Putting Peep Sight on Winchester 94?

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IrvJr

New member
I have a Winchester 94 Trapper (16" barrel, 44 MAG, crossbolt safety, angle eject) that I love to shoot. It's a handy and fun gun. I am thinking about using this gun to deer hunt here in NH. I have a nice hard cast load for my Trapper (that I also use in my Ruger revolver) that would be perfect for medium sized game. Where I would hunt, there are lots of trees and hills, and most shots would be within 100 yards. It would be rare for me to have the opportunity to harvest game beyond 100 yards. I'd like to set up my Winchester 94 so that I can comfortable shoot decent groups (baseball or softballl sized) at 100 yards.

I am considering putting on a rear peep sight for my Trapper 94. I found a Williams peep that can be installed using the two rear scope-mount holes on the receiver.

If I install the peep on my 94, what do I do about the existing rear sight on the gun? Should I simply just drift the sight out and leave the dovetail slot empty? I've seen metal blanks with a dovetail base installed on some guns with peep sights. Where can I get one of these that would fit my 94's dovetail slot?


Also, my rear sight has a little ramp that is used to adjust the elevation of the buckhorn sight. It looks like this little ramp is attached to the barrel. How can I remove this from my barrel without damaging the gun? Is this piece welded on to the barrel or is it just held in place by the tenstion of the buckhorn sight?

Finally (and most importantly), since the Winchester 94 is currently out of production, should I bother altering my gun? I like the look of the buckhorn sights, but I know I'd shoot it much better at 100 yards with the peep. I thought about putting a low power scope on it, but that seems even worse.

Thanks in advance!
 
The Williams reciever sight is a very good piece, no projecting knobs to catch on twigs or branches. The existing open sight can be removed with the elevator, the elevator is a seperate piece that just slide on top of the barrel to lift the open sight up and down.

A "blank" can be gotten from who ever supplies the Williams sight, if not then Brownells gunsmith supply has everything. Don't forget to use "blue" loctite when installing the reciever sight. The red stuff is forever and will not come apart!:(
 
I have an older 94 that is not drilled and tapped for a reciever sight. I purchased a lyman rather than the williams and the drills and taps needed.

I'm pretty sure the rear sight elevator is a loose piece you can remove by prying up the rear sight and slipping it free. Brownells has barrel sight blanks and if it is already drilled and tapped you can put it back to factory original by replacing the rear sight, removing the reciever sight and putting in the set type screws you removed to put on the reciever sight on. Those semi buckhorn sights are tough for me to see too.
 
Thanks all for the replies. I will look into getting a blank. Someone on another board mentioned that Marbles makes dovetail blanks and also folding rear sights (I'll be redundant and have two rear sights!).

I love my little 94. I wish Winchester still made them. When I bought my 94, the store that sold it to me had tons of 94's in stock. I remember seeing the boxes of 94's stacked up high behind the counter. They had Trappers in 45, 44, and 357 calibers. They also had other 94's. The guy opened a couple of boxes to pick the one with the nicest finish and wood grain for me.

I thought to myself - eventually I'll get a Trapper in 45Colt and .357 Mag, and then maybe get a 94 in 30-30.
 
You can get a dovetail blank from Midway. The elevation slide on your buckhorn just slides out of the sight slot. You will not hurt the value of your gun as long as you save the buckhorn so you can reinstall it, and you do not put on any sight that requires drilling and tapping of additional holes.

Bill
 
Apologies for dredging up an old thread, but IrvJr - I also have a 1994 Winchester 94AE in .44 mag, and I'm dying to put better sights on it. How did this work for you? Which rear peep did you use?

I'm looking at a Williams Fire Sight set from Brownells that mounts to the two scope mount holes on the rear of the receiver, and has a fiber optic front sight to replace the original front sight that's in a dovetail.

This "looks" like a good option, and "looks" like a no-gunsmith installation. Can you (or anybody else) vouch for this Fire Sight set? It's an "economy" set, but I don't need real high precision. Just for <100 yd. target and deer use.

WilliamsFireSightssetfromBrownells_zpsbb61d413.jpg
 
I out a Williams on mine and it immediately doubled my usable range and speed I could get on target. I will never go back if I can help it. The best thing you can do for those with eyeball issues without going to optics.
 
Williams makes a dovetail peep sight. Remove the buckhorn and slide the williams in.
Click to expand...

Which misses one of the advantages of a rear peep sight, longer sight radius.

