8. Sights 171
8. Sights
Literature Durdik, Jan, Alte Feuerwaffen, Hanau, 1977, DuJa Private Collections
Historical Overview
No Aiming In general, the development of sights and barrels happened simultaneously. The actual sequence of the development is barely recognizable. The design of the sights depended on the creativity and ability of the gunsmiths or even the gun owner. Because of their handling and inaccuracies in the oldest guns, taking aim was not practical or possible. This is why, neither front nor rear sights can be found on these guns.
Barrel Surface With the introduction of the stocked arquebus and wall gun, aiming over the barrel was possible. This aiming method was used with the English Brown-Bess flintlock musket until about 1800 and with military percussion rifles until 1850.
Simple Sights In the 15th century, the first rough, fixed sights appeared in isolated cases. However, front and rear sights did not always appear together. Until the 18th century, rear sights were not seen on smooth bore barrels and sometimes, a small groove or the slot of the breech attachment screw was used.
Precision Sights For a precise shooting of guns with rifled barrels, the first moveable front and rear sight designs appeared in the 16th century. Front and rear sights became more precise and were attached to the barrel with a sideways moveable dovetail construction. To aim at varying distances, numerous flip up V-notches, rear sights or peep-sights with different hole arrangements were used from the 18th century on.
Pendulum By the beginning of the 18th century, rear sights with adjustable distances, Peep Sight appeared. To avoid canting of the weapon when shooting, peep or V- notch rear sights were often equipped with a pendulum above it.
Tube Sight A relatively simple method to aim at an object is to sight through a pipe attached parallel to the barrel . This was the basic idea fore the introduction of the tube sight. Occasionally they appeared on wall guns and later more often on target rifles. For hunting and target rifles, tube sights were often combined with flip up V-notch rear sights or peep sights.
Aperture Rear By the 17th century, holed discs called ‘aperture rear sights’ were used on Sight rifles to extend the line of sight. Front sight designs with a small ball and ring were also added. By the middle of the 19th century, in connection with higher projectile velocity and improved accuracy, there was a noticeably rapid development of sights. Fewer new sights were developed, but the quality in accuracy and adjustability improved. The following, gives an overview of the most important sights in muzzle loaders. 172 8. Sights Rear Sights
Pictures of Rear Sights
Fig. 8 – 1 No Rear Sight
Flint lock musket Ca. 1780 France
Private Collection Photo: KuPe
Fig. 8 – 2 Indication of Rear Sight
Flint lock musket Ca. 1740 Switzerland
Private Collection Photo: KuPe
Fig 8 – 3 Screw Slot Cavalry percussion pistol M. 1822 France
Private Collection Photo: KuPe
Fig. 8 – 4 V-Type Rear Sight integ- rated in Breach Plug
Percussion rifle M. 1842 Switzerland
Private Collection Photo: KuPe Rear Sights 8. Sights 173
Fig. 8 – 5 Rear Sight with U-Notch integrated in the Barrel
Percussion rifle Ca. 1880 Afghanistan
Private Collection Photo: KuPe
Fig. 8 – 6 V-Type Rear Sight fixed to Barrel with Dovetail- Notch, Early Version
Tinder lock musket Ca. 1514 Switzerland
Private Collection Photo: KuPe
Fig. 8 – 7 V-Type Rear Sight fixed to Barrel with Dovetail- Notch, Late Version
