Lads,
Called Williams gun sight and found out that all the receiver sights catalogued for the Winchester 375 big bore (both top and angle reject) REQUIRE DRILL/TAP of the receiver.
There are NO sights from this manufacturer that will bolt directly to the receiver.
I'll try to contact Lyman next.
Any other suggestions for sight manufacturers?? I'd be glad to contact them and see what they have and report back.

Mike

Please answer my previous question, ARE there two holes high and to the rear on the left side of the receiver?

according to Williams my 1973 winchester '94 "Requires drilling", but someone forgot to tell winchester because the two holes to mount the sight were there from the factory.

IIRC they said the same thing about my 1972 Marlin 1895

Look for the damned holes.

Also read my post in the other topic where I commented on the current production lyman sights... TRUST ME, YOU DO NOT WANT ONE!

If you spend $100 on it you will be pissed off once you have it in your hands.

AD

Alan,
Thanks for your concern. Had a brain fart!!! The holes are HORIZONTAL, in line w/the bore.
An example of what happens to your memory as you age.
My concern now is that the rearmost part of the receiver is "swelled" wider than the sides. Do you think this would make a difference in mounting the site.
I admit a lack of knowledge of Winchester receivers. Does that larger part of the rear receiver interfere w/mounting the sight directly?? I know models other than the Big Bore series have flat receivers all the way to the back.
I appologize for my silly error and appreciate your patience.
Hope that answers your question, and will be glad to hear any further advice you may offer.
Mike

Alan,
I looked, and do not have any other bases or gear that would work on a Winchester.
What would you like for the sight?? Would you be willing to sell it outright - then you could use the $$ to get exactly what you want (and not end up w/something my demonstrated lack of knowledge through was correct).
Thanks for the heads-up on the Lyman. My older ones do stick to a magnet, sorry to hear the new one's are aluminum.
BTW, re/sights... Marbles Arms here in Gladstone is in the process of tooling up to once again make vintage sights (mostly tang mounts I think). But these might help out some folks who have the pre-20th century arms.
I think you can get my personal e-mail off this site. If not, please post and I'll make sure you can contact me if you are interested in selling your sight.
Thanks again for your - and all other's help.
Mike

quote:

Originally posted by Michael A. Glass:
Alan,
Thanks for your concern. Had a brain fart!!! The holes are HORIZONTAL, in line w/the bore.
An example of what happens to your memory as you age.
My concern now is that the rearmost part of the receiver is "swelled" wider than the sides. Do you think this would make a difference in mounting the site.
I admit a lack of knowledge of Winchester receivers. Does that larger part of the rear receiver interfere w/mounting the sight directly?? I know models other than the Big Bore series have flat receivers all the way to the back.
I appologize for my silly error and appreciate your patience.
Hope that answers your question, and will be glad to hear any further advice you may offer.
Mike

If you look at the sides of any winchester 94 there is a virtical "rib" at each (front and back) of the receiver.

On a "normal" '94 that step is barely 1/4"
wide, it's real narrow and not nearly as "Tall" as the one on the big bore.

On a "Big Bore" it's about 3/4 of an inch wide and is to thicken the receiver walls and reinforce the area next to the locking lug raceways (at the back) and the barrel threads (at the front)

So on the mounting base for the williams FP sight that screws to the side of the receiver
there is a nearly 1/2" wide relief cut at the back of the mounting base.

The mounting base for a "Regular" 94 lacks this cut on the underside of the base which is ~1/2"
wide in the contact surface ~1/8" "thick" with a 45degree bevel at the forward end of the cut.

This relief cut on the mounting base doesn't really hurt my rifle, but it leaves a gap between the receiver and the base at the rear of the base.

It's something you could do with a flat file in less than half an hour, but I hate modifying something when I don't need to.


I was not offering to sell you the sight or the mounting base what I was offering was to TRADE if you are unable to get the proper "94 375" sight from williams and could only get a sight for a standard '94.

Mine essentially has a relief cut that I don't need. if you are unable to get one with the relief cut I am willing to swap with you

I'd prefer to keep my current sight "slide" assembly because that would minimise how much time and how many rounds it'd take to resight my rifle, but williams MAY have changed the base and slide dovetail, but I'd need to have both sights in-hand to determine that...

It's the "right sight" but with the WRONG mounting base, granted it's only slightly "wrong" for my rifle, but we each have things we like to be a little "Monk-ish" (OCD) about.

what I'd get out of trading with you is this, I'd get rid of a dust catcher (the unnecissary relief cut) that annoys me and I'd get to know the "correct period" sight will be installed onto your relatively rare winchester top eject big bore.

Seriously try to get one from williams, if your rifle does have the two screw holes the new one will probably bolt right on and you'll be good to go.

It's probably not worth it for either of us IF you can aquire the correct "FP 94 375" sight

I'm offering a "backup plan" if all you can get is a standard "FP 94" for a top eject winchester.

