Winchester - 3 Leaf Sights

MOONED

January 17, 2017 04:07

Just a question of curiosity, how common are 3 leaf sights?

I found a 1894, production of 1908 with these sights. The metal is original finish with 30% remaining, but the stocks have been refinished st some point.

I may be able to get the rifle in the $800 range, and would already have passed if not for the rear sight.

EDIT 1:
Below are three images of the front and rear sights. The great debate....purchase or not.....

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Thanks.....Aaron

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  charliemeyer007

  January 17, 2017 04:49

  Interesting. 3 leaf implies express sights like for Africa. Would like to see pic's.

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  tsr1965

  January 17, 2017 05:04

  Our resident Winchester expert can tell you just how common/uncommon those sights are, on the rifle that you have, and if they were original equipment on that rifle or not. His name is Bert H. I am sure he will find this thread, and it will be very interesting what his insight is.
  
  I actually sent him some photo's of an 1873 in 32WCF, and it has special order sights on it. He said the sights alone are $1100.00-1500.00, IIRC.
  
  In case you have not seen this, it has the proper serial number vs. date made information, and a bunch of other stuff. It was compiled by Bert H, thru a survey, and the factory polishing room ledgers.
  
  http://forums.GunBroker.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=245213

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  Bert H.

  January 17, 2017 07:29

  quote:Originally posted by MOONED
  Just a question of curiosity, how common are 3 leaf sights?
  
  I found a 1894, production of 1908 with these sights. The metal is original finish with 30% remaining, but the stocks have been refinished st some point.
  
  I may be able to get the rifle in the $800 range, and would already have passed if not for the rear sight.
  
  Thanks.....Aaron
  
  
  Aaron,
  
  The Winchester 3-leaf Express sight (later listed as the No. 34B & 34C) was an optional sight for a fair number of Winchester models, and it was most commonly used on the Model 1885 Single Shot Rifles, and on the Model 1894 Rifles & Carbines made in the smokeless cartridges. The Winchester 3-leaf Express sight was also extremely common on nearly all of the Winchesters exported to England (UK).
  
  A word of caution... inspect the sight closely, as the center leaf is very prone to cracking or breaking off.

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  Bert H.

  January 17, 2017 07:34

  quote:Originally posted by charliemeyer007
  Interesting. 3 leaf implies express sights like for Africa. Would like to see pic's.
  
  
  Google "Winchester 34B sight" and you will find several pictures of them.

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  rufe-snow

  January 17, 2017 08:41

  Nick Stroebel's book, "Old Gunsights". Lists in the Winchester section, a "3 leaf express sight". As # 34, circa 1926. Most likely, it was also available years before that.
  
  Unless you can ascertain the 3 leaf sight is factory original, from the shipping records at Cody. Or family records, provenance, old photos etc. I wouldn't be paying extra for the rifle, because of the sights. Both could have been changed out years ago, after the rifle left New Haven.

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  Bert H.

  January 17, 2017 11:40

  Aaron,
  
  The sight looks perfectly fine, and it was certainly one of the primary optional sights on a 1908 vintage Model 1894 SRC. That stated, the 3-leaf express sight is not worth any more than the standard No. 44A (carbine ladder) sight.

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  MOONED

  January 17, 2017 14:14

  Thank you all for the responses.

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