Flint lock sights...

[Steve 1]

Hello All: I'm a recent recruit to the forum, and I really appreciate the warm welcome I have received from many of you!

Now down to business... I would appreciate some thoughts on what might be considered the best / or more original sights, for a 41" 50 cal flintlock.
I have two such rifles, a 1960's Miroku, and a very new, and so far shiny Pedersoli, both 41" barrels, both 50 cal, 1:66 twist for patched ball, and both flinters.

The older Miroku has fixed sights. A rear notch, with shallow angled side ramps, the front sight is a single blade, not too high, and not too "wide".
For me these work well, provide a nice sight picture, and are easily and naturally acquired. Pics below ( this rifle is in the "white")

My new Pedersoli has what I might describe as "overly ambitious" sights, the rear is a very tall adjustable buckhorn... the front a single blade, which IMHO is far too tall.
The stepped rear ramp adjuster may be for varied range adjustment, or hunting reasons... ? Again, pictures are attached. Pedersoli sights are are blued

From web browsing and what I have seen in museums, early flinters had very small sights, some little more than a bump on the barrel top flat.
The rear notch is often just that, a tiny small notch cut in the flat topped rear sight; the front blade, often a tiny, narrow 1/16th inch high brass insert.
The Pedersoli sights IMHO look out of place. They are far too tall, and detract from the otherwise nice aesthetics of the rifle...

Is this just me, or do others find this to be a little unsightly? (sorry for the pun!) If so, has anyone found or made new, more "traditional sights" for such a rifle?
I have a nice basement shop with a mill, lathe, and many other fun toys, so can and may indeed make some new sights for Pedersoli, I was just looking for feedback or examples.

Looking for your $0.02...

Thanks!

Steve

 

[Phil Coffins]

The Pedersoli sights are more suitable to target shooting and can be advantageous. Even the Miroku sights are plenty tall. Tall sights help avoid heat shimmers and I agree that they don’t look the best. It’s a trade off of good to look at or to look threw. If you can make a more suitable sight for your needs I’d highly recommend you do it!

 

[stikshooter]

Hello All: I'm a recent recruit to the forum, and I really appreciate the warm welcome I have received from many of you!

Now down to business... I would appreciate some thoughts on what might be considered the best / or more original sights, for a 41" 50 cal flintlock.
I have two such rifles, a 1960's Miroku, and a very new, and so far shiny Pedersoli, both 41" barrels, both 50 cal, 1:66 twist for patched ball, and both flinters.

The older Miroku has fixed sights. A rear notch, with shallow angled side ramps, the front sight is a single blade, not too high, and not too "wide".
For me these work well, provide a nice sight picture, and are easily and naturally acquired. Pics below ( this rifle is in the "white")

My new Pedersoli has what I might describe as "overly ambitious" sights, the rear is a very tall adjustable buckhorn... the front a single blade, which IMHO is far too tall.
The stepped rear ramp adjuster may be for varied range adjustment, or hunting reasons... ? Again, pictures are attached. Pedersoli sights are are blued

From web browsing and what I have seen in museums, early flinters had very small sights, some little more than a bump on the barrel top flat.
The rear notch is often just that, a tiny small notch cut in the flat topped rear sight; the front blade, often a tiny, narrow 1/16th inch high brass insert.
The Pedersoli sights IMHO look out of place. They are far too tall, and detract from the otherwise nice aesthetics of the rifle...

Is this just me, or do others find this to be a little unsightly? (sorry for the pun!) If so, has anyone found or made new, more "traditional sights" for such a rifle?
I have a nice basement shop with a mill, lathe, and many other fun toys, so can and may indeed make some new sights for Pedersoli, I was just looking for feedback or examples.

Looking for your $0.02...

Thanks!

Steve

Highly recommend TomA Hawk a member here ,makes a tang peep sight (generic) makes my old eyes think I'm looking thru a scope (ITS THAT GOOD)!!!! /Ed

 

[Pete G]

Look in that Track of the Wolf catalog to get some ideas on sights.