Personally I'd MUCH rather have an old stock STEEL Lyman 66A sight made for a winchester 94
And you might consider searching for one yourself, because any machinist with a milling machine could modify the sight base to make it fit your receiver's profile.


AD

Thanks for the reply AD.
Ordered one from Midway today. Should show up next week. I'll mount it and report results.
I always get sound advise from this website - even if the advise is for me to pay closer attention to what I'm doing!!!
Thanks again to all,
Mike

Ordered a Williams FP 94/375 and it bolted on directly to my Winchester 94 Big Bore 375 top eject.
Plan on sighting in if the temp ever gets above zero!!
Can't decide if I'm learning because of my age or despite it. Hope others can gain some knowledge from my experiences.

Mike

Glad you got it up and running!

Thought I'd pass along that my favorite local "toy store"
has for sale another Top Eject 94 BigBore in 375win

This one already has a STEEL Lyman 66A sight on it.

The asking price is $500 more than I've got... $500

AD

Allan,
I looked on Gun Broker to see what they are going for. I've seen asking prices $200 north of there. Guess some think they're becoming collectible. Haven't seen any actually sell.
The value in my rifle is its utility, not whether it sits in the back of my gun safe hopefully gaining value.
I bought the gun used a long time ago (dealer ASSURED me it was owned by Teddy R. and was on one of his safaris in Africa - now... how can you pass up a piece of history for $225???? He had a nice smile so I knew he was telling the truth).
I'll be sighting it in this morning (soon as the snow lets up) and will also be testing my new 375BB barrel for a Contender carbine.
Its...as with most of my guns... value rests in its ability to put meat in the freezer, trophies (pistol or trap league) on my mantle or holes in the odd tin can - or red squirrel.
Mike

Frankly the ones I've seen previously were angle eject models were north of $850

that's for 375's if we were talking about a 356Win add another $250 to that

The only 356 I've seen for less than $800 was an obvious "Truck gun" but it looked like it had spent 10 years in the BED of a gravel truck, not behind the seat in the cab.

and I consider that steel Lyman sight to be worth $125-$150 in it's current (flawless)condition



AD

Lads,

Tried the Winchester w/some older loads (200gr Hornady FP over 32.0gr of IMR 4198 and a CCI 200 spark plug in WW cases). Only got 2" at 50yds in the lever gun, BUT, my newly configurated T/C contender w/375 barrel and a 3X scope shot cloverleafs at the same range!!!

The loads are not clod-flogging-buffalo-thumpers but will work fine on our whitetails. Amazed at low recoil in the Contender (thumbhole stock w/nice recoil pad must have helped). Shot a factory 235gr for comparison and was still only slightly more "grumpy" than my reloads. Very happy w/that setup, it may be my 1st choice for deer this fall.

Can anyone suggest another load for the Win lever?? I'll stick w/the current loads for my 'tender, but would like to tune the Win for "swampin" (short range shooting between thick growth cedars while over your ankles in cold, wet sphagnum). Prefer to use lighter bullets - I think the heavier ones are designed for 375H&H.

Partly cloudy weather (4" of new snow) has covered my 100yd target again, so I'll try some loads in a week or two.

I've enjoyed the evolution of this thread and have learned a lot. Hope others have benefitted as well. I know the 375Win is a bit of an odd-ball caliber (but then so am I). Looking forward to tweaking the Win.

Thanks all,
Mike

Mike,
With the Winchester and the Contender you are only a few rifles away for owning the entire set.
The other .375s manufactured were the #3 Ruger, Marlin 375 and the M99 Savage.
EDG

yea, but the 3 left as pretty rare and will cost you a box of cash to get

Uncommon yes for the Ruger and the Marlin.
I still see affordable Marlins. Many times they are priced like a 30-30. Rugers are still around and are priced like #1s. I have never seen a 99 Savage.

There are very few other calibers where the number of rifles chambered are so limited and so inexpensive to own all variations.

Lads,
If I see one of the remaining 3 I'll probably sell another 40 of swampland (clean out of bridges at the moment) to buy it.
I'm also trying to amass a collection of 358 win. rifles. Have 2 (a BLR and a "custom" 700bdl). This is one of my favorite deep woods rounds - taken more deer w/it than any other cal.
BTW I'm looking for a "take-off" right hand short action 700BDL stock (wood) if anyone has one - I'll throw in my plastic one as part of a deal if interested.
Daytime temps in the mid 30's, so I'm getting close to some good shooting.
Mike

I have a 307 angle eject and mounted an XS System Ghost Ring, rear sight is secured in the holes for the rear scope mount and replace the front blade. Works for me. Is this for functionality or trying to match a gun to an era.

This gun is purely for close range, white tail swamp hunting. If I ever get a chance to hunt hogs (feral, not ground) I'll use it for that as well.

Understand that southern MI is having a large population of feral pigs running about. Anyone eat one?? Or are they just for sausage??

Mike