Avatar
Search
Forum Scope




Match



Forum Options



Minimum search word length is 3 characters - maximum search word length is 84 characters
Lost password?
sp_Feed sp_PrintTopic sp_TopicIcon
Winchester Knife Blade front sight
Avatar
Bill Hockett
Member
WACA Member
Forum Posts: 451
Member Since:
July 31, 2005
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
1
December 2, 2024 - 10:24 pm
sp_Permalink sp_Print

After many years of looking I finally found a Winchester make Knife Blade front sight.  It seems to be an extremely rare sight on early Winchester rifles.  According to Madis in The Sight Book it was numbered as the 73A – 73D.  The blades could be steel, German silver, or ivory.  It shared the same base as the more common Rocky Mountain sight (79A – 79G).

The Knife Blade sight first shows up in the April 1886 catalog.  It appears to have been discontinued around 1932.  A note in the Madis book for the 79A says for special and mail orders only.  

Here are some photos of the Knife Blade with a Rocky Mountain sight for comparison.  

IMG_6633.jpgImage Enlarger

IMG_6634.jpgImage Enlarger
IMG_6635.jpgImage Enlarger
KnifeBlade.jpgImage Enlarger

sp_PlupAttachments Attachments

I call myself a collector as it sounds better than hoarder

Avatar
Bert H.
Kingston, WA
Admin
Forum Posts: 13129
Member Since:
April 15, 2005
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
2
December 2, 2024 - 10:57 pm
sp_Permalink sp_Print

Bill,

There were a substantial number of Single Shot (high-wall) rifles that letter with a “G.S. K.B. Ft.” sight.  While it was not nearly as common as the Rocky Mountain sporting front sight, the German Silver Knife Blade sights were not uncommon.  The blued steel and ivory K.B sights were very uncommon.

Bert

WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
High-walls-1-002-C-reduced2.jpg

Avatar
1873man
Wisconsin
Member
WACA Member
Forum Posts: 4720
Member Since:
May 2, 2009
sp_UserOnlineSmall Online
3
December 3, 2024 - 4:02 am
sp_Permalink sp_Print

There are very few Knife blades on the 73’s at least that letter. From my survey of a little over 20,000 73’s I have 11,659 guns that have Cody information and of those only 543 letter with sights and of those only 10 letter with Knife Blade sights.  25 with Rocky Mtn. sights and the most popular sight is the Beech at 154.

Bob

WACA Life Member---
NRA Life Member----
Cody Firearms member since 1991
Researching the Winchester 1873's

73_86cutaway.jpg

Email: [email protected]

Avatar
Bill Hockett
Member
WACA Member
Forum Posts: 451
Member Since:
July 31, 2005
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
4
December 3, 2024 - 5:30 pm
sp_Permalink sp_Print

Thank you Bert and Bob for your comments.  I looked at the summary of the Model 1876 warehouse records and found only 13 listed a knife blade front sight.  Of the over 3000 Model 1876’s in the survey (known guns, not from records) none have been documented with a Winchester knife blade front sight.  

I call myself a collector as it sounds better than hoarder

Avatar
deerhunter
Troutdale, OR
Member
WACA Member
Forum Posts: 2717
Member Since:
June 26, 2013
sp_UserOnlineSmall Online
5
December 4, 2024 - 2:27 am
sp_Permalink sp_Print sp_EditHistory

I have a model 1894 that letters with a “German silver knife blade front sight.”  Wondering how rare these sights are on the 1894’s?

Don

P1070679-1.JPGImage Enlarger

P1070681-1.JPGImage Enlarger
P1070688-1.JPGImage Enlarger
P1070691-1.JPGImage Enlarger
P1070696-1.JPGImage Enlarger

sp_PlupAttachments Attachments
Avatar
Henry Mero
Member
WACA Member
Forum Posts: 1421
Member Since:
December 21, 2006
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
6
December 4, 2024 - 5:41 pm
sp_Permalink sp_Print

Well, I have a lot of ’94’s, none with that sight though.

W.A.C.A. life member, Marlin Collectors Assn. charter and life member, C,S.S.A. member and general gun nut.

Avatar
Chuck
Member
WACA Member
Forum Posts: 5947
Member Since:
March 31, 2009
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
7
December 4, 2024 - 8:17 pm
sp_Permalink sp_Print

The 28″ barrel is more rare than the front sight.

