rear sights

[tumbleweed tess]

I am new to the wire and was thinking about joining SASS. I picked up a 66 from Taylors The sights leave a lot to be desired . I was watching a SASS video and noticed that some shooters had what are called Tang sights instead of the open type. Why is that? is one style better than the other?

 

Thanks for any info

TT

[Buck Bisley]

Welcome Tess.

I myself use tang sights and prefer them to standard barrel mount sights on a rifle.

Lyman and Marbles are manufacturers that make tang sights for 1866 rifles.

Marbles offer a better mount system for left to right adjustment than the Lyman; but cost more as well.

Some prefer buckhorn sights.

If you can, the thing to do would be to try as many other peoples rifles as you can before you make a decision.

The tang sights will set you back the better part of $100.

They are a simple task to install them though.

[Jack Houston # 35508]

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=26039/P...HT_WITH_WINDAGE

[Doc Shapiro]

I really like a "flat top" style rear sight. It's basically a semi buckhorn with the wings filed off. I think I got mine from Long Hunter. http://www.longhunt.com/gunparts/marbles.htm

[Dirty Chris]

I really like a "flat top" style rear sight. It's basically a semi buckhorn with the wings filed off. I think I got mine from Long Hunter. http://www.longhunt.com/gunparts/marbles.htm

 

+1

 

I started off with the semi-buckhorn but after a while I filed it down to a flat top. I like it much better. A good brass bead front sight, like Manatee's grabber sight helps also.

 

http://www.longhunt.com/gunparts/grabber.htm

[Cpt Dan Blodgett, SASS #75655]

Gus had a ladder sight, but we don't shoot that kind of range - just saying

[Snakebite Dust SASS 75484]

+1

 

I started off with the semi-buckhorn but after a while I filed it down to a flat top. I like it much better. A good brass bead front sight, like Manatee's grabber sight helps also.

 

http://www.longhunt.com/gunparts/grabber.htm

 

 

I am with you here. Have a Manatee big bead on the front and cut my rear sight down with a dremel tool to a flat top

[Frontier Lone Rider]

+1

 

I started off with the semi-buckhorn but after a while I filed it down to a flat top. I like it much better. A good brass bead front sight, like Manatee's grabber sight helps also.

 

http://www.longhunt.com/gunparts/grabber.htm

 

I just ordered two of the Marbles Flat Top Sights and am trying to determine which Grabber Sight to order. Is the larger one better or the thinner?

 

Lone Rider

[Dirty Chris]

I just ordered two of the Marbles Flat Top Sights and am trying to determine which Grabber Sight to order. Is the larger one better or the thinner?

 

Lone Rider

 

I got the smaller of the two (.130), and it's plenty big. I wouldn't want anything bigger than that or else it would just about cover up the targets.

[Cowboy Junky]

I got the smaller of the two (.130), and it's plenty big. I wouldn't want anything bigger than that or else it would just about cover up the targets.

 

Like anything its opinion.....I love the big one and pay little attention to the rear sight unless it’s really small or far. That said carbines are VERY confusing because some have the dove tail for the rear far enough away from the receiver to put on a marbles rear sight.....while others have the flip sight and the dove tail so close you can only use one of these OR have the dovetail re-cut in the barrel. I don't know if it’s a Uberti play of the day thing or different companies request a different rear sight but they do vary from gun to gun. IMO to shoot a carbine you need a flat marbles on the rear and speed sight up front too.

 

Another option for the rear is this.....I have installed the speed sight on the front several carbines and then taken the taller ladder sight and flipped it up and locked it down with lock tight and by turning the screw on the sight down to prevent it from moving. Then I take it to the range and slowly start removing the metal until it is sighted in for my loads. Then I reshape the V and you are good to go and you save a few pennies ae well.

[Cowboy Junky]

Double tap

[Guest Texas Jack Black]

I like a Tang sight I think they enable a faster target acquisition, IMHO

 

 

T J B

[Guest Texas Jack Black]

I like a Tang sight I think they enable a faster target acquisition, IMHO

 

 

T J B

[Korupt Karl]

Take the advice to handle several different types of rifles and check out the sights for target acquisition and how well the sights work with your particular set up and alignment.

 

That being said. A +1 for the grabber sight by Manatee. I have them on both my 66's and my 73 along with a full buckhorn. I find I can get target acquisition and sight picture that works for me. Milleage may vary.

 

KK

[Pancho Peacemaker]

Take a look at this sight from Track of the Wolf:

 

http://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/p...partNum=RS-PM-1

 

I put this in the rear dovetail of my 1860 Henry and it works great. I know several other '60 and '66 shooters who use this same sight.

 

It acts almost like a ghost ring sight. For quick rifle shooting out to 50 yards, it does the job.

 

This is what it looks like on my rifle: http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b231/gso...WS/DSC03452.jpg

[Checotah]

To the OP, many folks, myself included, like a tang sight because you tend to naturally center the front sight in the circular aperture of the rear sight. Assuming you're not moving the rifle (such as to or from the target) it's kinda hard to miss with the tang sight; not saying you can't, it's just not as easy as with an open sight. I use tang sights on all my rifles, including my favorite main match Yellowboy, and usually have no aperture insert, using it as a ghost ring. If there's a special bonus target, smaller and farther out, I sometime screw in an insert at the beginning of the stage, but that's really not necessary unless yer as unsteady as I sometimes am, especially on a longer hold.

 

I do agree with trying various sights to see what works best for you.

 

Good luck, and welcome to the fun!

[Buck D. Law, SASS #62183]

Here is a photo of me shooting Sugah's 66 Trapper which is just like a carbine, but with a 16" barrel. When Cody Conagher had the rifle doing an action job, he put a flat-top sight on the rear, cut the sight off the barrel band and cut a dove-tail for the front sight. The front sight in the photo is the largest bead available from Manatee. You won't find a quicker sight.

[Chicken Coop SASS 5791 L]

Both of our 1866's are/were equipped with a Ruger 10/22 rifle rear sight purchased from Brownell's. Fits perfectly, and shoots straight. The stock flip-up sight was a PITA to shoot.

 

Chicken Coop