I'm restoring a 54 cal Renegade which was badly abused externally (bore pretty good - the previous owner cleaned it by "death-gripping" it in a vise and "horsing" off the breech plug... left deep marks on the barrel...aaaargghh!!!)and would like to improve the existing TC sights. The barrel has been drilled and tapped on the centerline and a Weaver base interferes w/the hammer fall - mounting a scope would likely be a problem. I'd like to find a compatable tang sight and front sight to use on this gun.
It has a small hole tapped midway between the two tang screws. C to C from the forward screw to the mid screw is 1.328" and from the rear tang screw to the mid screw is 1.243". The center screw hole is smaller than the tang screws. Couple of questions:

1. Does anyone know if this spacing conforms to an existing tang sight from a manufacturer, or do I have to drill more holes??
2. If you know of a rear sight, is there a compatable front sight w/a bead instead of just the blade? The front sight is original. If someone makes a "set" that would be great.
3. Just how in the hell do you remove the original rear sight??? Do you have to drift out the hinge pin? I tried to unscrew the elevation adjustment, but it only goes so far. I do not want to bugger it up.
It's "cabin fever" time here in Michigan's UP, and this is a project I'm doing while waiting for the snow to leave (so I've got a few months til June).
Any suggestions will be appreciated.

Thanks all,

Mike

T/C made a receiver sight that mounted on the tang. Don't know if they still do. Yes, you have to remove the cross pin get the rear sight off. Careful, there's a little booger of a spring in there you'll want to keep. Then there are two screws (IIRC) holding the base to the barrel. Perhaps you can draw file the the worst of the marks off the barrel and refinish it. A Renegade looks nice browned BTW. Check with Track of the Wolf for some easy to use solutions.

T/C still makes a tang sight for the Renegade.I had one on my .50 and loved it. If I remember did have to drill and tap a second hole. used the front sight. Removed the peep and used as a ghost ring.

Well I measured the spacing and I think Lyman 57 SML would fit in that spacing. I didn't take my sight off to measure it but it is very close. The Lyman 57 SML is a great sight. I have used it for hunting for the last three years. In the field you can use a rage finder to get the distance, then set the sight FOR that distance. No holding over or under. If you have a 125 yard shot set it for 125 and shot. If the shot is 150 set it for 150 and hold dead on the target.



I use two different front sights. One is the Lee SHavers globe sight with a level.


The sight comes with several different inserts including a cross hair, and a fine pin.
The second sight i use is a Lyman 17 AML globe sight with Lee shavers inserts. Both are very accurate. I put the Lee Shavers sight on my fast twist 45. the other two have the Lyman 17 aml




These rifles all have Green Mountain barrels. The two stainlss barrels are 1-28 twist 50 cal's. the blued gun is a 1-18 twist .45 cal. I shoot paper patched bullets in these guns.

Thanks Ron,
I can see by your pictures that if I go with this setup my rifles will be more accurate, the deer will grow significantly larger, I'll lose 20lbs and look 10yrs younger!!!!!!!!!
Seriously, thanks for the info and congrats on that fine buck. Here in Michigan's UP we grow some big bodied deer, but don't have racks like that. Most trophy rooms up here have a freezer in them.
I'll check Midway for the sights and look forward to glimpsing something like that buck through them this fall.
Thanks again!
Mike

Probably get a real nice peep right in your front or back yard in Gladstone from Marble.

I have the T/C version on my Hawkins. No holes to drill with it. The front sight is a blade with a bead on top also T/C

Al

Thanks Al,
Marbles is gearing up to recreate a lot of their old tang sights. But I think they're going to be the old Creedmore "ladder" style rather than the newer Willimas/Lyman style.
I'll check w/them - have contacts there.
I'm going down to Jay's in a few days, I think I'll just take the tang along and see if they have some TC hardware that will work.
Mike

Here is a picture of the T/C peep sight on my Hawkins.

My Hawkins is one of the older ones so had the extra hole between the screws that hold it to the stock so the peep fit with no drilling.

