Got my .45 carbine! Problem.

[44 Man]

I was a happy man this week, I brought home my .45 carbine!  Boy do I like this little rifle!  I handled and opened it (it was very clean in the bore) and shouldered it the way you do a new gun.  Then it dawned on me that I have a problem.  When I looked over the barrel and brought the front sight down into the rear, it dissapeared!  My eyes are just having a hard time defining it.  So I got out my glasses (should just wear them all the time)  That was better, but still not anything to do any precision shooting with.  I will make the rear into a receiver with a peep insert, but the front still is hard for me to pick up.  I'm thinking hard about a Williams Firesight, which would solve the problem of shooting the gun, but it is just not going to look correct on this fine, old west looking carbine!  Now, struggle with the sights, or change them to something that works better?  Tough call.  I'll have to think on it some more.  44 Man

[Mac11700]

I was a happy man this week, I brought home my .45 carbine!  Boy do I like this little rifle!  I handled and opened it (it was very clean in the bore) and shouldered it the way you do a new gun.  Then it dawned on me that I have a problem.  When I looked over the barrel and brought the front sight down into the rear, it dissapeared!  My eyes are just having a hard time defining it.  So I got out my glasses (should just wear them all the time)  That was better, but still not anything to do any precision shooting with.  I will make the rear into a receiver with a peep insert, but the front still is hard for me to pick up.  I'm thinking hard about a Williams Firesight, which would solve the problem of shooting the gun, but it is just not going to look correct on this fine, old west looking carbine!  Now, struggle with the sights, or change them to something that works better?  Tough call.  I'll have to think on it some more.  44 Man

Yup...tired old eyes and open sights don't mix well for me either..I stopped worrying about the looks or trying to stay with period sights a long time ago.While being nostalgic may be fun..it ain't practical for me anymore..not on rifles I use regularly.

Mac

[petemi]

I had the exact same problem.  I just broke down and put a red dot on it.  It's not a 300 yard rifle anyhow.  I don't like the way it looks, but I shoot well with it at 50 to 100 yards.

Pete

[Daman]

Well I ain't got old eyes, but if it ain't got a long barrel I just about cannot see the sights. I scope most all of my rifles just because of that. It kinda sucks that every rifle you buy you have to chalk up another $2-400 for a scope. That is a lot of ammo.

Daman

[coues2506]

Put a good 4 power on it and never look back

[xhare]

You know how RCBS makes 'cowboy' styled reloading dies.  Maybe the scope companies should make 'cowboy' styled scopes.  I know you can get scopes built like those from the 1800's (brass, nearly as long as the rifle), but those are super pricey.  Just a regular scope with a brass-like finish would fit a lot of older styled rifles. 

[Doublebass73]

To me a scope ruins the "Handiness" of the .45 Carbine. I had the same problem as you with the factory front sight so I put a 0.570" front firesight in its place and things are much better now. It's a cheap option to try and then if it doesn't work for you you can always go to the scope after that if you have to. I have a Williams FP peep sight I might try at some point to see if that works even better but you need a dovetail riser to raise up the front sight.

[44 Man]

Ok, I think I will get a firesight ordered for the front and one of these Marble's for the rear. I like the usability of this sight. It's really open for a fast picture and yet should work well for some bench work. I'll let you know how it all turns out.  44 Man

[necchi]

Try a little spot of light colored nail polish or "white out" on the back side of the blade.

An Old trick was to drill a small hole in the rear of the front blade and insert a bit of brass rod, ivory, bone or silver.

Lot's of folks with trouble when it comes to ML competition and required "traditional" sights.
 One of the big deals for me is light bouncing off the top of a polished/oiled/blued barrel. I'll hold the barrel over a lamp or candle and "soot" the top too stop the glare.
 An take yer hat off, really, it let's more light get to your eyes. Besides, with me, the glare created from my chrome dome when I take my hat off, helps blind the competition. 

[Blackhawker]

Ironically, I was just out at the range with my CR-45 and either I had a bad day or my eyes just got worse than ever.  I couldn't hit a barn from the inside with that carbine.  All of the past times I've used it, it shot quite well.   
Anyway, I'm thinking of changing sights on mine too.  Even though a 4X scope is the best way to go, I really want to keep the look of the rifle so I've been searching for a different type of classic looking sight.  I might go with a peep as well or maybe the standard Williams that is on the Buffalo Classic.    Does anyone know what the dovetailing size is on the front sight blade?

[bikerbeans]

Necchi is right, I color the back of the front blade with orange paint from a paint ball.  Then I remove it when I am done shooting, water based comes right off.

BB

[S.E.Ak]

Ok, I think I will get a firesight ordered for the front and one of these Marble's for the rear. I like the usability of this sight. It's really open for a fast picture and yet should work well for some bench work. I'll let you know how it all turns out.  44 Man

I have three of those sight and love them. I use the long one as it gets the sight closer to my eyes. I cut a notch through the top of the center peep on one ( kind of like buckhorn) and it sped up sighting in the thick bush

[mannyrock]

  The solution, as many have said, is very easy.

   1.  If you are going to be shooting at black bullseyes on white/paper targets, then go to a gunshop and buy blaze orange sight paint.  Paint the back of the blade.  It will be a great improvement.   This is also good for hunting in the woods.

   2.  If you are not going to be shooting black bulls on white targets, then buy the high gloss white paint, and paint the back of the blade white. This will be the brightest, even in the woods, but you can't use it if there is any snow.

