Trapdoor Rear sights?

[Doc Holloman]

I have an original trapdoor carbine with a Buffington rear sight.  While I find the Buffington a fine sight for shooting from a bench, for quick target acquisition shooting at 50-75 yards I find I would prefer one of the earlier trapdoor carbine sights.  Before I order one, my question is: are all the various trapdoor rear sights drop-in interchangable?  I certainly don't want to go drilling on an original trapdoor barrel.

[St. George]

All original sight bases are interchangeable.

Any Trapdoor with slotted screws has had its sight changed - factory installation used a blind screw head.

If you're going to do this, the original's base will have a 'C' on its side - even the repros will - and original 'C' marked rear sights are difficult to find - often exceeding the cost of the Carbine itself, when one's restoring a nicer one.

Scouts Out!

[Niederlander]

What particular sight are you looking for?  1873?  1879?  (And yes, there are some variations in the main models of sights.)

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[Doc Holloman]

I'm thinking an 1879, of which I guess the 3rd Form is the most common.