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July 7, 2026
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Howdy,
Can anyone shed light on this tang sight that came on a rifle in a recent auction purchase? It works beautifully and is super solid. I use it in informal Schuetzen matches on an 1892 dated Single Shot in 32-40. Our little club dates back to the same year my rifle was manufactured and we still have monthly matches on my farm.
Honest Jon
July 3, 2020
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Lyman “S”… for the Winchester 1885. The “stem” is not standard… it is a scarce #47 that allowed for windage adjustment. Very nice set up.
July 7, 2026
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Thanks Ben, nice to know what it is. I had never seen one before. The base does look like a couple others I have but the stem and windage feature not so much. I almost put a wind guage front on but this works great so no need.
Jon
April 15, 2005
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The odds are very high that the Lyman Tang sight on your high-wall is not an “S” coded sight. Take it off of the rifle and look at the underneath side of the base and show or tell us what is stamped on it. The “S” coded sights for the Single Shot (high-wall) rifles have the elevation stem located near the center (front to back) of the base versus close to the front.
The sight on your high-wall is actually a No. 52A (a No. 47 stem in a No. 2A base).
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
April 15, 2005
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These are just a few of the various Lyman tangs sights I have in my collection.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
July 7, 2026
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Looks like a well-struck “W” followed by a lighter struck “M”.
April 15, 2005
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Jon,
The “WM” coded sight was made for the .22 rim fire Model 87 Winder Musket. It is a relatively uncommon sight due to the fact that the Model 87 Winder Muskets were factory equipped with a Lyman No. 53 Receiver peep sight.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
July 7, 2026
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Always interesting. I was certain this rifle (35561) did not come original with this sight and your comment regarding the musket sights supports that. It was cut for a rear sight with a slotted dovetail showing and there is evidence on the top barrel flats of perhaps a buckhorn sight and sliding wedge. I have to believe though that target shooting was the purpose of this build as it has a Type 1 Schuetzen butt. Maybe there was a previous tang sight installed by Winchester? Along with a buckhorn rear?
Jon
July 3, 2020
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Bert… thanks for the “new to me” knowledge… my Lyman catalogues show the 47 as an optional stem…
April 15, 2005
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Ben said
Bert… thanks for the “new to me” knowledge… my Lyman catalogues show the 47 as an optional stem…
The No. 47 stem was offered as a separate item, but when paired with a No. 2A base, it was cataloged as a No. 52A. I do not remember which specific Lyman catalog listed it. I have only ever owned one of them. They did not last very long because the No. 103 micrometer wind gauge tang sight replaced it (I have three of them, (2) S coded and one SB coded). My preference is the No. 103.
I have collected Lyman tang sights for nearly 40-years, and at one time had a large collection of them. During the past many years I sold off all of the sights that were coded for Marlin, Savage, Stevens, etc. to focus on just the sights for Winchesters (I sold a batch of (10) to one single Marlin collector at the Big Reno show about 12-years ago). I am always on the look-out for No. 103 sights coded for the Single Shots.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
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