Neo-Medieval Sights

So....I don't know if anyone has ever read the Emberverse Series by SM Stirling, but it is one of my favorite contemporary fantasy/scifi series of all time. That's is saying something, because I teach English and LOVE literature...and I am just plain AWESOME!

So, with Alchem parts and a "modern" trigger of Bowyer's Den design....wooden thumb hole stock of my own design.

What I want are simple "optics" to mount behind the nut. Now, I DO not want the brass strip with holes... even it it was modern....with no magnification....

I want a tube with adjustable sighting "pins" out to 40 yards...

Any ideas? Even if I had to fabricate my own...

Hooded front sights with variable pins should be availble from gun part suppliers like Numrich Arms or Dixie Gun Works, but they're easily made from brass tubing with a slot sawn half way through for slipping in your pin inserts.

Rear sight could be a ghost ring peep sight, or any number of other variations. Check other suppliers of muzzleloading bits and pieces..

Geezer here on simple sights. You don't like a graduated ladder sight, like the old brass strip with peep-holes?
Okay: years ago I saw a crossbow made by a west-coast bowyer named Dave Benedict (old Dave enjoyed a very good reputation for quality and innovation) He attached a rifle-scope to a quadrant just behind the lock. The quadrant was held in place by a set-screw... as I recall it had a wingnut. The shooter could elevate the bow to whatever angle he wanted, and still the scope would be centered on the target. Experiment on the target-range with preferred bolts would establish best angle for the sight... you just mark it on the quadrant. Outside the possibility that a quadrant, like a tall black-powder rifle sight might be a bit fragile, the principle should be workable for just about any crossbow. You just make sure to put the business even with or behind the lock, so it doesn't interfere with spanning. Heck, with an extra hinge, you could probably fold the entire quadrant down to one side for easier use of spanning-device, whether it be gafa, belt-hook or cranequin. The whole field looks like a great opportunity for tinkering. Geezer.

Hmmmm.....maybe I am going about this all wrong...maybe I should use the graduated peep but design a protected non-moving (except for windage)front sight....

I have #170 prod....do you think I will be able to hand span with a stirrup?

Here are some I have made and used:





And another:



As far as hand spanning goes I had a 200 pound Excalibur that I could repeatedly cock without using a crank or rope and pulley.

Todd

Geezer here: Is a 170 lb. prod too heavy to pull by hand? In my experience, most adult men can pull a prod of that weight, by hand, but as you progress beyond 150 lb. the work gets harder to justify without a cocking device. So yeah, I used to shoot a 180 pounder at local SCA meets, but honestly, it made my back and shoulders sore pretty quickly, and repeated spanning builds up lactose in muscles, so you get shaky. I recommend if you're gonna shot a bow in excess of 150 multiple times in an afternoon, you should consider getting a simple spanning device, like cord/pulley or belt-hook. Your accuracy will be better and you'll have more fun. So it's not how much you can pull by hand, but how much you want to pull over and over and over and... well you get it! Geezer.

In many respects those who want a workable rear sight for medieval-type crossbows might be wise to look at 'vernier' type 19th century sights, like those @ the US Civil-War... @ 1860. The old black-powder rifles achieved fairly low velocities, so their ballistic arc was pretty high. For this reason, they used a variety of hinged, tall peep-sights.
Since crossbows beyond @ 175 lb. are going to require some sort of spanning device if you intend to shoot many consecutive shots, you're going to need a folding sight anyhow. Indeed most of the medieval sights I have seen were designed to fold on recoil. So if you don't intend to actually fabricate a fully authentic folding-rear sight, based on one of the extant originals, just cut to the chase and buy a tall, folding rifle-sight from one of the suppliers who specialize in ancient firearms. Geezer

Stonedog,

One place to look for rear tang sights would be Dixie Gun Works. They are very nice sights however would seem a bit pricey to me, but it may be worth checking out.

Chaz

Stonedog,

You may also look at Gun Broker.com and check out rifle rear sights example there is a 1892 Krag rifle rear sight buy it now for $35.99 and a mauser m71/84 rear sight, of course these are used but much more reasonably priced.

Chaz

i made my own based on old and new sights combined.
It just screws into the stock behind the nut.
Use the tip of the arrow as front sight.
Works pretty good indeed!
U could make elevation indicating marks if u like.