Chiappa 44rem mag or 45-70

I tried it with the ghost ring aperture, then tried it with the dot sight. I'm a huge fan of the ghost rings. But the dot site was much faster to get on target, and more accurate as well. I like the ghost ring lower profile, but had to admit the dot sight really improved the effectiveness of the gun. And with my aging eyes, it was a serious upgrade.

The buggaboo with yer rifle is that the peep sight you used was mounted in the barrel dovetail slot of the factory open sight. This is a piss poor option due to the very short sight radius coupled with a peep set out too far from the eye for quick acquisition. Pity the Chiappa '86 versions don't have the bolt mount aperture option like on the Pedersoli 86/71.

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The buggaboo with yer rifle is that the peep sight you used was mounted in the barrel dovetail slot of the factory open sight. This is a piss poor option due to the very short sight radius coupled with a peep set out too far from the eye for quick acquisition. Pity the Chiappa '86 versions don't have the bolt mount aperture option like on the Pedersoli 86/71.

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Ah yes. Skinner are starting to do the 1886 Bush Pilot rifles with the peep mounted on the bolt:

https://gunsmagazine.com/gear/skinner-sights-bush-pilot-45-70/

G0719-BUSHPILOT-8.jpg


Your other option of course is to get the XS Ghostring which mounts across the back of your 1892.

ATB,

Scrummy
 
I tried it with the ghost ring aperture, then tried it with the dot sight. I'm a huge fan of the ghost rings. But the dot site was much faster to get on target, and more accurate as well. I like the ghost ring lower profile, but had to admit the dot sight really improved the effectiveness of the gun. And with my aging eyes, it was a serious upgrade.

i came to the same conclusion as you. love the Holosun 403c on mine with the low mount
 
Next time to the range I'm going to compare real world accuracy/speed with my marlin with the rear Williams peep my chiappa with the stock aperture and then the red dot on standing at 50y. should be interesting.. I know that the one downfall of the forward aperture is the use in lower light which i feel the red dot will shine in. ;)
 
Mounting a rear peap on my Chiappa isn't optimal because it is a takedown model. As long as both rear and front sights are on the barrel, you don't lose zero when you takedown the gun. I've had several levers with the rear mounted ghost peep, and was a real fan. But honestly, after using this green dot setup, I can say I prefer it quite a bit over the peeps. Especially because dot sights have improved so much. This Holoson has a battery life of about 5 years if left on. And has solor panels to run the dot even if the battery is dead. Although the orange front sight on the Chiappa is wonderfully bright, the dot sight is exponentially better in the real dim light. But that's personal preference.
 
Having an aperture rear sight on the barrel completely does away with the usefulness of the system.

You don't aim with an aperture rear sight, you just look through it and focus on the front sight. Your eye automatically looks through the center of the aperture in the same way you unconsciously look through the largest part a window, not one edge.

Effectively, you don't see the aperture, you just look through it, which is why it is sometimes referred to as a ghost ring.

While the front sight is sharp, the target is slightly out of focus, but it is relatively easy to put the front sight where you want it. The farther away the aperture is from your eye, the less this is possible.

Ted
 
Mounting a rear peap on my Chiappa isn't optimal because it is a takedown model. As long as both rear and front sights are on the barrel, you don't lose zero when you takedown the gun. I've had several levers with the rear mounted ghost peep, and was a real fan. But honestly, after using this green dot setup, I can say I prefer it quite a bit over the peeps. Especially because dot sights have improved so much. This Holoson has a battery life of about 5 years if left on. And has solor panels to run the dot even if the battery is dead. Although the orange front sight on the Chiappa is wonderfully bright, the dot sight is exponentially better in the real dim light. But that's personal preference.

You are right, it isn't optimal. But...

Having an aperture rear sight on the barrel completely does away with the usefulness of the system.

You don't aim with an aperture rear sight, you just look through it and focus on the front sight. Your eye automatically looks through the center of the aperture in the same way you unconsciously look through the largest part a window, not one edge.

Effectively, you don't see the aperture, you just look through it, which is why it is sometimes referred to as a ghost ring.

While the front sight is sharp, the target is slightly out of focus, but it is relatively easy to put the front sight where you want it. The farther away the aperture is from your eye, the less this is possible.

Ted

I think this is true. I have a cocking piece peep sight on another of my hunting rifles and it helps me shoot a lot.

Scrummy
 
Having an aperture rear sight on the barrel completely does away with the usefulness of the system.

You don't aim with an aperture rear sight, you just look through it and focus on the front sight. Your eye automatically looks through the center of the aperture in the same way you unconsciously look through the largest part a window, not one edge.

Effectively, you don't see the aperture, you just look through it, which is why it is sometimes referred to as a ghost ring.

While the front sight is sharp, the target is slightly out of focus, but it is relatively easy to put the front sight where you want it. The farther away the aperture is from your eye, the less this is possible.

