Old eyes, new rear sight Hawken M. River .45cal

[Irishflintlock]

I have a Pedersoli Missouri River Hawken Percussion Muzzle Loading Rifle 45cal. I have never liked the long buckhorn rear sight and how close it is to the rear of the rifle. With aging eye sight, not a good mix. Today I changed the sight to a peep hole style (see photo). I also put a shrouded post on the front a few weeks ago. I used a home made temporary rear sight similar to one I seen on the Muzzleloader magazine. I made it the shape to my hex barrel. Lined this inside with tape so not to mark my barrel. I put a magnet on top to attach to the barrel for test shooting. The sighting post was about 25mm (1") long to start with. I cut it and put a new "V" in it each time I shot, until I got it marking targets where I wanted at 50 meters, (54.6 yrds). (I live in N. Ireland, part of the UK). I have to say, the first 6 rounds were more, "mortar launcher" than rifle. However, finally I got in control.
I like this new sight much better than the long buckhorn. I think it looks better on the gun. However, I'm not convinced that the sight picture will be a fine tuned as I will want. I'm to tired today to test it. Now when I was using the test removable sight I did like how it looked and sighted in. A simple flat top with a small "V" in the middle. I got some nicely placed shots with that. So If I'm not happy with this new sight, I will make a new one with a flat top and V. Anyway, I just thought I would share my day with you. Any good ideas, or if you have change a sight on your rifle let me know what you did and why.
Kind regards to you all from N. Ireland
Ps. apologies for some of the photos not being to sharp. My phone just wouldn't work for me.

 

[ohio ramrod]

We do what we have to do to keep playing the game.

 

[deerstalkert]

I have a Pedersoli Missouri River Hawken Percussion Muzzle Loading Rifle 45cal. I have never liked the long buckhorn rear sight and how close it is to the rear of the rifle. With aging eye sight, not a good mix. Today I changed the sight to a peep hole style (see photo). I also put a shrouded post on the front a few weeks ago. I used a home made temporary rear sight similar to one I seen on the Muzzleloader magazine. I made it the shape to my hex barrel. Lined this inside with tape so not to mark my barrel. I put a magnet on top to attach to the barrel for test shooting. The sighting post was about 25mm (1") long to start with. I cut it and put a new "V" in it each time I shot, until I got it marking targets where I wanted at 50 meters, (54.6 yrds). (I live in N. Ireland, part of the UK). I have to say, the first 6 rounds were more, "mortar launcher" than rifle. However, finally I got in control.
I like this new sight much better than the long buckhorn. I think it looks better on the gun. However, I'm not convinced that the sight picture will be a fine tuned as I will want. I'm to tired today to test it. Now when I was using the test removable sight I did like how it looked and sighted in. A simple flat top with a small "V" in the middle. I got some nicely placed shots with that. So If I'm not happy with this new sight, I will make a new one with a flat top and V. Anyway, I just thought I would share my day with you. Any good ideas, or if you have change a sight on your rifle let me know what you did and why.
Kind regards to you all from N. Ireland
Ps. apologies for some of the photos not being to sharp. My phone just wouldn't work for me.

i have the same rear sight on my tmr.45. and old eyes. one hundred and forty-three yards. blade front sight.

 

[CTShooter]

This is the one I made

 

[Dale Allen Raby]

Had a similar problem with my T/C Hawken .45. With the factory rear sight, I had TWO front sights... probably a cataract, but as I have stage four cancer, I didn't think fixing my eyes would be a good investment. I did notice that if I viewed the sights through an aperture cut in paper my second ghost sight disappeared. That gave me a few ideas.

I looked for something I could install similar to the one you used, but short of heading out to the smithy, I had limited options. Went with the Williams FP-Hawken. It was an older gun, so T/C had already drilled and tapped the tang. Ended up having to modify a hardware store screw as the supplied mounting screw had the wrong thread. Once this was done, I only had to modify my load to hit fifty yard targets. Guess I could have gone with a higher front sight.

Still need to get over to the gun shop and grab a couple of 6-32 plug screws to fill the holes where the factory sight was mounted.

Ah well, in a few years I'll be able to walk over to Muzzleloader Street and find everything I couldn't find on Earth....

 

[Newtire]

I put a Williams #44737 on a couple of my muzzle loaders due to aging eyes. I like the OP's idea better since it's home built but just got lazy. I glued it to the barrel with Permatex black gasket maker goo. A quick solution and works great.

 

[deerstalkert]

Had a similar problem with my T/C Hawken .45. With the factory rear sight, I had TWO front sights... probably a cataract, but as I have stage four cancer, I didn't think fixing my eyes would be a good investment. I did notice that if I viewed the sights through an aperture cut in paper my second ghost sight disappeared. That gave me a few ideas.

I looked for something I could install similar to the one you used, but short of heading out to the smithy, I had limited options. Went with the Williams FP-Hawken. It was an older gun, so T/C had already drilled and tapped the tang. Ended up having to modify a hardware store screw as the supplied mounting screw had the wrong thread. Once this was done, I only had to modify my load to hit fifty yard targets. Guess I could have gone with a higher front sight.

Still need to get over to the gun shop and grab a couple of 6-32 plug screws to fill the holes where the factory sight was mounted.

Ah well, in a few years I'll be able to walk over to Muzzleloader Street and find everything I couldn't find on Earth....

in my prayers Dale. Oh how i hate that disease. seems to target the good guy's and gals.

 

[Dale Allen Raby]

in my prayers Dale. Oh how i hate that disease. seems to target the good guy's and gals.

Well, nobody likes cancer, but on the bright side, I might have a few years to get my affairs in order. An Army buddy of mine was killed in a crash on the German Autobahn. He didn't even have time to say "Oh S***!", much less set up trust funds for anyone. I know that I am dying, beyond any reasonable doubt. But I have time to look for a suitable abode for the female half of the household with two cats in tow, time to sell all of my guns for what they are worth, time to catalogue my gold/silver stacks in the safe deposit box, time to find a suitable home for my blacksmith shop.... well, you get the picture.

Also, while it is still a death sentence, I still don't know when. I might last another five years and then go into coma and die, or I might get killed on the way to church tomorrow.

In the end, I can visit people I haven't seen in decades, go to muzzle-loader street and buy whatever I want, and I bet they never have black powder, cap or flint shortages.

 

[deerstalkert]

the reality of life is we are all under a death sentence. the hate i have for cancer is due to watching too many loved ones pass from it.
lost my most precious Neice a couple years ago before she really even had a start to life.