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`1873 Winchester

dodge69dodge69 Member Posts: 949 ✭✭
edited July 2013 in Ask the Experts
I have a 1873 and a 1892 Winchester they both have Rocky Mountain front sights. one has the sight with the high end at the front of the barrel and other has it pointed to the receiver. I can't find a picture anyplace with this sight and was wonder which way it should be mounted? Does anybody know if either gun really came with this sight?
One has brass in the sight the other is silver.

Comments

  • dcs shootersdcs shooters Member Posts: 10,870 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Here is a old post on them,
    http://forums.GunBroker.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=395641
    and if yours is like this one, the tall end goes to the rear.


    $T2eC16VHJIYE9qUcNk+mBRy2v28ZO!~~60_57.JPG
  • dodge69dodge69 Member Posts: 949 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Thank you dcs shooters. Mine looks a lot like yours but the blade is not at thick and on either gun it is not blue. One has a brass blade and other looks like stainless to me. I think maybe I have a couple guns that do not have the real deal for a front sight. Got one that has been put on right the other ain't
    thanks for the old post. I wouldn't want any of that action. I got a lot of old Winchesters and have not idea if there was a right or wrong sight for any of them except the NIB's I have.
  • Bert H.Bert H. Member Posts: 11,281 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    The true ROcky Mountain front sight was standard on the Model 1885 Single Shot (high-wall), and special order on the Model 1886 and 1894. The correct orientation is with the tall end of the sight nearest the rear sight. Most Rocky Mountain front sights were blued steel with a vertical platinum line insert.

    WACA Historian & Life Member

  • dodge69dodge69 Member Posts: 949 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    So Bert it looks like I was right, I got a 1873 and a 1892 with the rocky Mountain front sight and it should not be on either rifle.
    The one sight is blued steel and I guess the silver colored insert is platinum. The other one is brass and looks good to me, just not the right sight.
    Thanks for your input.
  • rufe-snowrufe-snow Member Posts: 18,650 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by dodge69
    Thank you dcs shooters. Mine looks a lot like yours but the blade is not at thick and on either gun it is not blue. One has a brass blade and other looks like stainless to me. I think maybe I have a couple guns that do not have the real deal for a front sight. Got one that has been put on right the other ain't
    thanks for the old post. I wouldn't want any of that action. I got a lot of old Winchesters and have not idea if there was a right or wrong sight for any of them except the NIB's I have.


    Unless it's a modern made replacement? More than likely the sight blade that appears to be stainless, is a metal alloy known as German Silver. It was sometimes used for sights back then. Although relatively soft and not as durable as iron/steel, it stood out well against a dark target.
  • Mod1892Mod1892 Member Posts: 120 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Dodge69,

    I have seen numerous ledger entries for the Model 1892 that lists the Rocky Mt sight as having been put on the gun originally. They are not common but it was possible. Can I get more information on your 1892's for a survey I am working on? Send me a private message and I will return my email address to you.

    Thanks
    Michael

    Model 1892 / 61 Collector, Research, Valuation
  • kimikimi Member Posts: 44,719 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Lots of the guns Winchester, Whitney-Burgess & Kennedy, Marlin, and Colt Burgess of the 1870s and early 1880 era used the German silver Rocky Mountain blade sight.
    What's next?
  • dodge69dodge69 Member Posts: 949 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Had a smith check out the Rocky Mountain sight on my 1873. He tells me it is a reproduction using stainless steel for the blade. Guess I will start looking for something real.
  • pdog72pdog72 Member Posts: 78 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have this sight on one of my 1885s, and on a newly acquired 1873 deluxe that appears to be 100% original to the rifle. I think they are a good looking sight. Guess I haven't shot with one enough to comment on the function of them.

    Gary
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