Avatar
TXGunNut
Northern edge of the D/FW Metromess
Member
WACA Member
Forum Posts: 6583
Member Since:
November 7, 2015
sp_UserOnlineSmall Online
8
December 5, 2024 - 12:11 am
sp_Permalink sp_Print

Bill-

Congrats on finally scoring the Knife Blade front sight! Thanks for posting because I didn’t realize how much I liked this type of sight until you posted the pics. It reminds me very much of the Patridge front sights that give what I consider to be the sharpest sight picture on a pistol. In precision pistol or PPC the best scores are shot when the shooter can see well-defined corners of the front sight. This sight and the Patridge sight should produce that sight picture. I suppose the propensity of this sight to snag coming out of a case or scabbard kept it from being popular. May explain why some are found on the Single Shot. I’d like to try one on a rifle while I can still find a front sight.

Do you have a rifle in mind for this sight?

 

Mike

Life Member TSRA, Endowment Member NRA
BBHC Member, TGCA Board Member
Smokeless powder is a passing fad! -Steve Garbe
I hate rude behavior in a man. I won't tolerate it. -Woodrow F. Call, Lonesome Dove
Some of my favorite recipes start out with a handful of depleted counterbalance devices.-TXGunNut
Presbyopia be damned, I'm going to shoot this thing! -TXGunNut
Avatar
Bill Hockett
Member
WACA Member
Forum Posts: 451
Member Since:
July 31, 2005
sp_UserOfflineSmall Offline
9
December 5, 2024 - 5:03 pm
sp_Permalink sp_Print

TXGunNut said
Bill-

Congrats on finally scoring the Knife Blade front sight! Thanks for posting because I didn’t realize how much I liked this type of sight until you posted the pics. It reminds me very much of the Patridge front sights that give what I consider to be the sharpest sight picture on a pistol. In precision pistol or PPC the best scores are shot when the shooter can see well-defined corners of the front sight. This sight and the Patridge sight should produce that sight picture. I suppose the propensity of this sight to snag coming out of a case or scabbard kept it from being popular. May explain why some are found on the Single Shot. I’d like to try one on a rifle while I can still find a front sight.

Do you have a rifle in mind for this sight?

 

Mike

  

Mike, I don’t have any plans for the Knife Blade front sight.  Just keep it with the others and add it to the display.  In addition to the antique Winchester rifles I have a great interest in the sights and reloading tools.  I like the high quality workmanship that went into them.

I am still looking for a Winchester Express front sight.  It looks like a Lyman #3

Bill

Express-front-02.jpgImage Enlarger

sp_PlupAttachments Attachments

I call myself a collector as it sounds better than hoarder

Avatar
TXGunNut
Northern edge of the D/FW Metromess
Member
WACA Member
Forum Posts: 6583
Member Since:
November 7, 2015
sp_UserOnlineSmall Online
10
December 6, 2024 - 2:27 am
sp_Permalink sp_Print

Bill- 

I like the express sight picture as well, seems very quick but have never hunted with one. I may be going down that reloading tool rabbit hole, I’m fascinated by the workmanship and design of the Winchesters tools. I don’t have the required eye for detail to get very far in sight collecting. Thanks for pointing out the niceties of these sights. 

Mike

Life Member TSRA, Endowment Member NRA
BBHC Member, TGCA Board Member
Smokeless powder is a passing fad! -Steve Garbe
I hate rude behavior in a man. I won't tolerate it. -Woodrow F. Call, Lonesome Dove
Some of my favorite recipes start out with a handful of depleted counterbalance devices.-TXGunNut
Presbyopia be damned, I'm going to shoot this thing! -TXGunNut
Forum Timezone: UTC 0
Most Users Ever Online: 5406
Currently Online: 1873man, pdog72, deerhunter, TXGunNut, TR, Jeff Suber, eddixon
Guest(s) 789
Top Posters:
clarence: 7119
TXGunNut: 6583
Chuck: 5947
steve004: 5239
1873man: 4720
deerhunter: 2717
Big Larry: 2567
twobit: 2519
mrcvs: 2217
Maverick: 2043
Newest Members:
Ebrown
Jamo
WesternTradingPost
mr.rudolph
Roscoe
EWMN
Winchesterwows
jacksontod71
KPotter44
Forum Stats:
Groups: 1
Forums: 18
Topics: 14897
Posts: 133579

 

Member Stats:
Guest Posters: 2057
Members: 10123
Moderators: 3
Admins: 4
Administrators: Mike Hager, Bert H., JWA, SethJ
Moderators: Rob Kassab, Brad Dunbar, Heather
Navigation