Replacement rear sight for 1866 rifle

[Go West]

I have an 1866 that has a ladder sight that is missing the slider portion that I want to replace with a flat sight with the jagged riser. Brownells sells one for $22 (#66H) and wondered if this would fit the dovetail. Thanks in advance.

[Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933]

Yes most Ubertis have a "standard" 3/8" dovetail.  However most sights will require some fitting.  The fitting should be done on the sight and not the barrel.

[Garrison Joe, SASS #60708]

Beware of the dovetail being close enough to the receiver to fail to let the sight fit.  Measure gun and try to get a sight with a short shank length from it's dovetail "tab" back to the rear of the sight.   Had that problem fitting sights to 66 carbines before.

 

Sometimes only a backward installation of the rear sight will let it fit - the blade on the sight sticking forward.

 

good luck, GJ

 

 

 

 

[Colorado Coffinmaker]

 

My personal choice is a "Smiths Enterprise" rear ladder sight.  Expensive but I really like 'em a lot.

[Prairie Dawg, SASS #50329]

Track of the wolf -- My favorite CAS rifle sight:

 

[Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L]

I have this sight on my 66 carbine and 73 carbine.

[Abilene Slim SASS 81783]

1 hour ago, Prairie Dawg, SASS #50329 said:

Track of the wolf -- My favorite CAS rifle sight:

 

I tried looking this up on their website by part number and description, but was unsuccessful. 

[Prairie Dawg, SASS #50329]

I got it from a catalog that I had.
Maybe they no longer carry it.

I would call them.

https://cdn.trackofthewolf.com/Pdfs/catalog/page_245.pdf

--Dawg

[Prairie Dawg, SASS #50329]

Well, I just called TOW, and found that these sights are no longer made!
Too bad -- it's a great rear sight!

--Dawg

[Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933]

Post a photo so we can see where your present dovetail is located.  This will dictate what kind of site will fit.

[Go West]

Here's a picture. 

[Griff]

Monday check with VTI to see of they have part # IC:238055 in stock.  It's the 2nd item #55 found here under Uberti 66 Rifle.

[Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933]

That is the one that is in sort of a bad place.  You can look for one of those short sights that some referred to above.  Here are the two Marbles sizes.  They have a standard and a short model.  Neither will work when installed in the normal position.  What some people do is mount the sight backwards with the blade toward the muzzle.  Looks funky but works fine.  What a lot of people use on that style dovetail is a Ruger 10-22 rear sight.  It works fine.  A last option is to fill the existing dovetail with a dovetail blank and mill a new one further forward.  The 10-22 sight is cheap and easy.

 

 

[Cinch]

There are usually actual Winchester sights on eBay. Even ones that look like the 10/22 sight.

 

Spend $125 and put a ladder sight with the slide on it. Old or used sights might need loc-tite to hold or you can peen the barrel with a punch depending on your notch. Some might be tight as all get out. Dress the bottom of the sight on a stone. 

[PaleWolf Brunelle, #2495L]

 

If you choose to use the Ruger-style rear sight, either black out the white diamond or reverse the insert.

"Rear sights may utilize an insert of the same color as the rear sight to allow easy sight adjustment."

SHB p.35 - Rifle Sights

 

 

[Phantom, SASS #54973]

11 minutes ago, PaleWolf Brunelle, #2495L said:

 

If you choose to use the Ruger-style rear sight, either black out the white diamond or reverse the insert.

"Rear sights may utilize an insert of the same color as the rear sight to allow easy sight adjustment."

SHB p.35 - Rifle Sights

 

 

I just turn them upside down...

 

😐

 

Phantom

[Garrison Joe, SASS #60708]

19 hours ago, Cinch said:

you can peen the barrel with a punch  (for a tighter fit of the sight)

NO!   Put a couple of good dimples in the bottom of the sight base dovetail!    Barrels are expensive and "permanent,"  new sights much cheaper.   And are often made from mild steel rather than alloy steel, like barrels.

 

good luck, GJ

 

PS - a sharp center punch is a great and traditional tool for dimpling the sight base.  Just had to tighten one up that I took a couple thousandths of metal off and the sight would move on it's own when firing a 45-70

[Rafe Conager SASS #56958]

I replaced mine with the one dawg suggested and worked out great 

Rafe 

[Cinch]

2 hours ago, Garrison Joe, SASS #60708 said:

NO!   Put a couple of good dimples in the bottom of the sight dovetail!    Barrels are expensive and "permanent,"  new sights much cheaper.   And are often made from mild steel rather than alloy steel, like barrels.

 

good luck, GJ

Use a sledge hammer!!

In my drawer there are sights what are springy. This how they maintain that elevator gizmo.

 

Epoxy works for expensive Uberti barrels. 

[Sedalia Dave]

2 hours ago, Garrison Joe, SASS #60708 said:

NO!   Put a couple of good dimples in the bottom of the sight dovetail!    Barrels are expensive and "permanent,"  new sights much cheaper.   And are often made from mild steel rather than alloy steel, like barrels.

 

good luck, GJ

 

I use a spring loaded punch to do this. Make sure it is sharp and it will easily dimple the bottom of the base.

[Abilene, SASS # 27489]

I used that 10-22 rear sight on my older 44 spcl '66.  Picked it up at a large gunstore that had a smith, he asked if I wanted the front sight, too.  I said sure.  It is a very small bead but I like it.  They were less than $10 each - he said he had bins full of them since the 10-22 guys all wanted different ones.  These rear sights don't have an elevator but you can adjust the insert up or down.  Just be sure to check that the sight is folded up before you stage your rifle.  Cost me a clean match once.