Want to put a Vernier rear sight on a Parker Hale Whitworth

[Uncle Miltie]

Soule type sights are used happily and successfully by many on military target rifles such as the Whitworth and Volunteer models. If period correct / spirit of the original is a factor, keep in mind that they post-date the rifles by 25 years. J.W. Soule patented his sight in the US in 1889 - so well into the breech loading era and unlikely ever to have been used on a British rifle from the 1860s.

David

Correct, but I don't think the Soule was available to shooters until 1892. Pedersoli makes a sight similar to the old Goodwin sight, but much heavier.

 

[Codger Craig Wilcox]

I am a Montana Valley fan. Have two of their sights, one was mounted on a Hawken gun. Very accurate, very easy to use. They have mounts for almost anything.

 

[ResearchPress]

Correct, but I don't think the Soule was available to shooters until 1892. Pedersoli makes a sight similar to the old Goodwin sight, but much heavier.

Yes, the Soule sight posts dates the ‘muzzle loading era’.

About the only thing most Goodwin inspired sights have in common with the short lived original is the offset staff. As conceived it was an orthoptic device and used in conjunction with the foresight and barrel mounted rearsight. I have an original and information on my web site - Dr. Goodwin’s Orthoptic Screen Sight.

David

 

[underhammer]

Lee helped me out years back with a Ardesa Rigby Creedmoor Match rifle .. It was missing its tang sight so I removed the tang from the rifle and shipped it to him. He fitted his staff on to my mount and shipped it back. Thanked him over the phone and got talking about his family name up here in Manitoba Canada .
BTW if you need a bullet mould for that Whitworth, Rick at Kaltool makes a very nice one. I have been to his shop and he does quality work.

 

[fgd135]

I use a Lyman #20 front sight; it's .700" high, although not windage adj. It works well with my Pedersoli vernier rear sight with windage adj. and variable aperture/my Pedersoli vernier base is inletted into the wrist.

 

[Jeff Coates]

Cannonman1,
I have the Pedersoli sight base setup on my Navy Arms Parker Hale Whitworth. Maybe this will help.
Good luck, Kno-ie

Nice!
I just acquires a Pedersoli Whitworth. It came with

Cannonman1,
I have the Pedersoli sight base setup on my Navy Arms Parker Hale Whitworth. Maybe this will help.
Good luck, Kno-ie

I just acquired a Pedersoli Whitworth. It came with a set of “Front sight & Creedmoor Bases - USA 413”

I suppose “any” sight could be made to fit the base (??)

I shoot left handed. Your photos seem to indicate that would work for me. (?)

Does your rear sight have windage adjustment?

I am wondering what I might gain if I had wind adjustment on front sight vs on rear sight.

- I figure if I am going to do front as well as rear I might as well go all the way - add a level and replaceable sight inserts.

Thoughts?

Before I get there I need to find an experienced gunsmith that will not mess up the sighting. … and I suppose I should shoot it w/ original sights for awhile.

 

[Kno-ie]

Nice!
I just acquires a Pedersoli Whitworth. It came with

I just acquired a Pedersoli Whitworth. It came with a set of “Front sight & Creedmoor Bases - USA 413”

I suppose “any” sight could be made to fit the base (??)

I shoot left handed. Your photos seem to indicate that would work for me. (?)

Does your rear sight have windage adjustment?

I am wondering what I might gain if I had wind adjustment on front sight vs on rear sight.

- I figure if I am going to do front as well as rear I might as well go all the way - add a level and replaceable sight inserts.

Thoughts?

Before I get there I need to find an experienced gunsmith that will not mess up the sighting. … and I suppose I should shoot it w/ original sights for awhile.

There is very little side to side movement on the tang sight. Some but not a lot. If your looking for a level mounted front sight then explore for one with wind adjustment.
By the way I'm a left handed rifle shooter also. If I may I'd suggest, get a nipple flash guard or wear long sleeved shirts for the right arm. At some point your going to get fragged in the right forearm.
Kno-ie

 

[Jeff Coates]

There is very little side to side movement on the tang sight. Some but not a lot. If your looking for a level mounted front sight then explore for one with wind adjustment.
By the way I'm a left handed rifle shooter also. If I may I'd suggest, get a nipple flash guard or wear long sleeved shirts for the right arm. At some point your going to get fragged in the right forearm.
Kno-ie

Thanks so much. I spent my youth til college heavly collecting and shooting Civil war black powder guns - So I am well aware of the “flash & burn experiences!

