Where to find taller dovetail front sight?

Salty

CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Rating - 100%
19   0   0
I just installed a Lyman receiver sight on my model 36 Marlin 30-30. It looks like I need about a .600" tall sight (bottom of dovetail to top of bead) where the original sight is about .450". Some googling shows Williams front sights at one of the big box stores that aren't tall enough, and not much else. I just want a simple steel sight brass bead is fine but not interested in any kind of glow bead or gizmo. Any ideas?
 
Brownell's... many to choose from... if you want a Williams Fire Sight, I might have a new one in my shop... shoot me a PM.

Edit... just checked... I have .434" & .485" one piece Fire Sight ramps and .500" dovetail blades... I know that Brownell's carries the Williams .634 blades because I have them on my Henry .357 & .44 & .45/70 with Skinner peeps...
 
Last edited:
Nope... Brownell's ships sights to Canada... most major manufacturers (Williams, Lyman etc...) have completed their ITAR export documentation.
 
Thanks hoyt. Found a .570 tall Williams at Brownells might work but will keep poking around. They've got some Marbles and others than I haven't gone through yet
 
I have used Marbles... they are good quality... I use Lyman AUG17 globe's on some of my rimfire rifles... but wouldn't recommend them for hunting...
 
Well I ordered the .570 Williams brass bead sight what's 30 thou between friends I'm sure it will work just fine especially for a 150 yd zero or so. Sure glad there's places still stocking lots of fussy little stuff like this..
 
Extra high sights tend to be easily bent or broken.
You might think about using a Williams .250 or .340 front sight riser block and then you can employ a much lower front sight.
 
What tool do you use to remove front sight blades? Williams Front Sight Pusher? Homemade? Brass punch?

I had an old brass carriage bolt that I shaped to catch the edge of a dovetail sight nicely which was my punch of choice for this.. but its gone AWOL. I checked out a hardware store yesterday for a brass punch or two with no luck still on the hunt. The proper tools are tempting but for the amount of time needed I don't think I'll be dropping $80 or so. With a fully adjustable rear peep you don't need to fine tune the front sight for windage like you would with old school blade set ups. Just tap it in centre it by eye and leave it be, very easy.

newt said:
I bought front sights at cabelas. They have a fair amount onstock.

That was my first attempt... but they didn't have any tall enough.

And on the height thing I'm only adding a little over 1/8 of an inch here it won't be jutting much further to make it snag or catch any more than the old one... Plus there's site hoods available if a guy ever wanted.
 
Last edited:
Blurry shot of shorty pants
36marlin_zps60ffda1f.jpg


New Lyman
36marlin1_zpsc08721db.jpg


Installing that was no gimmy I've got about 100 piece bit set that I would have been sure covered everything. Nope the original flat screws on the receiver side were so fine I was in to a little precision screw driver set for watch makers or whatever... And yeah, after 70 odd years there were on there. Broke the screwdriver once then decided to calm down and think. I turned the rifle on its side put a patch over the screws and saturated it with penetrating oil for a day and a half or so. Reshaped my little screw driver.. only one I had small enough and they came.

Ha ha.. looking at that pic seeing as I'll see over it maybe I'll leave the original rear site, I can call it my back up irons :D
 
A hardwood dowel will work just fine 95% of the time...

Drift left to right out...

The direction for removal is important (looking down on the barrel from the rear of the gun) for sure and the other thing that is key for drifting sights is resting the gun on some stepped blocks that are against the barrel near the actual sight that is getting tapped. This ensures all the energy is going to the sight and is not flexing the barrel around in the stock.
If the sight is too tight file a bit off the bottom of the new sight till she's snug but not too tight. If it's loose you can shim under the sight or use a loctite like product.
 
Blurry shot of shorty pants
36marlin_zps60ffda1f.jpg


New Lyman
36marlin1_zpsc08721db.jpg


Installing that was no gimmy I've got about 100 piece bit set that I would have been sure covered everything. Nope the original flat screws on the receiver side were so fine I was in to a little precision screw driver set for watch makers or whatever... And yeah, after 70 odd years there were on there. Broke the screwdriver once then decided to calm down and think. I turned the rifle on its side put a patch over the screws and saturated it with penetrating oil for a day and a half or so. Reshaped my little screw driver.. only one I had small enough and they came.

Ha ha.. looking at that pic seeing as I'll see over it maybe I'll leave the original rear site, I can call it my back up irons :D

Looks like it had a tang sight at one time eh.
 
Back
Top Bottom