Ted

Ill have to disagree on it being completely useless as a system. If you unscrew the stock aperture it leaves a good size ring. Which is much faster with a better sight picture for shots inside 50y over a rear leaf sight. Being these are mostly shorter range guns I feel they got it right. I also like the fact that being barrel mounted you don't have a zero shift with the takedown version. Ya I agree a receiver peep would be better but I wouldn't have a nice forward mount rail for a red dot and less holes drilled into my nice receiver. Its a nice package
 
Interesting direction this thread is going as for sights sight radius and accuracy. In a true defence situation you wont be shooting pat 10 yards, and if the bear is farther than that its not the same situation. This is not a hunting rifle this is a defending life gun, its gunna be close, you most likely wont be looking down your sights, you will be pointing and shooting. Ive been in these situations and trust me your eyes will be on the bear, you want a gun that points where you look, you need to know the operation of the gun without looking and could operate the gun in the dark, you need time on the gun not something youve shot a time or two. Yes a red dot bridges the gap between the two, as it will put the red dot where you look and you dont have to find the sights, its a pretty open sight picture. A true self defence gun does not need to be versatile and good for a few things, it needs to be perfect for one purpose.
 
If a guy would buy a chiappa with 12” bbl for a camp gun(think bear protection) would he be better with a 1886 in 45-70 or an 1892 in 44mag? Would the 45-70 out of a 12” bbl be silly, with crazy muzzle blast and kicking like a mule? The 92 is lighter, the 44mag out of a 12” bbl is probably better, and a lot cheaper to shoot to?!?!?
What do you all think?

Hey OP curious if you made you choice?

One thing I haven’t seen mentioned that was a consideration for me was mounting of a flashlight, being able see in very dim/no light was something that I wanted in a camp gun. On the Chiappa’s with the factory barrel mounted rail you can run an offset mount for a light in conjunction with a RDS.

Here is my .44 mag 12” 1892 NSR setup as such, mounting anything on the rail does block the irons though but as others have mentioned even though that irons are good a dot is faster, but more bulky and less sleek. With the light offset to the side it’s completely out of the view area of the rds and can hit the tail cap switch with my support hand thumb.

q0UbyI8.jpg



Can be quickly removed if desired and another thing to mention on the .44 mag 1892 vs the 45/70 1886, in the case of the NSR it’s about 2lbs lighter and 1.5” shorter overall for the same barrel length (12”).

vUFsixA.jpg
 
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Hey OP curious if you made you choice?

One thing I haven’t seen mentioned that was a consideration for me was mounting of a flashlight, being able see in very dim/no light was something that I wanted in a camp gun. On the Chiappa’s with the factory barrel mounted rail you can run an offset mount for a light in conjunction with a RDS.

Here is my .44 mag 12” 1892 NSR setup as such, mounting anything on the rail does block the irons though but as others have mentioned even though that irons are good a dot is faster, but more bulky and less sleek. With the light offset to the side it’s completely out of the view area of the rds and can hit the tail cap switch with my support hand thumb.

q0UbyI8.jpg



Can be quickly removed if desired and another thing to mention on the .44 mag 1892 vs the 45/70 1886, in the case of the NSR it’s about 2lbs lighter and 1.5” shorter overall for the same barrel length (12”).

vUFsixA.jpg

Nice rig! No I didn’t make my mind on the matter, I don’t think I will be able to buy one real soon anyway! And plus they seem to be rather hard to locate!
Thanks for the photos and the different specs!
 
A Winchester 94 or Marlin 336 in .30-30 is fine... it is more in case you fall down a slope a break your leg than for bear protection... it is far more likely you will someday fire signal shots than ever shoot at an attacking bear.
 
Probably, but up here there is lots of bears and not only small black bears! I have two friends that got killed and that is people I really knew!!
Anyway you are probably right… I will keep carrying bear spray!
 
If I were to take one caliber it would be 45 70. Its able to use rifle or pistol powders and is excellent with cast 500gr bullets. Hitting 200 yards is easy with 45 70 but difficult worh 44 mag out of a short barrel. Only benefit in 44 mag is the weight and comon brass.
 
I think the short barrel argument is important.

Have a look at the ballistics and loads for say a 20" 44 mag and and 16" barrel 45-70.

I suspect if you are not careful with your loading, you might see a significant performance drop vs what you are expecting
 
If it's for grizzly/big browns I'd go 45-70. You don't NEED it but with the big boys it's a little extra peace of mind. High velo 12gauge slugs can do well too. Even if they don't Pen####er it'd be like a mini bear version of Mike Tyson punching them.

I only worry about black bears so I have a chiappa mares leg in 44 mag. Barely any recoil when you use two hands and easy enough 1 handed, for funsies. Also owned a chiappa Alaskan 16" in 44mag, I shouldn't have got rid of that gun 😪 though I love the short mares leg. My mares leg does NOT like the cold though. 😒

Also rotate in my 14" fabarm 12ga and 18" 35 whelen M98 into the mix.
 
I went with the 45-70...

VERY LOUD & OBNOXIOUS, but the recoil isn't bad! Gets a very high "would recommend" rating!

Now, what is truly impressive is the 5' of flame out the end with each shot, lol. :rockOn: :ar15:

Cheers
Jay

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