Unknown $5 Rear Sight for BC - Thoughts?

[Bossloper]

First, I know it's not pretty, but it will get a facelift if it works out. Was at a gunshow and was going through a box of rusty stuff at a booth and came across this sight. The screw holes were off by about 1/16" so I thought I'd give it a shot for $5. Everything in the box was $5. I had to dremmel the rear hole a smidgen so it lined up and the screws from the Williams peep sight it came with worked perfectly. I'm hoping to get it to the range tomorrow to see how it does and will report back once I do. There's lots of adjustment vertically & laterally so I'm hoping it'll be okay for long range shooting. Does anybody know what kind of sight this is or what kind of rifle it came off? I'm guessing some kind of old military rifle, but I don't know anything about them so I thought I'd ask. Anyways, I put a few pictures below. Thoughts are greatly appreciated. Brett

[quickdtoo]

Looks sort of similar to the Smith sight except for the windage adjustment, looks like it should work fine, and you sure can't be the price. I'm wondering if you can get a peep slider for it or modify that one, the notch doesn't work very well for old eyes.

Tim

[woodchukhntr]

Cool sight!  I've never seen anything like it.  If you replaced the Williams peep sight, you might not be able to focus on it, that's why open sights are so much farther forward than peep sights.

[quickdtoo]

That's why the Smith sight comes with a peep slider, pics are of Bernie's BC.

Tim

[Bossloper]

It has a peep hole in the lower part of the slider. Look at pictures one & two and the little square section below the slider is a part of the slider. The little hole in it is the peep so you can shoot it either way, which is kind of neat. Do you think it would it be legal for cowboy action long distance shooting?

[rak55]

the sight appears to be from a Krag-Jorgenson, I think 1898 model and worth a bit more then $5 or it was until it was ruined by reaming it.

[quickdtoo]

It has a peep hole in the lower part of the slider. Look at pictures one & two and the little square section below the slider is a part of the slider. The little hole in it is the peep so you can shoot it either way, which is kind of neat. Do you think it would it be legal for cowboy action long distance shooting?

Ok, I see it now, dunno about CAS, but I know the BC isn't legal for some competitions, maybe it's just the standard WGRS tho. 

Tim

http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,65527.msg397781.html#msg397781

[Bossloper]

My reading of the SASS manual says it should work. The manual says the "rear sights must either be open iron sights mounted on the barrel or original style tang or stock wrist mounted peep sights.  Long range rear barrel mounted sights of the flip-up ladder type may use a peephole drilled through the sliding sight leaf." I've read on several forums where folks are using the BC's, but that the Williams sights are illegal. I guess I'll know for sure when I go to my first shool this year.

As for my messing up this sight, I looked online some and I don't think this a $170+ sight, and since that's what a new Smith sight would cost, $5 works excellent for me. It was pretty rusty until I gave it a bath in WD40 and took the copper brush to it. And it had some bad rust on the underside that the wire wheel had to be enlisted for removal. If it works I'll clean it up some more and maybe reblue it. But it's raining here today so it's not going to go to for a walk today.

[dpe.ahoy]

I'd say ya made a great find.  Not often you get real good deals at gun shows anymore.  I did score some more 357 max brass at one yesterday, 100 pcs for $29.00.  That gives me 450 total, so now time to ream.  DP

[MSP Ret]

Congratulations, that is a fine looking sight. I wish I could find one just like it for my gifted Handi 30/40 Krag barrel....<><....

[Chas.]

Here's a similar one on ebay at $9.99 right now.  Somebody is putting a lot of these Mauser ladders on ebay lately.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170315695610&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:US:1123

[Bossloper]

No kidding about gun shows. Prices were pretty stout at the last couple I've been to. I've been looking for rear sights on gunbroker and have seen quite a few different types of older military sights that would probably work on top of the BC. You just have to make sure that the base is designed to sit on a round barrel and has places where you could drill holes if you need to. I picked this one over the others in the box because the hole measurments were so close to the BC's. Many of the others I handled would have worked but I would have had to drill a hole or two holes. Some of the Mauser sights I've seen with the barrel ring would work, you just have to cut the ring off & drill holes in the base.

[truckysm]

It does look like a Krag sight, the 1901 version.

[Gerry N.]

Here's a similar one on ebay at $9.99 right now.  Somebody is putting a lot of these Mauser ladders on ebay lately.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170315695610&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:US:1123

That is not a Mauser sight part.  It's a stamped MkII ladder for an Enfield #4 rifle. It's also missing the finger stop to adjust it for elevation.  Why anyone in his right mind would bid on that junk is beyond me.  That part is easily found complete in it's machined counterpart for about $10.

The sight on the BC is a M1910 Krag sight.  Worth about twenty bux to a willing buyer.   If it was in better condition, maybe thirty.

Gerry N.

[Bossloper]

Thanks Gerry. I feel better knowing it was only a $20 sight that I took the Dremel to. And I'm not sure it would have been that in the condition I found it in.    Thanks, Brett