Question on 1851 Navy sights....

[William H. Shuey]

I have acquired a repro 1851 Navy that has had the bead front sight replaced with a verticle blade set in a dovetail notch. Is this sight arrangement legal for skirmish competition??

Bill Shuey
1st Maine Hvy. Art.

[John Holland]

See Rule 14.9.1

[Maillemaker]

http://www.n-ssa.org/NATIONAL/RulesJan2013.pdf

14.9.1 SIGHTS (HAND AND SHOULDER ARMS) (amended 08/08)
Sights may be modified or exchanged according to known changes made by military forces issuing the arm. In addition, modifications may be made to sights as follows:



a. Front sights, except as noted under rule 14.9.1(l), may be modified or rebuilt provided the resulting sight is a metallic blade on an original type base, in the original location for the model of arm concerned, not to extend beyond the base and with no limitation as to height or thickness of blade.
b. The addition of non-issue auxiliary front sights and sight hoods shall be prohibited.
c. Barrels may not be welded to receive rear sight alterations.
d. Rear sight modifications shall be limited to the modification of existing sight notches, substitution of new sight leaves or the addition of sighting holes in the sight leaf. Modifications to the new or original sight leaf shall not increase the original thickness by more than 1/16-inch (.0625"). All rear sight leaves must be in the same position in the base as the original for the model concerned and the rear sight base must be in the same position as the original. The new sight leaf must function the same as the original. This rule shall apply to only simple leaf-type sights that consist of one or two sighting leaves with sighting notches or holes therein.
e. Auxiliary rear sights or non-issue rear sight sunshades are prohibited.
f. All sights and sight alterations shall be metallic.
g. Sighting holes may be added to existing rear sights as long as the dimensions of the block, leaf or ladder remain the same, and no additional material may be added except to fill a notch. - 5 -
h. Fixed-blade Kentucky- or block-type rear sights may be modified only by the addition of an extra piece of metal to the rear sight. The addition should be the same width and no higher than 3/8" above the original sight height.
i. Replacement leaves of the "L" type may be no higher than the height of the 300 yd. leg and the 500 yd. leg of the original sight leaf.
j. Long-range sights may be modified only by the addition of metal to the vertical height and the thickness of the sighting notch area of the ladder or slide. The added metal shall not exceed the width of the original area to which it is attached, it shall not increase the original thickness by more than 1/16-inch (.0625”) and the total height of the notch or peep area shall not exceed 1/2-inch (.500”).
k. Front sights on revolvers and long arms may be secured to the barrel using a dovetail base in the original position. The attachment of the barrel-sight combination, after the insertion of the dovetail, must conform to the original configuration. The sight must be permanently affixed. There can be no method of adjustment built into the front sight.
l. Notwithstanding the above provisions, no modifications of any sort may be made to the original as-issued dimensions, form, nature, or location of any sights affixed to a smoothbore musket to be used in any smoothbore competition.



Steve