I have Williams, Lyman, Marble, Redfield and Skinner aperture sights on many of my long guns. For the lever guns, Winchester (2), and half a dozen Marlins I like them all but do have some favorites. I'm a hunter but spend 90% of my shooting time working up loads or plinking here on our home, farm range right out the back door...pretty much 7 days a week. Here's the break down:
Williams: quality products that fits every factory drilled Winchester and Marlin I've tried. I like their Foolproof model with target knobs the best since it allows easy adjustment for varying loads. Removing the threaded peep aperture allows it to be used for close in deer and plinking...say up to 75 yds with 2" - 3" accuracy from a rest. Williams also makes a receiver top sight, that uses the scope mounting holes in the top of the receiver...WGRS model. It's easy to use but finicky to adjust if you use more than one load...it's a zero it for your main load and leave it alone model. Both the Foolproof and WGRS are good sights, but made from aluminum so don't get too aggressive with the screw driver when mounting them. I own 4 of them and two are currently on my 1894 Marlins...I like 'em you could say.
Marbles makes tang mounted peeps...good strong, steel sights that do have windage adjustments on some models. A must have in my book, as using the non-windage adj. models requires shimming the sight base to get some lateral movement, or drifting your front sight an appropriate amt. Tang mounted peeps put the aperture closer to your aiming eye but will not endanger same in recoil, at least in my .35 Rem, .30-30, & .38-55 rifles. I do have a pair of .44 Mag's but have never tang peep sighted them. Mounting the tang requires two holes through the receiver grip extensions, so some drilling and tapping is usually required for modern, post Korean War lever guns. In my use, I like the receiver mounted peeps better, either screwed to the scope mounting holes, or more commonly, with the left hand side holes, (2) with both Williams and Lyman peeps.
Lyman...great company with models of receiver and tang peeps going back well over 100 years. I like and use both types, with models that date from the early post WWll period. Some of the old ones, steel constructed, are quite pricey now...but the modern aluminum ones work as well in my experience for hunting in really tough conditions. As with the Williams receiver sights, I like the ones that have easily adj. knobs. For hunting, the screw driver slotted ones make a lot of sense and give a neater, less obtrusive look to the gun and don't interfere with a lever gun's slim receiver...that lack of bulge mid-ships is at least half the reason most guys like them so much. Lymans and Marbles receiver sights, mounted to the left side of the gun are equally good IMHO.
Skinner: great sights that don't clutter up the gun. They're easy to mount, especially on a Marlin but somewhat difficult to zero. The first one I bought, I got the winged model, but quickly found that the wingless is just as tough, and easier to adjust for your hunting or usual load. Adjustment involves screwing the peep shaft in or out to accommodate elevation needs, then loosening the attachment screws and tapping for windage. Trial and error that'll burn up a bunch of ammunition if you're unlucky. I have two of them, like them and never NEVER change loads. They're slim, and "look" right on a Marlin. Both of mine did not need a higher front sight. (.357 1894, .44 Mag 336, .41 Mag 1894S)
1st Pic: .41 1894 with a Williams Foolproof
2nd Pic: bottom Marlin with a Williams WGRS
3rd Pic: Winchester .25-20 with a Marbles tang
4th Pic: 1889 Marlin .38-40 with a very old Marbles Tang
5th Pic: Springfield 1903 M2 .22 lr fitted with a Lyman 48. Rt side mounting was standard for the Springfield. The lower '03 is a National Match from 1931 with O'hare sight covers protecting the ladder rear and blade front sights.
HTH's Rod
