Levergun sights, late 1800s to early 1900s.

[J Miller]

This question is for those of us who collect and shoot the old leverguns.

I've seen many with small post type sights on them, both rifle and carbines.
Then I've seen less with bead sights.

My question is which is, or was the most common sight used on the lever guns of this time period?

If I don't have my Marlin 1894 D&T'd for a side mount sight I want to fit it with more period correct sights.

Those of you with pictures of the old guns please post them. I love pics

Joe

[bsaride]

Get your hands on a copy of Old Gunsights a collector's guige, 1850-1965.
An excellent source for old sights listed by mfr and gun model, lots of pics.

Since I'm relatively new to lever guns, I'll let the others tell ya what was
most popular. I think there are a couple schools of thought on this one.
Rocky Mountain front sight (vertical blade soldered to horizontal dovetail)
and rear sight (semi-buckhorn), windguage front with vernier tang sight for the target shooters on early guns is what I an guessing at.

[Leverdude]

Joe,

Older Marlin carbines had the front dovetailed & dressed up so it looked like one piece. This ones a second variation I believe. The earliesat had a block dovetailed like this with a blade pinned into a slot. This is a pre ww1 1894 barrel

A carbine would have a sight real close to this, its now mounted on the gun pictured above. Only problem is theres zero elevation adjustments. I'v been fileing it down but its still high, getting closeer tho.




This is a repro Marbles similar to those found on some old Marins, I believe its off a Cowboy model,


They used front sights like this alot, mostly on Rifles tho I think. Least every gun I'v run across with one was a rifle, I'm speaking of the front sight on the upside down gun.


Heres a not so good pic of the sight that came with that gun. Its a semi buckhorn missing the elevator. I have one that fits but dont think its correct. I believe its a Rocky mtn sight & should have a harpoon type elevator.


If you look carefully at the first picture of the upsidedown 93 you can see iit wears a reciever sight. Its known as a Hepburn sight & the gun came driled & tapped for it. I took it off when I found an elevator for the original but might put it back.



Anyway, hope this helps even a little.

[J Miller]

Leverdude,

Great pics, thanks.

OK, lets get a bit specific. "IF" my 1894 Cowboy 20" octagon barrel, had been made say in 1895, what would the most likely sights been on that?

Would they still have been the flip up ladder rear with the front sight like the upside down rifle?

I have to admit I don't like the Marbles sights that are on this gun. I don't mind the semi-buckhorn rear so much except I hate that double sided elevator. It keeps twisting off to one side and just looks cheap.

Plus I'd like to put a post front sight on it and I keep thinking I'd like to get one similar to those I've seen with the little lock screw in them.

But if I'm going to do this I would like it to be as period correct as I can.

Joe

[Pete44ru]

Joe - The older carbines, including the .25-20 & .32-20 M92 Winchesters I've owned, have all had the "proper" ladder-type rear barrel sight with the square-based small post - as in leverdude's 1st & 2nd pictures.

It's the longer barreled rifles, usually denoted by having a rounded buttstock comb top with either a crescent or "shotgun" buttplate, that were generally issued with dovetail bead-style front sights and some sort of long-leaf rear sight w/step elevator.

It's the factory options of the period, that make things confusing - since a buyer could order "whatever" sights for any gun he wanted - including peeps & tangers.
There are entire pages of sight options in the old catalogs.

So, just like today- a gun owner could have any type sight he wanted - the only difference being: Back then, the factory did it for the buyer, not the "aftermarket".

[Leverdude]

OK, lets get a bit specific. "IF" my 1894 Cowboy 20" octagon barrel, had been made say in 1895, what would the most likely sights been on that?

Like those on the 93. I have an 1889, direct predecessor to the 1894 that came wearing about the same sights. The front was shorter than the 93 & the rear had been filed down but I believe they were original.
You can get repro fronts here.
Theyre on the bottom left pictured with a carbine ladder sight.
http://www.gun-parts.com/marlin/
I dont know if they have the rear ones.
Rifles were set up this way & carbines the other, mostly, in the beginning.
They could be had tho with about anything you wanted from what I gather.

[Andrew]

This is old but I have been told they may not be "original". Winchester 94, 1906

The front one says "Marbles" on it

[marlinman93]

Joe,
In 1895 your 20" full octagon 1894 would have been cassified as a "short rifle" and as such would not have carbine sights. It would have come standard with a German Silver front blade (Rocky Mountain) and a buckhorn rear wit "harpoon" shaped elevator, as used by Marlin and Savage then.
Optional sights from the factory were Lyman or Ballard, but not Marbles. Marbles sights would have been a dealer or gunsmith installed item, a Marlin didn't sell these as an option.
Pre 1890 Marlin buckhorn rear sihts had small points on each side near the bottom, which were pretty sharp! Not sure why all the early Marlins had these, but I bet folks were glad when they dropped the points!
I don't have a great picture, but here's my 1894 with std. sights.

[marlinman93]

Andrew, your front sight is a Marbles-Sheard.

[J Miller]

Val,

Thanks, now I'm beginning to see.

When you get a chance could you take some clear up close pics of those sights?

I've got a couple links to places that sell these old types but they don't show the sights you and Leverdude are showing me. Do you have any links to sources for those sights?

I do know I don't care for the Marbles sights that are on my 1894.

Joe

[J Miller]

Vall,

Have you had a chance to take any close up pics of the sights on your 1894?

Still curious about them.

Joe