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Skinner Sight's "Alaskan" Review

30K views 66 replies 35 participants last post by  Eli Chaps 
#1 · (Edited)
In the interest of disclosure, I have long been a fan of Skinner Sights. My affinity for the product, the company, and the folks who make it all possible goes back to ole Doc Tim Skinner and continues on today with Andy Larson and his team. That said, I also own and/or have shot with other manufacturer's sights. It is my intent to presesent an objective review here but you take it for what worth you want to give it. :)

*****

My 336SS was wearing a top-mount Williams FP. This is one of three FP's I own, two of which developed issues in the same year. The one on this gun being one of those two. So, I'd had it with my foray into the Williams products. They are nice for adjusting and I know lots of folks love them, but no more aluminum sights for me. I made the decision to get back to Skinner Sights. I've always been fond of the cosmetics of my 336SS so not just any Skinner would do. My choice was the stainless steel Skinner Alaskan.

At a price point of $135 compared to the $65 of a standard stainless Skinner, it is obviously more than twice as much. However, considering the additional material and manufacturing requirements and the simple fact that it was the sight I just plain wanted, the additional cost was not an obstacle in my decision.

After placing my order on the Skinner Sights website I was promptly contacted with a confirmation email. My sight shipped the next business day and was at my door two days later.

I don't know if the packaging is just fancy for this sight or if it is what Andy has gone to but it's pretty snazzy.



Included in the shrink wrap is my Alaskan, silver dovetail filler, and new front sight (orderd them at same time):



A couple words of caution here; be careful when opeing the package that the mounting screws don't go jack rabbit on ya. I had one make a break for it when the plastic gave a bit. No big deal just something to be mindful of. Also, the sight rests on two pieces of carboard. In between them are your allen wrenches. Be careful not to toss them out with the packaging:



The Alaskan is longer and thinner than the standard Skinner. Not sure about the Express but I believe the same is true of it. I wanted to show some comparison pics of a standard Skinner and the Alaskan, so I went into my gun box. Now, because I know folks will ask, a little background on the standard Skinner you're about to see in the pics. It is something of a factory second if you will. It is a stainless sight but one that accidentally got mixed in with some regular steel sights and went through the bluing process. Obviously the bluing didn't take but the prep and such left it with a sort of dark gray finish. This is not a finish Andy offers just sort of an "ooops" affair. The brass stem is destined for another gun but for the purposes of the comparison, the setup will do just fine.

Back to our scheduled programming...

Here' you can see the height difference:







And the length:



I mounted the standard, again for comparison.







The Alaskan mounts with two screws and unlike the standard, both screws are plainly accessible/visible. It mounts in the inner two receiver holes. Some may have concern over just using two screws but I do not. Just a side note, a little dab of fingernail polish on the ends of the threads will keep the screws plenty secure. I also make sure I clean and protect (in my case wax) the metal on the receiver and the under side of the sight.





The aperture stem on the Alaskan sits back an additional .5" than the standard and Express sights so you gain a touch of sight radius. I don't know if it is a huge difference but worth mentioning. There are those who worry that the Skinner sights are difficult to adjust. I respect that but have not found that to be the case. While the positive click adjustments of the FP are nice, they are for me, far from necessary. This is especially true if you don't change loads very often. One trick is to put a piece of masking tape across the sight base and the sight dovetail mount, markin a straight line across the tape as close to center as you can, and then slice the tape where the dovetail mount meets the base so that it moves freely. This will give you a visual gauge as you adjust the sight for windage. I have to be honest and say I have never done that but lots of folks do. I just adjust with my eyeballs and bullet holes. :) While I have not yet fired through this sight, I most certainly have other Skinner sights and know this one will be just as rewarding as those have been.

The craftsmanship is excellent with much of the final touches being done by hand. However, as you can see in the picture below, the sight does sit up just a hair off the receiver at the end:


It isn't bent and it isn't tension from the screw. I suspect it is from the milling or grinding but it is very minimal and nothing that bothers me. Just pointing it out in the interest of fairness.

With it's sleek lines and beautifully rugged construction I could not be happier. This makes my fourth Skinner peep sight and there will be more in my future. When I turn my attention to my 1895CB, it will get a Skinner Alaskan in the black/gold combination.

A few more pics just cuz...









Some of these aren't the best pics and I aplogize. Me and the camera just didn't seem to be getting along today. :)

If you have any questions, by all means, let me know.
 
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#7 ·
Since the Alaskan sits lower, I would suspect your odds of pairing it to a factory sight are greater. However, that is always subjective and the only way to know for sure is shoot your gun/load and see where you hit.

I prefer the thin blade of the Skinner front sight so mine will get changed out anyway.
 
#9 ·
As I have said on many occasions, well done Erik. I think your pictures are great and seem to tell the story very well. The description of the packaging might also prove to be helpful to those who at times need to open some modern packaging with a large screwdriver and a tire tool like I do :flute: . I would probably be one of the few who might have overlooked the allen wrenches.

I bought a Skinner sight for my 39A and my BIL bought one for his 39M about two years ago. My BIL's Skinner is still on his 39M and I took mine off after about 2-3 trips to the range. I am unsure if I gave the Skinner a fair chance to be quite honest and I will try it again this spring. At the time I took the Skinner off, I could hit almost anything I wanted to hit up to 75 yards ... with factory sights and the Skinner not so much. I do like how the sight radius is longer and the peep sits lower on your Alaskan.

The Alaskan is drawing my interest as I like it's lines but am unsure if I used one on my 45-70 GS that I could do well enough with it (older, tired eyes) to say 100 yards. The only way I would ever know for sure is to try one. I also have a question concerning ice man's 444 Outfitter. Is this identical to the Alaskan or is it a different model?
 
