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November 7, 2015
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I’m getting better at this retirement thing, today was second range trip this week! Several years ago I scored a shooter 75 Target and I’ve been dabbling with it ever since. The stock is either a highly modified factory stock or a custom job. It’s a shooter, I don’t care. I’ve had a lot of fun and learned a lot from my “shooters”. Sights when I got it were a mess so JWA sold me a Lyman 58E and since the front sight riser was MIA I bought the tallest Lyman 17A I could find, the 17ATC. It wasn’t quite tall enough so I ordered a Williams riser. I never liked that riser and the set screws had a tendency to loosen. A much nicer 75 Target came along a few years later and the sights bits all went into a bag and the rifle went into the safe sans sights for a few years. While reviewing JWA’s latest book my 75’s all came out as visual aids and the sights went back on my “shooter” 75 Target. I took careful measurements over a period of several days and thought maybe I didn’t need that ugly (and troublesome) riser.
Well, maybe I do. Since this is not a collector grade gun I’m considering modifying the stock a bit below the rear sight to get a little more downward adjustment. I’ll do some more careful measurements before carving up this stock but I’m giving it some serious thought. I like the cleaner look and the idea of getting the sights a bit closer to the bore. Jeff’s discussion of the 75’s military sight package got me thinking about this possibility. I don’t think the comb will be too high, it works for me now and I’m thinking I need to go down maybe .125” and no more than .250 but again, I’ll need to measure carefully before I start cutting. Measure twice (or more!), cut once.
Target pic is rotated, I’m shooting a bit high @50. I wish I could shoot like that every day! This particular ammo has a tendency to occasionally string vertically in my rifles.
Mike
July 17, 2012
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Mike,
A Lyman 57E or 57EW might solve your problem. I can send you one to try if you want, they pair perfectly with a standard Lyman 17A front sight.
Best Regards,
WACA Life Member #6284 - Specializing in Pre-64 Winchester .22 Rimfire
December 31, 2012
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Mike, being a former M52 collector/shooter, I have never fired a M75. Closest thing I have fired is my Rem. 513T that my Dad bought me for my 13th birthday.
I have owned every combination of the M75, but never fired one. That includes a couple Sporters. I still have 3 M75’s. One 3 digit, one last year, and the Sporter shown in JWA’s new book. No plans to shoot any of them. No plans to collect anymore, as I have changed collecting direction to Colt firearms.
Practice often and you may get your rifle to shoot a one hole group at 50 yards with good ammo. Big Larry
November 7, 2015
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JWA said
Mike,
A Lyman 57E or 57EW might solve your problem. I can send you one to try if you want, they pair perfectly with a standard Lyman 17A front sight.
Best Regards,
Jeff-
I noticed that while reading your book, thanks. I’m concerned the comb may be a bit high for the 57 but I may be confused. I’m just having fun trying to figure this out with the hardware I have on hand. I finished my last tornado repair job with hardware and supplies left over by the subcontractors or found during cleanup. My gun parts stash is equally impressive at times but I’ve already looked for a Lyman 57E. No joy but it’s amazing what I’ve found over the last several months. Which Lyman 17A? I’m thinking ATC or HB but it’s past my bedtime. I have two or three modern examples on hand.
Mike
November 7, 2015
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Big Larry said
Mike, being a former M52 collector/shooter, I have never fired a M75. Closest thing I have fired is my Rem. 513T that my Dad bought me for my 13th birthday.
I have owned every combination of the M75, but never fired one. That includes a couple Sporters. I still have 3 M75’s. One 3 digit, one last year, and the Sporter shown in JWA’s new book. No plans to shoot any of them. No plans to collect anymore, as I have changed collecting direction to Colt firearms.
Practice often and you may get your rifle to shoot a one hole group at 50 yards with good ammo. Big Larry
Thanks Big Larry-
You have a very nice Sporting 75, enjoyed seeing the pics. I enjoy shooting my 52C but I still have my 75’s in the gun rack in front of my reading chair and they are always welcome to tag along on a range trip. My days of a one hole group with peeps are gone. I’m toying with aperture sizes but still less than ideal. The black or red bull is a gray or pink blur to me these days. I wish I’d had a good target rifle back when I could see the target! I’ve shot benchrest .22’s with scopes costing more than a good rifle and quite honestly they bore me. When I sit down with a receiver sight 69A, 75 or 52C target rifle on sandbags and a rest I’m happy. If I manage to squeeze a 1″ group out of one at 50 yards I’m REALLY happy. It’s a bit easier with the 52C, especially if I break out the black box Eley ammo. I’ll always be a plinker, not a precision shooter. I walked away from that game nearly 25 years ago. But you’re right, I need more trigger time and I’m certainly trying!
