Mossberg 290 questions (weird rear sight?)

[TheCoachZed]

Hey guys,

I picked up a bolt action Mossberg 290 in 16 gauge last year as part of a package deal. It's not in the greatest shape and not really any more exciting than any other bolt action shotgun - which is to say, not that exciting at all.

It does, however, have this weird rear sight thing going on. Can anyone tell me what it's for? The front sight is a standard bead, and this rear sight isn't a buckhorn or anything, just some grooves cut into a piece of steel in the dovetail slot.

Here's a pic of the gun overall.

 

[Turkeyslayer 1300]

It is supposed to give a sight picture similar to a gun with a vent Rib. But you should be shooting with both eyes open so it won't really work.

 

[TheCoachZed]

I called Vic Havlin and he said the same thing; it's a useless attempt at a vent rib. But, he said a 3/8" dovetail rifle sight should fit in there. If I could find a proper front sight to fit in the front, maybe I could set this up as a slug gun?

 

[Turkeyslayer 1300]

I called Vic Havlin and he said the same thing; it's a useless attempt at a vent rib. But, he said a 3/8" dovetail rifle sight should fit in there. If I could find a proper front sight to fit in the front, maybe I could set this up as a slug gun?

Why not just replace it with a blank, while the east coast is a different market, I always had trouble finding 16 gauge slugs. Buck shot was for some reason no problem.