Also keep in mind the other great Michigna gun sight company, Williams Gun Sight, Davison Michigan. Check out their web sight.

Al

Thanks Al,
Williams is another consideration. Just got a receive peep from them for my 94 Big Bore (excellent quality). I do try to buy locally, even if it's from the "Trolls" down state.

BTW, what's that white stuff in the background??? You must have taken this in May!!!
Mike

March of 07 is when that picture was taken.

I had an august Teeth cleaning session a few years back. the lady asked if I had went on vacation yet. I told her I had spent the 4th of July week at the cabin near Rapid River. I went on to tell her that the locals said the last of the snow had melted the week before and I had better hurry with my summer fun as it was supposed to snow the next week. She never batted an eye and said she had worked in Big Bay at a resort for the summer once. She said it was the coldest she had ever been in her life although it didn't snow in July then.

Some people are so gullable but it slows them down from flooding the place.
I do so get tired of telling people what way south is in the winter. I would move rather than be unhappy with the weather 8 months of the year.

Al

Michael,

I also installed the Lyman Tang sight on my .54 cal. L/H Renagade. The rifle now looks similar to the one's in the photos provided by Idaho Ron and I did end up with a much better sight picture and resulting accuracy imrovement also.

I've only ever shot one Deer with it but I can confirm .54 cal. bullets & bullet holes make a lasting impression when they connect with a whitetail.

I had to drill a hole in the Tang which was not a major challenge and also used the Lyman Front Sight. Didn't take long at all to get sighted-in and resulting good groups, either.

Good Luck with your "Save a Rengade" Project.

Lads,
Thanks again to all who contributed to an increase in my knowledge (it will never be "topped-off").
I obtained a T/C tang mount that mounts directly to the rear-most and central taps on the (I guess... older style???) tang. Since power tools were not involved, it was a "bloodless" operation. Looks good too.
I now know how to remove the original sight (again, thanks for the advice there) and will do so shortly.
Still have some minor rebluing and wood touch up before I "stoke it and smoke it".
While this gun will never be eye-candy, it won't spend it's life as a wall hanger either.
I've gotten heat from some folks who think that my other Renegade is not "traditional" because it sports a scope. I explain to them that without dependable sighting gear the possibility of wounding and losing a deer is not a "tradition" in which I wish to be involved.
Proper loads, sighting and shooting technique with this new gun will enable me to carry on with MY tradition of the one-shot, ethical kill. Another reason I choose 54cal for this type of hunting.
Soon as the temps get above 0, I'll start thinking about shooting!!!
Hope this thread helps others - I know it has helped me.
Shoot well all!!
Mike

Personally I never was one nor shall I ever be one who looks down on what a person hunts with as long as they make etchic kills on animals. If you chose to use a 223 and can make quick clean kills fine. If you feel you must use a 500 cal deer splat and can make that clean quick kill I say go for it.

I stopped hunting with my Hawkins cause I could not use the buck horn sights to hit the inside of a barn with the door closed it now sports a peep sight and once again I can hunt with it. I could no longer sneek thru the thick cedar swamp with my winny 94 cause I could not hit the inside of the barn with the door closed it now also sports a peep sight once again I can hunt with it again.

fooy on those who think they have the right to proclaim I am not useing the right equipment to hunt. Only law is what is written in the Michigan DNR hand book.

Al

Lads,
With the winter as tough as it has been this year, I've gone through about 3T of corn for the deer. They congregate in the front yard, but come and go through the woods.

To check scope focus on some guns I "target" them in the woods at various ranges. Also use porch rails and posts to simulate "rests" I might use in the woods.

Put the T/C tang mount on and tracked some does out to 80yds or so and felt I had a good enough sight picture to make a kill shot. On my Renegade you can dry fire by pulling the rear trigger (w/hammer down) to set and then touching the front to fire - great practice.

The combo of tang sight and a red dot front sight give me a confident setup for good light shooting. I'll try it on some paper targets soon. Just waiting for warmer weather (March 20, still only 8 above).

Mike