Winchester - 3 Leaf Sights

MOONED

Just a question of curiosity, how common are 3 leaf sights?

I found a 1894, production of 1908 with these sights. The metal is original finish with 30% remaining, but the stocks have been refinished st some point.

I may be able to get the rifle in the $800 range, and would already have passed if not for the rear sight.

EDIT 1:
Below are three images of the front and rear sights. The great debate....purchase or not.....

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Thanks.....Aaron

charliemeyer007

Interesting. 3 leaf implies express sights like for Africa. Would like to see pic's.

tsr1965

Our resident Winchester expert can tell you just how common/uncommon those sights are, on the rifle that you have, and if they were original equipment on that rifle or not. His name is Bert H. I am sure he will find this thread, and it will be very interesting what his insight is.

I actually sent him some photo's of an 1873 in 32WCF, and it has special order sights on it. He said the sights alone are $1100.00-1500.00, IIRC.

In case you have not seen this, it has the proper serial number vs. date made information, and a bunch of other stuff. It was compiled by Bert H, thru a survey, and the factory polishing room ledgers.

http://forums.GunBroker.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=245213

Bert H.

quote:Originally posted by MOONED
Just a question of curiosity, how common are 3 leaf sights?

I found a 1894, production of 1908 with these sights. The metal is original finish with 30% remaining, but the stocks have been refinished st some point.

I may be able to get the rifle in the $800 range, and would already have passed if not for the rear sight.

Thanks.....Aaron


Aaron,

The Winchester 3-leaf Express sight (later listed as the No. 34B & 34C) was an optional sight for a fair number of Winchester models, and it was most commonly used on the Model 1885 Single Shot Rifles, and on the Model 1894 Rifles & Carbines made in the smokeless cartridges. The Winchester 3-leaf Express sight was also extremely common on nearly all of the Winchesters exported to England (UK).

A word of caution... inspect the sight closely, as the center leaf is very prone to cracking or breaking off.

Bert H.

quote:Originally posted by charliemeyer007
Interesting. 3 leaf implies express sights like for Africa. Would like to see pic's.


Google "Winchester 34B sight" and you will find several pictures of them.

rufe-snow

Nick Stroebel's book, "Old Gunsights". Lists in the Winchester section, a "3 leaf express sight". As # 34, circa 1926. Most likely, it was also available years before that.

Unless you can ascertain the 3 leaf sight is factory original, from the shipping records at Cody. Or family records, provenance, old photos etc. I wouldn't be paying extra for the rifle, because of the sights. Both could have been changed out years ago, after the rifle left New Haven.

Bert H.

Aaron,

The sight looks perfectly fine, and it was certainly one of the primary optional sights on a 1908 vintage Model 1894 SRC. That stated, the 3-leaf express sight is not worth any more than the standard No. 44A (carbine ladder) sight.

MOONED

Thank you all for the responses.