what sight for Kibler SMR?

[wiscoaster]

Testing SMR with new rear sight and original front sight resulted in a POI at 50 yds elevation change of about 16 inches, which was about twice as much as needed. I had taken the new front sight along and attempted a field swap of the front sight, but the new sight was too loose to install. I'll have to see if I can remedy that at home with a ball peen hammer. If not will have to order another front sight. Meanwhile have to wait for final resolution of SMR sighting system.

 

[woodsnwater]

Can you put a shim under it to tighten it up?

 

[garypl]

Can you put a shim under it to tighten it up?

I just take a center punch and put a few dimples in the dovetail and on the bottom of the sight base. Once everythig is sighted in I put a couple of punch marks on the front and back edges of the sight base right on the edge of the dovetail - it won't move.

 

[wiscoaster]

Can you put a shim under it to tighten it up?

I peened the sight base to spread it out a little, then I peened the dovetail lips to tighten them up a bit, and now it fits and has been installed nice and tight. Hopefully I can get out to shoot it today and see if I need to file it down any.

 

[wiscoaster]

Shot the SMR at 50 yds today with the new sights, 65 grains load. Did a little tapping for windage, and a little filing for elevation, in two increments, probably not more than a millimeter total, and happy with the results, hung a new target and took a couple shots:

So happy with those two hits that I chickened out on a third, and now ready to proceed with stretching out to 100 yds.

I'm really happy with these sights. I think they're a huge improvement over the sights provided with the kit, especially for old guys who no longer have eagle-eyed vision.

 

[BR Sorenson]

the sights and one other gripe i have with Jims SMR, in my humble opinion he should offer a toe plate. he could cut it out and it would be a good asset. maybe on that particular rifle originally, they weren't on it, but they were on SMR and they protect the toe. i have went to the trouble to put them on both guns i have. yesterday i hit the bottom of the toe hard, and the plate saved a dent at least, other than that, they are first class,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

I found a nice Tennessee style in silver. I believe every rifle deserves a toeplate.

 

[BR Sorenson]

View attachment 296607I found a nice Tennessee style in silver. I believe every rifle deserves a toeplate.

 

[Tn poor boy]

the sights and one other gripe i have with Jims SMR, in my humble opinion he should offer a toe plate. he could cut it out and it would be a good asset. maybe on that particular rifle originally, they weren't on it, but they were on SMR and they protect the toe. i have went to the trouble to put them on both guns i have. yesterday i hit the bottom of the toe hard, and the plate saved a dent at least, other than that, they are first class,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

I made 1 toe plate out of still trap spring

 

[Tn poor boy]

I found a steel blade would disappear in the dark woods so I went to a silver blade and then brass blades. Both will reflect light and allow you to see them. I made the silver blade using a real silver nickle shaped and silver soldered to a brass base. The brass blades are equally easy to make. The silver worked in the woods but was too bright for target shooting in bright daylight so I went to the brass which worked both places.

Iv got a Nicole cut was thinking about that

 

[Tenring]

If a person is crafty enough you can make a toe plate out of you name it as long as the right thickness is there.

 

[James Kibler]

As to sights, if the standard ones don’t work for you, it’s good you change them out. We make sights that are historically accurate. To me, high sights don’t look right and this is important to me.

As to a toe plate, I’m not sure the help with toe strength once the buttplate is installed. In the thousands of SMR rifles we’ve put out, I don’t recall seeing a broken toe occurring after assembly.

 

[James Kibler]

And I’ll add, how hard is it to cut out and install a toe plate if you are set on one?

 

[Salty Cracker]

Not meaning to derail the original thread about sights but I have never seen a modern rifle with a busted toe. Most likely because they don't get used like their predecessors. I have seen many broken originals including this original 1820s Virginia flintlock that obviously had a toe plate and lost it and the toe sometime in its useful life and continued on the mission. There are no guarantees. Use em hard and shoot straight.

 

[Scota@4570]

I have several Kibler SMR rifles. I am 61yo and wear bifocal glasses. The sights provided are HC, which is the goal of the maker. They also do not work for my eyes and for target shooting in general.

