Temp rear sight for my NWTG

[CyrusP]

About a week back I put together a temporary rear sight to see how accurate my NWTG is with roundball. Using 60 grains Goex FF, a .60 ball and some spit-moistened sisal tow over the top I was pretty happy with my first test. I used a flexible fridge magnet, thin strand wire from a twisted wire, and cut a cylinder from a .22 LR case. It worked well and didn’t move much. I indexed it back on the breach plug to barrel seam each time it did move. 40 yards decent group so far. I’ll likely put a low profile rear sight on this gun.

 

[The Crisco Kid]

A good idea to serve the purpose. I've used epoxy that comes off with a little heat but a magnet is a better idea. I've seen a couple of original trade guns that had a rear sight made by using a sharp chisel to curl some metal up and then file a notch in it. These were later percussion guns from British Columbia. Probably too low to be of much use.

 

[CyrusP]

What a neat idea though! Curling up metal and notching it.

 

[Rob M.]

Interesting
.....and good shootin !

 

[CyrusP]

Thanks Rob!

 

[smoothshooter]

About a week back I put together a temporary rear sight to see how accurate my NWTG is with roundball. Using 60 grains Goex FF, a .60 ball and some spit-moistened sisal tow over the top I was pretty happy with my first test. I used a flexible fridge magnet, thin strand wire from a twisted wire, and cut a cylinder from a .22 LR case. It worked well and didn’t move much. I indexed it back on the breach plug to barrel seam each time it did move. 40 yards decent group so far. I’ll likely put a low profile rear sight on this gun.

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I have used modeling clay for a temporary sight when testing a load. But that is not my first choice.

 

[leakytire]

Funny, was just thinking the other day why couldn't a base be made for peepsight with today's super magnets....

 

[Rebel bull]

I know of 1 guy that uses a slightly proud tang screw head and aligns the slot (round head) it works and is adjustable with a file

 

[CyrusP]

I thought about that as well, but my NWTG has the screw upside down.

 

[Relic shooter]

Try U-shaped notch in barrel tang area & taller tang screw with slot properly aligned.

 

[2 shots]

you cant mention that unmentionable rear sight

 

[Sam squanch]

I’m a great fan of whomping up a temporary sight , front or back , to test out how things will work. I use plastic, them copy it in metal if my design works.

 

[Relic shooter]

This original French smoothbore that was originally a flintlock was built with this unmentionable sighting setup.
Have owned others with same sighting arrangement.
I believe this pistol with it's iron ramrod & carving was built for a military officer.
The old timer builders were clever hombres

 

[Timber Wolf]

This original French smoothbore that was originally a flintlock was built with this unmentionable sighting setup.
Have owned others with same sighting arrangement.
I believe this pistol with it's iron ramrod & carving was built for a military officer.
The old timer builders were clever hombres

A guy that would think up a refrigerator magnet, wire and .22 case sight is a pretty clever hombres too. ; )

 

[CyrusP]

Well, thank you kindly! I’ll show this to my wife so she can roll her eyes.

 

[Timber Wolf]

Well, thank you kindly! I’ll show this to my wife so she can roll her eyes.

Tell her Red Green’s quote: “If woman don’t find you handsome at least they can find you handy”.

 

[Smokey Plainsman]

Interesting but I hate to tell you, a rear sight that you have to "reset" every shot is not going to give you any kind of repeatable accuracy. Even movement of less than 1mm can shift your grouping dramatically.

But good proof of concept. I imagine a small brass tube soldered to a dovetail blank would make for a neat peep sight. It could become bent, though, so perhaps a steel tube might be better.

I recall some early matchlocks had similar styles of tube peeps.

 

[CyrusP]

I agree completely. This is just a temp solution to test how accurate the gun can be with a rear site until I build a permanent one.

 

[Maven]

Let me add my $0.02. A rear sight on a SB does make aiming faster and more precise, but you can do as well, if not as quickly, with a good load and consistent cheek weld. Btw, I made one from a piece of [very old] brass O Scale rail that I Crazy Glued to the bbl. of my NW Trade Gun (Green River Forge). In setting the sight up, I discovered the bbl. flats were not cut square to the rest of the bbl., which was obvious to me. I removed the sight and had to re-brown the bbl., but the sight did make a positive difference.