 

[Steve 1]

The Pedersoli sights are more suitable to target shooting and can be advantageous. Even the Miroku sights are plenty tall. Tall sights help avoid heat shimmers and I agree that they don’t look the best. It’s a trade off of good to look at or to look threw. If you can make a more suitable sight for your needs I’d highly recommend you do it!

Thanks Phil, I do agree it's a trade off, as indeed is much of life! It's funny, with the two rifles side by side, they aren't actually that much taller, yet they do look taller... Maybe I'll make a fixed low profile version, or as per another suggestion, or visit Track of the Wolf.

Cheers!
Steve

 

[Steve 1]

Highly recommend TomA Hawk a member here ,makes a tang peep sight (generic) makes my old eyes think I'm looking thru a scope (ITS THAT GOOD)!!!! /Ed

Thanks Ed: An interesting idea, I do like peep sights, and I too have eyes that aren't what they used to be!
Perfect vision after double cataract surgery, yet I cannot focus closer that 15 feet! Argh!

Funny though, the old Miroku's sights somehow "work...."

Steve

 

[Steve 1]

Look in that Track of the Wolf catalog to get some ideas on sights.

Pete,

My wife has forbidden me from looking at their website, as I tend to buy things... ;-).
Thanks for the good idea, I actually have their hardcopy book too.
I'll see what I can make work, or I might even make something...

If I do I'll post before and after pics.

Steve

 

[Larry (Omaha)]

Hello All: I'm a recent recruit to the forum, and I really appreciate the warm welcome I have received from many of you!

Now down to business... I would appreciate some thoughts on what might be considered the best / or more original sights, for a 41" 50 cal flintlock.
I have two such rifles, a 1960's Miroku, and a very new, and so far shiny Pedersoli, both 41" barrels, both 50 cal, 1:66 twist for patched ball, and both flinters.

The older Miroku has fixed sights. A rear notch, with shallow angled side ramps, the front sight is a single blade, not too high, and not too "wide".
For me these work well, provide a nice sight picture, and are easily and naturally acquired. Pics below ( this rifle is in the "white")

My new Pedersoli has what I might describe as "overly ambitious" sights, the rear is a very tall adjustable buckhorn... the front a single blade, which IMHO is far too tall.
The stepped rear ramp adjuster may be for varied range adjustment, or hunting reasons... ? Again, pictures are attached. Pedersoli sights are are blued

From web browsing and what I have seen in museums, early flinters had very small sights, some little more than a bump on the barrel top flat.
The rear notch is often just that, a tiny small notch cut in the flat topped rear sight; the front blade, often a tiny, narrow 1/16th inch high brass insert.
The Pedersoli sights IMHO look out of place. They are far too tall, and detract from the otherwise nice aesthetics of the rifle...

Is this just me, or do others find this to be a little unsightly? (sorry for the pun!) If so, has anyone found or made new, more "traditional sights" for such a rifle?
I have a nice basement shop with a mill, lathe, and many other fun toys, so can and may indeed make some new sights for Pedersoli, I was just looking for feedback or examples.

Looking for your $0.02...

Thanks!

Steve

As said by others, do you want real traditional, or something that works for the eyes. This is what I like. Simple slot so front sight can have parallel lines of light on both of its sides.
Larry

 

[Steve 1]

Hi Larry;

There's been a flurry of responses, and some good ideas.
I like the sight image you show, practical, while not from 1790, it might be a good compromise.
I think I'll wander down to the shop, and start tinkering.

Steve

 

[The Crisco Kid]

The first thing I'd do to the sights in the OP is to file them off flat and square up the notch like the one in Larry's. I seem to do better with a flat top rear and a notch that is wide enough to show some light around the front sight. I like the entire top to be flat but that's just what suits me. Also, if you hacksaw and file one out of bar stock the sight can be angled back some which will get rid of some glare. I think the flat top sight is hysterically correct if that's important.

 

[nchawkeye]

Here are the ones I like...