Mike
April 30, 2023
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JWA said
Mike,
A Lyman 57E or 57EW might solve your problem. I can send you one to try if you want, they pair perfectly with a standard Lyman 17A front sight.
Best Regards,
Jeff, I have a spare 57EW he can try if he wants, no need to mail one. Mike, lmk if you want to do that.
This is my listing: https://www.ebay.com/itm/235996855341 but I won’t make Mike buy it first… 😉
November 7, 2015
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Jeremy P said
JWA said
Mike,
A Lyman 57E or 57EW might solve your problem. I can send you one to try if you want, they pair perfectly with a standard Lyman 17A front sight.
Best Regards,
Jeff, I have a spare 57EW he can try if he wants, no need to mail one. Mike, lmk if you want to do that.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/235996855341
Thanks, Jeremy. I’m still studying on the 58 sight but had to do some office time this morning. I need to review the sight chapter because my notes on the subject are a mess, this time I’ll start out with a bigger sheet of paper! I’d like to use the sight I have because my parts box is already pretty crowded. Found a Marble eyepiece with a big aperture for my 1894 shooter 38-55 in there yesterday so I didn’t need to fire up the drill press after all!
Mike
March 31, 2009
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I tried to start a Cheat Sheet but quickly ran out of room.
July 17, 2012
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Chuck said
I tried to start a Cheat Sheet but quickly ran out of room.
That is why the book is 650 pages, there are too many variations to summarize although there is a summary table on pages 143-145 which should give you a start.
Best Regards,
WACA Life Member #6284 - Specializing in Pre-64 Winchester .22 Rimfire
July 17, 2012
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Mike,
The advantage of the Lyman 58 is the elevation and windage knobs are the same location/orientation as the adjustments on a period scope. That, and the scope height of the aperture, were the proclaimed advantages of the Lyman 58.
Best Regards,
WACA Life Member #6284 - Specializing in Pre-64 Winchester .22 Rimfire
March 31, 2009
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Jeff, as much as I like the book, I’m not carrying it to the gun shows. 
July 17, 2012
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Chuck said
Jeff, as much as I like the book, I’m not carrying it to the gun shows.
Chuck,
Check your PM
WACA Life Member #6284 - Specializing in Pre-64 Winchester .22 Rimfire
November 7, 2015
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Chuck said
I tried to start a Cheat Sheet but quickly ran out of room.
Chuck-
How is your quest for a 75 coming? Jeff’s book is likely helpful but there’s a lot of information to digest. As I told Jeremy when he was looking there aren’t really many bad choices, condition is more important than configuration. Jeff was able to supply him with one in a cool configuration with lots of condition. I like all the sight options but having the correct insert for the front sight on a Target Model may be a consideration in your case. Don’t pass up a chance on a nice Sporting model if one comes along; the clean, classic styling of those little guns just never gets old for me. I sometimes wish mine had prettier wood.
Mike
November 7, 2015
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JWA said
Mike,
The advantage of the Lyman 58 is the elevation and windage knobs are the same location/orientation as the adjustments on a period scope. That, and the scope height of the aperture, were the proclaimed advantages of the Lyman 58.
Best Regards,
Jeff-
Yes, I understood that after spending a few days studying that chapter and the comb height discussion is also helpful. I’m pretty sure whoever fit this custom stock to my rifle wasn’t planning on me putting the 58 sight on there. I feel pretty sure it wore a scope for much of its previous life. I agree the 57 might be a better choice but the 58 has more entertainment value at this point and I don’t want to surplus it and that tall front sight. Come to think of it, I may have a 57 sight on a rifle around here, just don’t know which rifle or which variant of the 57 sight. May get a chance to explore this further this afternoon. Adventures like this help us appreciate the thought and engineering that went into designing these rifles.
Mike
March 31, 2009
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TXGunNut said
Chuck said
I tried to start a Cheat Sheet but quickly ran out of room.
Chuck-
How is your quest for a 75 coming? Jeff’s book is likely helpful but there’s a lot of information to digest. As I told Jeremy when he was looking there aren’t really many bad choices, condition is more important than configuration. Jeff was able to supply him with one in a cool configuration with lots of condition. I like all the sight options but having the correct insert for the front sight on a Target Model may be a consideration in your case. Don’t pass up a chance on a nice Sporting model if one comes along; the clean, classic styling of those little guns just never gets old for me. I sometimes wish mine had prettier wood.
Mike
I’m on the look out but not smart enough to buy yet. I’m really not picky about the sights as long as they are the correct ones for the Variation. Jeff helped me buy a Sporter in Vegas earlier this year. I need to look at more rifles but I don’t go to the dozen + gun shows that I once did.
If you want to see some pretty wood look at the 75 in this Saturday’s auction at Gunslingers. Lot #215. If interested PM me.
