Henry Rifle Forums

Just re-read the entire Henry thread titled "skinner sights." http://henryrifleforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=32&t=4023 Lots of ins/outs working with the Skinner web site in deciding what sights to get - size, combinations, and so on. At the end of one of Conax's comments, he summed it all up from my perspective when he said "Fun fun fun." :*)

Okay. I've been doing a lot of studying and "analyzing" of Andy Larsson's Skinner web site, and would like some opinions on what I'm considering to get to replace the front bead sight on my BBS .357 Magnum Carbine (H012MR). As commented by some Folks in the thread, Andy does have (also from my perspective) a lack of clarity showing a good path for correct sight choices. A little bit like that old computer game, "Dungeons & Dragons." In D&D, I was always bumping into dead ends or rooms with locked doors! :*)

OK, here is my current thinking on my front sight adventure. The primary Skinner web page I've been trying to decipher is at this link: http://www.skinnersights.com/front_sights_5.html

The very first rifle barrel picture you see, and this picture further down on the page, show the Patridge sight I'd like to install on my Big Boy.
What was a plus for me when I mounted the Skinner Express is that I was able to use the Henry stock brass bead, and the BBS sighted in accurately. I don't know if my thinking is logical, and if my choice of the Patridge sight is correct, but here goes.

As Andy commented, the height of the dovetail Patridge sight is measured from the bottom of the dovetail to the top of the sight. So I measured my dovetail bead sight, and it is .550" tall. He also commented all his sights are a "nominal 3/8" dovetail."

Since my bead sight is .550" tall, I thought I would order the Patridge with 3/8" base width and height of .600", blued. Am I correct that with a taller front sight, I would possibly need to raise the Express peep aperture when re-sighting the rifle? Also the taller .600" Patridge could be filed to correct height? All of my "thinking-wanderings" here are based on the .550" bead height now on the Henry.

Wrong or right thinking/planning? Appreciate help on this....thanks.
PT7

A taller sight will make your poi lower. So you would "need to raise the Express peep aperture when re-sighting the rifle?" You can file it lower.
Will you change your sight picture? That would need to taken in to account.

Yes, I plan to change from "6 O'clock sight picture" to "Point-of-Aim." Appreciate you mentioning that, Ojaileveraction.

Ojaileveraction wrote:A taller sight will make your poi lower. So you would "need to raise the Express peep aperture when re-sighting the rifle?" You can file it lower.
Will you change your sight picture? That would need to taken in to account.

Did you remove the bead front to measure or did you measure with the bead front sight still in the dovetail? From experience, measuring the height of the front sight with the sight still in the dovetail is a pretty crude measurement. Best to measure the sight after you've removed it from the dovetail if you want an accurate reading.

Assuming your sights are set correctly for a six o'clock hold (which makes the gun shoot high relative to the sight picture), switching to a dead on will require and even taller front sight to bring your POI down. That slightly taller .600" may do the trick with your current rear sight setting. It will depend on how high the gun is shooting now to hit the center of the bull at your shooting distance with the six o'clock. If the gun is still shooting high with the .600" when you switch to a dead on, then it's either lower the rear sight or go to an even taller front. If you still have a lot of room left on the Express right now to drop the elevation, I'd say there's a good chance the .600" will work, though you may still need to do some filing.

Let's see if I got this right. Always good if I have the chance to spout back to the teacher(s) what they just said.

Below you both have said the taller front sight (.600") will potentially work. Skinner does have available yet two taller heights, but comes with a smaller dovetail with 1/2" base width. The taller sights are .650" and .750" heights. Better with my plan to go with the .650"?


No, NCG, I did not remove the bead to measure it...did the measuring with my calipers while on the rifle. I'll need to move away from "crude" and get it off the barrel to measure. And to be honest, my sight in of the Big Boy was probably somewhat crude, too. I shot off hand and did not use a bench rest. Although my targets had some pretty good POIs showing, I'm never that certain how well the rifle is sighted in. If I were as excellent of a shooter as you are, that would help and I'd feel better about it.

Ojaileveraction, almost sounds like it might be needed when re-sighting the rifle again to both raise the Express aperture and file the Patridge to a lower height. Is that what you would anticipate?

NCG, a couple of more items in your second paragraph. You noted that "That slightly taller .600" may do the trick with your current rear sight setting." If the Henry still shoots high with the .600", I don't think there is much tread left to lower the rear sight, maybe only with a 90-degree turn. I'll have to check that. If the aperture stem bottoms out, then the taller than .600" Patridge height would be needed. I mentioned above to Ojaileveraction that there is a .650" height available if I need to go there.

So next step is to more accurately measure the dovetail bead sight when out of the barrel. Might stop back to this thread and pick up at that time before I spend any bucks on a Patridge sight.

Thanks, I think I got it so far. Sure hope so!
Later.
PT7

Ojaileveraction wrote:A taller sight will make your poi lower. So you would "need to raise the Express peep aperture when re-sighting the rifle?" You can file it lower.
Will you change your sight picture? That would need to taken in to account.

North Country Gal wrote:Did you remove the bead front to measure or did you measure with the bead front sight still in the dovetail? From experience, measuring the height of the front sight with the sight still in the dovetail is a pretty crude measurement. Best to measure the sight after you've removed it from the dovetail if you want an accurate reading.

Assuming your sights are set correctly for a six o'clock hold (which makes the gun shoot high relative to the sight picture), switching to a dead on will require and even taller front sight to bring your POI down. That slightly taller .600" may do the trick with your current rear sight setting. It will depend on how high the gun is shooting now to hit the center of the bull at your shooting distance with the six o'clock. If the gun is still shooting high with the .600" when you switch to a dead on, then it's either lower the rear sight or go to an even taller front. If you still have a lot of room left on the Express right now to drop the elevation, I'd say there's a good chance the .600" will work, though you may still need to do some filing.

PT, if you're already bottomed out on the rear sight, I'd probably opt for a taller sight than .600", assuming, of course, that your current bead front is indeed, .550" In fact, the first thing I would do before you order, is get that rifle out and bench it to get a more accurate idea of where you're sights are, now.

Doing just a guesstamit every .05 inch of sight height is 6 to 7 MOA difference.