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March 14, 2022
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Has anyone seen a front sight like this before? It’s on a 1894 eastern carbine 2/3 mag with a dovetail not post. DOM 1915. Appears machined, and matches the finish indicating it’s been on there since new or close to it. Lyman?
Rick C
November 7, 2015
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I like it, certainly has characteristics consistent with Lyman.
Mike
November 9, 2008
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I looked in Lyman catalogs from different times 1906, 1926, 1939 and couldn’t find that sight. There were a lot of small sight company’s that have come and gone and you could get lucky and see an ad in old magazine. I couldn’t find anything in Stroebel’s book
April 15, 2005
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Ric,
I have a very strong doubt that it is a factory original front sight. Winchester did not mill dovetail slots in the barrels of the Carbine barrels. The first thing I would do, is drift that sight out of the dovetail and inspect the milling and finish of the slot.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
July 17, 2012
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Also, to follow-up Bert’s comment, when Winchester did mill dovetails for front sights in the barrel, they were usually a bit closer to the muzzle, that one is set pretty far back.
But I like the sight 
Best Regards,
WACA Life Member #6284 - Specializing in Pre-64 Winchester .22 Rimfire
March 14, 2022
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Here’s a few more photos the owner just sent me. He said it’s not for sale but just wondered if I could identify that front sight which I wasn’t able to. He says everything looks original, and patina, bluing, and wood all match as well as the sights. Eastern carbine with 2/3 mag and the smaller 4” hard rubber butt plate. I believe there is a carbine like this in Renneberg book.
Rick C
April 15, 2005
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Rick,
I still do not believe that it is factory original. As Jeff pointed out, when Winchester milled a front sight dovetail, it was always precisely positioned closer to the muzzle face (.9375″ to the center of the milled dovetail).
I suspect that the original silver-soldered carbine sight base was knocked off of the barrel and the dovetail was purposefully cut (milled) to remove the evidence of it. Winchester drilled a shallow locating pin hole in the barrel to precisely position the sight base block before silver-soldering it in place.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
March 14, 2022
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That very well could be the case Bert. Appreciate the insight and comments from all.
Rick C
November 7, 2015
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cj57 said
I looked in Lyman catalogs from different times 1906, 1926, 1939 and couldn’t find that sight. There were a lot of small sight company’s that have come and gone and you could get lucky and see an ad in old magazine. I couldn’t find anything in Stroebel’s book
I saw some Lyman inserts that resembled the insert in the subject sight but the possibility of a smaller manufacturer is very good as well. As pointed out in JWA’s recent book the sight manufacturers were not above borrowing ideas so unless something is stamped on the underside it may be hard to identify.
Mike
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