So I have a 39a (1957-58 vintage) and I put a williams with the adjustable knobs on for the rear sight. I am going to put a lyman 17a on the front. The problem is with the williams rear sight I was all the way to the end of my adjustment just to get on target at 40 meters. My plan was to have a dovetail cut in the barrel and mount the 17a directly to it instead of on the ramp. Is there any way for me to test this and check out if I will be ok with this setup? My fear is that the williams all the way down will not get out to 40 with the front sight set lower. It could be perfect, but I don't have any way to figure this out for sure. Do I?

I dovetail the barrel between the ramp screws then add the shortest 17A with a marbles tang. The Williams should accept the same setup.
T

Ranger, You can keep the front ramp with this solution. You want to get the lowest height 17A, the one that is .404th. You will also most likely have to replace the elevation knob on your Williams sight. They make a longer one and it's available from Brownell's. Part # 962-157-240.
I have done this on a couple 39A's.
If you do dovetail the barrel and use a Williams sight you will need a taller sight than the .404. My 1946 39A is dovetailed from the factory and I had to do that.

Al Foust

My 39A has its 17A dovetailed into the barrel. Ramp removed, just like T’s rifle . This gives a lower line of sight lets the rifle ride higher and allows better cheek pressure. No problems with zero on the Redfield 75 receiver sight

It's a rifle fit question more than a mechanical question. Way I have always set up rifles is set the receiver sight to give a good head and cheek position, be comfortable the way you plan to shoot the rifle. Then set the front sight height to suit the rear sight. Easy way to do it is use temporary front sight cutting down to zero at your intended range. Same method muzzle loader shooters use, they file down a high blade. Put two opposing zip ties on the muzzle tag ends taped together. Use the tie end as a front sight cutting down to establish zero. Then measure the temporary front sights high & use that measurement to set up the permanent sight.

Remove that ramp zip tie the muzzle, guys at the range will get a good laugh while you set the rifle up to suit you. Don't tell them why you are doing it.

Boats

Yeah, the 17a I bought to do this with is the .404 height. I didn't like the rear sight rising all the way up to the end of the normal screw just for chickens. I guess I need to see if the snow is cleared off enough to shoot some practice rounds before I go dovetailing the barrel. I hope the .404 directly in the barrel will let me slam the williams to the floor and just hit chickens perfectly. The stock front sight was just a hair higher than the .404 so I don't think using the ramp will be an option. Thanks for your opinions and tips. Now where did I put those zip ties?

OldRanger,

This doesn't make sense, I have a 1960 with the Lyman 17A and the Williams rear. My Williams screws into the side of the receiver. I have the sights at half way on the side markers (and it's sighted in for turkeys).

Do you have the Williams rear sight that screws into the left side of the receiver? Or in top the receiver? Both are possible on the older 39A.

My barrel is the straight (non-tapering barrel), earlier models (ie 1950 (and earlier)-1953?) had a taper barrel. Is your's tapered? Or is your barrel bent downwards? That would explain it.

I have 1953 39A (barrel is a bit thinner, fore end heavier than the newer 39As). I use the .404 17A on the ramp with a Williams FP TK. For chickens I'm up 145 clicks with Rams at 200 using mini mags

chuckjordan2 wrote:OldRanger,

This doesn't make sense, I have a 1960 with the Lyman 17A and the Williams rear. My Williams screws into the side of the receiver. I have the sights at half way on the side markers (and it's sighted in for turkeys).

Do you have the Williams rear sight that screws into the left side of the receiver? Or in top the receiver? Both are possible on the older 39A.

My barrel is the straight (non-tapering barrel), earlier models (ie 1950 (and earlier)-1953?) had a taper barrel. Is your's tapered? Or is your barrel bent downwards? That would explain it.

I have the side mounted williams rear sight. I guess I wasn't crystal clear, It is actually just a little over halfway up according to the white tick marks on the side, but with the standard elevation screw that is all I get. And that just got me to chickens. And I was using the sk high velocity round nose bullets. I had to hold way over the rams backs. What I'm trying to get is where the rear sight is almost all the way down at chickens so I can adjust it up and not have to hold over (or under) for all the animals.

Oh, and my rifle is a 1957-58 and doesn't have a tapered barrel nor is it bent. I've found all rifles, even made at the same line, have slightly different zeroes. I guess mine is just a bit lower than yours.

I'm going to try to get out soon with the zip ties and see exactly how high I want the front sight. I'll report back with what I'm planning.

Difference in 39 A's over many years factor in Ammo and all sorts of rear sight combinations. Makes it almost impossible to give sight height advice. Observation using your combination is best.

Boats

boats wrote:Difference in 39 A's over many years factor in Ammo and all sorts of rear sight combinations. Makes it almost impossible to give sight height advice. Observation using your combination is best.

Boats

Yeah but if I heard that someone else had a .404 lyman front mounted directly in the barrel with the same rear sight as I had and it worked I would feel a little better. A little. Either way as soon as I get a day above freezing with no wind, and time to get to the range, I'll know for sure!

Yeah but if I heard that someone else had a .404 lyman front mounted directly in the barrel with the same rear sight as I had and it worked I would feel a little better. A little. Either way as soon as I get a day above freezing with no wind, and time to get to the range, I'll know for sure![/quote]

My wife has a 60's era 39A with a .404 Lyman 17A dovetailed into the barrel between the screws and a Williams side mounted receiver sight with original target knobs set at "4 big dashes plus 1 small dash " from bottom of scale for chickens using federal cheap ammo. Pics to follow if I can figure it out.
T

Here is the wife's steel killer.
T

twidpa wrote:Yeah but if I heard that someone else had a .404 lyman front mounted directly in the barrel with the same rear sight as I had and it worked I would feel a little better. A little. Either way as soon as I get a day above freezing with no wind, and time to get to the range, I'll know for sure!

My wife has a 60's era 39A with a .404 Lyman 17A dovetailed into the barrel between the screws and a Williams side mounted receiver sight with original target knobs set at "4 big dashes plus 1 small dash " from bottom of scale for chickens using federal cheap ammo. Pics to follow if I can figure it out.
T[/quote]

Perfect! Thats exactly what I was hoping for. Whew, I feel a little better now. Still can't wait to get out and sling some lead to see how my baby does.