Springfield 1863 sight picture

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  • Melnic

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 27, 2012
    15,282
    HoCo
    Ok
    Rear sight opening is huge
    Hard to tell if I’m centered and aligned vertically
    Plus I’m hitting way high. Any way to bury the front sight and get good alignment?

    I don’t want to mess with an original Springfield but I almost eat to file a notch in the bottom

    a23bdb454c46cf8cf5fece230ac6be39.jpg



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    Reptile

    Ultimate Member
    Sep 29, 2014
    7,282
    Columbia MD
    I’ve read that the “battle sight” picture from long guns of that era assumed the shooter would aim at the belt buckle and get an upper body hit. In other words, almost all of them have a high point of impact if you use a standard sight picture.
     

    Melnic

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 27, 2012
    15,282
    HoCo
    no wonder they missed so much when shooting behind logs in the woods at other soldiers shooting from behind logs.
     

    303_enfield

    Ultimate Member
    May 30, 2007
    4,651
    DelMarVa
    6 O'clock hold. If you use the "center" hold on a target you'll fire over it.

    Man sized target would be belt buckle at 100y. Look at the old tin Civil war pics. Lots of belly shots because a belt buckle hold at 250y hit the belt.

    So I've been told. But loads will change impacts also.
     

    Melnic

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 27, 2012
    15,282
    HoCo
    My trouble is that no matter where I'm aiming, its hard to tell the tip of the the front sight is consistant with the position because the rear sight is so wide.
     

    Mike OTDP

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 12, 2008
    3,318
    Buy a replacement rear sight leaf. Store the original rear sight. Modify the replacement as required.
     

    Art3

    Eqinsu Ocha
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 30, 2015
    13,267
    Harford County
    If it wasn't original, it would be a great candidate to have a bead (like a short section of brazing rod) soldered on top of the front sight. I agree that a repro sight that can be modified with a clear conscience would probably be the best approach...that I can think of (other than learning to shoot it as it is)...
     

    Doco Overboard

    Ultimate Member
    S and S has repo rear leaves that you can file to fit.
    If you dont want to change anything, put up a second paster for a point to aim off on or soft solder a piece of soft metal to the original FS and then you can adjust for poi.
    Some of those rifles had sights with more than one folding rear leaf I seem to remember but could be wrong.
     

    Melnic

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 27, 2012
    15,282
    HoCo
    I drew it up like 2 years ago and my son made it. I used it and then I guess put it away and forgot about it till I found it in my bag.
    Its printed a bit too small for the front sight then filed to fit.

    I was thinking of having him make one with a tall enough sight to use the flip up peep hole.

    I just need to know the barrel diameter and front sight width.
    I have a Traditions Enfield, don't know if its the same.
     

    Melnic

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 27, 2012
    15,282
    HoCo
    Worked great yesterday doing load development on some thin skirt minnies from my Moose Mould.
    It shoots about 12” high using the flip up peep but usable.

    876b9b2734b44d3f43146774f588d402.jpg



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    Doco Overboard

    Ultimate Member
    I was shooting a 1863 yesterday.
    The rifle had the express sights but no peep like yours does in the picture.
    The owner was having the same exact issue as you described with a PoI way high and the problem apparent that the six o'clock hold was clearly out of the lane for what would be considered a belt buckle hit.
    After observing your pictures and you having a hole drilled through the rear blade you may be able to just fabricate an insert to adjust POA.
    I have seen users apply various epoxy, rubber o ring inserts and or a tube made from brass or sheet steel on rifles that they do not want to alter.
    For instance N04 and m17-14 rifles have like a 20 moa peep that is way generous for 100 yd shooting.
    The epoxy or insert can just be pooped out of the cursor to restore originality without a substantial alteration or in your case a rear sight leaf.
    The rear leaf on the rifle I was shooting was crude at best but could be could have been deepened and held left to get it to target without fooling with the tiny FS.
    Adjusting the main charge improved the condition slightly but did not account for the windage correction needed more than likely due to a sticky lock and trigger pull causing hits slightly to the right.
    I dont know why his rifle didn't have a peep drilled through the blade.
    he told me there are type one and two rifles some with a single blade and some with the express style.
     

    Melnic

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 27, 2012
    15,282
    HoCo
    Thx for the input Doco.
    I ended up with a 40gr 3F load for this minie. I think I'll drill a set screw hold in the front sight so I can have something adjustable.
     

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