I have read this carefully and with great interest as I, as some of you know, am a nut case for 86’s. But I am a bit confused here and I am sure I am about to set straight on this. Bert are you saying that the late model 86’s were D&T for a Lyman 56? Because this thread stirred my mind I just dragged out my latest model 86, Ser# 159818 and it does not have mounting holes for a 56 lyman. Obviously this gun wont letter. But it does have a NI coded 38 lyman. Can it be implied the current sight is factory ordered and they (Winchester) opted to not D&T for a 56? 

Bert H. said

oldcrankyyankee said

I have read this carefully and with great interest as I, as some of you know, am a nut case for 86’s. But I am a bit confused here and I am sure I am about to set straight on this. Bert are you saying that the late model 86’s were D&T for a Lyman 56? Because this thread stirred my mind I just dragged out my latest model 86, Ser# 159818 and it does not have mounting holes for a 56 lyman. Obviously this gun wont letter. But it does have a NI coded 38 lyman. Can it be implied the current sight is factory ordered and they (Winchester) opted to not D&T for a 56? 

  

Tom,

A late production Model 86 could have been special ordered with a Lyman No. 56.  It was never a standard feature.  The very small number that do exist were very late production 33 WCF rifles with a PROOF STEEL barrel and ramp front sight.

In the case of your late production Model 86, does it have a barrel mounted rear sight, or does it have a blank piece or no dovetail at all?  Which type upper tang marking does it have?

Bert

  

Bert, it has type 4 upper tang marking (Madl). Blank in rear sight dovetail, but shows evidence of previously having a sight there, small rub line from an elevator. Has nickel steel barrel. Barrel date is 29. Thanks for clarifying about the 56 sights tho.

Bert H. said
Tom,

Type 4 marking

 

Type 5 marking

 

Have you ever removed the Lyman No. 38 to inspect the drilled & tapped holes use to mount it?  

Bert

  

I have not done that to the gun in question. I will say the Tang marking is type 5 according to your pictures, I was referencing page 32 of John’s latest book which he has listed as picture “E”. Type 4 from sn 158000 to EOP.  His pictures are some times hard to see. 

I’ve never seen an ’86 with the Lyman receiver sight described.  There must not be many out there.

steve004 said
I’ve never seen an ’86 with the Lyman receiver sight described.  There must not be many out there.

  

Steve  I’m certainly not an expert but this is the only one I have here and only one I’ve seen. But I also don’t know when the 38 came into existence. Like I said it is code marked NI, so definitely  during the advent of our beloved 33 WCF. I think they may get confused with the 21 Lyman quite a bit by the unknowing. I would add that if anyone out there has quality up close pictures of one, I would love to see them. I think mine may be missing a spring washer for the windage screw, mine is way to easy to turn and lacks any friction so the aperture will go off zero when firing.  

cj57 said
Tom is this what you need I have three of these model 38 sights and they don’t appear to have a spring on the windage screw

  

Thank you, just what I was looking for…

Steve we clearly are mentally connected, I was thinking the same thing re reading this today. I actually did see one for sale but it wasn’t a late model. In fact it was case color and made well before the 56 was available, Bubba had done it. But if in fact a having one with a 38 is not to common I would suggest having one with a factory installed 56 would be even cooler.