Just noticed some supposed new rules regarding sights on lever guns in this months NRA Shooting Sports online mag. If you shoot Cowboy you may want to check it out.

Dee

For those that don't want to wait for USA Shooting Sports' reader to download, the Cowboy Lever Silhouette excerpt (Last paragraph, page 18) is as follows:
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3.1.3 Cowboy Lever Action Silhouette Rifle.
Rear sights may be open, receiver, or tang sights, mounted as originally intended. No extended mounts are permitted. The front sight must be a post or bead or, if changeable inserts, many use a post or bead insert only.
A front sight anti-glare tube, which may be no longer than 1-1/8" to include any attachments and no larger than a 3/4" outside diameter, may be used.
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-Tim

It appears that all they did was eliminate "No international or Olympic type sights," from the rule. It seems they've pretty much opened the rear sight options.

PhxShooter wrote:It appears that all they did was eliminate "No international or Olympic type sights," from the rule. It seems they've pretty much opened the rear sight options.

In my opinion it's only fair since the people that inspect the rifles at Nats never questioned the use of expensive tang sights that were not designed to be used on most of the rifles we shoot in Cowboy LA competition.

I am going to try the bead insert in my 17A, see if that makes any difference as opposed to the post. I doubt it, but worth a try.

Does the new front sight rule eliminate the fiber optic bead?

eagleeye42 wrote:Does the new front sight rule eliminate the fiber optic bead?

No, only the Tru-Glo and/or any home made version that exceeds the "no longer than 1-1/8" to include any attachments and no larger than a 3/4" outside diameter" portion of the rule.

The Williams FireSights, and similar versions, are still legal.

-Tim

Hey jnyork did it make any difference to change the post to a bead on you 17A?
I have the same and it appears the bead might give you a better sight picture. Just curious how it worked for you.

Michael

Tried the bead and didn't like it at all, covers up too much of the target. Went right back to my wide post with 6 oclock hold and will stay there for a while. Since we can now use International or Olympic sights, fiberoptics, etc. I figure it wont be long until you guys continue to change the rules to allow 20 power target scopes, palm rests, hook butt plates, etc.

I have to dial in the new sights (new front and rear) on my lever gun this week. As I hold Center Mass I expect different results... will post the results at the end of the week.
And I don't plan on getting a butt hook for my lever gun.
M

So, given the wording of the rules, would the following gun be legal?



A micrometer sight mounted on a Winchester Model 61 22LR pump gun with tube magazine.

Is this sight attached as "originally intended"? If a Redfield 75 can be and is considered to be attached to the side of a 1894/336/39A "as originally intended" then would this not also pass tech? To my knowledge, this model of gun never left the factory D&T'd for a receiver sight but I'm not an authority.

Tech will be upcoming at the NH Regional and I want to be sure I have the correct read on the rules.

Thanks for you input.

JD in NH

Jud, I have been using a 61 with a similar Williams sight for 10 years. It has gone through tech at Nationals the past three years. Al

I'm guessing you can now use any type sight now. An Anshutz rear with color and a magnification insert in the eyepiece should be about right. Also, I'm sure there will be many perfect scores this year. Expect a size reduction in targets and reclassifications in the AAA and Master classes from the NRA. Should be fun to watch. Lets see, Anshutz rear?...$400.... Gehman eyepiece with color, magnification, adjustable iris?...$400... custom rail to mount sight?..$125 .... The buying of Master scores....priceless

tenx9, I have never seen the equipment buy a perfect score in silhouette, there is still the standing, the environmental conditions and ammo/firearm combinations to deal with.

Mary

JD

Since the picture has disappeared it's kinda hard to comment??

tenx9, It ain't the equipment it's the shooter. I've seen some pretty good smallbore shooters bring their Anschutz rifles to the CLA range and they've yet to run a 40. If you think it's all the equipment take your scoped smallbore rifle out and give it a try some time.

Does good equipment/ammo help? You bet it does but give a good shooter some moderate equipment and at the same time give an average shooter really good equipment and pretty much a guarantee the "good" shooter will still win.