Clip on rear sight

[Pa-brushbuster71]

Lowell Haarer Lowell Haarer
Can these be purchased?

This is a Lowell Haarer ghost ring

 

[Art Caputo]

I shoot/hunt with my flintlock rifles about 90% of the time, my fowler is used primarily for turkey with shot, occasionally deer/coyote with LRB. Having instinctively shot(Sightless) longbows and recurves for as long as I shot muzzleloaders, I have no doubt that practiced fowler/smoothbore shooters are capable of outstanding accuracy without a rear sight given time and practice. Given my own circumstances, I can achieve accuracy to 50 yards that is comparable to many of my rifles when using a primitive rear sight dovetailed on my well worn/used TVM fowler,. Given the variations in clothing effecting rifle fit, and shooting positions frequently encountered when hunting, it’s faster and easier for me, and, better for the game being hunted. On the few occasions I have bird hunted with this fowler, the rear sight is un-noticed when shooting, with no effect on hitting flying game.
As to HC, IMO, it’s quite questionable whether fowlers “never” utilized rear sights, HC is usually a consideration with me, it was not a concern when I added the rear sight on my rather generic TVM fowler. I first tested with a tape on sight, then decided to dovetail it on.

Accuracy with a rear sight. Without it, my groups are 2X-3x the size...

 

[Bob McBride]

The thing I find about birds on the wing with a rear sight is that the vertical flat on each side of the rear sight notch blocks the bird when giving a 2-10' lead making it virtually a useless gun for Clay birds, Starling, Dove and Pigeon, crow, and other fast moving targets unless I change my cheek weld. I'm sure it's something that can be overcome with practice looking over both sights, but that's one thing I don't see the point of. That said, any smoothbore of mine that has a rear sight gets to shoot roundballs, without a rear sight shoots shot.....for the most part. Wing hunting is it's own game and if you do it a lot a rear sight is a detriment to maximizing your birds down. For me anyway.

 

[Art Caputo]

The thing I find about birds on the wing with a rear sight is that the vertical flat on each side of the rear sight notch blocks the bird when giving a 2-10' lead making it virtually a useless gun for Clay birds, Starling, Dove and Pigeon, crow, and other fast moving targets unless I change my cheek weld. I'm sure it's something that can be overcome with practice looking over both sights, but that's one thing I don't see the point of. That said, any smoothbore of mine that has a rear sight gets to shoot roundballs, without a rear sight shoots shot.....for the most part. Wing hunting is it's own game and if you do it a lot a rear sight is a detriment to maximizing your birds down. For me anyway.

I could see where this might effect some shooting styles. Being an instinctive style wing shooter, using a well fitted gun, all I see is a focus on the bird, and the end of the barrel blurred in my secondary vision. Pretty much identical to the style used when shooting my unmentionable SXS shotguns which I do shoot quite extensively. In any case, the small primitive rear sight on my fowler is under the bird or clay.

 

[Bob McBride]

I could see where this might effect some shooting styles. Being an instinctive style wing shooter, using a well fitted gun, all I see is a focus on the bird, and the end of the barrel blurred in my secondary vision. Pretty much identical to the style used when shooting my unmentionable SXS shotguns which I do shoot quite extensively. In any case, the small primitive rear sight on my fowler is under the bird or clay.

Gotcha. I wing shoot much like you describe in that I’m focused on the bird and the line of the barrel is tracking in front which puts my admittedly relatively tall rear sights flat over the bird for me. I’ll have to play with lower sights and see if I can clear the bird, which would make things nice.

 

[flintlock75]

Hey guys
Some of you may have seen the article in the Jan/Feb Muzzleloader by Stan Lance about a clip on rear sight he made for his fowling gun. His accuracy improvement shooting roundball with the sight impressed me. The fact that I could clip it in for deer and take it off for shooting shot for small game is convenient. I know a rear sight on a fowling gun is blasphemy to some of my friends here but don’t be too rough on me. If I’m hunting being accurate and ensuring a humane kill is more important to me than historical correctness.
Does anybody know of a company that manufactures something like this?
And if one of you suggests I should practice more and I won’t need a rear sight give me your phone number and you can explain to my wife why I need more shooting time

I have several SBs and have tried different types of rear sights to improve RB accuracy. Only one has a dovetailed rear sight. On my Brown Bess I glued a piece of thick leather on the rear of the barrel and used a knife to cut a notch as an aiming point, works great and can be removed at any time.

 

[bud in pa]

I have a book on Tulles some where. It has a drawing of a Tulle from St. Etinne supposedly that has a sight like the one Clay Smith used to sell.

 

[Grenadier1758]

There are quite a few trade rifle pictured in "For Trade and Treaty" that have rear sights.

 

[Lfpdlt]

Here is an easy on / off rear sight I fabricated myself for my fowler.

 

[skunk]

 

[Enfield58]

Here is an easy on / off rear sight I fabricated myself for my fowler.

View attachment 58796

Sorry for the stupid question but what did you use to make the sight? I've read of people using anything from scrap metal to brass or steel angle bracketts.

 

[Musketeer]

View attachment 58796

Copper?

 

[skunk]

Yes Copper

 

[Lfpdlt]

Sorry for the stupid question but what did you use to make the sight? I've read of people using anything from scrap metal to brass or steel angle bracketts.

I cut out a strip of metal from a used up heavy duty sawzall blade. Propane torch is enough heat to bend it.

 

[Enfield58]

I cut out a strip of metal from a used up heavy duty sawzall blade. Propane torch is enough heat to bend it.

Thanks.