Winchester Collector - Forum: Winchester Sights

Bert H. on Non-Winchester Rocky Mountain style front sights on antique Winchester rifles

Mon, 07 Sep 2026 19:30:23 +0000

Bill,

The second pictured sight was referred to simply as a 'Knife Blade" sight by Winchester. I have no idea why Marlin added the "Rocky Mountain" preamble to it.

Bert

Bill Hockett on Non-Winchester Rocky Mountain style front sights on antique Winchester rifles

Mon, 07 Sep 2026 18:30:59 +0000

I have a great fondness for antique Winchester rifles with non-standard sights. Rocky Mountain front sights are favorites. They were standard on the single shot rifle, but not seen often on the lever action models. Winchester had their own proprietary Rocky Mountain front sight. It was unique in that the base was rounded at the top. It was introduced in 1884. See photo below.

Competitors Marlin, Remington and Savage all listed Rocky Mountain front sights in their catalogs. They have a flat top base as opposed to Winchester's rounded base at the top. Strobel's "Old Gunsights" has catalog illustrations of these sights and the competitors seem to have used the same sight. The catalog illustrations are the same. They were offered with knife-blade and later "pin and ball" profiles. See photo below.

These non-Winchester sights show up on Winchester rifles. Do you think these competitor sights would have been more easily obtained from the general store than the Winchester model?

Dave M. on Marbles Sight Question

Sat, 05 Sep 2026 14:52:09 +0000

Wow, thanks for the info. I thought maybe someone altered the sight.

I just bought the rifle, and have not sent for a letter yet.

426crown on Marbles Sight Question

Sat, 05 Sep 2026 14:35:33 +0000

Dave--If you have the Stroebel sight book, It is pictured on page 76 "Marbles improved front sight". Does the gun letter? If so are sights mentioned?

Others more knowledgeable than I will chime in..Bill

Dave M. on Marbles Sight Question

Fri, 04 Sep 2026 19:06:28 +0000

This front sight is on a 1886, in 38-56, from 1904. It says Marbles on one side and 2 on the other.

But it doesn't look right, with the hole in it. Your thoughts appreciated.

Tedk on 2 Complete Stith mounts with Weaver scopes for pre-64

Sat, 29 Aug 2026 15:48:00 +0000

Original thread in Winchester Swap Meet if interested

1873man on A Tang sight I picked uo I picked up.

Sun, 09 Aug 2026 20:59:42 +0000

If was going to shoot the gun my first pick would be a Lyman (not the Lyman 15) because its easy to adjust and it folds down without harming the stock, next would be the mid range vernier then the graduated peep. The folding peep would be a nice option except for the price and its like the graduated peep were you have to loosen the friction to adjust.

Bob

Chuck on A Tang sight I picked uo I picked up.

Sun, 09 Aug 2026 20:00:39 +0000

If you like it use it. It's bit much for a 73 thou.

Commissioner on A Tang sight I picked uo I picked up.

Sun, 09 Aug 2026 00:52:38 +0000

Yes. It will fit. I find no markings of any kind. It is exactly like the one in my Winchester book. I don’t have the screws for it, but they are available!

Chuck on A Tang sight I picked uo I picked up.

Sun, 09 Aug 2026 00:05:12 +0000

Bill, what is the tang screw spacing? Will it fit on the rifle? Many companies made similar sights. Like Bob said, when laid back it will hit the comb of the stock. Usually Winchester long range sights will have either of 73, 76 or 86 marked on them.

1873man on A Tang sight I picked uo I picked up.

Sat, 08 Aug 2026 23:28:24 +0000

The tang sight is a modern reproduction. A Lyman would be more at home on a 73 and will not ding the wood.

Bob

Commissioner on A Tang sight I picked uo I picked up.

Sat, 08 Aug 2026 23:17:55 +0000

Fellow I picked up this old tang sight. It is not marked. The Winchester Book has one exactly like it listed a a Winchester Sight used on large caliber rifles like the 1886. It is in perfect shape and I bought it for a reasonable amount. I was thinking of putting it on one of my old 1873’s. I have a few 1886’s but they are modern. Winchester says these were used at the turn of the century. The book says this sight was discontinued in 1932. Do you think I should put it on An 1873 made at the turn of the century?

Ben on Mystery Tang Sight

Sat, 08 Aug 2026 16:10:09 +0000

Finally located the pics of the "cousin" to your sight... no name on it... I sold it at the 2022 Las Vegas show... if I recall correctly, it had the Marlin spacing... something to add to the ???? files... 🙂

Chuck on Mystery Tang Sight

Thu, 06 Aug 2026 01:44:54 +0000

This bugged me for the last couple days so I pulled out all of my singe shot rifle books. There is an English single shot action maker named Field from the late 1800's that may have made this sight. The Pope/Stevens sight may be the copy? But an improved one

The Europeans were having international competitions as early as the late 1860's. The US got into it in the early 1870's. Some of our sights are improved versions of the English or German sights. The 1874 Sharps long range target rifle has an English version of the windgage with spirit level sight. Sharps then made there own as did Ballard. Winchester at some point made their own that look very similar to the Ballard.

The English sight was then made by, I believe, an American manufacturer.

When I can I'll take a pic of the English sight and find the later manufacturer's name.

But I did not find anything about the Field sight.

Honest Jon on Mystery Tang Sight

Fri, 31 Jul 2026 17:32:24 +0000

From what I have found, as stated by others, the Stevens-Pope looks similar but the body is quite different and some have a windage adjustment too, which this one does not.

Jon