Williams FP on a 336RC?

[nralover]

Guys, I have a 1966 Marlin 336RC in .30WCF. This rifle has the original front sight. If I put a Williams FP on it, will I be able to use the front sight, or will I have to buy a new one?

[CEMENTHEAD]

You should have no problems with the front sight. There's plenty of vertical adjustment to the Williams.

Thanks, Tom

[AJMD429]

Yep, the FP's (and less-easily-adjustable-but-cheaper 5D's) work just fine, either the "FP-36" (top-mount) or "FP-96" (side mount) ones. The (even less adjustable, but more streamlined) WGRS (also a top-mount) usually needs a higher front sight.

Once you sight in with the supplied aperture, be sure and try shooting with the aperture out. Those nice fine Marlin brass front sights do well 'ghost ringed' using a Williams FP without an aperture installed. Fast, yet accurate.

[Hobie]

Despite the horror stories on the internet I've never had to replace a FACTORY front sight on an original Winchester or Marlin when I've installed a Foolproof (or Lyman) receiver sight. As of today that is at least some 60 rifles/carbines both mine and owned by others.

[Pisgah]

No disrespect to previous posters, as I believe what they are saying. But I have put receiver sights, Williams. Lyman, and Redfield, on at least 10 336s and have always, without fail, had ro replace the factory front with a taller sight. Obviously, tou can't count on the original sight working every time.

[Dave]

My experience has been sometimes you do and sometimes you don't. It is easy to switch front sights if you need to so I would go ahead.

[AJMD429]

No disrespect to previous posters, as I believe what they are saying. But I have put receiver sights, Williams. Lyman, and Redfield, on at least 10 336s and have always, without fail, had ro replace the factory front with a taller sight. Obviously, tou can't count on the original sight working every time.

Wow!

As the family 'gunsmith' (and I use that term very loosely), I've FP-ized half of the family Marlins (1894's and 336's)...



...and never had to replace a front sight. I wonder if we have that different a 'hold' or sight picture?

I guess the other answer to the OP would then be that at least replacing the front is easy and inexpensive to do (unless you snap off the rail like I did on my Guide Gun... )

[jlchucker]

No disrespect to previous posters, as I believe what they are saying. But I have put receiver sights, Williams. Lyman, and Redfield, on at least 10 336s and have always, without fail, had ro replace the factory front with a taller sight. Obviously, tou can't count on the original sight working every time.

Wow!

As the family 'gunsmith' (and I use that term very loosely), I've FP-ized half of the family Marlins (1894's and 336's)...



...and never had to replace a front sight. I wonder if we have that different a 'hold' or sight picture?

I guess the other answer to the OP would then be that at least replacing the front is easy and inexpensive to do (unless you snap off the rail like I did on my Guide Gun... )

Nice pictures. I never took pictures of all of the Marlins that have passed through my hands, but I've had to replace the front sights on my 1895S and an 1894 in 25-20, both bought brand new. The 1894 should have been sent back, but I didn't--I put a FP on instead. Even that didn't correct the problem. I ended up needing still more height, and the gun wound up with a ramp and front sight configuration. Then it got traded. Still in the family is my uncle's old 336 in 35 Rem. He solved his problem way back in the day by putting a scope on the gun. It's still there. I can't speak for Marlins that I've bought that were used, but some new ones over the years seem to have come out of the factory with just any ole front sight, with nobody paying attention to the height.

[TNBigBore]

I have never actually had to replace the front sights on any of my Williams FP equipped Marlins, but I have chosen to replace all of them. The 3/32" brass bead just seems too big for precision shooting to me. I usually replace the factory sight with a Marbles or Lyman 1/16" ivory bead front sight or a Redfield Sourdough if I can find one. I seem to be able to shoot a good bit better with either of these options than the original front sight.

[J Miller]

I've replaced the factory rear sights with a Williams or Lyman receiver sight on every Winchester and Marlin that were factory drilled and tapped. I've had two others D&T'd and will have several more done.
In all but one of those cases I've not needed to replace the factory front sight.
The one carbine that I did have to do so with was a Rossi. It's front sight would have needed to be replaced even with the factory rear sight.
In every case though I chose to replace the factory bead front sight with a sourdough, patridge, or post sight. I do not like beads and peep sights.

I use a 6:00 hold on my rifles. The top of the front sight goes under the target and I adjust the point of impact so the bullets hit right over the top of the sight. I cannot hit the target if I cannot see it.

Joe