Sight questions

[hhughh]

I'm pretty sure I've seen this sight or a similar one on a gun before, but I don't remember which one. Does it mean the barrel has been altered and can't take a standard 3/8ths dovetail rear sight now?
Hugh

[Blackfoot]

It certainly looks like there is a flat machined into the top of the barrel, no dovetail slot there anymore.

Blackfoot

[Mike]

Looks simular to a springfield sight? Hard to tell if the sight and barrel are flat, could be shaped to the curve of the barrel.
what is the gun?.

[hhughh]

It's a Shiloh Sharps '63. Was wondering if I could reinstall the ladder style sight. Guess not.

[Kent Shootwell]

That's an early Shiloh Sharps and that sight may be a concave base that is placed over the proper sight mount. If it is screwed on remove it and see if the dove tail and screw hole is intact. The screw for the Sharps sight is a 7-32 thread. The wolf head mark is Wolfgang's mark.

[St. George]

That's actually the Springfield Trapdoor rear sight.

The Base was universal in size for the Carbine and Rifle, but was marked differently for each for their respective ranges, and so-marked with either a 'C' or an 'R' to assist in identifying it - as are the front sight blades.

The screw holes in the base and barrel will match up on all models - from 1873 - 1884.

This sight is 'not' dovetailed - it's base is curved to fit the barrel profile.

Scouts Out!

[Blair]

St George is correct!
The base of the sight is contoured to fit the TD Springfield's
The percussion Sharps barrel is a slightly larger diameter, leaving something of a space between the sight base and barrel.

The Springfield sight is held in place by two screws one in the front, under the sight ladder, and one at the table you see at the rear. Both need to be removed to put the correct rear sight back on.

This will probably leave you with a screw hole in the barrel to the rear of the proper sight.
Fill this hole with a screw and clean up anything that sticks out of the hole.
Hope this helps?
My best,
Blair

[Kent Shootwell]

Yes the sight base is concave but what I'm pointing out that with luck the td sight may be covering the dove tail and screw hole for the Sharps ladder sight. Wihle I worked at Shiloh no Sharps was made with that rear sight.

[hhughh]

Thanks for all the input. I'm having the gun shipped to me and it will be here later this week. Will post more when it arrives.

[hhughh]

Gun arrived!!  And, yes, the barrel is intact with the original dovetail. Now where to find a standard ladder sight to reinstall?

[St. George]

Try - www.buffaloarms.com - look at their Smith Enterprises ladder sight - it's got a 3/8" dovetail mount.

Scouts Out!

[Professor Marvel]

Yes the sight base is concave but what I'm pointing out that with luck the td sight may be covering the dove tail and screw hole for the Sharps ladder sight. Wihle I worked at Shiloh no Sharps was made with that rear sight.

Thread Hijack -------------------------------
Ah My Good Monsieur Shootwell -

Would you possibly consider opening a thread in BROW regaling us with stories of your time at Shiloh?

I would gladly fuel the fire and will even offer to provide popcorn and cookies ( delivered by slow mule) !

I await your reply with baited breath, and take you back to the Original Thread : Re: Sight questions

yhs
prof ( worm breath ) marvel

[St. George]

The above sight that you're referring to is mounted on a Trapdoor Springfield barrel - look at the 'Eagle Head' proofmark at the juncture of the barrel and forearm wood.

It's not mounted on a Sharps - nor was it suggested that it was - it was merely a style the poster saw that he was curious about.

Scouts Out!

[hhughh]

St George,
    It is mounted on a Sharps. I received the carbine today. The eagle proof is actually a wolf's head--a proof on early Shiloh Sharps products. I plan to replace it with a proper Sharps rear sight.

[Kent Shootwell]

Glad to hear you're going to put that Sharps back to right with a ladder sight. The wolf's head mark was placed on the Shilohs as a mark of pride by Wolfgang Droege until John Schoffstall (a distributor of Shiloh Sharps)  insisted he not mark them with it.