Winchester 1895 peep sights

[Plottman]

Hello, I am new here. I have a 1895 winchester reproduction that I would like to put a peep sight on. I have found 2 redfield 102E model sights from different suppliers. One is described for winchester 1895 and other described for 1894. Does anyone know if the redfield 102E does indeed fit 1895 winchester?

[Pete44ru]

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Welcome to the board !

IDK the answer to your question, but DO know that a side-mounted receiver sight for the Model 95 would have a slightly longer horizontal aperture holder bar than a sight for the Model 92/94 - however, the Model 94 sight will fit, and zero OK, provided you can live with the aperture's windage adjustment cranked further to the right from the center of the horizontal bar (which will result in less right windage adjustment available).

On my .405 Miroku/Winchester 95, I avoided all that via mounting an XS peepsight with a flat base onto the center (directly over the firing pin C/L) top of the rear (flat) end of the bolt top.
That set up required a taller front sight blade, so I also bought/installed an XS White Line front sight blade for the M-95 (today, XS sells Model 95 sets, a peep & a taller front sight).

If I had to do it again today, I'd use a Skinner LoPro in the same place - which would allow the use of the issue height front sight.


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[HawkCreek]

Providence Tool Pattern 21 sight. It just looks right on am 1895!

[Plottman]

Thank you, for your reply, I dont think I would like having the windage adjustment all the way to one side. Can you describe the process you used for drilling the bolt?

[Plottman]

Mr. Hawcreek, does your providence tool lyman repro have windage adjustments ? I have looked at several pictures and have not been able to tell, also does it go low enough for 50 yards ?

[vancelw]

Thank you, for your reply, I dont think I would like having the windage adjustment all the way to one side. Can you describe the process you used for drilling the bolt?

It wouldn't be all the way to one side. It would only be slightly right of center. The only thing you'd notice is that the crossbar wouldn't extend all the way to be even with the right side of the receiver. I happen to like that better. Less likely to snag it on something. I use receiver sights for narrower 92/94/336 on wider 86/71/95s all the time.
The picture below is an 1895 with the proper sight on it. A 94/92 sight would not extend so far right.

20171126_131622.jpg

For a Providence Tool Co pattern 21 sight, all the instructions, tap, drill bit and screws you need come with it. It has more windage than most folks need. How close you can zero it depends on your front sight. With almost any peep, you will probably need to have a taller front sight blade.
One exception would be a Skinner barrel mount, which you can install with absolutely no modifications to your rifle.

20171126_131506.jpg

[Pete44ru]

Thank you, for your reply

Can you describe the process you used for drilling the bolt?

You're welcome !

The 1st thing is to determine & mark a spot directly above the C/L of the firing pin on the rear flat of the bolt top, then (using a drill press or lathe) drill the spot shallowly with a center drill bit before drilling deeper with a #31 drill (try to avoid breaking into the FP channel).

Use plenty of a lubricant - cutting oil - for both drilling holes & tapping them with threads.

The next thing would be to tap the hole with a 6-48 bottoming tap.

The single hole is used to fasten the receiver sight BASE (only) to the bolt, being careful to align the base's 2nd hole with the FP center line.

I've used both an XS sight with a flat base meant for a Marlin 1894, and a Williams WGRS for this application, on different rifles - and both the Skinner LoPro & Skinner Marlin 1894 receiver peepsights are also good candidates.

The sight base's 2nd empty/centered hole is used as a guide to mark the bolt top for the sight base's 2nd screw hole, the base removed from the bolt, and the bolt top drilled & tapped as above for the 2nd screw hole.

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The issue front sight blade is easily removed via tapping out the small crosspin at it's base & lifting it out of it's retention slot in the front sight base.

Save the front sight retention crosspin for reuse with a new/taller blade (required for the now higher line-of-sight demanded by the bolt peepsight) - the issue front sight blade can alternatively be built up with weld & filed down/square & cold blued.

Here's a modified Williams WM-96 peep sight ($25) on the bolt top.

[Plottman]

Thanks again, Pete, that looks like a very clean installation.

[Plottman]

Installed skinner barrel mount on an 1894 that has been in servise about 45 years. I wanted to practice on that before I started on my 1895. I removed a set of truglo sights with hopes I could use truglo front, but it was way to high, original front sight was right height. 50 yard groups were about 1/2 to 3/4 tighter. May install more peeps down the road. Hope the providence pattern 21 becomes available soon.

[Pete44ru]

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You're welcome !

BTW, you will experience better accuracy (and faster sight acquisition) with a peep sight mounted closer to your eye than on the barrel - like a receiver peep sight.

With the aperture closer to the eye, all that's needed is to look THROUGH the aperture instead of AT it, focusing on only the front sight and placing it on target.

You can use different size apertures for different shooting situations, like a large aperture for more speed, or a smaller aperture for better accuracy.

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