I made new sights for every LR I have. Compared to Kibler sights my front sights are about 0.1" wide, or a little wider. Consider that a front sight blade that matches the width of a NMLRA aggregate target black must be 0.16" wide on a 44" barrel. IF you like a bullseye pistol or service rifle sight picture that is how wide it must be. I make both sights about 1/8" higher than the originals. This stops the mirage problem. Mine are flat top and blackened steel. The rear sights I make look like Kibler sights but are 1/8" higher. I used to make very precise slits to match the front sight width. I was trying to get the bullseye pistol sight picture. That does not work out for me. I have found that a simple 60* notch works better and is much easier to make. I do have a milling machine and experience, still, sights are tedious to make.

 

[Marplot]

sights

 

[duca]

I’m not finding the rear site your speaking about FS-PA-14

 

[duca]

I use either an FS-FG-30

I use an FS-FG-39-B

For front sight I use a FS-FG-39-B or FS-PA-39B. Sights are 0.093 and 0.10 respectively. Both are 0.400 high. I do not touch the dovetail on the barrel. The PA sight has a wide and deep dovetail that I make to fit the dovetail. I prefer this sight because I can get the dovetail thickness the same as Kibler’s.

For the rear sight I use the FS-PA-14. Rear sight is opened the width of a needle file straight file. The the two front sight mentioned above there is plenty of sight to file down to get the POA where you want it.

I tried the tall rear sight on my 45 SMR and it was too tall. However that sight did work on my 36 SMR. Recoil impulse while ball is in the barrel plays into the combination.

This

 

[Taevers]

I have several Kibler SMR rifles. I am 61yo and wear bifocal glasses. The sights provided are HC, which is the goal of the maker. They also do not work for my eyes and for target shooting in general.

I made new sights for every LR I have. Compared to Kibler sights my front sights are about 0.1" wide, or a little wider. Consider that a front sight blade that matches the width of a NMLRA aggregate target black must be 0.16" wide on a 44" barrel. IF you like a bullseye pistol or service rifle sight picture that is how wide it must be. I make both sights about 1/8" higher than the originals. This stops the mirage problem. Mine are flat top and blackened steel. The rear sights I make look like Kibler sights but are 1/8" higher. I used to make very precise slits to match the front sight width. I was trying to get the bullseye pistol sight picture. That does not work out for me. I have found that a simple 60* notch works better and is much easier to make. I do have a milling machine and experience, still, sights are tedious to make.

I took your experience in sight modification and reconstructed mine nearly identical, only slightly larger. 1/8 width in front along with raising the rear about an 1/8”.

 

[Scota@4570]

Nice job, hope that work for you. The large rear sight notch will be easy to pick up.

A slit rear sight for a front sight that wide need to be about 0.040" wide. That width leaves a sliver of light on either side of the front sight. I found that it was very dependent on lighting conditions. Off the bench on a sunny day it was great. On a cloudy day not so much.

That is why I switched to a small 60* notch made with a safe side needle file. It works in different lighting conditions. As a bonus, it is much easier to file a tiny notch than to make an accurate slit.

 

[Taevers]

Nice job, hope that work for you. The large rear sight notch will be easy to pick up.

A slit rear sight for a front sight that wide need to be about 0.040" wide. That width leaves a sliver of light on either side of the front sight. I found that it was very dependent on lighting conditions. Off the bench on a sunny day it was great. On a cloudy day not so much.

That is why I switched to a small 60* notch made with a safe side needle file. It works in different lighting conditions. As a bonus, it is much easier to file a tiny notch than to make an accurate slit.

I shot a friend’s rifle at the range once that had a shallow v rear and a bead front. Darn thing was pretty a pretty friendly sight picture for my eye to orient the target. I’m going to have to shoot a few complete targets with his sight set up next time I get the chance. His rifle is a TC Renigade. Meanwhile, I’ll refine my current sights and post my thoughts. They are an exact sight picture of my last favorite rifle. Thanks bud!