   3.  The Williams Firesights are absolutely great!  No, I don't like the way they look. But, my wife installed a blaze orange one on her rifle many years ago, and it actually gathers light and therefore glows, even in the woods. You will be amazed how well you can see and shoot.    Once you put it on and use it, you will love it, and will just plain forget about the fact that it doesn't look like the Old West.  This ain't a fashion show.  Its about shooting accurately.

  Hope this helps.

Mannyrock   
   

[spikehorn]

With my eyes I haven't used open sights in well over a decade. I recently traded for a 50 cal hawkin and am cosidering having it drilled and tapped for a scope. For me it's function before asthetics.

[bikerbeans]

With my eyes I haven't used open sights in well over a decade. I recently traded for a 50 cal hawkin and am cosidering having it drilled and tapped for a scope. For me it's function before asthetics.

Explains why I have a 4x12x40 scope on top of a 32" BC barrel.   

BB

[Big Blue]

I tried exactly what your talking about, a firesight front with a Williams peep. My eyes had no problem picking up the firesight, but it was more of a bright blur than a defined sight. I've given up fooling myself and mounted a 2-7x32 scope on it. Your right it looks better with open sights, so if I ever decide to hang it on the wall and just look at it I'll put those sights back on.
Don

[v8r]

I put a Burris Timberline 4x on mine. Installed it With oldschool Weaver scope rings(the kind with the blued steel upper strap).It looks very good, and "correct".

[HAMMERHEAD]

I was having trouble getting a good sight picture in direct sunlight with mine, too much glare, front and rear.
I put a Williams WGRS receiver sight on the rear and a Lyman #20 globe on the front. The #20 is larger than the Lyman 17 and gives a wide open sight picture, and the option of different inserts. I went with the plain post front insert, there are others.

[Rustyinfla]

  All my iron sights get a touch of Testor's yellow enamel on the front sight. It comes in the little bottles they use for painting model airplanes or cars. I like the yellow as it seems to pick up light better than the orange. It's cheaper than a firesight.

[44 Man]

I hadn't thought of it but maybe this would be a good place for one of those little 2 1/2 power Simmons.  I have one on a Marlin and it should work and not look TOO out of place on the little gun.  44 Man

[gcrank1]

I still like the traditional Gold Bead front sight (a better all rounder than white bead) and it would still give you the 'look' and work well with a peep.
If you have, or can find an old Weaver B-4 or B-6 (3/4" dia straight tube) or even one of the 'J' series scopes, do some file or mill work on a scope base to take the 'tip-off' mounts and it will be scoped and look way better than a new style scope on one. I lucked out some years back and found a pair of 3/4 X std Weaver mounts to bolt right on, but those are long discontinued (shame, there are a lot of those neat old scopes out there).

[dpe.ahoy]

Much as I like the looks of the rifle with out a scope, I have to accept the fact that I need a peep or glass to hunt with.  I owe it to the animals I hunt to do my best to make a clean kill.  I do like the looks of the Marbles peep you posted, if anyone has used them, I would like to hear how they like them.  DP

[Big Blue]

I hadn't thought of it but maybe this would be a good place for one of those little 2 1/2 power Simmons.  I have one on a Marlin and it should would work and not look TOO out of place on the little gun.  44 Man

That sounds like a good idea to me. I put a 3X on my 16" barreled .500 S+W and it looks more appropriate for that length barrel. It's just a mater of taste, but I never liked it when the scope looks like it had a rifle mounted to it.
Don 

[quickdtoo]

I too can only use a peep or glass, open sights just don't work with my eyes. I had a Weaver V3 on my Colt carbine before the rechamber to 460S&W, I put laminated furniture and more scope on it before the first range trip. 

Tim

[HAMMERHEAD]

Does anyone know what the dovetailing size is on the front sight blade?

Standard 3/8" dovetail.

[gcrank1]

Well.......as 'standard' as 3/8 goes. Its more of a nominal size and not uncommon to be a few (or more) thou' up or down from .375 actual.
BTW, if your replacment is too tight it is accepted practice to file the new sight, not the barrel dovetail.
If too loose it is fair to Locklite it in place.

[HAMMERHEAD]

Well.......as 'standard' as 3/8 goes. Its more of a nominal size and not uncommon to be a few (or more) thou' up or down from .375 actual.
BTW, if your replacment is too tight it is accepted practice to file the new sight, not the barrel dovetail.
If too loose it is fair to Locklite it in place.

True 'nuff.
If your new sight is too loose you can also use a center punch to raise a few dimples on the bottom of the sight to make it a tighter fit.

[gcrank1]

Im always reminded of the fellow who used the centerpunch to 'raise dimples' in the barrel slot (he didnt read the part about doing it 'on the sight base'), and got a nice one dead center. He dimpled down hard enough to make a tight spot in the bore........then complained about the recommendation. Takes all kinds.
BTW, very small tubes of the various Locktite, and other brand, are available at auto-parts houses and probably the 'Mart stores. An old trick was m'ladie's clear fingernail polish (colors are probably as good, but.....what kind of questions you want to answer is up to you).

[Big Blue]

An old trick was m'ladie's clear fingernail polish (colors are probably as good, but.....what kind of questions you want to answer is up to you).

Not that there's anything wrong with that!
Don

[Blackhawker]

Does anyone know what the dovetailing size is on the front sight blade?

Standard 3/8" dovetail.

THANK YOU Hammerhead!!