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Can I find a Vernier Tang Sight for my Win 1892?

3K views 16 replies 7 participants last post by  Davetm 
#1 ·
I'm looking for a Vernier Tang sight for my 108YO Winchester 1892. The tang has existing screws. large one at the bottom and small one at the top of the tang (factory holes and screws) that measure 2.2" center to center. I know I can find either a Lyman or Marbles "Tang Sight", but I honestly don't care for that one "pin" type of peep sight. I've searched the interwoven-net and can't seem to find a Vernier for the 1892. I guess that style wasn't popular for that rifle.

Does anyone know of a source where I can obtain one?

Thanks.

Dave
 
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#2 ·
Contact Tim Hoke, Hoke Sights, Email:
rilandtg@comcast.net
They make superior vernier sights and will provide a base for almost any application. I have three of his sights and several bases and am fully satisfied. A word of warning, the vernier sight is not worth squat for hunting; for target work where repeatable sight settings are required, they are essential.
 
#4 ·
Thanks Gents!! I'll check out both of those. This rifle will only be used for target and plinking. The power of this 115gr. lead wouldn't be much good for hunting anything bigger than a bread box. The rifle balances well because of the octagon barrel, has a nice smooth trigger pull, and recoil similar to a 22-Mag. A quality rear sight will, I think, make the accuracy much better for my shooting.
 
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#5 ·
Dave,

Did you find a sight for your 1892? If I recall correctly, the hole patter and base was the same for the 1885, 1894, and 1892. Tang bolt and D&T behind the hammer. With a soule/varner type sight, no issues with mast hight differences like the Lyman and other period and modern sights use. A short "Schuetzen" mast will do all you need it to do in any of the 1892 cartridges.

If you are still looking, Lee Shaver and Jim Kelley (Buffalo arms exclusive distributor for Kelley) are also quality makers here in the US.

I actually had Kelley make a custom base for a new Win 1892 with the tang safety. He used the 1885 base, flipped the base and detent spring around to move the sight closer to my eye, made a longer front mount screw, and I D&T'd the receiver at the green safe end of the tang safety channel after removing the assembly. Beautify finished job. BTW, I also took some pure lead and tapped it into the safey channel to seal.

Hope you have found or find what you are looking for.
 
#6 ·
PDP.....I'm looking at a few "Soule" type sights and I'll likely be in the $250 range. I use an old adage of "buy once, cry once" as I don't see the less than $100 sights being of good quality and making my life easier. I'll post when I get it here and mounted.
 
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#7 · (Edited)
Dave,

There is one I know of in your price range. On the Marlin I had to D&T one hole. Like is said earlier, the 1885, 1894, and 1892 winchesters all used the same hole space and thread pitch. I think I paid around $225. I took first in the last regional big bore NRA silhouette match with it. Lee's price is up over several years to $260.

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#8 ·
So, what I did (that didn't work) was "found" a Pedersoli Universal creedmore sight at Brownell's. Now, I talked to a rifle specialist at Brownell's before I purchased this. I ask him if the hole distance would fit my 1892....and it did....and I ask him if the sight was durable.....and it appears to be so....and the web site stated it came will "all" mounting screws. .....It doesn't.

However, when I just set the sight on my tang and fold it forward, the sight comes right down on top of the hammer. Not at all IMHO is a good thing. This particular sight is a 2" one.....but for my rifle, it's too long. Shorter would be better.

So, after much thinking and some web searching, I've decided to go with a Skinner barrel mount sight. This will work in my rifles dovetail and it's vertical adjustments come within the parameters that I need. Plus, the sight is compact and appears very durable. The only negative is the peep is on the barrel and not closer to my eye. But right now I "swiped" a Marbles barrel mount peep sight from another rifle I have and the sight picture is good. I'm not a big fan of the Marbles barrel mount peep sight as it needs to have a solid bigger "disc" for faster sight acquisition.

In any event.....that's the plan. It may be the wrong plan......but it's a plan!!! I'll post my results when I get there.
 
#9 ·
However, when I just set the sight on my tang and fold it forward, the sight comes right down on top of the hammer. Not at all IMHO is a good thing. This particular sight is a 2" one.....but for my rifle, it's too long. Shorter would be better.
I thought the sight was supposed to fold back. At least on my Marbles it does.
 
#10 ·
I have several old Lyman and Marble tangs and they all fold to rear. I only have on old ladder type tang and it has been filed down to almost nothing at rear. I know this was done by someone who didn't bother to get the correct rear tang screw and used the original screw. I've got a couple others that got the same treatment.
 
#11 ·
Here's a few pic's of the sight as it would sit if I mounted it. As I stated, folding the sight forward puts the sight against the trigger, and folding it rearward has the aperture sitting right against the nose of the stock.

While thinking about this, I suppose a shorter vernier type sight would (maybe) fold forward and be more compact (if it didn't hit the trigger) but folding it back the aperture would still hit the stock's nose.

Maybe I'm overthinking this?:joyman:



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#12 ·
Well, after much thought I ordered the Marbles Tang sight. Yes....the single post sight that I didn't really want.....but I think that will work out much better than the vernier type. At least on my rifle.
 
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#13 ·
I have one on my 39A. Love it so far. I swapped the original rear for one with a folding leaf. I do not like slot fillers cause they just look like slot fillers.
 
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#14 ·
I received my Marble Arm's post type tang mount peep sight. I will state that after handling this sight, I find it to be well built and very solid!! I read several reviews and even watched a few videos from people who reviewed these stating they were not well built or "strong" in nature. I don't see any of that at all.

I'll mount this and post my results and thoughts.....but right now it appears to be just what I want.

FWIW

Dave
 
#16 ·
I got my Marble's tang sight installed and I like it a bunch. It was "interesting" to install as the tang screw (the big one....not the small one) did not screw in until I did some work on the longer screw.

At first I checked the threads on the new bolt against the threads on the old bolt. Threads matched up at 28tpi and I checked that with a thread gauge. I then mic'ed the diameter of the old screw vs the new screw and found the new one to be (IIRC) about 7-thousands larger in diameter. The new screw would not screw into the lower tang of the rifle. Needless to say.....I was perplexed.

So, I chucked up the new screw in a drill press and with a fine stone made the diameter about the same. Then....using a jewelry file (3-corner) and carefully smoothed out the screws grooves and then re-shaped the end of the screw. A good clean up of filings and a drop of oil and the tang screw went right in.

So now the original screws and original rear buckhorn sight are marked in a box and stored in my :parts of guns: location. Hopefully I'll get to the range today and adjust the tang sight and see how the groupings are. I'll post some pics after that happens.
 
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#17 ·
Here's a few pics of the Marbles tang sight installed. At the range from a bench, I'm grouping about 3" at 100 yards. For a 108YO rifle that's more than acceptable!! Here's the pics:

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