Just getting back into it now. Sold everything to fund my education.

New for me is the long range target stuff. And Inalways kind of wanted a Hawken. So I bought 2 last year A right hand percussion AND A LEFT-HANDED FLINT! I have not shot either yet.

My intrest was rekindled because I missed my 2 favorite shooters - Parker Hale Artillery Carbine and my Ruger Old Model Army. replaced them both and upgraded the Ruger to SS!

Now I need to get my lead production up and running too!

- And where the heck am I going to find a 500 yard range in So CA???? (I was spoiled as a kid in Ohio In belonged to a really informal BP range so it was easy to just go and shoot any time. Those fays are long gone.

Now in CA people treat gun owners & shooters like devils. I hate that!

 

[Jeff Coates]

There is very little side to side movement on the tang sight. Some but not a lot. If your looking for a level mounted front sight then explore for one with wind adjustment.
By the way I'm a left handed rifle shooter also. If I may I'd suggest, get a nipple flash guard or wear long sleeved shirts for the right arm. At some point your going to get fragged in the right forearm.
Kno-ie

As I said my Pedersoli Whitworth came w/ the sight kit (never installed.)

I shoot a Parker Hale Volunteer & a mate in our club shoots a P/H Whitworth (both 1978 stamped).
Initially we both fitted Pedersoli tang base extensions and mounted our vernier on them. The tang bases come with a longer tang screw but you can be trapped as later Pedersoli screws are a different pitch to P/H , so care is needed to match.
The tang bases also require a wood thread screw to help secure it to your stock.

Our experiences with these base has not been good as we were not able to lower the vernier staff sufficiently to zero at 100 m. & this included us using elevated globe foresight.
Another problem surfaced when needing to remove the barrel - the vernier sight as well as the tang base need to be independently removed which becomes a real pain.

After discussions with Lee Shaver I have fitted one of his soule sights with wood screws directly on to the stock.
My mate followed suit and fitted a different pedersoli directly to his Whitworh stock.

Not only has this helped with cleaning but we both experience marked increase in accuracy and reduction of group sizes. The sight sit 'lower' which has corrected slighting issues at closer ranges.

When you mount the rear sight bases do you mitre them in or surface mount? I wonder if that height difference would matter that much.

 

[Bad Karma]

As I said my Pedersoli Whitworth came w/ the sight kit (never installed.)

When you mount the rear sight bases do you mitre them in or surface mount? I wonder if that height difference would matter that much.

I surface mount and have had no trouble with it. I’ve seen them inletted into the stock as well and if it’s done neatly it looks good and it’s functional. I would expect it doesn’t make much difference at all.

 

[jkelly]

Any special considerations when attaching the sight directly to the stock?? Did you inlet the base of the sight or just screw it in.. Thanks in advance for any suggestions here !!

On both the whiworth and my Volunteer the vernier sights are just screwed with a coarse threaded screw directly on to the stock.
Admirably on both rifles (Parker Hales) we had to fit elevated globe foresight as well to be able to zero at 100m.
With my woodworking skills I reckoned that this was the best option for me rather than attempting an inlet.

 

[Bad Karma]

Lee helped me out years back with a Ardesa Rigby Creedmoor Match rifle .. It was missing its tang sight so I removed the tang from the rifle and shipped it to him. He fitted his staff on to my mount and shipped it back. Thanked him over the phone and got talking about his family name up here in Manitoba Canada .
BTW if you need a bullet mould for that Whitworth, Rick at Kaltool makes a very nice one. I have been to his shop and he does quality work.

Lee Shaver is a gentleman of the first rate. And those Navy Arms Rigby rifles are very nice as well. I only wish the Spanish had importers as enthusiastic about the North American market as the Italians are.