Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Single Shots Sight options for a #1S

Reading through all the boards has rekindled my interest in single shots. I am now waiting on a #1s in 45-70. I plan on using this gun for deer hunting and a possible black bear hunt this fall. I am wondering a few things. How good are the open sights on the #1? I have seen the NECG peep sights mentioned by some as a good replacemnt. How do they stack up for toughness (holding zero)? Also those of you out there that have yours scoped what are you currently using and how well do you like them? I am leaning towards a scope because I will be hunting in a stand and want to be able to make the most use of daylight possible. I have a Bushnell Trophy 1.75-4 with circle-X on a different gun but dont know how well that will hold up to recoil. Any advice you guys can give would be a great help, thanks in advance.

Sir Jigsaw,

You may find, as I have, that Ruger blade sight, are near to useless. They are way too small for my old eyes, hard to adjust, and need to be checked often to assure that they are in full upright position.

Ruger has used the same POS since day one and probably has a warehouse full of them yet. They also have started to use a better, larger, sight on new high $ offerings in tacit recognition that the others are crap.

I use scopes on all 30 of my Ruger #1s. My 45-70 needed 2 extension rings to give me the right rearward position for my 1x4 Leupold scope.

I also have an NECGW peep sight for it and it works OK. Buy the model that has windage and elevation adjustment screws AND s separate tightening screw for the base onto the quarter rib. Some older models forced you to rely on a single screw for elevation and tightening to the rib. Bad design. Gut shot a boar once because one of those slipped down a bit after being zeroed as I was retightening it.

Good luck.


Try he Hornady Leverrevolution 45-70s by the way.

1B

I would replace the flip down rear sight with a standing shallow V leaf, and possibley the front bead depending on your eyesight...My Rugers have a 3/32 Ivory bead that can be purchased from Brownells.

The 45-70 is range limited to about 150 yards from a practical point of view, and irons are excellent at that range if your eyesight is up to snuff, otherwise I would look around and find one of the discontiued Leupold 3X fixed scopes or just go with a Leupold 1x4....

If I wanted a peep sight then I would mount a small L shaped peep of solid steel above the rear of the barrel with 8/40 screws and locktite or solder it on..It would have a .125 hole in it and I would use it in conjunction with a NECG Partrige gold faced post..I would get a .700 high partrige and file it down to zero at 1 inch high at 100 yards..It would be permenent and tough to damage if done properly..I have done this on several big bore bolt guns and its my favorite set up..Be sure and center the peep hole with the bore when mounting.