Taller sights for a Penn flinter ?

[Road_Clam]

So another issue I can see forthcoming is I am going to need taller sights to shoot well. The comb on my Traditions Penn is very high and it's very difficult to obtain a comfortable cheek weld. I would like to fit a set of vernier target peeps, or at the very least standard aperature type sights. Has anyone fitted optional sights to this variant ? Thanks !

 

[Twisted_1in66]

I started shooting flintlocks with that same rifle. That high comb will bruise your cheeks easily. The taller sights aren't going to really make a difference. I found two different ways to shoot my Tradions PA Longrifle without getting smacked in the cheek each time I shoot it.

One way is to consciously mount the rifle with your head farther back than you normally would. This allows you to sight the rifle without leaning your head way over it.

Another method is an old shotgunner's trick. When you mount the rifle, instead of leaning your head over the top of the comb (which is what causes that bruised cheek), mount the rifle and turn you nose into stock, looking out the corner of your eye to align the sights. When the rifle is fired, the recoil slides past your cheek instead of up and into it.

The longrifle I use now has about 3/8" of offset. Offset means that the stock is bent slightly away from the centerline of the barrel so your eye lines up with the sights easily when you mount it. With left-handed shooters it would be "onset". Most people like about 1/4" offset but mine came with 3/8" and that works OK for me. And, I don't have to worry about a bruised cheek anymore with this rifle.

Twisted_1in66 :thumbsup:
Dan

 

[Black Hand]

Rework the comb for comfort then refinish...

 

[Col. Batguano]

That's the best idea.

But before I started messing around with the actual gun, i would experiment with a piece of lumber yard 2" x 4" or some such similarly valued wood, Just whack away at it and place it against your cheek with a comb angle similar to your gun. Keep taking wood off until it fits your face the most comfortably as you mount your gun. Hopefully this final shape is period correct for something.

From here it's a relatively simple matter to duplicate the same contour in to the gun as you are re-shaping the comb and cheek rest area.

Re-finish for looks.

Fire for effect.