Jim - You’ve posted great photos a number of times of your big Winchester 1886 Deluxe Take Down .45-70, most recently in a post entitled, “Howdy Folks – Elk Hunting Report Part 1.”



And you’ve mentioned that you’ve equipped the rifle with what appears to be a Williams receiver peep sight.

I just purchase the same rifle for elk hunting and am contemplating the same Williams receiver peep-sight setup.

Did you also change out the front sight on the rifle? If so, what front sight did you install? What make, size and height of front sight? Or did you leave the factory front sight alone?

Do you have any other suggestions for me for setting up and shooting my Winchester 1886 Deluxe TD with a receiver sight?

Hi Timberline,

Actually the reciever sight is a Lyman 66WB, I believe it is a better sight to the Williams. I got it from Buffalo Arms. http://www.buffaloarms.com, Great folks. Buffalo Arms also sell the old Mod 21 Providence tool sight, which a lot of folks like also. I did not change out the front sight. The Lyman works well with the original Front. I had a hard time the original buckhorn sights that came with 1886. The reciever sight is so much better. Buffalo arms also sell the blank to fill the slot of the buckhorn sight when it is removed . get one of those also it will save the empty slot fron getting dinged up.
good luck on your rifle is is a great gun I love mine.

If you have any questions drop me a line any time jzio@comcast.net.

HI ,

I have hunted elk over in your country a couple of times. Once with a rifle and a couple of times with a muzzleloader. Just on the west side of the crest on the Gunnison National Forest. Big beautiful country! The 1886 would be a great gun for that area. heavily forested with some open medows.

Best of luck
Jim

Jim Z... Is the rear sight easy to install. Or does it require a gun smith. I am NO gunsmith!!
Thanks for your time..maddog

Hey MadDog,
It requires drill and tap of the side of the reciever for two screws. I had a gunsmith do it, I didn't trust myself. I figured I would screw it up. The sight does come with installation instructions. I hope this helps.

Jim - Thanks for the answers. Just the sort of straightforward information I needed.

We do a lot of elk hunting south and west of Gunnison, and a lot of that north-slope dark timber is custom made for slow still-hunting into the wind with a big gun that’s good to maybe 100 yards. I’m really looking forward to giving this big 1886 a go in that country and elsewhere.

Here’s a big cow elk I shot in that dark timber at about 60 yards with a .458 Winchester Magnum. Never know when one of those old girls is going to charge! A Winchester 1886 Deluxe TD in .45-70 loaded hot probably would have worked just as well. We'll see...