I mounted the receiver peep on my 94, and I like it. Makes it much easier to shoot accurately. I didn't bother with a dovetail blank.

The one I have is just the rear sight in your photo, I didn't bother with the front blade.

Well worth it, in my opinion.
 
I've got peep sights on both my 94 and 336c. They are by far the best option for a lever gun. I did have to install a taller front sight on my 336c from Skinner

peepsights.jpg
 
Please don't install a folding rear barrel sight, when a receiver peep sight's mounted - as it'll be unusable, anyway, and only occlude a clear sight picture through the peep sight.

Also, although many folks DO purchase a commercial dovetail slot filler blank, I can assure you that it's waaaay more satisfying to make one yourself, via filing one out of the dovetail section of an old longleaf rear barrel sight.


DSCN0461.jpg


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Thanks all! Keep 'em coming! One of my main reasons for doing this is to extend the sight radius, it's just too short on this lil' carbine. Putting a peep at the rear of the receiver will extend it almost 1/3 more. The tang mount peeps just make me nervous, I don't know anything about them and they look too fragile.

trapper01.jpg


The set I pictured in post #6....I'm not sure about getting the set. Another guy reported unhappiness with the f/o front bead, and I can get just the rear sight from Brownells by itself. So I might go that route. The other feller says the f/o bead covers a lot of target, like 8" @ 50 yds., and is very bright in daylight. So......
 
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FWIW - I've had a FO front sight on my Trapper for almost 10 years, w/o any issues. (lowermost rifle)

Trapper-1.jpg


BTW - I believe the front sight in the Williams Firesight Peep Sight Sets are short, since they're designed for regular carbines with ramp-mounted front sights.

Trappers have front sights mounted direvtly in bbl dovetails, so if you're interested in a Williams set (they're available with either a 5D or FP peep sight), I would suggest telephoning William's Customer Service to order, so they can supply the proper height front FO sight with YOUR set.



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What do you think of the Skinner peep sights?

I have a brand new '94 Sporter Winchester with 24" barrel. I am thinking of putting a Skinner peep sight on the rifle. I will try shooting at a target first. I think the Skinner or Williams type rear peep sight will work best. I DO NOT WANT to put a scope on this rifle! I have a lot of bolt actions with nice scopes.
 
While it's generally better to just start a new thread, for me, this is one that was good to read back through. It may be useless to try to ask questions to some of the old posters that may never come back, however I will venture a comment to one of the older posts: I am not a fan of the fiber-optic sights, as they are just too anachronistic, futuristic, sci-fi-come-reality devices that have no place on a rifle that is either an artifact of a bygone age, or a replica thereof. My main shooting buddy doesn't quite grasp the sense of this, so he put fiber- optics on his '94 Winchester, (about 1973 vintage).
Now, about having a large front bead sight: It's better to see it quickly than have a hard time finding it. My 1942 vintage Winchester had such a fine bead that it was difficult to see in anything but the most ideal range conditions. I say, go with a fairly large round bead, file flat, but at a 45 degree angle or so to reflect more light, clean with acetone, and top-coat with a hard fingernail polish of your choice. Sight in with a six- o'clock hold, so that you can see your target, (Deer, right?), over the bead. I like the idea that the bullets should strike right on, that is, touching, the top of the bead at 150 yards, if it's a 30-30 Winchester. If you are halfway between, aim at the heart, maybe hit the lungs instead, but you will bring venison home. Plus, you can see your target. Got a short shot? Just put the bead where you want the bullet to go and shoot.
Now about tang-mounted peeps: Marbles makes one for the tang that is adjustable for both windage and elevation. They cost more than the Lyman, but with the Lyman, windage is adjusted with the front sight, if possible, and shimming one side of the other if not.
 
I'm a peep sight freak. I'v got them on a dozen rifles and a couple of shotguns.
I have Lyman, Williams, Redfield , Redding, Parker Hale and several other lesser
know makes. On deer rifles I carry gun with no aperture. There is no quicker
sighting system. Once you learn to shoot a peep you will be hooked. Williams
does make sight to replace factory back. I do not like the peep that far from my
eye. Also I have a few Lyman and Marble Tang sights, they are neat for target
shooting but not the best on a rifle that has any recoil. I hunting situations you
must be very careful that in excitement you forget when snap shooting and get
"Sight in the Eye". I don't like beads for Deer hunting, I use marble's , partridge
fronts. They present a crisp, clean sight picture. For long shoots I have a small
bottle of Murine hanging on front swivel, just to jack my scope hunting buddies.
 
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