period correct peep sightds for a prewar Model 70 winchester

[sirdutch]

I was wondering if a Lyman 48 WJS sight was a factory installed option for the Model 70 Winchester or if Lyman sights were strictly after market sights. My "prewar configured" Model 70 is all original and produced in 1946 with the holes drilled and tapped for the side mounted sights. It was not drilled on top of the receiver which is correct. I would like to keep it period correct.

If the Lyman sights were a factory installed option, I may have to do some inletting on the stock unless I go with the 3rd model Lyman 48 WJS which does not require inletting but may have first come out in 1947. Would this be pushing it as far as period correctness is concerned if I was to install these sights?

Thanks

 

[Krogen]

I sure as heck wouldn't carve on an old Model 70 - period correct or not.

I have the relieved Lyman 48 on a pre-war Model 70. It took no stock alteration and works very well. The gun's a shooter and nowhere near collector condition. Still, I couldn't carve that stock. The extent of the blueing wear on the sight I installed was similar to that on the rifle. It looks like it's been on the rifle for years.

 

[sirdutch]

I am still wondering if a Lyman 48 WJS sight was a factory installed option for the prewar Model 70 Winchester or if Lyman sights were strictly after market sights. I agree that carving on a 95% model 70 is unthinkable. If I installed the Lyman 48 WJS sights it would have to be the 3rd model which does not require a stock alteration. I was just wondering if Winchester shipped new rifles from the factory with Lyman sights as one option. Thanks for any help on this.

 

[Jim Watson]

I don't know if it was a Winchester factory option but the Model 70 was regularly available from Stoegers with WJS. A whopping $13 extra in 1939. A lot of other rifles could be bought with peep sights, too; but I don't know if factory or distributor installed.

 

[sirdutch]

Lyman 48WJS sights as a factory installed option

Hello,

Thanks for your response to my query. Before I read your post I found out from a copy of "the Rifleman's Rifle", page 149 I believe, that the Lyman 48WJS definitely was a factory option for the Model 70 Winchester. The stock was inletted for this sight through 1946. The new Lyman 48 WJS 3rd type was introduced in 1947 making the need to inlet the stock unnecessary.

Meindert

 

[351 WINCHESTER]

Heck, In 1968 I bought a Lyman 48 for my newly aquired Remington 700. It cost a whopping $50. That was a heck of a lot of money back then. The rifle new cost $129.95.