Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa .405 Win vs Cape Buff - who wins?

Thanks! Paladin.

On a separate subject, can anyone discuss the supposed inherent benefits of a peep sight over a buckhorn? I just installed a peep on the 405 (forward in place of the buckhorn) and took it to the range with good results. I seems like I can acquire the target faster the down side is it doesn't look like it is as durable. Can some of you with experience chime in? thanks! jorge

Precision and accuracy are what peep sights are all about. Longer sight radius, better target vision, and, if made for it, repeatably and infinitely adjustable settings for whatever condition.

I use tang sights exclusively while hunting.

They are (or can be) as least as durable as as scope.

What sort of peep sight did you put on it? There are a lot of ways to go (receiver, tang, venier, soule, lollipops, etc.)

I used this sight with a peep insert. I'll try and find a picture of that and post it:

Ah, got it. I was thinking something that mounts on the receiver side or the tang. I do not have experience with what you are looking at, so I can't comment. Sorry.

Here it what it looks like. looks a lot better on the rifle though. In fact if someone would have told me they were factory, I would not have known the difference. The rifle came with buckhorns.

Interesting sight. I might have to try one some day. There is something called a Remington "rough rider" sight that I think is like this. More of a ghost ring set up than an aperture tang or receiver sight. I would think it would work very well with a post and bead up front. But again, I haven't done it. Bill B may have. You might ask him.

Brent

I like that idea.

I'm thinking I like those as well.

Well like I said, it seems to work but what I cannot determine is whether it was worth installing it. I seemed to do OK with the buckhorn, but this one does seem to get on "on" quicker.

Jorge-1, as you have already found out, the more open peep delivers faster sight accquition verses the buckhorn. However, your eyes must like the idea or it is not worth a hoot!

Similar to putting ghost rings on a combat shotgun for up close work. If you see better in low light and shoot more accurate, then go with what gives you the best results.

I just spoke to teddy. He told me this cartridge is the cats pajamas and is ok for buffalo

I always liked the big peep sight on the rear of the No 5 Lee-Enfield Jungle Carbine. Fast and accurate up to 100 yards. Closer to the eye than the one shown here.

Jeff: I agree the peep closer to the rear is better (also like the M-1s) but the only one avaialble is the Williams and it looks like hell on the rifle:



I'm slowly getting used to the one I just installed...

Whoa! Nice rifle dude. That ain't your average 95.

Since you are looking at a short range buffalo rifle, I think your barrel ghost ring is going to be just fine. BUT if you wanted to try something just a bit different and give your rifle a bit more flexibility - say for reaching out 200-300 yds for plains game while being instantly available for close range buffalo, you could put a tang sight on it. But not all tang sights are appropriate because you need to be able to safely fire with the tang sight down. An MVA version of the Marbles tang sight, an original Marbles or a simple Vernier w/o an elevator screw would all be good candidates so long as they fold down in front of, and below, the comb of the stock.

I have similar set up to this on a Ballard Pacific. The barrel sight set for 100 yds and the tang sight set for 200 yds (I have a lot more drop issues than you do).

How about a few more pictures of that rifle? And it deserves better than that Williams. I bet there is a vintage Lyman that is made for that rifle as a receiver sight. Finding might take a couple weeks of looking but it would be a lot classier.

Here you go: the one with the Sharps, is a TR 150th Anniversary Commemorative and a slightly different version than the one I've been discussing. that one is the TR African Safari Centennial:





And here is an entire thread on the rifles. There is also a good thread on the Big Bore levers forums as well:
OSA Johnson

Is that a thumb lever on the tang? If so, it is not compatible with a tang sight. If it has a dependable half cock then you could remove the tang safety altogether.

Brent

Unfortunately it is and it also has that silly-assed rebounding hammer BS, but it can be removed. Doug Turnbull does a great job and makes it look like the original for about 350 bucks.

jorge--That ghost ring is a good, quick set up for 100 yards in. The 405 shoots flat enough so that if you are one inch high at 50, you will be less than an inch low at 100.

I would NEVER use a small aperture for Cape Buffalo, as they are way too slow to acquire the sight picture with-- and early and late, and in dark shadows you often don't get ANY sight picture with them. The small aperture is a precision sight for where the distance is known exactly, the light is good, and you have plenty of time to acquire the target AND REFINE THE SIGHT PICTURE. For their intended purpose, a small aperture and globe work extremely well, but not where the work needs to be quick, dirty, and dark.

Look at the sights on traditional DG rifles. You see wide shallow "v" rears and beads or blades in front. There is a reason, as these sights are the quickest to acquire and the easiest to see in low light. If you can see the standard buckhorn, my advice is to stay with it. That is an elegant rifle in its own right, and it doesn't need extraneous clutter in an effort to enhance it. Use that buckhorn correctly, and you will be good on PG to 300 yards. Just hold a little blade up and hold on the spine.

Next time you are by here, bring the 405 and I'll show you how to hit the 300 meter pig silhouette with the same zero you use for DG.

I KNEW you'd have the answer Bill Great minds think alike. Today as I was chatting with ET, he kept hearing a banging sound. Well that was me drifting that globe sight off and re-installing the Buckhorn. What do you think about opening up the notch a little bit like you did with the sigths on the Sharp? Waiting on the weather to cool before I start casting ops for the Sharps. Appreciate the help Bill and once again I'm indebted to you sir!
jorge

You know Jorge... Just an idea here from an Aperture sighted, lever gun lover..

Would the Williams sight be more palatable to your eye if the sight were polished to Bare Alumium(silver) then clear anodized?

If you did the whole sight in a matte silver brushed finish it would blend in a lot better visually with the silver reciever.