Well, I wanted a project gun...

I

ilikeoldguns

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Here is my old 30-30 Win 94 I picked up at an auction. Don't ask how much I paid, it was too much, but alas.

I did want a project gun and looks like I got one.

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Now the sights are an interesting case; on the side of the receiver there are two bore holes and a rectangular mark that leads me to believe that this rifle was once drilled and tapped for an optical sight of some kind. It's long gone now though.

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The iron sights have been replaced with these; an ugly tack-welded on sheet metal flip up;

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And this weird and waaaay too high front sight. It appears to be marked "Marble" and features this strange over-sized retaining pin that snags on everything. The exposure here makes it look worse than it is; there is actually not much rust, just a lot of scratching and wear. The little nugget there is; I think I bit of walnut shell media from from workshop.

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It's got rifling though and even if the stock is dinged it works and shoots, just not real great with those sights (4 hits out of 20 at 100m) on a figure 12. It won't win any beauty contests, but if anyone could be find enough to point me at where i could get replacement sights, I'd be thrilled. Get this thing shooting straight and then I'll see about pretty-ing it up.

Thanks for your time!
 
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Looks like it was drilled and tapped for a Lyman or Williams receiver sight. That could explain the way too high front sight as well.
 
Get a Lyman 56 or 66 peep sight for it and see how it shoots. It is already drilled and tapped so collector value is gone. Should make a good shooter/hunter though.
 
I believe all Win 94's are factory D/T in that location and are fitted with short screws to plug them. As stated previously, both Lyman and Williams make peep sights that use those holes for mounting.

If you are needing parts, the best place I have found is homesteadparts.com in AZ.

CT
 
Yup, the front and rear sight must be equal in height, so if a gallows style peep sight is installed, the front sight, which is located at the small end of a tapered pipe, must be higher to match it's height. It doesn't matter how much you paid for the rifle if it was worth it to you. Once you get the ole girl back into shape, I'm sure she'll provide you with many years of enjoyment.
 
You never did give us the age of the rifle, or the serial number, but that type sight is standard on some old 94s.
I have one made in about 1910 and it has that type of front sight. The Marbles insert could be scarce. Mine had a makeshift insert and it was too low, so I made one out of a piece of brass and pinned it in.
Is that pin actually too short, or did it just come out part way? In either case it can easily be fixed.
Winchester didn't start drilling and tapping for a aperture sight until the 1950s. Their drillings fit a Williams Fool Proof, but these holes look to far apart and maybe too far down the receiver, to fit the Williams.
 
There is a sweet old 94 in 32ws with the long fore wood and saddle ring at a local gun store.
Shotgun butt plate and the price I dint think wuzz overly oarrible t'either.
Has that odd looking front pinned front sight blade too.
 
H4831 said:
You never did give us the age of the rifle, or the serial number, but that type sight is standard on some old 94s.
I have one made in about 1910 and it has that type of front sight. The Marbles insert could be scarce. Mine had a makeshift insert and it was too low, so I made one out of a piece of brass and pinned it in.
Is that pin actually too short, or did it just come out part way? In either case it can easily be fixed.
Winchester didn't start drilling and tapping for a aperture sight until the 1950s. Their drillings fit a Williams Fool Proof, but these holes look to far apart and maybe too far down the receiver, to fit the Williams.
Click to expand...

it's pretty damn old. 1900s-1920s.

And no; that pin sticks out either side like that. weird huh?
 
ilikeoldguns said:
it's pretty damn old. 1900s-1920s.

And no; that pin sticks out either side like that. weird huh?
Click to expand...

The improvised pin they used on the sight, maybe a cut off shingle nail, is obviously much too long. Nothing weird about it, that's just the way things were done when few tools were available and the owner had so much work to do he was always in a hurry.
Just cut the pin to proper length and put it back in.
 
ilikeoldguns said:
How would I know which type?
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Either one will fit the holes as well as a Williams Foolproof for a model 94. You can find out the age of her by going to Proofhouse.com and plugging in the serial number in model 1894. Could be anywhere from late 1800's to late 1920's as they switched to a flat butt around 1930 or so. Or you could find an original rear sight for it, would be a carbine ladder sight or a three leaf express sight. Either would work. Regarding the front sight, that is an easy fix like H4831 says the oldtimers weren't too fussy about looks when making gun repairs, whatever worked.
 
Hmmm, that is *not* the sort of thing i want to run. Don't want to be needed a screwdriver to adjust my sight all the time.

How best to get the current rear sight off? Chisel? Then the new one shoudl screw on? there should be a screw, right?
 
The rear sight should be just dovetailed in place. A brass or nylon punch, drifting it from left to right is the way to take it off. I don't know why you would be needing to adjust the peep sight a lot... sight it in and leave it.
 
do not looses that front sight ,,,,,,, you can put a set of buck horn sights on it and fill the holes with short screws ,,good luck with your project ,,Dutch
 
CharlesT said:
I believe all Win 94's are factory D/T in that location and are fitted with short screws to plug them. As stated previously, both Lyman and Williams make peep sights that use those holes for mounting.
Click to expand...
The older 94s were not factory drilled for receiver sights. Not sure what year it started.
 
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