marbles made affordable tang sights for them. I have a 10-15 year old Lyman and is was not affordable ($70ish) and is pretty junky. The sight elevation is held in place with a O-ring instead of with a detent!

Montana Vintage Arms makes honest reproduction tang sights. Both for Buffalo rifles (Sharps, High Wall, and Rolling Block) and for Lever Actions . Their Lever Action Sight is a faithful copy of the Winchester/Marble sight. I have an original and parts are interchangeable! (if you need a aperture or spring like I did) I bought my original Marble's in the 90's at a gun shop (in a junk box) for $4. The MVA catalog lists Winchester 1886 tang sight for $225 with base plates for Original: Marlin, Winchester, and Sharpe Rifles and Modern production and foreign copies.(It comes with whichever one you need!)

The front sight depends on the dovetail. My modern Browning High Wall have a small Lyman globe sight on it My Sharpe 1874 has a larger (but simple) MVA front globe (both use same modern dovetail). MVA make sever vintage dovetail sizes and blanks to cut, for odd ones.

They are on Mountain Time but answer question and send catalogs every normal weekday. Call 406-388-4027. Getting the best measurements you can of sight height front and rear, dovetail width, and screw spacing at the tang will help when talking with them.

They do not have gunsmithing services available, So if you aren't a machinist with a shop, you should find a good one. (I've been lucky, there are a few in every small town in Central Ohio, mostly former/retired Timken employees)

2152hq · May 1, 2017

The 94 (and 92) tang site came w/an extra long tang screw. Used to replace the factory tang screw, the added length allows the tang site base to be added to the stack. The front takes a smaller and short round head cap screw. A proprietary thread, can't recall the thread at the present, but they can be had from a couple sources.
So if you buy an older Marbles or Lyman,,try and get the screws w/ittoo.

They were made to use with the original front site blade. The aperture height, or better the bottoming out point is changed by a small pin in the bottom of the elevation shaft. The factory put the correct pin in place (slip fit) for the rifle and the cartridge the sight was to be boxed up and marked for.
The pins get changed and lost over the years, so some will lower far past where they are usable, but may still be marked on the bottom of the base for Winchesster or a MArlin, ect. Many interchange. The elevation staffs interchange too and those have gotten exchanged in many cases too so you cn end up with one that is too high even at it's lowest adj point for your use. The latter doesn't happen as much.

You can adj the staff once the sight is mounted on the gun for the staff to be straight in the upright position. Not leaning forward or back which will effect how you sight through it obviously. Trying to get a clear picture through a tipped aperture,,,you may as well go back to open sights.

I've never played with the repro Lyman tang sights. I have quite a few of the originals on different rifles and like them, but some people don't.

A side mounted micrometer adj peep is another thought as someone stated. The only thing is that it'll require drill and tap of the older rifles not already factory done for them. Some people don't want that, others just want to see the sights well.

30-30remchester · May 1, 2017

I have worn out a few guns using tang mounted peep sights. I have a love hate relationship with them. The older ones are beautifully made pieces and highly machined and designed. The best iron sight shooting I have ever done has always been with tang peeps. My one dislike is they are tender and vulnerable to damage. That delicate sight when raised is easily damaged. I hunted hard most of my life and my guns show it. Sitting in a tree stand these will last many lifetimes. Stumbling through snow covered lava slides, and wading rivers gets things bent and broken. I keep mine folded down till the moment of shooting but this is a drawback when jump shooting. I have 7 guns at the present with peep sights. Receiver sights will do no good on your rifle as they were not drilled and tapped for such a sight and doing so greatly devalues you rifle. I am not fond of most receiver because of their very large size that just not look "right" on many guns, the Winchester 94 especially. I have made a few receiver sights that was just a piece of steel with a hole drilled into it. I have used some extremely strong adhesives to attach them to un-drilled receivers. No permanent damage to the gun as they can easily be removed using heat to warm the glues.

LoboGunLeather · May 1, 2017

I have Lyman tang sights on a couple of antique Winchester rifles. Very effective when properly mounted, zero'd, and used correctly. Function of aperture-style sights must be understood first:

1. The human eye, when looking through the aperture sight, will automatically seek and find the center. All that is required is that the shooter focus his eye on the front sight and align it with the intended point of impact. It actually requires a conscious effort on the shooter's part to misalign the sights because of this tendency to focus on the center.

2. Aperture-style sights generally provide a much broader view of the target area (actual target as well as surroundings) than other types of metallic sights. This can be an assist in hunting applications.

3. Tang-mounted aperture sights provide about the longest possible sight radius (distance between front and rear sights) which, in itself, aids in accurate shooting.

4. Just about any type of front sight (post, blade, bead, globe) can be used with aperture sights. Choice will depend on the intended purposes (globe sights work very well for well-lighted range use and precision shooting, while bead sights seem to work best for general hunting applications in which lighting conditions, terrain, and fauna are common factors). Front sight height can be a factor with some aperture sights; more so with receiver sights than tang sights because of the greater range of adjustment allowed by the tang sight.

With regular practice at various ranges the experienced shooter will develop a good feeling for any necessary change in sight picture (holdover, etc). I usually zero my hunting rifles to shoot about 3" high at 100 yards, allowing me to use the same point of aim on game animals between 50 and 200 yards (yes, some variations exist due to caliber, load, bullet style, etc).

I hope this helps you make your decisions.

Mistered · May 1, 2017

Thanks for all the help! My cardboard 'mock up' worked well and proved I can use a tang sight. I am already familiar with peep sights as I have Williams' receiver sights on my other levers but the 1899 is not drilled and tapped for one so that's out. Going to start shopping and it looks like it's either Marble's or Lyman - but I have heard some not so good things about the NEW Lymans so if anyone has one, or an opinion about it please chime in!

Ivan the Butcher · May 2, 2017

Ivan the Butcher said:
I have a 10-15 year old Lyman and is was not affordable ($70ish) and is pretty junky. The sight elevation is held in place with a O-ring instead of with a detent!

The outside is identical to the original, it is the O-ring that is the problem. It can work correctly then after a few years of storage it dries out and cracks/breaks, and then you have a worthless sight until replaced and re-zeroed. There are no felt "clicks" so elevation adjustment is buy guessing. There never was any adjustment for windage

Lyman Customer Service since the ATK takeover has gone out the window, so I wouldn't hold my breath on any support after the first year.

Ivan

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