Mickc01
45 Cal.
Nice looking gun. Really like the finish. Care to share who built it for you?....Mick :hatsoff:
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rear sight?
- Thread starter ncmtmike
- Start date
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Yeah, that's an interesting gun Bryon. That was relatively recent too, right? Hey, DON'T clean it and let it air dry -- it'll shrink to a .54 or .50...
By the way, I ordered a Number of TOW rear sights recently as well as assorted front sight bases to use as possible rears. Took three shipments to get them all, one took I-lost-count-of-the- months (and of course was the one I was most interested in), and each real rear sight was more unfinished than the next -- terrible do-it-yourself condition IMO i.e. just out of the sand, bagged, and tagged.
By the way, I ordered a Number of TOW rear sights recently as well as assorted front sight bases to use as possible rears. Took three shipments to get them all, one took I-lost-count-of-the- months (and of course was the one I was most interested in), and each real rear sight was more unfinished than the next -- terrible do-it-yourself condition IMO i.e. just out of the sand, bagged, and tagged.
Another option, if you don't want to install a permanent rear sight is to use the screw slot of the tang bolt. I fit a washer to the slot with a tight fit to use a poor mans peep sight. You can even adjust slightly for windage and elevation by filing the washer or offsetting it in the slot.
Fyrstyk
Fyrstyk
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Mick C said:
That's his Mike Lange fowler and it's a beauty.
60 yards standing off-hand. Paper cartridge round ball in a 16 bore. Pointing with both eyes open and no rear sight.
And yes, that's a toilet seat. 'Bout as tall as a deer's chest.
And yes, that's a toilet seat. 'Bout as tall as a deer's chest.
kingsax26
45 Cal.
mick,
the fowler was built by mike lang. it is a 24g/.58cal with a blade front sight and a lancaster? style rear sight. It was built along the new england/ english style fowler design. He had never built one but said he would give it a go. I would say he did pretty darn well. the wood is an extremely nice piece of maple i traded an old traditions kit for. the lock is an early coloial by RE davis. Trigger pull is about 5 lbs (guestimate) but is as crisp as can be. over all the fowler was a great buy. inletting is very well done for the most part, there are a few areas where the wood was a little chippy...but for what I paid for the gun....well i could ahve doubled that to buy one from TOTW. the finishthat came on the gun is actually true oil with about 6 or 7 coats that i hand rubbed . I then buffed it with some wierd stuff a friend (who is a gunsmith gave me) to give it the satin finish. Sadly from what I hear he is no longer building custom guns....just selling what he builds for himself. hes a grreat guy to work with. and while others may build prettier and more finely finished gun....Mike builds a reliable, functional work of art
the fowler was built by mike lang. it is a 24g/.58cal with a blade front sight and a lancaster? style rear sight. It was built along the new england/ english style fowler design. He had never built one but said he would give it a go. I would say he did pretty darn well. the wood is an extremely nice piece of maple i traded an old traditions kit for. the lock is an early coloial by RE davis. Trigger pull is about 5 lbs (guestimate) but is as crisp as can be. over all the fowler was a great buy. inletting is very well done for the most part, there are a few areas where the wood was a little chippy...but for what I paid for the gun....well i could ahve doubled that to buy one from TOTW. the finishthat came on the gun is actually true oil with about 6 or 7 coats that i hand rubbed . I then buffed it with some wierd stuff a friend (who is a gunsmith gave me) to give it the satin finish. Sadly from what I hear he is no longer building custom guns....just selling what he builds for himself. hes a grreat guy to work with. and while others may build prettier and more finely finished gun....Mike builds a reliable, functional work of art
Billnpatti
Cannon
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Ah-Hah! So, if you are not under that constraint, you can do with it as you darned well please. You can add a rear sight in any manner that you want. Depending on your eyes, you may want to add a peep sight. That will require a bit of looking to find one that will work on your gun. I have heard of folks who have made a peep sight from a bolt and then drilled and tapped a hole in the tang of their rifle. That requires flattening the head of a bolt, grinding the flattened head into a nice, round, disk and drilling a tiny hole in it. The elevation is adjusted by screwing it in and out. Because of this, it is best to use a fine thread bolt. Unfortunately, such peep sights are not adjustable for windage. Note that I didn't say it was a perfect idea but it works for some people. If you want a peep sight that is fully adjustable, you will have to find one that can be mounted on your gun and that may require the services of a gunsmith.