December 31, 2012
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TXGunNut said
Big Larry said
Mike, being a former M52 collector/shooter, I have never fired a M75. Closest thing I have fired is my Rem. 513T that my Dad bought me for my 13th birthday.
I have owned every combination of the M75, but never fired one. That includes a couple Sporters. I still have 3 M75’s. One 3 digit, one last year, and the Sporter shown in JWA’s new book. No plans to shoot any of them. No plans to collect anymore, as I have changed collecting direction to Colt firearms.
Practice often and you may get your rifle to shoot a one hole group at 50 yards with good ammo. Big Larry
Thanks Big Larry-
You have a very nice Sporting 75, enjoyed seeing the pics. I enjoy shooting my 52C but I still have my 75’s in the gun rack in front of my reading chair and they are always welcome to tag along on a range trip. My days of a one hole group with peeps are gone. I’m toying with aperture sizes but still less than ideal. The black or red bull is a gray or pink blur to me these days. I wish I’d had a good target rifle back when I could see the target! I’ve shot benchrest .22’s with scopes costing more than a good rifle and quite honestly they bore me. When I sit down with a receiver sight 69A, 75 or 52C target rifle on sandbags and a rest I’m happy. If I manage to squeeze a 1″ group out of one at 50 yards I’m REALLY happy. It’s a bit easier with the 52C, especially if I break out the black box Eley ammo. I’ll always be a plinker, not a precision shooter. I walked away from that game nearly 25 years ago. But you’re right, I need more trigger time and I’m certainly trying!
Mike
Mike, you need a 20X Unertl or Lyman STS. I have not tried metallic sights since I had cataract surgery, but no matter, I use the 20X scope on my M52’s.
With Red Box Ely, I can poke one small group at 100 yards, benched. My best groups came from my 52-C BULLGUN, but I sold it. BTW, try 100 yards. This target was shot with a M2 Springfield at 50 yards. Big Larry
December 31, 2012
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Big Larry said
Mike, being a former M52 collector/shooter, I have never fired a M75. Closest thing I have fired is my Rem. 513T that my Dad bought me for my 13th birthday.
I have owned every combination of the M75, but never fired one. That includes a couple Sporters. I still have 3 M75’s. One 3 digit, one last year, and the Sporter shown in JWA’s new book. No plans to shoot any of them. No plans to collect anymore, as I have changed collecting direction to Colt firearms.
Practice often and you may get your rifle to shoot a one hole group at 50 yards with good ammo. Big Larry
Thanks Big Larry-
You have a very nice Sporting 75, enjoyed seeing the pics. I enjoy shooting my 52C but I still have my 75’s in the gun rack in front of my reading chair and they are always welcome to tag along on a range trip. My days of a one hole group with peeps are gone. I’m toying with aperture sizes but still less than ideal. The black or red bull is a gray or pink blur to me these days. I wish I’d had a good target rifle back when I could see the target! I’ve shot benchrest .22’s with scopes costing more than a good rifle and quite honestly they bore me. When I sit down with a receiver sight 69A, 75 or 52C target rifle on sandbags and a rest I’m happy. If I manage to squeeze a 1″ group out of one at 50 yards I’m REALLY happy. It’s a bit easier with the 52C, especially if I break out the black box Eley ammo. I’ll always be a plinker, not a precision shooter. I walked away from that game nearly 25 years ago. But you’re right, I need more trigger time and I’m certainly trying!
Mike
Mike, you need a 20X Unertl or Lyman STS. I have not tried metallic sights since I had cataract surgery, but no matter, I use the 20X scope on my M52’s.
With Red Box Ely, I can poke one small group at 100 yards, benched. My best groups came from my 52-C BULLGUN, but I sold it. BTW, try 100 yards. This target was shot with a M2 Springfield at 50 yards. Big Larry
November 7, 2015
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Larry-
I’m going to enjoy peeps as long as I can, youth is wasted on the young, indeed. At this point I shoot better with peeps than most folks shoot their scoped hunting rifles but that’s not saying much. I’m undecided on the eventual move to a scope but 20X is sounding good these days.
Mike
March 31, 2009
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I have a 20X Lyman Super Target Spot on one of my 52’s. Works great. But, it bugs me a little that I have a 60’s vintage scope on a 1930’s rifle. It came with the rifle.
July 17, 2012
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Chuck said
I have a 20X Lyman Super Target Spot on one of my 52’s. Works great. But, it bugs me a little that I have a 60’s vintage scope on a 1930’s rifle. It came with the rifle.
A 20X Fecker will fix that problem nicely. I like my Fecker scopes as much as the Lyman STS and they are period correct.
Best Regards,
WACA Life Member #6284 - Specializing in Pre-64 Winchester .22 Rimfire
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