Sight upgrade for a new '86 model Win

Sturgis96 · Post by **Sturgis96** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 9:26 pm

Hi everyone. First post. I don't do much of this so nothing fancy. I barely manage making calls on my cell phone. I bought my 1886 45-70
late last summer to use bear hunting in the woods in northern Minnesota. Low light, heavy brush, close range around 30 yards over bait. The stock sights and my aging eyes aren't the best combination. I am considering a tang peep and a ramp front with an ivory bead. Been looking at sights made by Marble. Any experience with these sights, or other thoughts on the subject.

Tycer · Post by **Tycer** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 9:31 pm

I have a Lyman on mine with a thin .050 (If I Remember Correctly - IIRC) front post I fashioned from a tall marbles 1/16" bead. The bead is completely gone, it's just a thin blade now.

Grizz · Post by **Grizz** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 10:38 pm

Tycer, did you d&t your receiver? I think I'll use a williams, I prefer the aluminum material...

Sturgis96, I had a tang sight on my '86 but took it off because of the way I handle and grip the gun. I just don't enjoy having the tang sight on it.

Once I get the receiver sight I will try a green fiber front sight and then probably set up a very fine gold bead when the fiber breaks.

Rimfire McNutjob · Post by **Rimfire McNutjob** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 11:02 pm

Grizz wrote:Tycer, did you d&t your receiver?

I noticed that the Browning (Miroku) 71's came D&T'd for the Lyman 56/66 so I'm also wondering if Miroku did the same for the Win/Browning 86's.

Griff · Post by **Griff** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 11:29 pm

Rimfire McNutjob wrote:
Grizz wrote:Tycer, did you d&t your receiver?
I noticed that the Browning (Miroku) 71's came D&T'd for the Lyman 56/66 so I'm also wondering if Miroku did the same for the Win/Browning 86's.

My Browning isn't. And in answer to Sturgis96's question: I don't care for the 1886 Marbles tang sight. The sight is very near the rear stock screw in order to clear the long bolt travel. My Browning '86 has a near full buckhorn and I replaced the front bead with an ivory one. Agains any dark background it works great, I can really pick it out. But, against light or neutral backgrounds, it's a little more difficult.

And, Welcome to the Forum.

Tycer · Post by **Tycer** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 5:52 am

Mine was D&T from the box.

Post by **Hobie** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 6:48 am

The Browning 1886s were not d&ted for any sights, the Winchester 1886s (post-Browning) were as were the 71s.

I'd recommend the use of a receiver sight.

jhrosier · Post by **jhrosier** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 7:02 am

Grizz wrote:Tycer, did you d&t your receiver? I think I'll use a williams, I prefer the aluminum material...
....

The current Lyman receiver sight is aluminum.

Also, the Providence Tool Co. is making the Lyman #21 receiver sight for about half the price of the imported ones.

http://www.peabodyrifles.com/index.html

Jack

Old Ironsights · Post by **Old Ironsights** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 8:36 am

Hobie wrote:The Browning 1886s were not d&ted for any sights, the Winchester 1886s (post-Browning) were as were the 71s.

I'd recommend the use of a receiver sight.

I don't think my Win 1886 is D&T...

J Miller · Post by **J Miller** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 12:00 pm

Sturgis96,

Welcome to the forum.

For low light situations like you mentioned XS makes a blade type front sight that has a white stripe running up the center of the blade. It's quite visible.
One of members, OJ, has a Winchester 94 with receiver sights and an XS front sight he posts pics of occasionally and those sights are what I'd use.

Joe

Pete44ru · Post by **Pete44ru** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 12:49 pm

I used a Marble's Tang peep sight on my new 1886EL High Grade, in conjunction with a small diameter fiber-optic front bead, that worked very well in low light hunting situations.

I didn't even bother to D/T the tang for the second sight base screw, and just made doubly sure the tang screw was always very tight.
My zero never changed, and the sight never moved, since the combination of a tang curved side-to-side, and a sight base curved likewise, gave enough of an interference fit to bind the sight in place - even with the .45-70's recoil.

Post by **Hobie** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 1:14 pm

Old Ironsights wrote:
Hobie wrote:The Browning 1886s were not d&ted for any sights, the Winchester 1886s (post-Browning) were as were the 71s.