#11 ·
As I have said on many occasions, well done Erik. I think your pictures are great and seem to tell the story very well. The description of the packaging might also prove to be helpful to those who at times need to open some modern packaging with a large screwdriver and a tire tool like I do :flute: . I would probably be one of the few who might have overlooked the allen wrenches.

I bought a Skinner sight for my 39A and my BIL bought one for his 39M about two years ago. My BIL's Skinner is still on his 39M and I took mine off after about 2-3 trips to the range. I am unsure if I gave the Skinner a fair chance to be quite honest and I will try it again this spring. At the time I took the Skinner off, I could hit almost anything I wanted to hit up to 75 yards ... with factory sights and the Skinner not so much. I do like how the sight radius is longer and the peep sits lower.

The Alaskan is drawing my interests as I like it's lines but am unsure if I used one on my 45-70 GS that I could do well enough with it (older, tired eyes) to say 100 yards. The only way I would ever know for sure is to try one. I also have a question concerning ice man's 444 Outfitter. Is this identical to the Alaskan or is it a different model?
You wouldn't be the only the only one Doug. I have other allen wrenches from my past Skinner purchases so I wasn't thinking about it at first and then I thought, wait a second, there should be some wrenches with this. Plucked the package out of the trash and voila, there they were. ;D

Remember, let that peep sight go all blurry. Don't even think about it. Pull the aperature and shoot it as a ghsot ring for a bit and see if it helps. Front sight, front sight, front sight. :)
 
#12 ·
HI Eli....

Good stuff. I have a 336SS XLR. I, too have been drooling over the Alaskan setup. Aside from looks and sight radius, are there any other issues to consider in selecting a short versus a longer based sight? I'm struggling with the price a little. Several months back, i had a thread about my recent cataract surgeries, I think a peep is what I want and will help with the sight picture. Appearance issues aside, does the lower Alaskan 'fit up' better than a taller sight to my gun? And, can Andy set me up with a front sight in stainless that works with either sight (Alaskan or regular)?

Thanks... great pics, and a beautiful rifle!

-Smokiniron
 
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#13 · (Edited)
I agree, Skinner Sights are a top notch product. I have them on three of my Marlins all Express models with two black/gold on my Cowboy's. I would highly recommend them to anyone.

The furniture on your rifle is really nice...... Beautiful 336 Erik, is that the "M" ?
 
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#14 ·
Excellent review! I want to get the skinner alaskan sight for my blued 336. Just got to decide what coloration haha.
 
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#19 ·
Eli,

Thanks for the iron sight link. I'll read it tonight. I'm OK with the appearance of the shorter sight. The 24" barrel on the 336 SS XLR oversomes the 1/2" advantage of the Alaska. BUT the Alaskan sure looks good! Homework to do!

- Smokiniron
 
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#23 ·
Great write up and pics Erik, Thank you!!! :tee:

Those Skinners look Awesome on your 336SS and let me just say, with the furniture on that 336SS i wouldnt think it could get dressed up any prettier, but i would have been wrong! That Alaskan settin atop it just proved me waaay wrong.

That gun is Fabulous lookin!!!!!! :congrats: It just POPs.

BloodGroove4570
 
#24 ·
Erik,
Your "comparison" sight has a brass post. If you remove the aperture and use it as a ghost ring, is the brass hard to sight through as compared to a blued post?

That Alaskan looks great! I've been thinking of a Skinner and that may be the one despite the cost.
 
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#26 ·
Hi Erik, I can't quite tell, did you just tap out your rear sight or did you tap in a stainless blank? I'm looking for a stainless or brass sight blank to replace my rear buckhorn and haven't been able to find one...

--James
 
#28 ·
Nice review Erik! That is a great looking set up and the pics of your rifle with that magnificent wood shorted out my keyboard! Beautiful, man! DP
 
#29 ·
I picked this particular rifle out of a few I was looking at specifically because of the wood. I finally got around (built up the courage) to shedding that MarShiled and letting the grain really shine through with some Tru Oil it turned out very nice. The Marlin wood shop boys were smiling on me when this one was made. :)
 
#30 ·
Did you use the Citrus Strip to get rid of the Marshield? DP
 
#37 ·
Hello Erik,

Thanks for sending me the link to your review. I've been so busy making sights this is the first chance I've had to read it. Great and honest review. The front of your sight should sit flat, we can fix that for you. I'm sure you thought of this but if there is a filler screw in the front hole and it sits slightly proud from the receiver, it would raise it up that way. Again, I'm sure you would be all over that and have it fixed immed.

Like you, I use the edge of the dovetail as a reference point when adjusting the sight. Works the same as a couple of marks, just built in.


VERY pretty wood on that gun. Thank you for posting the photos! Not so much for everyone to see our sight, (thank you for that too) but the gun itself is inspiring!!!

Also, your discription of how to unpackage and to watch for the wrenches would save us quite a bit of extra postage and small parts, wrenches, etc. I'm pretty sure there are a few Skinner mounting screws in the dark corners of customer gun rooms and a few dovetail blanks under the kitchen table, apertures, etc, and wrenches thrown out with the packing materials. We put them there to protect the sight from scratches during shipping.

We had the boxes made about a year ago and are only shipping the Alaskan's in them at this time. Thank you also for recognizing the reason for the difference in price. The Alaskan's take quite a bit more finishing time than our standard rear sight.

The height issue is one of the biggest benifits of the "EXPRESS" and the "ALASKAN" sights. They sit .062" lower which means the front sight can be .062" lower.

Other readers: Please, before asking, "Will this work with my factory front sight" check out our sticky in the INDUSTRY PARTNERS / SKINNER SIGHTS Forum.

THANKS ERIK!!!

Andy
 
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