Boys target rifle Ca. 1800 Switzerland
Private Collection Photo: KuPe
Fig. 8 – 8 Attached later V-Type Bracket Rear Sight
Hunting rifle Ca. 1700 Switzerland
Private Collection Photo: KuPe 174 8. Sights Rear Sights
Fig. 8 – 9 Integrated Cast Tunnel Rear Sight
Double arquebus with match lock Ca. 1500 Switzerland
Private Collection Photo: KuPe
Fig. 8 – 10 Tunnel Rear Sight with Hinged Peep Sight
Heavy target rifle Ca. 1700 Hans Rudolf Boller, Zurich
Private Collection Photo: KuPe
Fig. 8 – 11 Hinged Triple Rear Sight
Sharp shooter rifle M. 1769 Austria
Private Collection Photo: KuPe
Fig. 8 – 12 Hinged V-Type Rear Sight
Rococo target rifle Ca. 1760 Switzerland
Private Collection Photo: KuPe Rear Sights 8. Sights 175
Fig. 8 – 13 Adjustable V-Type Rear Sight
Percussion rifle Ca. 1795 J. Fiedler, Augsburg
Private Collection Photo: KuPe
Fig. 8 – 14 Adjustable Peep Rear Sight
Percussion target rifle Ca. 1860 Switzerland
Private Collection Photo: KuPe
Fig. 8 – 15 Pendulum Peep Rear Sight
Heavy target rifle ca. 1850 L. Bindschedler, Männedorf, Switzerland
Private Collection Photo: KuPe
Fig. 8 – 16 Pendulum Peep Rear Sight
Percussion target rifle Ca. 1837 A. Aschwanden, Altdorf Switzerland
Private Collection Photo: KuPe 176 8. Sights Rear Sights
Fig. 8 – 17 Lute Rear Sight
Percussion carbine M. 1859 Switzerland
Private Collection Photo: KuPe
Fig. 8 – 18 Adjustable Rear Sight
Vetterli repeater M. 1869 Switzerland
Private Collection Photo: KuPe
Fig. 8 – 19 Adjustable Rear Sight
Vetterli target rifle M. 1871 Switzerland
Private Collection Photo: KuPe
Fig. 8 – 20 Adjustable Rear Sight
Vetterli repeater and Vetterli target rifle M. 1878 Switzerland
Private Collection Photo: KuPe Rear Sights 8. Sights 177
Fig. 8 – 21 Adjustable Rear Sight
Percussion carbine M. 1859 France
Private Collection Photo: KuPe
Fig. 8 – 22 Aperture Rear Sight
Wheel lock target rifle Ca. 1750 Germany
Private Collection Photo: KuPe
Fig. 8 – 23 Aperture Rear Sight
Martini target rifle Ca. 1880 Germany
Private Collection Photo: KuPe 178 8. Sights Front Sights
Pictures of Front Sights
Fig. 8 – 24 No Front Sight
Flint lock carbine Ca. 1740 France
Private Collection Photo: KuPe
Fig. 8 – 25 Fixed Front Sight
Tinder lock musket Ca. 1500 Switzerland
Private Collection Photo: KuPe
Fig. 8 – 26 Fixed Front Sight
Flint lock musket Ca. 1600 Hans Conrad Goetz, Zurich
Private Collection Photo: KuPe
Fig. 8 – 27 Fixed Long Front Sight
Berber long arm Ca. 1800 North Africa
Private Collection Photo: KuPe Front Sights 8. Sights 179
Fig. 8 – 28 Fixed Bead Front Sight on Barrel in the Opening of the Barrel Band
Cadet percussion rifle M. 1842 Switzerland
Private Collection Photo: KuPe
Fig. 8 – 29 Fixed Bead Front Sight on Rear Bridge of the Front Barrel Band
Infantry carbine M. 1817 Switzerland
Private Collection Photo: KuPe
Fig. 8 – 30 Fixed Bead Front Sight at Front Bridge of Barrel Band
Infantery carbine M. 1754 Austria
Private Collection Photo: KuPe
Fig. 8 – 31 Moveable Brass Front Sight
Sharp shooter rifle M. 1769 Austria
Private Collection Photo: KuPe 180 8. Sights Front Sights
Fig. 8 – 32 Moveable Pin Front Sight
Rococo target rifle Ca. 1760 Switzerland
Private Collection Photo: KuPe
Fig. 8 – 33 Moveable Front Sight
Parlor target rifle Ca. 1900 Switzerland
Private Collection Photo: KuPe
Fig. 8 – 34 Adjustable Front Sight
Percussion target rifle Ca. 1850 Switzerland
Private Collection Photo: KuPe
Fig. 8 – 35 Globe Front Sight, Sideways adjustable
Percussion target rifle Ca. 1870 Switzerland
Private Collection Photo: KuPe