You can add a traditional open sight if you have enough metal in the rear of your barrel by either dove tailing it in or having a gunsmith drill and tap for screws. Before adding a rear sight, you need to place the sight on top of your barrel, sight down the barrel as if aiming your rifle and then have a friend move the rear sight forward and backward until you get the best sight picture. As we age, our sight changes and younger eyes can see better with the rear sight closer to the back while older eyes will benefit from moving it forward on the barrel. Find where it works best for your eyes, mark the spot with a piece of tape and then tell the gunsmith to put the sight right there.
I keep referring to a gunsdmith simply because unless you are experienced in cutting dovetails in your gun barrel or know exactly what you are doing if you drill and tap for screws, you can quickly ruin a good barrel and that will cost you somewhere around $200 for a new barrel. The same if you want to solder your rear sight on. That is not so hard to do and you are less likely to ruin a barrel, especially if you use a low temp solder.
If you have enough "meat" in your barrel for a dovetail, that is the way to go because you can eaily adjust for windage by just drifting your sight in the dovetail.
So, there you go. :hatsoff:
You can add a traditional open sight if you have enough metal in the rear of your barrel by either dove tailing it in or having a gunsmith drill and tap for screws. Before adding a rear sight, you need to place the sight on top of your barrel, sight down the barrel as if aiming your rifle and then have a friend move the rear sight forward and backward until you get the best sight picture. As we age, our sight changes and younger eyes can see better with the rear sight closer to the back while older eyes will benefit from moving it forward on the barrel. Find where it works best for your eyes, mark the spot with a piece of tape and then tell the gunsmith to put the sight right there.
I keep referring to a gunsdmith simply because unless you are experienced in cutting dovetails in your gun barrel or know exactly what you are doing if you drill and tap for screws, you can quickly ruin a good barrel and that will cost you somewhere around $200 for a new barrel. The same if you want to solder your rear sight on. That is not so hard to do and you are less likely to ruin a barrel, especially if you use a low temp solder.
If you have enough "meat" in your barrel for a dovetail, that is the way to go because you can eaily adjust for windage by just drifting your sight in the dovetail.
So, there you go. :hatsoff:
Grandpa Ron
45 Cal.
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Well personally I have pretty much concluded it is the shooter not the gun. My offhand shooting with a rifle is only a little better than with my smoothbore. Of course the rear sight has been a blurr for many years now. :grin:
I am a bit of old school in that I believe 3 shots make a group, 5 shots make a better group and 8 shots tells you what you and you gun are really doing. :hmm:
I have any number of really good two and three shot targets and if I were hunting I would be pleased.
However, the last woods walk I was on was 17 shots at various yardage. The smoothbore match I like to shoot is 13 shots. Even the local club paper aggregate shoot is two 5 shot animal targets at 25 yards and one 5 shot animal target at 50 yards. The critters change every month so it may be a crow or a woodchuck etc.
I can hold my own with a few of the rifle shooters, but the top guns are just plain good rifle shots.
I am a bit of old school in that I believe 3 shots make a group, 5 shots make a better group and 8 shots tells you what you and you gun are really doing. :hmm:
I have any number of really good two and three shot targets and if I were hunting I would be pleased.
However, the last woods walk I was on was 17 shots at various yardage. The smoothbore match I like to shoot is 13 shots. Even the local club paper aggregate shoot is two 5 shot animal targets at 25 yards and one 5 shot animal target at 50 yards. The critters change every month so it may be a crow or a woodchuck etc.
I can hold my own with a few of the rifle shooters, but the top guns are just plain good rifle shots.
Shooting groups has never been a concern for me.Iam a meat-hunter pure&simple,I get one shot,and if is off well then there are problems,either I spend a long time tracking,or the unmentionable happens,which thank goodness hasn't yet. :nono:
hanshi
Cannon
I've posted this photo before so forgive the repeat. This is a bare ball 8 shot target (50 yards) but with three different powder charges (60grns, 75grns and 80 grns). What would have happened if I'd settled for just one?
The gun has a rear sight and I shoot it like a rifle. Load was powder, card wad, lubed cushion wad, ball and two os card wads. The balls were cast from WW.
The gun has a rear sight and I shoot it like a rifle. Load was powder, card wad, lubed cushion wad, ball and two os card wads. The balls were cast from WW.
jamesthomas
70 Cal.
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That's a good group no matter where you are! :thumbsup: .
Billnpatti
Cannon
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Dang, a couple years ago, I traded the only smoothbore I owned. I moved from Indiana and, since I was not going to be shooting in any smoothbore matches at Friendship, I just figured I didn't need it any more. I wish I had it back now. It ain't the first time I have wanted a gun back. Why do I do that? :idunno:
