Temp rear sight for my NWTG

About a week back I put together a temporary rear sight to see how accurate my NWTG is with roundball. Using 60 grains Goex FF, a .60 ball and some spit-moistened sisal tow over the top I was pretty happy with my first test. I used a flexible fridge magnet, thin strand wire from a twisted wire, and cut a cylinder from a .22 LR case. It worked well and didn’t move much. I indexed it back on the breach plug to barrel seam each time it did move. 40 yards decent group so far. I’ll likely put a low profile rear sight on this gun.

A good idea to serve the purpose. I've used epoxy that comes off with a little heat but a magnet is a better idea. I've seen a couple of original trade guns that had a rear sight made by using a sharp chisel to curl some metal up and then file a notch in it. These were later percussion guns from British Columbia. Probably too low to be of much use.

What a neat idea though! Curling up metal and notching it.

Interesting
.....and good shootin !

Thanks Rob!

CyrusP said:

About a week back I put together a temporary rear sight to see how accurate my NWTG is with roundball. Using 60 grains Goex FF, a .60 ball and some spit-moistened sisal tow over the top I was pretty happy with my first test. I used a flexible fridge magnet, thin strand wire from a twisted wire, and cut a cylinder from a .22 LR case. It worked well and didn’t move much. I indexed it back on the breach plug to barrel seam each time it did move. 40 yards decent group so far. I’ll likely put a low profile rear sight on this gun.

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I have used modeling clay for a temporary sight when testing a load. But that is not my first choice.

Funny, was just thinking the other day why couldn't a base be made for peepsight with today's super magnets....

I know of 1 guy that uses a slightly proud tang screw head and aligns the slot (round head) it works and is adjustable with a file

I thought about that as well, but my NWTG has the screw upside down.

Try U-shaped notch in barrel tang area & taller tang screw with slot properly aligned.

you cant mention that unmentionable rear sight

I’m a great fan of whomping up a temporary sight , front or back , to test out how things will work. I use plastic, them copy it in metal if my design works.

This original French smoothbore that was originally a flintlock was built with this unmentionable sighting setup.
Have owned others with same sighting arrangement.
I believe this pistol with it's iron ramrod & carving was built for a military officer.
The old timer builders were clever hombres

Relic shooter said:

This original French smoothbore that was originally a flintlock was built with this unmentionable sighting setup.
Have owned others with same sighting arrangement.
I believe this pistol with it's iron ramrod & carving was built for a military officer.
The old timer builders were clever hombres

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A guy that would think up a refrigerator magnet, wire and .22 case sight is a pretty clever hombres too. ; )

Well, thank you kindly! I’ll show this to my wife so she can roll her eyes.

CyrusP said:

Well, thank you kindly! I’ll show this to my wife so she can roll her eyes.

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Tell her Red Green’s quote: “If woman don’t find you handsome at least they can find you handy”.

Interesting but I hate to tell you, a rear sight that you have to "reset" every shot is not going to give you any kind of repeatable accuracy. Even movement of less than 1mm can shift your grouping dramatically.

But good proof of concept. I imagine a small brass tube soldered to a dovetail blank would make for a neat peep sight. It could become bent, though, so perhaps a steel tube might be better.

I recall some early matchlocks had similar styles of tube peeps.

I agree completely. This is just a temp solution to test how accurate the gun can be with a rear site until I build a permanent one.

Let me add my $0.02. A rear sight on a SB does make aiming faster and more precise, but you can do as well, if not as quickly, with a good load and consistent cheek weld. Btw, I made one from a piece of [very old] brass O Scale rail that I Crazy Glued to the bbl. of my NW Trade Gun (Green River Forge). In setting the sight up, I discovered the bbl. flats were not cut square to the rest of the bbl., which was obvious to me. I removed the sight and had to re-brown the bbl., but the sight did make a positive difference.

I know this isn't really a " rear sight on smoothbore barrels " post but .... I just gotta ! One of my favs !! I'm never going to be a wing shooter. Be amazing but never going to happen so ...the rear sight on a smooth bore barrel has always been very helpful and made my guns much more useful and accurate at longer ranges . If your worried about competing in smoothbore competition s just mark the position of the rear sight at your dovetail and tap out the rear sight with a brass rod ...easy peezey. I always shoot against the rifles and in woodswalks so never bothered me any . Sure is fun kicking rifle shooters butts . They get all upset !! LOL .... BUT ....that was back in my " pre bi focal years !/A lot of fun . Now ...Larry Zornes( Jackson Ohio) French barrels are amazingly accurate smoothbore barrels and they have the long Oct . section for the rear sight , thick back there too for dovetail cut . Unfortunately for me ....my very authentic NW gun barrels are wonderful because they are almost as light as the originals , unlike the others but it makes for a bad combo for rear sight adage . I soldered my rear sight on my NW gun . Its a pain because I can't do this for someone I'm building for , no adjustment after its set and barrel is browned ... plus if the barrel.is authenticly made , I dont like to dovetail in a thinner barrel such as that and the flats at the rear are very short so the rear sight is much to close for the vast majority of folks , esp. us oldies with bifocals ! LOL ... Can be a pain but ...if done correctly it can certainly help with extended ranges . I remember the range officer coming over to me and telling me to stop shootin the 75 yd. ground hog target , this big ole 300 gr. balls were tearing it out of the ground . I was so proud