Need a Winchester filler for the rear sight dovetail on a Model 74. PM me if one available.
Vince
Southern Oregon
NRA member
Fraternal Order of Eagles
“There is but one answer to be made to the dynamite bomb and that can best be made by the Winchester rifle.”
Teddy Roosevelt
Hi Vince,
The Winchester No. 1 dovetail sight blank “filler” was made in-house (not a Lyman) and was used on the pre-war Model 69 (parts cleanup rifles), post-war 69A JTSS, Model 74 with the 88A rear sight and a few other .22 models with the 3/8″ dovetail.
As Big Larry mentioned, they are fairly hard to find although I did get one at the Cody show a few years back. The finish and machining on them is distinct and recognizable to most collectors so they get snapped up quick. I need a couple myself.
I am assuming you need it for an 88A equipped Model 74?
Good luck in your search.
Best Regards,
WACA Life Member #6284 - Specializing in Pre-64 Winchester .22 Rimfire
Big Larry said
It would appear that the filler on my M59 Target is a wee bit smaller. Maybe an optical illusion. Big Larry
It should be the same size but I have never actually measured the one on my 59 either……
Regards,
WACA Life Member #6284 - Specializing in Pre-64 Winchester .22 Rimfire
So it doesn’t look like I’ll find a No 1 blank for my M74 with 88a rear sight. The dovetail doesn’t look like it ever had a blank in it but it would look better with one.
Vince
Southern Oregon
NRA member
Fraternal Order of Eagles
“There is but one answer to be made to the dynamite bomb and that can best be made by the Winchester rifle.”
Teddy Roosevelt
Tedk said
It’s not for sale and not even sure what’s it’s for, but this one always appeared to be factory work.![]()
Looks like a homemade one cut down from a sporting sight. Factory dovetail blanks are very hard to find, almost impossible. If you are extremely lucky you can find a real one that is marked Lyman. Most unmarked ones are repos.
Chuck said Looks like a homemade one cut down from a sporting sight. Factory dovetail blanks are very hard to find, almost impossible. If you are extremely lucky you can find a real one that is marked Lyman. Most unmarked ones are repos.
Probably, but I’ve seen others just like it. That screw makes it fairly modern.
supergimp said
I’ll let you guys comment on how appropriate or accurate it is, but I just coincidentally watched Larry Potterfield create one for a M1885 on the Midway YouTube channel.
He sure makes it look easy! I’m inclined to think getting exactly the right angle on the cut-off end may require more care than simply eyeballing it.
clarence said
He sure makes it look easy! I’m inclined to think getting exactly the right angle on the cut-off end may require more care than simply eyeballing it.
He makes everything look easy. Helps sell gunsmith tools and supplies.
Steve
WACA Member. CFM Member. NRA Lifer.
Tedk said
Didn’t appear that the bevel was milled in a home workshop.
Believe me, those homemade ones are fairly common because the real ones are so rare. If you travel to the large gun shows you will easily find a homemade one or even the reproductions. Just because someone other than Winchester made them doesn’t mean a gunsmith can’t. One side is the original bevels and the other side is filed and polished before cold bluing.
Chuck said
Tedk said
Didn’t appear that the bevel was milled in a home workshop.Believe me, those homemade ones are fairly common because the real ones are so rare.
What did “the real ones” look like? Aside from merely filling the slot, this type served a useful purpose: covering the top of the slot if the edges happened to be damaged by driving in a dovetail that was a little too large for the slot, which can curl back its sharp edges.
clarence said
What did “the real ones” look like? Aside from merely filling the slot, this type served a useful purpose: covering the top of the slot if the edges happened to be damaged by driving in a dovetail that was a little too large for the slot, which can curl back its sharp edges.
They were just a rectangle that filled the slot. Nothing fancy like the cut down sporting sights. Here is a picture of one. I don’t know if it is real or a repo but it has been on this gun forever.
January 26, 2011

Here’s an 1892 that Don Grove has that letters with Lyman sights and “Blank Rear Seat” so I’m assuming this one is an original “real one”.
https://www.thewinchestergrove.com/1892/203xxx.htm
A fairly stunning ’92 takedown BTW. If he had a 50% off sale I might be interested.
~Gary~
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