Log In
Members
Home
Add Reply
Add Topic
Offline
Hi Folks,
My local gun shop has a model 1885 made in 1887. The shop owner kindly removed the tang sight (Marbles, I think) in order to inspect the tang. There is a small hole, countersunk, and overlapping with the upper tang screw hole. Did any original 1885s have a tang screw with a set screw?
Jeff
Jeff M said Did any original 1885s have a tang screw with a set screw?
Early guns had a sear spring screw spaced well above the upper tang sight screw, just behind the hammer, but no overlap with another screw. Sounds like someone once mounted a tang sight with non-factory hole spacing, requiring them to drill another hole.
Would it be harmful to this rifle if I were to shoot a few modern Winchester cartridges with jacketed bullets?
Jeff
Jeff M said
Would it be harmful to this rifle if I were to shoot a few modern Winchester cartridges with jacketed bullets?
Jeff
Not if you’re talking about standard loads, deliberately loaded to be safe in BP rifles. In fact, unless the bore is perfect, you’re likely to get better accuracy with jacketed bullets. I’ve shot tons of them in my SSs. A few specialty ammo makers have loaded HV rounds for use in modern guns like 1895 Marlins, but those have warning labels on them & are easily avoided.
What caliber is it?
It is a 38-55 High Wall made in 1887. I have a few boxes of recently manufactured Winchester cartridges with 255 gr jacketed bullets, and no warning on the boxes.
Jeff
Jeff M said
It is a 38-55 High Wall made in 1887. I have a few boxes of recently manufactured Winchester cartridges with 255 gr jacketed bullets, and no warning on the boxes.
Jeff
Fire away…if you can afford it!
Like Clarence said but … fire away if you can find it. Save the brass. Pictures of the hole would help a lot.
The screw is a replacement, but the location of the open hole is what lead me to think the original might have had a set screw.
Jeff M said
The screw is a replacement, but the location of the open hole is what lead me to think the original might have had a set screw.
It does look like a set screw, but not factory. If it was not to mount a non-standard tang sight, I can’t imagine the purpose. Since the screw head overlaps the hole, could a screw be started? You’d think it would have been easier to obtain a correct tang sight, than to D&T another hole, but that’s not the way gun butchers think.
Clarence, I think you are right. The location might allow me to make a set screw, and at least it would fill the hole.
1 Guest(s)
