Central peep sight

[Calfed]

I signed up for the forum, but apparently do not have immediate access to the exchange forum.

[tiriaq]

I takes some time to get EE access.

[Surpmil]

I have a variant of a Central pattern sight. Designed for BPCR competition, it is much larger, to provide for the increased elevation and windage needed.

So do I. Much longer "pillar", but the arm looks standard. Any markings on yours? I was told a gent in Vancouver now deceased made up about 25 for BP long range work.

[tiriaq]

I obtained the sight from Paul Reibin, Range Sports Unlimited, in BC, so I would not be surprised if this is not one from this batch. I do not recall any markings on the sight, will have a look. I made up a .45-70 on a Ruger No. 1 with a Ron Smith barrel. Project has been on the back burner for years, have it ready for test firing this season.

[AradoAR234]

I picked up a PH No 5, a Rawson, AND a central No 4 sight for nothing last week!!!!!! The elderly rifle club member said they were "just old junk" lying around, and were in an ancient modified first aid kit that had been turned into a shooting box, complete with drilled out cross brace that accepts 12 303 cartridges. Obviously 2 sighters, and 10 scoring shots. Also included were old tins full of accessories, swivels, mounting screws, a 1958 scoring and rule book(!) a rim guage, cleaning brushes and jags etc etc.

He refused to accept any money for any of it, so I'm very carefully cleaning everything up, and an soaking all the range sights in penetrating oil before cleaning them up. They all work perfectly by the way, but have not seen oil for over 50 years. He said it would have been tossed out as rubbish soon any way, so it was an amazing coincidence that I happened to drop in when I did. Makes you wonder how much quality gear is thrown out when there are deceased estates or spring cleans.

In case your wondering, I'll put the Central sight on my Lithgow, and the PH on a BSA just to keep things in perspective. Wouldn't want to upset any sensitive poms would I....

[Humpy70]

Central Sights are excellent, the main problem with them is they went out of production in the 90s and sight bases are extremely rare for them.

I have Central Sight bases that will bolt up to Mod 70 and 700 actions and some other actions if the action is drilled and tapped. I had them made up in the 80s by a tool and die maker.

The thing most folks don't realize is the VVVVV grooves on the base of the sights appear to be evenly spaced but they are not. The tool and die maker discovered this when he put 3 of them on a optical comparator and made he discovery thus my bases so he milled mine to match the Vs so the block has to be put on after matching the grooves to get the most mating surfaces. In other words there is a top and a bottom of the block.

I would expect now days if you went to a machine shop you would be looking at four hours labor per block making them one at a time.

I was told the manufacturer stopped making them as he wanted to spend more time with grand daughter. I have about 8 Centrals. They also came in left hand configuration. The 7.62 as 1/3rd minute clicks and the first variation IIRC correctly was 1/2 minute but that may be wrong. I have one of them.

If you have access to old RIFLE magazines back in 70s L F Moore did a sight comparison evaluation and they came out on top. He used my sights for the article.

[Surpmil]

Where was your tool and die maker located? The fellow I knew who made them up for various rifles, made his own cutter to do the mounting base grooves.

[Bluenoser]

I made my cutter by grinding three of the four flutes off a 3/8 x 16tpi tap and running the tap with the one remaining flute in the milling machine as a side cutter. I also back-cut the trailing edge of the remaining flute.
Seems to work just fine taking light cuts.