Sights for my Marlin

[Stoker]

I have a .44 Marlin model 1894 and I would like to fit some improved iron sights. Ideally, I would like a plain blade front sight and a receiver mounted aperture rear sight with fine elevation control. I'm not so bothered about windage adjustment, but I would want to be able to zero the whole set-up fairly carefully.

I use the rifle for both snap shooting and deliberate shooting at longer ranges, so a choice of apertures would be useful.

Some of my fellow shooters have Williams sights, which they say are pretty good. Are there any other makes I should consider? And if I go for Williams, which model should I try?

I don't want to fit anything optical, including red dots.

Thanks in advance

Stoker

 

[Jaywalker]

Lyman has a great one-quarter-inch-click sight that mounts on the upper left side of the receiver, the Model 57. I bought my Marlin 336 in 1998, and they still had side holes tapped, but I understand they may no longer be doing that. I don't know if they have one that fits your rifle, however. Try www.Brownells.com and search for "Lyman receiver sights."

Jaywalker

 

[Pumpkinheaver]

I like the Lyman 66 receiver sight. I have one on my Guide gun and love it.

 

[s64woody]

I put a williams site on my guide gun. It is aluminium, but has not given me any trouble. I would prefer to have something with protective "ears" on the top, but for now this is a rightous installation.

 

[farscott]

I put the Ashley Outdoors (now XS) post front and ghost ring rear on my Marlin 1894P. Now that I have an 1894C as well, I am planning on getting another XS sight set. I like the XS sight sets, especially the one with the front as part of the integral ramp.

This front sight requires the removal of the factory front sight and screwing in the new sight. The end result is a very robust and easy to find front sight. The front sight is available with a white line; I am not sure if the sight is available without it. You can also just drift out the Marlin sight, and install a new front sight to fit the Marlin sight base.

The XS rear sight, which mounts in one of the scope mount holes, is adjustable for both windage and elevation, but the adjustments require a screwdriver. The ghost ring rear is threaded for Williams peeps, so a more precise sight picture can be obtained and removed as desired.

IIRC, the list cost for the sight set is about $90 from Brownells.

 

[Johnny Guest]

About three years ago - -

- - -I visited an old friend who showed me his "back door" gun. It is the Marlin - -Maybe the 1894 - - in .357. I liked the ghost ring sight setup.

He told me he visited the (then) Ashley Outdoors shop to pick up the new rifle after having had the ghost ring set installed. He asked about protective wings. Ashley set a two-by-four on the bench, took the rifle by the barrel, and then slammed the rear sight onto the board. The sight was buried to the base in the wood, and it took a little effort to remove the board. The ghost ring and adjustments were undamaged. Rugged enough for most use, I'd say.

I installed an old set of AO ghost ring sights on my new 1895GS recently and I'm very happy with them. I trust the same setup under the XS name will serve as well.

Don't misunderstand me - - I'm a traditionalist, and I still like the Lyman, Redfield, and Williams aperture sights for lever guns. But I don't see how they can be as compact, rugged, and fast to use as the AO/XS arrangements.

Best,
Johnny

 

[Deadman]

I've also replaced the standard iron sights on my 1894CP with AO (XS) ghost ring sights and have found them much easier and more effecient to use than the semi-buckhorn sights.

 

[Stoker]

Thanks very much to you all for your input.

I think I will probably go withthe Williams with target knobs

 

[JNewell]

I have a Williams Foolproof currently on an 1895 and I like them, but be advised that they are by no means indestructible. YMMV, but I would not even consider them "rugged." I had a rifle fall and bend a FP. Nothing is bulletproof, obviously, but I keep thinking about replacing the FP with the Wild West sight for Marlin rifles.

http://www.wildwestguns.com/Accessories/body_accessories.html

 

[Stoker]

Thank you, Sir. Ruggedness is a secondary consideration as I shall be using the weapon for target shooting only. I'm also a little constrained by what is available on this side of the pond.

 

[Brian Williams]

I have a Marbles Tang sight on my 1894c and it is great. If you are using it for Target shooting The Marbles has both windage and elevation, and it includes three sighting discs 1 large target disc and 2 small discs but with larger peeps for quick shots or hunting.

I got mine from American backyard
https://www.amback.com/default.php

here is a web sight for amrlins where we talked about tang sights

http://www.marlinfirearms.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=4;t=002721

and here is my 1894c with the tang sight installed with my S&W 13

 

[JNewell]

this side of the pond

Missed that! Welcome.

On the topic of ruggedness, I have to tell you that that rifle fell...at the range. Could have been worse...