LADDER PEEP SIGHT FOR ROSSI 92

[Brant Brooks]

I purchased a Rossi 1892 .45 Colt Stainless in November. It arrived with rust on the barrel, mag and tang. The rifle was wrapped in bubble wrap and I expect that the wood was still a bit wet causing the problem. Anyway I accepted it and promptly contacted Rossi. They sent Fed-Ex to pick it up and it is in for warranty repairs right now. So far I have no complaints about the way they handled it, but I'll keep you all posted. So my question is in regards to a replacement sight, maybe someone here has some experience with this.

I want to replace the stock rear sight with the Smith Enterprise #8005 the Wesson & Harrington Long Range Sight sold by Brownells (pic attached). The manufacturer told me that the dovetail is 3/8 inch. Brownells said that this would not fit the Rossi 92, which I already knew. However, the advantages of this sight are the combination of a full buckhorn and ladder peep (read that ghost ring) which as far as I can tell is the only sight with this combo in existence. Therefore, I am willing to do what I need to in order to get it to fit. My guess is a simple brass shim would do it. If any one has an opinion on this I would be happy to hear it.

Thanks in advance. A new member.

Smith Enterprise 8005.jpg

[rbertalotto]

Here's a little article I wrote on my experience with this sight.

http://rvbprecision.com/shooting/smith- ... ation.html

The MVA version looks interesting but it wasn't in stock when I needed it. There are other version available on the internet with a Google search.

[pokey]

no info but,

welcome home

[pwl44m]

welcome to the forum, someone will have Ur (your) answer,for sure I don't but I like that sight.
I'm trying to figure how Rust got on Stainless.
Perry

[Brant Brooks]

Thanks rbertalotto. As a matter of fact I did see this article the other day so I now understand that there will likely be a mismatch between the front and rear sight. That's a different sight than the one I'm looking at (#8004), but the design is basically the same. I've heard that stainless is not rust proof but this is the first evidence I've seen of that pwl44m. Thanks pokey, glad to be here!

[gak]

. The manufacturer told me that the dovetail is 3/8 inch. Brownells said that this would not fit the Rossi 92, which I already knew.

This was certainly true of the Interarms-era guns which hovered in the odd-duck .390 territory IIRC, and for which Marbles used to make a discreet buckhorn type but discontinued some years ago...But, I thought Rossi had rectified this oddity in the LSIs, EMFs and current crop. In fact I had a standard 3/8 (.375) buckhorn installed on an early LSI (Legacy). No fitment issues whatsoever. What gives??
EDIT. Brownells used to carry those old Rossi-spec Marbles then, as mentioned, discontinued of course with Marbles stopping production. Any chance they're still living in their own now-uninformed past? ("A Rossi is always a Rossi") I'd have your dovetail measured before making any assumptions, just in case.

[Brant Brooks]

Thanks gak. Good advice! I don't know how old this piece is but here are the actual responses from Smith's (manufacturer):

"The only thing we have are the std 3/8 dove tail, the spring for our sight has a 6-48 screw going through the dove tail just like the old Winchester’s so you can set the screw down to help take out some of the play maybe."

... and Brownells:

"Unfortunately that sight will not fit the nonstandard dovetail found on Rossi rifles and we do not have an alternate sight that would."

[Brant Brooks]

In looking around the forums it seems that quite a few folks are looking for this sort of sight, a folding ladder sight with an aperture and barrel mount, not a tang mount. And, despite much searching I still cannot find anything else available. In actuality, I think the ideal would be to have two ghost rings on this type of sight. Another needed improvement would be a ladder elevation adjustment. I know that I could build such a sight if I had access to some machining equipment. Perhaps some enterprising individual with the facilities will read this and take up the project. Hello... anyone out there?

[Griff]

Maybe I'm measuring wrong... but, The dovetail in my Marlin measures .350 at the bottom of the dovetail, my 1980's LSI Rossi measures .382 and the 2004 EMF Rossi measures .390 All measurements taken from the left side of the dovetail.

[O.S.O.K.]

I solved the dovetail issue by carefully peening the lips of the dovetail slot on the rifle down - carefully... this tightened things up plenty good enough and with that set screw, you should be just fine. I like the steel shim modification that robertalloto did - very good answer to a design flaw.

I see that the sight you've chosen has an aperture in the long range slide. I had one of these with the notch and ended up selling it on gunbroker. I just didn't like the notch and definatly didn't like the inability to adjust the elevation of the buckhorn...

[Brant Brooks]

Interesting. According to my calculations .375 is 3/8 inch which I understand is the common dovetail size.

[Brant Brooks]

Thanks O.S.O.K. This sight is definitely not perfect, but I agree that all things considered I should be able to make it work. I'm thinking of trying to file out an adjustment ramp in brass. Seems strange that we should have to make such modifications on a brand new piece of equipment but I guess that's just how designs sometimes develop. Piecemeal. Seems like an obvious flaw though, to leave out an elevation adjustment.

[O.S.O.K.]

Yes, a brand new sight costing $100.... or thereabouts.

And the fix is so easy.

[Brant Brooks]

I've been talking to a couple of guys about this sight issue. I understand that a tang sight is great for long distance in the up position, but it doesn't give a decent option for close shooting. Leaf sights are awful for us older shooters. The idea that I'm working on is a versatile close and long distance sight that is easy and fast to use. For me this means ladder ghost ring and something similar for close shooting. Currently that means full buckhorn as nothing else is available. Still working on this. Thanks to all for your input.

[2571]

I'm trying to figure how Rust got on Stainless.

I've seen rust on revolvers carried by police in leather holsters. Makes you wonder how it c ould happen on a gun suposedly inspected every day.

[kimwcook]

I'm trying to figure how Rust got on Stainless.

I've seen rust on revolvers carried by police in leather holsters. Makes you wonder how it c ould happen on a gun suposedly inspected every day.

Because in that one day you have enough sweat going on that you rust your piece. I have a Colt Officer's Model in stainless that I rusted in one day working a methlab and another time working undercover selling dope during a concert. And, I care for my guns. Not all LEO's do and I"ve seen some horrible things on guys guns that don't check their equipment. Not all LEO's are gun guys. Plastic was a great invention for guys like that.