Change sights on new gun

[Swamppanther]

Just got my TVM .32 Squirrel gun (Tennessee). I am gonna have to change the sights. I don't like the "Buckhorn" and was thinking on going
with something like the "primitive" rear sights that come with the GPR .50 Flint gun I got. With reading glasses - sights perfect - target blurred!
Without glasses sights a little blurred - target perfect! The gun - 38 rice swamped barrel - Flint - upgrade on stock - iron/brown - BEAUTIFUL.
I also gonna replace vent liner - get one of those flush kits for cleaning - hope the old one comes out easy - new one from RMC 1/4x28.
Any thoughts on the sights?


Check gallery for a pic -

[Ohio Joe]

Hey Swamp,

Not knowing which buckhorn sight is on that Squirrel gun, I'll just throw this out here; can you just file that sight into a usable one by taking the horns off? Just a thought.  If not, checkout Track of the Wolf. They've got more sights then they know what to do with. 

[RobD]

i agree on ditching the buckhorn, never liked them, would rather have a notched rear sight.  sometimes i'll stick a neodymium doughnut magnet to the rear sight and make a ghost ring out of it.  sights are a subjectively personal thing, for sure! 

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as to touch hole liners, i've found that none can hold a candle to a chambers white lightning. 

there is no need for any sorta contraptions for cleaning out the tube - been there, tried them all, a waste of both money and time.  plug the touch hole with a toothpick and pour in plain tepid tap water or some blend of moose milk about halfway down the tube and allow to stand whilst ya clean the lock ya just pulled off.  when it's time to address the barrel, pull the toothpick, run moose milk soaked patches in and out the barrel 'til reasonably clean, dry patches, a straight ballistol wet patch to protect.  ballistol is good for the wood and all metal parts, so no fretting if the moose milk or ballistol gets sloppy.

IMHO, what's most important about all firearms powered with black powder is how quickly the gun can be addressed for cleaning Immediately after the last shot of the day is taken.  this is where i'll spray down the lock with moose milk and run a sloppy moose milk patch down the tube, allowing some to dribble out the touch hole and then leave the rod with wet patched jag down the barrel during the journey back to the ranch.  this insures the bp residue remains soft until i can do a proper cleaning as described above. 

 

[Hawken]

If vision is used correctly using barrel sights....the TARGET should be slightly blurred and the front sight seen clearly! The eye cannot focus on two different locations at the same time!

[Swamppanther]

Follow up to my post
If it ain't broke don't fix it.
Ended up having to drive 3 hours to a competent gunsmith to get
the broken easy out and the original touchhole liner out!
I was lucky to find someone to do it.
Easyout should be easy break.

[Ohio Joe]

How'd you make out on the Rear Sight? Just wondering? Also, on my vent liners I'll either use teflon tape or anti seize on the threads - though I seldom ever remove the vent liner. 

[Swamppanther]

I think I will hold off on sight change. I will file the front down but slowly to get
point of aim point of impact at 25 yards. I used Permatex anti sieze lubricant on
the liner (don't tighten and back off every few shots). After finally shooting with
the buckhorn sights they dontseem so bad. If I can't hit a squirrel eye at 25 yds.
I will put a set of the Lyman sights like the "primative" not the buckhorn
that came with my GPR Flint.
I

[Ohio Joe]

Sounds like a winner Swamppanther. 

A person can get use to the buckhorn sight with usage. Myself, I never spent enough time with the buckhorn.

Many years back I got to looking and thinking about the different front & rear sight setup's I was running on my rifles and decided that I should use the same style sights (or very close to) from my best shooting muzzle loading rifle, and put those kind on all my rifles.

My suggestion to everyone would be; when you find that right combination (front & rear) sight setup, stick with it. However in some cases (like the Hawken Rifle) you almost want to stay pretty close to what was ran on the originals. 

[Mad Irish Jack]

If you're going to be using a flush kit and remove, and reinsert the flash liner each cleaning, Use some Anti-seize lube (can get tube of it in any auto motive section anywhere) each time you put it back in. This will help preserve the threads as well as prevent frustration of yourself when removing the liner. My $.02

[Fyrstyk]

It is not necessary to remove the touch hole liner when using the flush kit.  The rubber "O" ring goes over the touch hole when clamped.  I have used one for years without removing the touch hole from any of my guns.  I couldn't if I wanted to because I only use Jim Chambers White Lightinig liners, and these are not removable withut using an easy out which would destroy the liner.

[RobD]

as we, the OP and i, have both learned, easy-outs and touch hole liners are a match made in hell.  never again.  in my case, i replaced the fake "chambers white lightning" liner that jackie brown had stuck in without anti-seize with the real deal (lubed with nikal a/s grease).

is there really some special reason for needing a "flush kit" for cleaning out the tube?  if so, please explain it's advantages, i'm always eager to learn new tricks.     

[prairie dog]

The flush kit I have works well on my rifle with a chambers liner.  I don't dare remove the little swamped barrel from the wood for fear of how thin that fore stock is.  The flush kit keeps cleaning fluids from running into the lock and down the stock.  Works fine for me.

[Ohio Joe]

Hey Steve, where did you get your flush kit at? 

[RobD]

like a lotta added paraphernalia that some folks use for loading, shooting and cleaning trad ml's, i don't need any of that stuff and my guns have lasted for upwards of five decades and nary an issue with stock wood.  i can back up the reasons why, too.   

stock barrel channels and lock mortises are sealed with water thin CYA.  this not only seals the wood, it hardens it.  before CYA i used to use sanding sealer, but CYA is simply better.  this is one modern consolation i've allow myself as i hear tell that nothing was used on that hidden stock wood back in the day - it was left unfinished.   

water is all that's needed to properly clean out bp residue from barrels and locks.  plain water.  if i didn't properly seal the stock wood under the barrel or lock, i'd just add some ballistol to the water in a 1:6 or so ratio.  ballistol is good for wood.  dribble into the stock's nooks and crannies as much as one likes.  however, no solvents or soaps or bore butter or hydrogen peroxide or windshield washer fluid or whatever seems to be the current bestest trad ml cleaner fixer upper rage of the day.  bah humbug, sez me.

if i didn't care well for my firearms, particularly the tube, there is no question i'd prolly hafta resort to some harsh chemicals.  so knowing that, i take both the time and care never to allow the bp residue to harden.  that procrastination will lead to a lotta wasted time, elbow grease, and smelly harsh chemicals.  the answer is a proper and most timely use of moose milk.

so i guess i'm kinda old school when it comes to these trad ml's.  i don't use nor need a short starter, other than my patch knife handle to get the patched ball past the muzzle.  loads are on the loose side, as was done back in the day.  this means i can - and have done more often than i like - screw worm out a dry ball.  accuracy is good enuf to kill stuff like paper and steel, or even critters.  i use one powder horn for tube and pan, almost always 3f, but 1-1/2f works well enuf if need be.

yeah, old school.  simple school.  and happy of it, i guess.  but that's just me and to each their own. 

the bottom line for all of us is that all is good if'n ya think it's the right thing to do, and whatever that thing is, it works reliably.

 

[Ohio Joe]

Hey Steve, where did you get your flush kit at? 

Steve, I see Track of the Wolf has them. Think I'll pick me one up.