 

[Steve 1]

The first thing I'd do to the sights in the OP is to file them off flat and square up the notch like the one in Larry's. I seem to do better with a flat top rear and a notch that is wide enough to show some light around the front sight. I like the entire top to be flat but that's just what suits me. Also, if you hacksaw and file one out of bar stock the sight can be angled back some which will get rid of some glare. I think the flat top sight is hysterically correct if that's important.

Thanks "Crisco"... ?

I have the luxury of a nice home shop in my basement... ( as a retired engineer, electronic camera designer) I have a "thing" about accuracy...
So I plan to make something quite similar to what you suggest. Flat top rear, a narrow notch (which acts like a peep sight) and a thin front blade.
I have a mill, lathe and enough measuring stuff to make NASA jealous! Also I don't wish to ruin the original Pedersoli sights, so I can have fun, challenge my skills a bit, and make something that suits me best. If I may, who is the manufacturer / vendor of the sights in the picture?

Thanks for the very helpful response!

Steve

 

[The Crisco Kid]

Glad to be of help and I envy you! A milling machine is a lot faster than a hacksaw and file! I know, I used to use one until I had to downsize. As to the manufacturer of the sight above, I just assumed that it was Flintlocklar. Where are you in Montana?

 

[Collie]

I've never been a fan of pedersoli sights on their stock guns. They always look blocky and out of place to me. I don't have any good pictures on hand, but I swapped out the sights on my Pedersoli Kentucky pistol when I was building it with some sights from Track of the Wolf and I think they are way better than the chunky pedersoli sights.

 

[Steve 1]

Glad to be of help and I envy you! A milling machine is a lot faster than a hacksaw and file! I know, I used to use one until I had to downsize. As to the manufacturer of the sight above, I just assumed that it was Flintlocklar. Where are you in Montana?

I'm in Florence, MT, about 20 miles south of Missoula, been here about 10 years, I survived 30 years in NJ, where "guns" are "bad".... sigh.
And I'm a Brit... so Happy 4th... but check the lease ... after 250 years, there's a clause about a written test, and correct spelling! ;-)

I'm amazed and very pleased by the response to my questions, I'm not a neophyte, I've been shooting since I was 8... air rifles, but as I learned over my career, colleges are fine, but ask for help and listen to those who have spent years learning the hard way. This forum is a good example, folks gladly sharing their hard won experience about their passion for older guns.

I also have recent hobby of fixing old pocket watches... 1830-1900.... talks about tolerances, yet, another example of manufacturing genius.. a watch for $5 in 1880, and they made millions of them. Same passion, just a different sense of scale.

Cheers!

Steve

 

[The Crisco Kid]

I have some friends and relatives in your area. I drove all the way up there last year without getting a flat tyre! This is an excellent forum with quite a few very knowledgeable builders aboard. The next thing you know they might have you talked into building your own gun from scratch. It sounds like you are more than capable. It is always amazing to me how the machinists in the 1800's made so many beautiful creations with the tools that they had.

 

[Mike in FL]

The sights on my Pedersoli GPR are perfect, at least for me. It is my useless opinion that flintlock rifle sights ought not be adjustable by using anything other than drifting in the slot and use of a file. It can be problematic to need authenticity and a clear sight picture, but it can be done.

 

[stikshooter]

I agree , the ivory front gets filed (not much) cause the rear has elevation Tom A Hawk rear is primitive but my eyes think ( Leupold 4X )when I look thru this example of a rear with purpose . I like eating regular !

 

[Pratt]

WellI go for a lower profile of rear sight. Adjust the front sight with a straight file as needed after you paper a few shots. New sights from Kibler may be a solution for you.

 

[Mad L]

For what it's worth; I have never liked my Pedersoli .50cal Pennsylvania sights.
I usually shoot between 50 and 100 yard and the Rear Sight is much too High!. Even with it dropped all way down I have the front sight sitting down in the 'V' of the rear. And for less then 50 yard (say 25 to 40) I have to sight with just the tip of the front sight showing.....past 100 yard I have 'Equal Sight, Equal Light'.

I have just learned to deal with it as I have no shop and not a Smithy....would like to see what you come up with.