Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Savage Collectors Marbles new or vintage, Redfield or Lyman peep sights?

Finally latched on to a 99EG (1954) in pretty good shape that I'd been looking for. Not D&T. It has the std. barrel sights and I'd like to add a peep to the rear for now.

I see quite a few old guns with mostly Redfields and some Lyman peeps (mostly reciever sights) on them, but they get pricey for this old common 99. But I nearly ever see them with a Marbles on the rear and not really sure why? Marbles still makes them new as well.
Any thoughts on what would be a good vintage sight for this gun, or even go with a new (old tooling) Marbles peep tang sight on it? Are there any issues with the Marbles?
Any comments on a receiver peep sight vs a tang peep sight if it wouldn't require cutting the stock or D&T would be welcome too?
Comments please--Thanks in advance!

I cna't wait to see the answers to this question as well. I am contemplating at least one peep myself.

I have not heard anything good about the new marbles tang sights, they are light and not as robust as the older one's. The prices on the peep sights have come down a bit in the last while, a sign of the economy. There also are the Williams sights that are quite a bit cheaper and lighter (aluminium) construction. There also are the shorter tang lyman 29 1/2 and 30 1/2 that are period correct but they are still selling for $175 plus.

My preference is a scope in a no drill stith setup. But they are also a bit on the pricey side.

Hope this helps.

Blair

A new Marbles will run you at least $100, a decent redfield or lyman receiver sight won't run you much more.

Stick With Something Period to the Rifle
The New Marbles are O.K. for what they are.
But the Quality is not all there,and the Older stuff As Rory Said Will Run about the Same or a tad More.
But older stuff will look way nicer as far as cosmetics and preform a bit better also.
J.M.O.
Steve

Good info--thoughts are;
I want to stay away from the alum. Williams--just dont care for the looks.

So then it looks like a Lyman tang for @ $175 or so, or a Lyman or Redfield reciever for @ $100+.

Are there any fit issues with the Lyman or Redfield receiver sights? I'd want one that fits the tang holes so no D&T required--but the ones I've seen pics of look like they fit VERY close to the stock--which I won't notch.
Gotta admit I'm kinda partial to tang peeps--have a Lyman 144 on an old Stevens target rifle and its a great piece of steel, but reciever sights are OK too. What model Lyman or Redfield tang mounted receiver sights should I be looking for (if the 29 1/2 and 30 1/2 are the tang peep folding sights?)

SteveS, just hop right in your vehicle and drive north you can see most of the sights mounted on rifles in my vault!! it might help you figure out what you want! Don

SteveS, you won't get a better offer than that. I can assure you it will be worth the trip. Nothing better than a hands-on education.

Make sure you find the correct turn off. You can drive for miles if you make the wrong one.

Rick took the long way!!! Don

I have two Marble's tang sights on my M1895 Marlins, one is older and one was new new at purchase. Except for cosmetic differences associated with wear in use, there is no difference in quality, robustness, or anything else between the sights.

I have a friend who has a Turnbull-converted USRAC/Winchester 1886 rifle in 475 Turnbull with Marble's tang sight installed by Mr. Turnbull. In the [approximately] one year he has had the rifle, there have been no problems with the sight or rifle. The first time Jimmy took it to the range he, Bob, and I went together. Bob brought his C. Sharps 45-70 BPCR competition rifle and I brought my Freedom Arms 475 Linebaugh revolver. The range had metallic targets from 25 yards to 880 yards. I could not see the far target without my Zeiss 8x30 binocular. With Jimmy's 475 Turnbull and factory ammunition Jimmy and Bob were able to hit the 880 yard target (a rectangle comparable with a human silhouette target) consistently. I found this to be miraculous; I had no idea a traditional lever action could be this accurate. Marble's sight proved to be accurate, consistent, and durable. The same evalution occurs with the sights on my Marlins.

In no instance is the evaluation impulsive or based upon snap judgments.

Hope this helps.

I don't know about the winchester and marlin new ones, but I have talked to at least 4 people that have not had good luck with the new ones for the 99. There have been issues with the curve for the fit, problems with the spring on the flip up. So you and your friends have had good luck on the marlin and winchesters, but this fellow is asking about savages. I have not heard of one person happy with the sights for the 99's. Please chime in if there is someone out there that is happy with the "new marbles specifically for a savage 1899 / 99"

I have not owned one, but I have handled one and was not impressed with the quality difference from the old ones to the new one. Parts are not interchangeable from either sights.

Blair

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Blair about 5 Years ago I Installed a Few,They Work fine but i was not impressed with the looks. They just don't look right.
But they are functional. I Just prefer the older Marbles or Lyman

They look like a piece of schit, compared to the quality of the old ones!! Thats enough for me not to put one on any rifle!! I collect "OLD" marbles sights,knives,safety axes ,all the new marbles stuff quality is down including there knives which are made overseas!! Don

Loggah--I'll take you up on the visit if you don't mind--will send you a pm for your address and a good date and time. Would be great to see them in the flesh (or steel).

Just a thought though--So if Rick took only one wrong turn all the way from Kansas--Is that good that it was only 1 wrong in about 2000 miles?--or bad that he drove 4000 miles round trip and is a Savage addict hooked that bad?

Steve, He just came in from the holderness side which is about 5 miles of dirt road. Rick was coming to Jeds savagefest in N.Y. and took a side trip!!! Don

I was just teasing him--someone's gotta do it.

Replying to your pm in a minute

Here is a vintage Redfield receiver sight that I added to my Savage 99 built in 1953. I tried to keep with the era.

I had a 336 Marlin converted to a 38-55 Cowboy by Marlin. I had a local smith D&T the tang and added a new Marbles tang sight. The stem was loose and wouldn't lock-in on the click steps. Sent it back to Marbles and it came back tight, but lost confidence in its ability to hold a setting. Off it came.

aka mkbenenson. By miles and miles the best available tang sights for the 99 are the Lyman 29 1/2 and 30 1/2 mentioned by 99trix. They have screw windage and elevation adjustment and fold down if you want to use a barrel open sight. The 29 1/2 has the little Lyman foldown peep inside the big opening and the 30 1/2 takes a disc. Otherwise they are the same. They show up regularly on ebay but are now running well past $200. The Parker Hale Sportarget and Lyman 103 are broadly similar but stronger and have micrometer clicks, but I have not seen one for sale in years. They are now collector pieces. I much prefer the two Lymans to receiver sights, the rifle looks cleaner. But be careful, Mrs. Paul Curtis lost an eye in the 1930s shooting a .300 uphill.

I too am looking but refuse to use Ebay for anything.