Good front sight to pair with Lyman tang rear, Winchester 94

[Bill in Oregon]

I got my sorry tookas out of the house today and to the range, where I shot a few rounds of .35-30 through the Winchester Model 94 carbine, supposedly rebored and chambered by Parker Ackley himself. The current open iron sights are a replacement and a mess that I had a hard time using with the cataracts. I am thinking I might just have a Lyman No. 2 tang sight installed -- but could use guidance on a good, visible front sight for hunting to go with that aperture rear. This rifle might see use on elk in timber, but more likely on west Texas hogs if old mister gimpy can still get out and hunt.

[Pete44ru]

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I've been using fiber-optic bead front sights on every one of my iron-sighted rifles for over 30 years, Bill - there's nothing that can touch them for fast target acquisition, especially in darker/shady areas, like buck bedrooms (Black Cedar Swamps).

FO sights are available in the same bead sizes as Ivory/Gold bead sights - 1/16" (fine) & 3/32" (coarse) - AND in various different colors (red, amber, yellow, green, and others) from various makers (Williams, Hi-Vix, Tru-Glo, T/C, and others) that should accommodate anyone color perception.

I still use them, even though I had both eyes done (lens implants to remove cataracts) about 8 years ago.


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[Pisgah]

The best front sight for me turned out to be a plain German Silver blade. Although not quite as visible in low light as a fiber optic, it stays sharp and well-defined to my eye, whereas the fiber optic turns in to a fuzzy blob -- very visible, just not very precise.

[OldWin]

How old is your carbine? Do you have a block or ramp front sight?
For a block, you can make whatever you like. I start with old Master Lock keys. Make a nice square post and black the sides and top.
If a ramp you are more limited. Try and find a Sourdough insert. That would be best IMO.

[zoner]

I have the Lyman tang sight on my 1942 M94 32 Special. My pick for a front sight is a XS post type front sight. It is flat topped, black, .100 wide post with a .040 white stripe. The flat top makes indexing elevation much easier than a bead. A lot easier to see(for me). The white stripe helps with windage....once again the .100 post is easy to "find" when in a hurry and the .040 stripe is easy to see against the black background. I have done 3 shot 2" groups at 100 yds with this set-up.

[M. M. Wright]

My old '86 has the Redfield Sourdough on the front. It is a flat topped post with a copper insert on a 45 degree angle to the line of sight that catches the light sometimes. Rear is a Marbles tang sight that I usually leave the insert out of and just sight through the threads. My favorite combo.

[AJMD429]

I too like the fiber-optic ones. Williams Firesight.

[gamekeeper]

I recently bought a fiber sighted air rifle, it sure helps my old eyes connect with the intended target but I'm not sure if they are precise enough for really long range shooting.maybe just a front fiber optic sight and a peep sight may work but as Pisgah said, could be too fuzzy.

[Bill in Oregon]

Thought I had posted this. My carbine was manufactured in 1952 and has the block front sight.
I go in to be evaluated for cataract surgery next week, so will likely wait to see where this goes before choosing a front sight to go with the Lyman No. 2 rear.
Gamekeeper, I have had a couple of air rifles with the fiber optics. They worked reasonably well for me at air rifle ranges.

[earlmck]

If it has a replaceable front sight, every iron sighted rifle I have gets a green fiber optic. The only one I haven't replaced has a small ivory bead which used to be my preference, but now I go green. The old eyes still do well with anything that presents itself as a flat-topped post, but my preference is the green. And I haven't had a single young-eyed shooter complain about that green fiber optic being too dang bright, either: all the kids and gkids like it.

And that '52 model -- isn't that just one year before they were d&t'd for receiver sights? Or was that the year that happened? If you are going to get a hole d&t'd, I'd go ahead and get two and go with receiver sight since that is going to be a hunting rig vs. a target rig.

[marlinman93]

I personally think it's hard to beat a inexpensive Skinner post for a good sight picture. At $15 they work great with a tang sight, and are easily filed down to get the perfect height for whatever rear sight you use. I sometimes work them over with a file to get them thinner. He used to offer a .040" width that I loved, but stopped making them.

http://www.skinnersights.com/front_sights_5.html

[Sixgun]

As front sights are easy to change......well, the SRC front posts can be a pain.......anyway

A flat post for target.........1/16" ivory for hunting....or 3/32" if your semi old.......in lieu of ivory, a gold bead with a brass bead or German silver in that order. Something about fiber optics....I have them and never could get used to them ...but that's me...most guys like them.

There are no "one size/type "that fits all" types of shooting.

I also like the old vintage globe sights where there is a iron post on the globe and you flip it down and a ivory bead pops up with the globe laying on the barrel, unseen. I have a half dozen of these on various rifles and it's the one sight I seldom "pop off" to reinstall another. I believe some companies have reintroduced them.----6

[Chuck 100 yd]

I personally think it's hard to beat a inexpensive Skinner post for a good sight picture. At $15 they work great with a tang sight, and are easily filed down to get the perfect height for whatever rear sight you use. I sometimes work them over with a file to get them thinner. He used to offer a .040" width that I loved, but stopped making them.

http://www.skinnersights.com/front_sights_5.html

I agree , a straight black post is my favorite front sight for target shooting. For hunting in close cover I like a simple 1/16"
White bead. I have skinner fronts on several of my guns.they usually fit with no hand fitting. If they nee any fitting at all it is very minor. They offer front sights made for barrel or ramp mounting and various sight heights.

[marlinman93]

I also like the old vintage globe sights where there is a iron post on the globe and you flip it down and a ivory bead pops up with the globe laying on the barrel, unseen. I have a half dozen of these on various rifles and it's the one sight I seldom "pop off" to reinstall another. I believe some companies have reintroduced them.----6

Hey Sixgun, I like those Lyman or Beeches combination sights also. Great idea that works for most shooting, except long range shooting. I found the post is so very thin that it completely disappeared on targets out past 400 yds. I had one that was factory installed on my Ballard Pacific in .40-85, and I just plain could not see it at farther distances. I tapped it out and slipped in a Skinner temporarily and it was day and night different. Consistent hits at 650 yds. were easy with a darker, wider blade in front. I had to put a string tag on the combination sight to make sure I know what it came of, as it wont be going back on ever!

[3leggedturtle]

Bill I have a Williams .570” tall front sight with a 1/16” gold bead if you could use it. Todd/3leg

[Bill in Oregon]

Todd, thanks for the offer. I boxed up the 94 along with a nice old steel receiver sight (maybe a Pacific -- no name) and sent it off to my "armorer" friend in Iowa, Tom Jackson, with instructions to put in a new blade front if he had one lying about. I'll have to see what he comes up with.