Benton Sight Question

[Chris Einowski 10717]

I have converted my Zoli Mississippi's fixed rear sight to the Benton Sight. Not withstanding all the hoots I may get for doing so, my question is what is the proper finish of the the original sight? Is it blued, browned, or left plain? Thanks in advance.

[ms3635v]

I found this picture of a Mississippi with a Benton sight. Not sure if it helps.


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[John Holland]

I believe Mike has uploaded the wrong photo, as the one shown is the Colt Revolving Carbine sight used by Colt on the Mississipi Rifles they altered. Im sure it's just an error in "clicking" on the wrong image.

[RaiderANV]

An original I had was blued.

[ms3635v]

John, you are correct, I clicked on the wrong image! Sorry for the oversight.

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[Chris Einowski 10717]

[QUOTE=ms3635v;50335]John, you are correct, I clicked on the wrong image! Sorry for the oversight.

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Thank you Gentlemen for answering the question. Interestingly enough, I did see a Colt Revolving Carbine sight on a Mississippi recently on a trip to Gettysburg.
As far as the Benton is concerned, I wasn't sure if it was browned to match the barrel. I will finish it in blue. Thanks for the information!

[John Holland]

Regarding "Browning", the Ordnance Manual of 1862 describes the process with the actual finish being literally painted on the barrels. It is a thin lacquer type finish and was meant to be stripped and reapplied on a scheduled basis at the Armory. Therefore, Browning of the time period would seal and prevent movement of the adjusting parts of the sight. With all the other long range rear sights Harper's Ferry was experimenting with having been blued, I would certainly imagine the Benton was also blued.

[Curt]

Hallo!

Not enough science in my research so far, but as an 'empirical' observation of sorts... and with the caveat that what happened to the gun AFTER the Civil War can screw things up....

A goodly portion of the alterations of the Mex War era M1841 rifle with "KY" style block rear sight was done to bring the '41 Rifle up to "par" with the M1855 Rifle. Early production M1855 Rifles were browned, then they switched to bright.

I had been trying to examine arsenal and contractor alterations (bayonet mount (where needed short nose cap/band) , long range or short range rear sight (where needed new front sight), and/or redone to .58. I have not found writing on the preferred process- meaning whether the "browned" M1841 Rifles were struck bright by the Harpers Ferry or more particularly the various contractors.

In short I have seen some, mostly all, that were polished bright. Some had quenched black/blue rear sights. Others bright. (Kinda/sorta like Springfield RM's. :) )
But I have seen a number that are still brown, and the rear sights what appears to be dark quenched black/blue.

My undocumented opinion is that it seems to have been up to the contractor. And sometimes the time to strike it bright was... labor and money lost.

And coming full circle... getting to examine guns in public and private collections or at gun shows usually always means no taking bands off to look at the barrels below...or rear sights off to look at the barrels below...or the barrels out to examine the underside of the barrels in the stock.

:) :)

Curt