I have a current-production 1885 in .38-55Win, and am interested in upgrading the sights with a vernier tang and a hooded front sight (it presently sports a Marble tang sight).

Who makes a good product that's also affordable?

Also, on a slightly different matter, I've noticed a number of older lever guns with tang sights and open iron sights together. On those guns that have a foldable rear blade, it still ends up with a significantly obtunded veiw; for those that don't, the rear sight blade almost completely obstructs the veiw with the tang sight.

What gain is there to a tang sight if you leave the rear iron sight in place?

Thanks guys for your replies.

I have a current-production 1885 in .38-55Win, and am interested in upgrading the sights with a vernier tang and a hooded front sight (it presently sports a Marble tang sight).

Who makes a good product that's also affordable?

Also, on a slightly different matter, I've noticed a number of older lever guns with tang sights and open iron sights together. On those guns that have a foldable rear blade, it still ends up with a significantly obtunded veiw; for those that don't, the rear sight blade almost completely obstructs the veiw with the tang sight.

What gain is there to a tang sight if you leave the rear iron sight in place?

Thanks guys for your replies.

Old Coot,

I have little experience in this area. I have gone to the Ashley ghost ring but if I could see I would still be using the buckhorn. If I was going to try the tang route I think my first choice would have been the Marbles. You want to sale it real cheap?

Hard to say why some people try to use a tang sight with the non-folding rear sight still in place...but I've seen rifles set this way and from the look of the sights and dovetails, they've been set that way for a long time. Could be that they never turned up the peep until the range was very long (and in the original BP loads, that's not really long rnage by today's standards)...would still have a bit of obstruction from the rear sight, but could get a sight picture with the tang peep that was useable.

I can't use them in concert...but if the rear sight folds down, haven't a problem so long as I can still see the front blade. Still, prefer to remove the rear sight, fill the dovetail with a blank, and use the tang by itself.

Don't know what a vernier rear would gin if the barrel mounted rear sight is still in place.

Do suspect that old timers actually did adjust their sights every chance they got rather than use any hold off method of Kentucky windage or Arkansas elevation.

The rear tang sight will give you better depth of field and make it easier to keep the front and rear sights in focus at the same time.

Sounds odd, but it works. Seems like it would be tough to zero, though!