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November 24, 2023
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This may not be the place for the questions on an 1866 rifle and carbine but since most sights advertised say 1866/1873 I figured I would ask here.
I have a really good condition 1866 rifle and carbine. Both need rear sights. I have purchased a ladder sight for the rifle but its dovetail is too wide for the slot. My question here is what is the correct width for the rifle sight.
As far as the carbine I have heard that the 1st models had a “barley-corn” sight. Where could I get an original and what size dovetail would it be?
Ncblksmth1
April 15, 2005
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Winchester exclusively used a .375″ (3/8) dovetail for all sights that were mounted in a dovetail.
Original sights for the Model 1866 are expensive when you find them, but not impossible to find.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
June 4, 2017
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Need to know serial number range and distance from rear sight dove tail to receiver for each gun. Rear sight dove tail width should be 3/8″on both guns. A picture would help for condition of sights required. T/R
July 3, 2020
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Bert, the Maddis sight book mentions “earliest Carbines had wider bases than illustrated”… is that not correct?
To the OP: If the base of the sight you purchased has a wider base, it may be for a Sharps rifle…
June 4, 2017
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Ben said
Bert, the Maddis sight book mentions “earliest Carbines had wider bases than illustrated”… is that not correct?
To the OP: If the base of the sight you purchased has a wider base, it may be for a Sharps rifle…
Are we talking about the width of the dove tail in the barrel or the length of the dove tail on the sight? 3/8″ is standard width on all 1866s I’ve seen but the length of the dove tail may vary by model and shape of barrel. Also where the dove tail in the barrel is cut, model, and serial number require different styles of sights.
The Madis sight book is good information but the proper sight for your guns depend on what they are. T/R
April 15, 2005
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Ben said
Bert, the Maddis sight book mentions “earliest Carbines had wider bases than illustrated”… is that not correct?To the OP: If the base of the sight you purchased has a wider base, it may be for a Sharps rifle…
Ben,
To the best of my knowledge, Winchester used a .375″ (3/8) dovetail for all models from day one of production. If somebody has a very early Model 1866, please measure it and report what you find.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
May 9, 2020
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In The Winchester Book, page 122 Madis notes that 1866, 1st Model and early 2nd Model Carbines have a 1/2 inch dovetail Leaf Sight. There is an illustration on page 125 with both the 1/2 inch and later 3/8 inch dovetail sights. On the early Leaf Sights there are graduations of 300 and 500, whereas the later Leaf Sights have a 3 and 5.
I have an early 1866, 2nd Model SRC, SN low 15XXX, it has the 1/2 inch dovetail Leaf Sight. I’ve seen another 2nd Model SRC in the high 15XXX with the 3/8 inch dovetail leaf sight. So I believe that somewhere in the low/mid 15000 SN range is when Winchester made the change to the 3/8 Dovetail Leaf Sight with the 3 and 5.
Not sure why, but in The Sight Book, Madis made no mention of the early Leaf Sights with the 1/2 inch dovetail.
These sights are of great interest to me and one thing I noticed about the early 1/2-inch dovetail Leaf Sights, the sight base on the side view has a profile very similar to the front of the Alamo in Texas. Surely just a coincidence, but interesting nonetheless.
Robert
June 4, 2017
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In Arthur Pirkle’s book volume 1 page 42 he states “Rear sight dovetails on carbine barrels to circa serial #15,500 were 1/2inch wide. After, the rear sight dovetail was 3/8 inches wide.” The 66 was serial numbered with the Henry so that’s early in production. I’ve never owned one that early but that makes sense. T/R
