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 owner. Because of their handling and inaccuracies in the oldest , 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 and , aiming over the barrel was possible. This aiming method was used with the English Brown-Bess until about 1800 and with military percussion 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 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 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 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