Vintage Aftermarket Target Sight

Bob Smalser

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Can anyone tell me who made the aftermarket rear sight that appears to mount to the upper sideplate screw.


Thanks.
 
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It's a Wondersight. These are a very effective way to make a target gun out of a service sighted gun, inexpensively, without having to do any machining. They work, inspite of being ugly. Ed.
 
Does anyone have experience shooting with a currently manufactered Wondersight?
How about front sight height with various length Pre-10 barrels?
I've got them from 2"-6".
 
Parker Hale

Parker Hale also sold an American made rearsight that used the 5th screw hole. In their catalogue for (about) 1968 on page 64 they show a sight with one minute clicks for windage and 12 minutes (so it says) on elevation. See the photo. The writing is too small to read but I think is says **L Pat Pend (** is unreadable).
 

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I have a current production Wondersight on a rechambered .455 HE 2nd in .45 ACP. It works wonderfully (gratuitous pun) with the 6.5 inch barrel. The improved sight picture alone is a great benefit to my tired eyes.
 
Thanks Buford, the sights on early M&P revolvers are difficult at best. I'd sure like to hear about application on a .38?
 
I have a current production Wondersight on a rechambered .455 HE 2nd in .45 ACP.

That's exactly the use I have in mind for it. A 1914 .455 Triplelock converted to .45AR. And for similar reasons. I can live with the skinny sight picture. I can even live with the U-notch. But add the round top profile of the rear sight, and it becomes too much to bear.

I still carry this big girl under my coat when elk hunting.

353616863.jpg


Thanks again.
 
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The bottom gun has what appears to be a PH according an above post. I had always thought mine was a wondersight but maybe not. It is easier keep a sight picture with it. The gun is a 5'' TL.
44group.jpg
 
Doesn't this Wondersight need to be mounted a bit higher than the existing rear notch, so the existing notch doesn't obscure the new sight picture? If so, isn't the gun going to shoot somewhat higher than with the fixed sights?
 
Photo of sight

Co-incidentally, this Saturday I was at a meeting of collectors, here in the UK.
One of our chaps had the sight pictured; it reads "F.D.L. PAT PEND".
The attachment screw is newer than the original.
 

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Long Range Sight

Doesn't this Wondersight need to be mounted a bit higher than the existing rear notch, so the existing notch doesn't obscure the new sight picture? If so, isn't the gun going to shoot somewhat higher than with the fixed sights?

Yes, this was advertised a a long range sight, therefore it needed to be higher than the original. For closer use it was designed for bulleye shooting where the sight picture is taken at the bottom of the black or even in the white (area aiming).
Thus the bullet strikes higher than normal but still in the centre of the target.
 
Here's a few photos of a wondersite that I put on a 4 inch Pre War K Frame 38 years ago, worked just fine for Target work at 25 yds.
H. M. Pope
 

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