Sights on "fowler" barrel??

[Nor Cal Mikie]

Got a Chambers Pennsylvania Fowler kit I'am working on. About ready to solder the lugs on the barrel. The kit came with 2 sights. One might have been "thrown in" from the guy that I got the kit from. What's the standard for sights on a fowler barrel? One small base heart shaped sight seems to be silver and another in brass looks like a "rear"? Opinions? Ideas? Thanks guys. Mike.

 

[Capt. Jas.]

IMHO

If you intend to shoot round ball primarily you can use the rear sight as you will be aiming. If you intend the gun to be for fowling and to shoot moving game or targets, leave it off as you will be enticed to aim and that means a miss behind. For shooting shot at stationary tree rats and other small game, a rear sight should not bother you.

The "PA Fowler" if I am not mistaken is copied from a buck and ball" type gun with English fowling furniture and would be fine with or without the rear sight depending on your intended purpose.

Many of the early continental fowling guns sometimes had attached rear sights but not as fine as like a rifle sight. It was more a sighting ramp like the relieved area in the breech of other fowling guns. They look nice and are correct but are not needed and can cause more problems if used when shooting flying. A fowling gun for shooting flying needs only a front sight if any for ultimate success.

 

[squirejohn]

The small heart-shaped silver sight came on my PA fowler.

 

[Chilidog]

My Virginia Fowler has a silver turtle for a front site.

 

[RiverRat]

I have a copy of Flintlock Fowlers, The First Guns Made in America, by Tom Grinsslade. It is a wonderful study of fowlers built in the colonies with some beautiful color pictures. There is a statement on page 198 that says that 85% of the fowlers in this study group had rear sights. That statement is in the Kentucky Fowler section, so if your gun is of the southern style, it probably should have a rear sight.

 

[Nor Cal Mikie]

I've got the same book. Never really noticed but after a close look, you can see that most of the rear sights are mounted about 4" to 6" ahead of the lock. You have to look close but you can see the front sight mountings. Could have been better close ups on the front of the barrels but we get the idea. Good reference book. :thumbsup:
One thing I noticed is the lack of nose caps on the fowling guns. Any of you folks build one with a cap?
The Jim Chambers Pennsylvania Fowler shows a cap but it doesn't come with the kit parts. I was told that the stock was a 2nd and rather than waste a nice piece of wood, they added the nose cap to save the stock. Any idea who makes one for the fowler?

 

[Many Klatch]

If you are going to shoot in competition as a smoothbore leave off the rear sight. Most clubs don't allow smoothbores to have a rear sight above the plane of the barrel. You could shoot as a rifle in those types of competition though. If you don't care about that, many originals did have rear sights.

Many Klatch

 

[bebloomster]

I've always liked the front sight on my 16ga fowler.

Well, actually it is my wife's fowler... gave it to her for Mother's Day a few years back but said she had to share.

 

[Capt. Jas.]

Evil Dog, I have one just like it going on a fowling piece I am building now. I also got a sterling one to go on the gun that Mike Brooks is making for me.

 

[bebloomster]

With that front sight my wife will occasionally say that she only missed by a nose.

 

[mbritt]

I think the brass sight came with the kit, but couldn't remember for sure, so I put them both in the box. They are both a front sight for a fowler and either one would be period correct to use.