I'd recommend the use of a receiver sight.
I don't think my Win 1886 is D&T...

Ummm, maybe not all were. Seems to me the lightweights were... Darn CRS!

old goat · Post by **old goat** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 1:23 pm

...Hobie...The lightweights were factory D&T'd for reciever sights.

...old goat

Pete44ru · Post by **Pete44ru** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 1:38 pm

Neither of my Winchester ExtraLight's, a Standard and a High Grade, were D/T'd for a side peep or tang sight - but mine were early ones. Later issues might very well have been.

Bullet Bob · Post by **Bullet Bob** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 2:13 pm

"I used a Marble's Tang peep sight "
_____________________________________

That thing'll put your eye out!

Seriously, it's definitely not common, but a tang sight on a heavy recoilling rifle that slips, or is held at an angle, has caused eye damage before. It's your eye, do what you want with it though

My Winchester (Miroku) EL is drilled and tapped for a receiver sight, so that's what I use (Lyman 66).

Pete44ru · Post by **Pete44ru** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 7:20 pm

[That thing'll put your eye out! ]

Not if you use it properly. There's no need to place one's eye close to the peep, for either speed or accuracy.

Give it the same eye relief you would to a scope, about 5"-6", and it'll have to be a tanger on a .460 Weatherby, or improper shouldering, to hit the shooter's eye.
The shooter can still look through, not at, the peep at that eye relief - the way they should be used.

1886 · Post by **1886** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 8:04 pm

old goat wrote:...Hobie...The lightweights were factory D&T'd for reciever sights.

...old goat

Yes Sir. My Win. 86 E.L. was D&T from the factory. Great Shooter but accuracy peters at the 460 gr Cast Perf. Maybe if I drove them faster but... 2000fps is pretty quick. Luckily it shoots the 440grLFN real well. Great rifles. 1886

Old Ironsights · Post by **Old Ironsights** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 8:50 pm

Old Ironsights wrote:
Hobie wrote:The Browning 1886s were not d&ted for any sights, the Winchester 1886s (post-Browning) were as were the 71s.

I'd recommend the use of a receiver sight.
I don't think my Win 1886 is D&T...

Nope. No holes on the Davidson TD.

DPris · Post by **DPris** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 10:42 am

I have the Williams/XS combination on my 86 EL, works great, a huge improvement.
Denis

crs · Post by **crs** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 11:09 am

Hobie;
Howcum you "danging" me?

BTW, my Winchester/Miroku/Davidsons TD 1886 is NOT D&T for a receiver sight. I put the Marbles tang on it to get the "period look"

and the longer sight radius. I like it and it works for me offhand and from a rest.

As you can see, my 1892 SRC has a receiver peep and it also works well for me.

This little gun is due back from the shop soon and I am eager to get some pics and get it to the range.

Sturgis96 · Post by **Sturgis96** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 7:53 pm

Thanks everyone for your input. My '86 take down is not D&T. CRS did you change the front sight?

Saltcreek · Post by **Saltcreek** » Sun Apr 06, 2008 12:28 am

I have the same setup as Tycer - Lyman peep on my Win 1886ELW. Everyone pay attention to the conditions Sturgis specified. Low light, heavy brush, close range around 30 yards. You need a peep, but not Tang mounted. Dealing with bear at close range in the woods, I would not want a folding sight sticking up poking me in the eye on a heavy recoiling gun with teeth coming at me. You say you will be in a tree, but you got to get to the tree first. Oh yeah, and black bears can climb. Drill and tap and get a lyman. Last I checked by the way, Williams does not make a rear peep for an 1886.

Nueces · Post by **Nueces** » Sun Apr 06, 2008 11:51 am

Nice analysis, Saltcreek. I'd like to point out that Williams does indeed make the "FP-71: For Winchester 71, 86, 05, 07, and 10. Also for Model 95 Winchester lever action and Browning centerfire lever action."

Mark

Saltcreek · Post by **Saltcreek** » Sun Apr 06, 2008 12:48 pm

I stand corrected on the Williams reciever sight. I have a Williams on a couple guns, but I tend to favor the Lyman on this one. What I like about the Lyman is the adjustable "0" side plate and the push button that lets me make a quick sight adjustment for longer range without having to crank in umpteen clicks. I keep a little chart on the stock to match the vernier scale on the Lyman for fast sight changes in the field.