Williams or Lyman

[foxtrapper]

I have a 1977 vintage Winchester 1894 on the way . The title says it all, which sight is the way to go?

[Terry Murbach]

SIX ONE, HALF DOZEN ANOTHER. I HAVE USED BOTH ON AT LEAST ONE HUNDRED RIFLES OR CARBINES. THEY BOTH DO THE SAME THING!!!
I DO LIKE THE LYMAN NOT NEEDING ANYTHING BUT A COIN TO ADJUST WITH OUT HAVING TO LOOSEN A LOCK SUCH AS THE WILLIAMS FOOLPROOF.
I LIKE THE WILLIAMS FOOLPROOF BEING ABLE TO HAVE THE ADJUSTMENTS LOCKED IN PLACE THOUGH.
THE WILLIAMSA 5D WORKS AS WELL AS THE FOOLPROOF TO TELL THE TRUTH.
ON THE OTHER HAND I'VE NEVER HAD ANY BRAND LOSE THEIR ADJUSTMENTS
AND I FOR DARNSURE WISH THE REDFIELD WAS STILL BEING MADE.

[JerryB]

I really like the Williams 5D sight, about half the price of a Foolproof.

[Hobie]

SIX ONE, HALF DOZEN ANOTHER. I HAVE USED BOTH ON AT LEAST ONE HUNDRED RIFLES OR CARBINES. THEY BOTH DO THE SAME THING!!!
I DO LIKE THE LYMAN NOT NEEDING ANYTHING BUT A COIN TO ADJUST WITH OUT HAVING TO LOOSEN A LOCK SUCH AS THE WILLIAMS FOOLPROOF.
I LIKE THE WILLIAMS FOOLPROOF BEING ABLE TO HAVE THE ADJUSTMENTS LOCKED IN PLACE THOUGH.
THE WILLIAMSA 5D WORKS AS WELL AS THE FOOLPROOF TO TELL THE TRUTH.
ON THE OTHER HAND I'VE NEVER HAD ANY BRAND LOSE THEIR ADJUSTMENTS
AND I FOR DARNSURE WISH THE REDFIELD WAS STILL BEING MADE.

That about says it all. I generally buy the FPs just because I think they're aluminum ones are better than the Lyman aluminum sights but if comparing to the steel Lymans the old steel Lymans are better.

[AJMD429]

Never had a problem with the Williams FP's I've had (and I put them on most non-scoped rifles I've ever had).

As far as the FP vs. 5D, I like the easily adjustable, and repeatable, 1/5th of an inch or so (depends on sight radius of your gun) elevation and windage adjustments at 100 yards you get with the FP. The 5-D would be fine if you don't fiddle with your sights/loads too often (same sight, just not the 'click' adjustments).

Lymans are nice, though. Even easier to adjust elevation, like Terry said. I only have one, but no complaints.

I think if you want to be correct as far as 'vintage', the older Lymans just LOOK like they belong on a fine, older, gun. Maybe old Williams ones do too, but the modern all-aluminum ones pretty much have 'modern' written all over them.

[1894cfan]

I've got a Williams FP with target knob on the elevation side, just in case. The target knob in that location doesn't get in the way of much of anything. BTW, mine is also a '77.

[86er]

First, this is not a bash on one product or the other, just series of circumstances re-told. I put a Lyman on my 1886 when I first got it. The side adj screw broke and Lyman sent me a new sight. Then, I almost dropped the rifle out of a tree but managed to catch it by the barrel. Thank goodness it was still unloaded at that time or I might have let it fall. The Lyman got slammed hard on the metal tree stand and it bent just a little. It also developed a stress crack on the left where the 90 degree is. My fault, I sent a check with the old sight to show what happened. Lyman returned the check with a new sight. Then the little bear incident happened. To shorten the story I shot a little black bear 4 times and I saw where it went but didn't hear moans. When Went to look it was backed into a little hole and I was blocking its way. In an attempt to run by the bear ran out and barreled into me just above the knee. We both went over and somehow the paw got stuck on the sight. It tore the aperture off along with the threaded bar that moves the sight right out of the housing. (Ripped my shirt wide open and cut my face pretty good too). Anyway, that wasn't Lyman's fault either so I didn't want to send it back and get another freebie. I got an XS permanently installed on the 86. A few months later I coincidentally ran into a rep from Lyman at the fine sporting arms show in CT. I told that story and explained how I struck out 3 X with theLyman sight - at least twice of my own fault. About a week later I got a Lyman sight in the mail, and I gave it to someone on this forum. Now I have had 5 different WFP's and still have 2 on rifles. I've never had an incident w them and haven't needed customer service but otherwise they seem as good as the Lyman. Terry is right about the steel Redfield. I have one from the 40's as far as I know and it looks great and serves well on the vintage rifle it is on. We move sight settings using 38s, 357, and 360 from the same carbine. With a chart I know how many clicks between each with the WFP'S. That would be moredifficult w the 5D.

[bdhold]

That about says it all. I generally buy the FPs just because I think they're aluminum ones are better than the Lyman aluminum sights but if comparing to the steel Lymans the old steel Lymans are better.

I think this says it all.

[M. M. Wright]

Probably silly of me to spend the money for a collectable sight but I try to find one of the old Redfields when I need a receiver sight. I think the last one I bargained down to $70 but I think they are worth it. I know I am going to put a Redfield Sourdough front sight on, (only ones available are made by Marbles) and like the idea of having both sights sorta the same.

Also, I've gone to tang sights to get the capability of having two elevation adjustments. Just seems practical to me.

[Sixgun]

That about says it all. I generally buy the FPs just because I think they're aluminum ones are better than the Lyman aluminum sights but if comparing to the steel Lymans the old steel Lymans are better.

I think this says it all.

Yes, this does say it all. I ain't buying no aluminum junk. After using the steel cick adjustable Lyman 56's, 48's or the Redfields, nothing else compares.-------Sixgun

[El Chivo]

when I was shopping for sights I seem to remember the Lyman required drilling on the side of the receiver but the Williams uses existing scope holes.

The Lyman is smaller. Also, one silhouette shooter I know of had a Lyman that he bent and was very happy when he got an FP.

Personally I think the FP's are too big. I liked the WGRS better, although it's not readily adjustable.

[AJMD429]

Probably silly of me to spend the money for a collectable sight but I try to find one of the old Redfields when I need a receiver sight. I think the last one I bargained down to $70 but I think they are worth it.

At $70, you're probably cheaper than a new Williams FP most places...

Also, I've gone to tang sights to get the capability of having two elevation adjustments. Just seems practical to me.

That is intriguing. . . do you mean to say you use the receiver sight for one setting like 100 yards, then have the tang setup for 400 yards or something...???????

[buckeyeshooter]

I have a single steel lyman, 4 foolproofs and 4 5d's on some of my levers. After sight in-- foolproofs are the easiest to sight in because of the click adjustments, I can't tell the difference bertween any of them. Granted, my guns have never been dropped, banged or beat. But any will work fine in my book.

[M. M. Wright]

AJMD429,
On my Hi-wall 45-70, and 86 45-90 I set the open sights at 100 yards and regulate the tang sight for 200, gives me useful sights out to about 225 which is all I will try with iron sights. If the target is much past 100, I just flip up the tang sight and down it goes. Also I really like a front sight with a flat top on it in rather than a bead which doesn't have a definite top surface, at least that I can see. Really like the old Redfield Sourdough although I think Marbles makes a clone these days.