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Rear sights?

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sooter76

40 Cal.
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Just curious how common rear sights were on Fusil de Chasse smoothbores? Were any Fusils made intentionally with rear sights or were these simply added on at later dates?
 
Agreed, I was speaking with Greg from Dixons muzzleloader a couple weeks back about this same thing. I got a trade gun off him and asked if it would be periodically correct if I was to put a rear sight on it. He said even though they didn't mostly come with a rear sight a lot of guys would cut a V type valley to line up the front sight with or even put a rear sight on. Gregs dad showed me a gun where he took a chisel and made a hump for a rear sight. Once he had an idea of where it was grouping he then filled in a V in the raised metal.
 
About ten percent of known trade guns are fitted with some sort of rear sight. Many were a flake as above, some with braised on or dovetailed sights. Rear sights on smoothies goes back to match lock days.
Today's 'no rear sight' rule in trade gun matches is an attempt to give a level playing field to people the have average trade guns, not to reflect real historical gun match.
I put a rear sight on my smoothies, it does not make the gun more accurate. Guys with sans rear sight trade guns can rival my rifle shooting at fifty yards. I do find it a lot easier to shoot, so it's nothing more then a handy crutch for me.
 
I've gathered the same impression; a great many smoothbores of various types were fitted with rear sights. I have one on my flintlock fowler as does my hunting partner.
 
Somewhere I have Kevin Gladzys book on French fowlers. There is a drawing of a fowler with a rear sight. It looked like a butterfly . If I was computer literate I could probably draw a picture of it. If I find the book I will take a picture of it and try to get one of the kids to help me post it.
 
If you put one on, keep in mind most competitions won't allow them.
I always make a dovetailed plug for the dovetail when putting a rear sight on a smooth bore. The rear sight can be tapped out and the plug slid in. I engrave a tiny witness mark on the sight and barrel so the rear sight can be re-installed when needed again.
 
I’ve never seen a rear sight on an original French trade gun. Northwest guns and Carolina guns, yes. There might be some out there.
Funny ...I haven't seen a rear sight on a Frenchy either but I've onlyvseen them in books , not in person . My favorite Fusil de Chasse whi h was in a museum in Canada was bought by the Museum of the Fur Trade . I was excited to see it in person . As soon as you go in the door to the right its in the case at the end . I was darn near drooling on the glass and ....it had a rear sight on it . I'd never seen it in the pictures , it was behind d the cock / hammer . Was very cool . When looking at the collections trade guns it was amazing to see how many had had rear sights added to them , darn near 50% of them . I was quite surprised .....
 
My N.W. trade gun ...
 

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