Henry Rifle Forums

This is just a post to remind folks that when you change your sights it's rarely a quick fix. In my case it is always a process. I've replaced both sights on all 3 of my Henry's. In every case it has taken some trial and error to get things just the way I want them. I've had to change out front sights a couple of times and make mods to others. I'm still working on my 45/70. I'm getting ready to order my 3rd front sight for this. When it comes in and I get a chance to gather the pics and such I'll do a write up.

So the point is be patient. Enjoy the multiple chances to go to the range to sort thing out. Don't get frustrated and realize it will cost some cash. Once you get it right you'll be happy with the results.

I seem to change sights and scope like I change socks. Although now I have enough Henrys that most are dressed the way I want them.

Just like my 44 BB my 45/70 came out of the box shooting high. I measured the front sight and it was even shorter than the one from the BB. I think someone at Henry installed the wrong front sight.


And the stock rear.


I have brass "Skinner Express" rear sights on both my GB 22 and BB 44.




I thought I might try something a little different for the 45/70 so I bought a Skinner XA (extra aperture) for the 45/70.


Like the other 2 rifles it needed a little work to get the aesthetics where I wanted them.

Both my GB and BB have Lyman 17a Globe front target sights. I love them and wanted the same for my 45/70.

GB This is the .494" tall 17 AML sight.


On the GB it requires a "tall" peep stem in the rear. Andy at Skinner made me a locknut for support.




The BB. Also .494" tall. If you shoot 180 gr ammo you might consider using the 17 AUG .584" sight.





The XA on the 45/70 has a thicker base than the Express sight making it taller. So I ordered the tallest globe sight I could find. A 17 AUG .584" tall.


It wasn't tall enough. The 45/70 is a big rifle with a big receiver and now has a tall rear sight. So I 1st polished up a slightly taller brass Skinner front blade sight.

It's gorgeous up close.


But though a little taller it still isn't tall enough. The gun is still shooting way high. Even after I filed the bottom of the threads on my peep stem so that I could screw the stem down till the aperture touched the base. So I found that Lyman makes a different Globe front sight. It is a bigger diameter tube and taller.It's the 20 series .700 tall. I ordered one today. http://www.amazon.com/20Mjt-700-High-Fr ... B0000V2E6M

And to hedge my bets and because I like the looks of the polished Skinner front I ordered another 1/2" wide by .750 tall Skinner brass front blade. I also found that Skinner makes an inexpensive Low rear sight. The Lo-PO. It's basically a tall peep stem with a locknut and threaded to screw into the top of the receiver where a sight or scope mounting screw goes. I also ordered one of these in brass. http://www.skinnersights.com/lo-pro_sight_7.html

So I will soon have 3 more options to either raise the front or lower the rear. Each requires testing. So at each point or change it means a trip to the range to shoot some rounds. I hate having to actually shoot my rifles like that! So anyway each of my rifles has required a variation on this process. Make a change and range test it. Try another fix and range test it and then again and again. It takes time and ammo to accomplish.

When the parts come in I'll make a change and test it and report. Hopefully soon I'll have the 45/70 dialed. in the meantime I need to build some more ammo to test with.

I posted the front heights on the GB and BB as a reference to speed up the process for others. Starting points not written in stone. Each rifle has it's own shooting personality.

Thanks for the picture story. That brass blade is beautiful. I have one on a modified H001 front sight/hanger.

Sir Henry wrote:Thanks for the picture story. That brass blade is beautiful.

X2. Great photos, Squatch. Because of your brass front site, I finally and clearly see how the dovetail fits to the rifle barrel. Thanks.

very good pictures and excellent report .... personally, I don't have the knowledge or skill necessary to make such adjustments .... I respect whatever decision a person makes about what type of sights meet their wants and needs .... for me the most important thing I need to know about a rifle is, how tightly will it group the bullets fired ..... if it will fire tight groups at whatever distance I need for that rifle (or pistol), I will mount a scope and sight it in .... the only rifles I own on which I cannot mount a scope have been passed down within the family (a Winchester Model 94 and a Remington Model 12 pump 22) .... thanks again for the info about the steps you have taken and continue to take to upgrade your rifles to where they will best meet your needs

If you can mount a scope and reload ammo than you wouldn't have a problem with sights. It more about patience than skills.

CT glad I could help.

That was a terrific write up sir My hat is off to you.

Appreciate the wisdom, and instruction, of your post, Squatch. Agreed, a well-done process is best accomplished by focused patience.
And your comments remind me of this sage quote: ....."Whatever is worth doing at all is worth doing well." --- Lord Chesterfield.

P.S. Your process is also greatly complimented by your excellent photos!!

Squatch wrote:This is just a post to remind folks that when you change your sights it's rarely a quick fix. In my case it is always a process. I've replaced both sights on all 3 of my Henry's. In every case it has taken some trial and error to get things just the way I want them. I've had to change out front sights a couple of times and make mods to others. I'm still working on my 45/70. I'm getting ready to order my 3rd front sight for this. When it comes in and I get a chance to gather the pics and such I'll do a write up.

So the point is be patient. Enjoy the multiple chances to go to the range to sort thing out. Don't get frustrated and realize it will cost some cash. Once you get it right you'll be happy with the results.

Thanks for the kind words. Still have a ways to go on this one.

I've been real happy so far with my new $100 waterproof camera. It gets most of the credit.

Lyman 20 sight came in today. It's a big thing compared to the 17a. I'll get a pic soon.

A couple of pics comparing the new Globe sight to the old one. I haven't mounted it yet. I've been pretty busy with other stuff.
New 20 on the left. Old 17a on the right.






With a .750 Skinner brass blade and a Lo-Po sight. It just screws into one of the screw holes in the receiver. This one goes back. They goofed and sent me a black instead of brass.

Excellent pictures and write up Squatch! It helps so much when you are researching something you would like to do to a firearm and someone has taken the time to provide great pictures, gives good info and shares links of where they found what they needed and what worked or didn't work.
I tip my Henry hat to you.

Thanks! It's still a work in progress. Hope to have a shooting update soon.

Alrighty then! I can now hit what I'm aiming at with the 45/70. I had just loaded up a box of my cowboy torpedoes.


This am I installed the new Lyman 20 globe sight. It's BIG!




I'll try to get some better outdoor pics.

So anyway I now have some up and down adjustment in the rear sight at 50 yds. Wasn't the best day for it. we had 20 mph winds all day and gusty. But I'll take the credit for the open groups.






I even tried to play at 200 yds. The biggest problem was my rounds are very light loads and the bullets dropped about 2'+ at 200 yds.

I throw something else out. A while back I had bought a card of inserts for the 17a globe sights made By Lee Shaver. Very similar to the one that come in the sights but much finer. I tried a couple the other day in low light. Mush better. So now I'm going to have to order a card up for the larger 20 series sight.
http://stores.leeshavergunsmithing.com/ ... red&page=1

good shooting.

Thanks, Some days are better than others!

Squatch wrote:Don't get frustrated and realize it will cost some cash.

Great advice!. I remember when you first got the BB and it was shooting a full foot high! Now it is deadly accurate but it took time to work out the loads that it likes and to find the sights that you like. Of course, all of that took a bit of cash. But the journey has been part of the fun.