rearsight

[jim/wa]

i want to get a wilson trade gun in kit form from caywood but i want to put a rear sight on is that historiclly correct and what do you think of there guns

 

[Rebel]

I have a Track Of The Wolf N.W. Tradegun that has a low profile rear sight dovetailed in to the octagon section of barrel. Looks fine to me. I know there are documented cases of tredeguns and other smoothbores with a rear sight. Has been a discussion on here somewhere about them i think.

 

[silverfox]

Jim/wa This may be out of your date period but I have a smoothbore made in Harrisburg Pa about 1848 with a very low set of sites. Most people who look at the gun don't even notice the rear site. The front is just under 1/16" and the rear is dovetailed but only .055 tall it is filed in a circlar shape from flat to flat. So smoothbore fans there were sites small enough to not distract from the lines of the guns. Hope this gives you some ideas.
Fox

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

The only reason I know of not to have a rear sight is that
some shooting contests don't allow them on traditional smoothbores. If you aren't involved in that sort of shooting
go for it.

 

[Mad Irish Jack]

I have a Center/Mark Tulle de Chase in a .62 caliber. I made a sight that is removable and mounts with the tang screw. :hmm:
I used a serpent rifle rear sight. After sight-in adjustments, then drill a hole in the box area (see below), in front of the sight plate, to accept the diamiter of the tang screw. I bought an extra tang screw and dressed it to the proper fit. I only use it to mount the sight.
To set up the sight, mount it to smoothy with duck tape, or whatever, with the serpent head toward the gun butt and mark and notice the location with a sharp lead pencil. Shoot and adjust the location until you have elevation located. Mark the box area to drill the hole centered for tang screw.
Now, mount the sight with tang screw. Reshoot marking the location of the serpants head/nose tip intil you're zeroed. Then use a sharp pointed scribe and tap a dotted mark into the serpents nosetip location for your windage center.
Now you can take it off for competitions that don't allow the rear sight. :hmm: And, then, when you want it there, put it on and line up the nose & dot and tighten the tang screw. This should be a good center, mine is. I have a small leather pouch where I keep the sight and screw when I have it off the gun. :winking:
Now, shoot.....a lot....and some more.....PRACTICE!!!!

 

I believe that Hansons book Colonial Frontier Guns shows a section of barrel from an English trade fusil that has a low bar with a shallow V notch rear sight.

This is not a NW gun but an english fowler type with rear sights that qualify it as a smooth rifle.

The time frame would be quite early I am sure. I will see if I can find the picture and caption.

The presence of this one sight would justify and document your use if that is needed. They had them and they used them.

 

[tg]

Many Dutch trade guns of the period also had rear sights, and a fowler with a rear sight does not become a smoothrifle, most consider a smoothrifle to have a cheek piece, grip rail and heavier barrel amd general rifle architecture or a combintation of at least some these traits.