Will This Rear Sight Work for the Taylor Spencer?

[Two Flints]

Hello SSS,

One of the SSS posse found this sight in the Brownell's catalog and would like to know if it would work or fit on the Spencer 56-50 barrel.  Any offerings?

Two Flints

[Colt Fanning]

The Spencer uses a 1/2 in dovetail.  You might be able to silver solder a shim to this sight and shape it with a file
to fit the gun.  From the looks of it, this sight may sit higher on the gun.  This would aggravate the Spencer's problem
of shooting high unless the front sight were raised.
On a different topic, I recently took a 1/8 in. wide strip of steel shim stock, drilled a hole in it, and wrapped it around
the ladder below the sliding bar to make a peep sight.  Works fine.

[Two Flints]

Thanks Colt,

The Dixie 2006 Catalog shows a rear sight made for an original Spencer on page 163.  The part # is EPO270 selling for $55.00.  Is this one of any value?  Will it work on the Taylor Spencer, one of our SSS posse members might be interested.

Two Flints

[Colt Fanning]

I would recommend that he call Dixie and ask the gunsmith for the measurement of the maximum dimension of the dovetail
and compare this to his.  My post above referencing the 1/2 in. applied to an original spencer.  I do not have a Taylor
Spencer but I have a replacement sight base for a Spencer which is about 1/16 larger than the original Spencer dovetail.
I dont remember if this came from SxS or from Taylor so I dont know if this larger dovetail is what is used on a Taylor Spencer.  If the sight base is for as Taylor Spencer then I would guess that the Dixie sight would be too small for the Taylor Spencer and would require a shim.

[French Jack]

If I remember correctly, the Taylor's Spencer has a .436" dovetail slot for the rear sight.  The Smith Enterprises sold by Brownell's and Buffalo Arms has one model that has a .450" dovetail base.  This can be filed down to fit, or the slot in the barrel can be enlarged to suit the new sight base. 

[geo]

if you haven't already done so work on the front sight first. mine sits .52" high measuring from the top of the barrel to the top of the blade. rear sight can be opened with careful use of a dremel. good luck, geo.

[Fox Creek Kid]

Just my 2 cents worth but, the Smith Ent. sight costs a cool $100.00 and let's face it, the Spencer is not a Camp Perry style rifle. I'm happy with just opening up the rear sight groove a smidgen on the OEM sight. I'm never going to shoot my carbine over 50 yds. max anyway, lest the Comanches jump the res.