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Winchester 32 WS Smokeless Sight ~help~

jpcjpc Member Posts: 330 ✭✭✭
Hello

Can anyone show me a picture of the missing spring?  I need to purchase or make one for this sight.

Sure appreciate your help on this one ☺☺

take care and be safe

Comments

  • rufe-snowrufe-snow Member Posts: 18,649 ✭✭✭
    There are reproduction prints from the Winchester 1902 Catalog, of the, "Special Smokeless Rear Sight". In "Old Gunsights" by Nick Stroebel. No sort of spring is shown. I believe that the spring steel sight leaf. Functioned as it's own spring. Because of this there had to be some sort of a tapered cam, (elevator).  To elevate the sight leaf, and hold it into position. None is shown in Stroebel's book.
  • rufe-snowrufe-snow Member Posts: 18,649 ✭✭✭
    The "elevators" I'm familiar with from other sights. Have a series of "steps", machined or formed on the cam surface. The spring steel sight leaf holds it in position. If the sight leaf is elevated to far. The elevator disappears, never to be seen again.
  • TRAP55TRAP55 Member Posts: 8,270 ✭✭✭
    You're not missing any parts, like Rufe said, the leaf itself is the spring. Left side tells you what it fits, Model 1894 in 32WS. Sometimes the leaf needs to have some bend added to get the needed tension. 4 or 5 yrs ago Bert H. cataloged the model 1894's that were made with these sights. I think he has the info on the Winchester Collector website.
  • jpcjpc Member Posts: 330 ✭✭✭
    Thanks again for the information.

    I picked up another sight and have them side by side.

    I will try and figure it out while looking a both of them and  taking into considering what you fellas told me ☺☺☺
  • jpcjpc Member Posts: 330 ✭✭✭
  • jpcjpc Member Posts: 330 ✭✭✭
    Sight on the Left is the new complete sight
    It appears to have a clip attached to the elevator  to stop it from falling out.
    The clip is just north of the little screw you see at the bottom of the picture

    Still working on how to disassemble it
  • TRAP55TRAP55 Member Posts: 8,270 ✭✭✭
    I don't remember seeing that piece before, or have and didn't pay attention, but it's function makes sense. A word of advice, when it comes to these old sights, if it ain't broke, don't fix it, or it will be, and parts are near non existent. In good shape, that sight is in the $200+ range. Wouldn't be hard to make another clip like that one from a thin piece of spring steel. The piece from a binder clip comes to mind. Once the sight is installed, the barrel under the clip would keep it in place.

  • jpcjpc Member Posts: 330 ✭✭✭
    I think I will try to make a clip as you suggest and leave the other complete sight alone ☺

    I will report back--sometime later
  • pip5255pip5255 Member Posts: 1,629 ✭✭✭
    I had some success years back making some clip type parts kinda like your looking at doing and I used feeler gauges to make them but I can't remember the thickness
    just because you could doesn't mean you should
  • jpcjpc Member Posts: 330 ✭✭✭
    great lead and thanks ☺ 
This discussion has been closed.