Rear sight replacement for 1860

[abanaki]

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Hello the wire, this is my 1st post to this sight so if I'm asking an old question please forgive me. I have the pleasure of owning a 1860 brass frame Henry and I truly am loving this blast from the past. I do have one problem and that is 53 year old eyes that have a very hard time with the stock rear sight. I wanted to replace with an aftermarket unit but I can't seem to find one that pivots from the rear of the sight. I really want to have a ladder sight so if anyone has a suggestion I will be more than interested in any help available out there.Thanks--Abanaki---

[Big Hext]

Howdy and welcome,

I'm not sure I understand your desire.  The Henry comes with a ladder sight, does it not?

Maybe you would like the Smith brand sight with a full buckhorn and a ladder sight.  It's a nice one, but will require you to cut an additional dovetail to fit.  The standard dovetail on older 66s and (I think) all Henry rifles is fairly close to the reciever.

Other options are putting a standard Marbles buckhorn in backwards or a muzzleloader sight.

Adios,

[Capt. Augustus]

Two weeks ago I actually used my ladder sight, and the pivot pin promptly fell out.  Luckily another shooter had the keen eyesight of an eagle and found it between cracks in the table.  I put a litlle locktite on both ends after that.  I was shooting my Henry carbine at a target at 100 yards.  In the bottom position it was putting the bullets onto the target.  This is using my 63 year old eyes.  I find the front sight somewhat of a challenge to find at times.  Seems to be stock fit or something.  When shouldered the front sight is low, out of sight.

[Fox Creek Kid]

Here's a trick I got off the SASS Wire years ago & brother does it work! Buy a Marbles long shank buckhorn or semi buckhorn (your preference) and REVERSE it in the dovetail, i.e. putting the buckhorn FARTHER away from your eye. Man what a difference!! It's amazing what a few inches will do (no jokes, please!  )!! You'll mow my lawn for the summer after trying this as you'll be that happy! I've had it on my Henry for years.

http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/store/ProductDetail.aspx?p=8812&title=SPORTING+REAR+SIGHTS

[Lucky Deuce]

  On my Navy Arms Henry, there is a Buckhorn ladder sight.  Unfortunately, the ladder is so loose that it just falls and flops around.  So I bought a new Henry sight from Navy Arms which is very nice, but not a buckhorn.  I am hesitant to put the new sight on, since the dovetail will have to be cut bigger for the new sight.  The rifle is a Navy Arms made in Ridgefield NJ by NA so it is not the same as the Uberti rifles...

[Wymore Wrangler]

Lucky, Navy Arms is a importer, they buy their rifles from Uberti, on your sight you might have to do a little filing on the sight to fit the sight into the dovetail...

[Lucky Deuce]

Lucky, Navy Arms is a importer, they buy their rifles from Uberti, on your sight you might have to do a little filing on the sight to fit the sight into the dovetail...

  Well the rifle I have was made in a factory here back several decades ago.  It actually is a Navy Arms made rifle made in Ridgefield NJ factory by Navy Arms.  There weren't many made, and they made some rimfire Henry's.  They now import the Henry's they sell and the sight base is different on the imports by Uberti.  I figure I will let a local gunsmith do the cutting...that way I will make sure it will be done right since there is quite a bit of metal that needs to be removed to get the dovetail big enough....

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Howdy, Abanaki!

Others have talked about getting a full buckhorn and perhaps a higher front sight and then using the buckhorn as a kind of large peep or "ghost ring" sight.  The reversed sight, as mentioned by Fox Creek Kid, seems to have quite a few supporters as well.

Could you simply take a triangle file and open up the sight cut?  It wouldn't be too hard to make it a squared sight cut, either.  That'd keep it as "original" as possible.  A little re-sighting and you're back in business, and probably wouldn't have to replace the front sight.  Matter of fact, I don't think you'd have to change anything.  Of course, if you have trouble seing the front sight if it's too skinny, I'm sure Marbles (from Brownells or other suppliers) would be able to fix you up with a wider front sight to go along with your "widened" rear sight mod.  Whatever you do, have fun!

[Bounty Bill]

I also have those old eyes, 66 year old eyes.  I put a Marbles Tang Peep sight on my 1860 Henry and can ring a 12" steel plate at 100 yards nearly every shot off hand.  A real good combination, 1860 Henry in 45 LC and a Marbles Tang sight.

Bounty Bill

[Baron von Haltomstadt]

Wanting to follow Bounty Bill's recommendation of installing a Marbles tang sight on my 1860 Henry, in .45C, I found that Brownell's lists them as available.

Now for the problem - Looking at the tang on my Henry (it has the steel casehardened frame), I see only one screw. The tang sights I have seen before all use two screws.

Does the Marbles Henry tang sight require that an additional hole be put into the tang?

I found the answer to my question on the Marble's home website. The tang sight does require an additional hole to be drilled and tapped. Marble's says they include the drill & tap with the sight. They also list a number of different variations of flat top, semi-buckhorn, and full-buckhorn dovetail rear sights for barrel mounting along with a variety of front sights.