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Posted By: Tinker Dating a Pacific banded front sight - 12/11/20 03:53 AM
I have a rifle here, outfitted with a Pacific banded front sight.
I thought that I had some Pacific Gun Sight catalogs here, but I'm just not finding them, although I found a PDF online of a catalog from the early 40's
The banded front sight ramp shown there in that catalog is set up to take their hood, and the "PACIFIC" stamping is shown in vertical orientation, like a barber shop pole sign. This sight here doesn't have the cuts/grooves for the sight hood, and the "PACIFIC" stamping is in the horizontal orientation.

Is this an earlier version? If so can anyone help place a vintage?
For further reference, this rifle is set up with a 1911 patent date Lyman-48 (first version?) sight with the low profile 1/2 MOA click elevation knob, and a "125 and two grads" scale rear sight.

Thanks
Posted By: Tinker Re: Dating a Pacific banded front sight - 12/12/20 05:28 PM
Maybe a photo will help

It's a little dirty, but hopefully this will do.
Posted By: Tinker Re: Dating a Pacific banded front sight - 12/12/20 05:33 PM
Here's the rifle

Posted By: Tinker Re: Dating a Pacific banded front sight - 12/12/20 05:34 PM
Posted By: Tinker Re: Dating a Pacific banded front sight - 12/12/20 05:42 PM
Judging from the fastener used at the grip cap, I don't think that the white line spacer is original to the rifle.
Posted By: 375whelenIMP Re: Dating a Pacific banded front sight - 12/12/20 11:01 PM
Pacific Gun Sight Co was started in 1928 by Robert Miller and Walter Sutton in San Francisco. Looks like you have 2nd type lyman 48 125 marked slide 1919 to 1947
Posted By: Tinker Re: Dating a Pacific banded front sight - 12/12/20 11:45 PM
Thanks for your input.
I appreciate you taking the time to respond.

The patent date is July 11, 1911
Lyman didn't update the patent for the subsequent variations?

Also - the elevation dial is graduated in 1/2 grads, not quarters or thirds. The elevation knob counts five MOA, and it's detent is via plunger and spring, not spring steel washer. The windage scale is on the rear of the slide not the front.

Do you have any of the early Pacific catalogs?
When did Pacific start to offer the sight hood (and appropriate mounting provision for it) for the banded front sight ramp?

Again, thanks for your comments.
Posted By: 375whelenIMP Re: Dating a Pacific banded front sight - 12/13/20 12:12 AM
you don't need to update the patent if the mechanical operation is same just range variation etc

https://doublegunshop.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=226142&page=1

You have the 125 slide, Not there earlier "long slide" 150 "1st" type

To my understanding atleast.
Posted By: Tinker Re: Dating a Pacific banded front sight - 12/13/20 12:36 AM
Originally Posted By: J.D.Steele
Lyman 48 selection is further complicated by the myriad of styles and dimensions that evolved over time. The earliest examples had the 'full block' base with the elevation screw's bottom end being captive against the inside of the long slide and with relatively small adjusting knobs and 1/2-minute clicks. Later the sight was offered with larger target-style knobs and 1/3-minute clicks as well, with a shorter slide as described in the post above...
(Snip)
Regards, Joe


This sight features the full block base and the captive elevation screw.

Either way, it's the front sight I'm interested in finding out about the issue date - but it's all just curiosity around guessing the time that this rifle was made.

Could be any time after the sights were made.
The only marks from the maker that I've found so far are two punch marks and the number 50 inside the toe of the checkered steel buttplate.

Always something to ponder.
Posted By: Tinker Re: Dating a Pacific banded front sight - 12/13/20 04:16 PM
The more I look at existing and available original Pacific catalogs, the more it looks like the company opened for business before 1928

It appears as if they got patents on sights and for a loading press in 1928, but as the catalog numbers seem to reflect annual (or nearly annual) revisions to the offerings, with Catalog 9 in 1933 and Catalog 10 in 1934, and I see a catalog number Fifteen dated 1937 -- I think early 1920's is more plausible.

What source do you have stating that Pacific Gun Sight Company started life in 1928?

Still pondering...
Posted By: 375whelenIMP Re: Dating a Pacific banded front sight - 12/13/20 07:35 PM
I don't see any records of the business before 1928.

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/65216901/


catalogs are often misdated online, for instance Cornell has 1931 as #12 and 1934 as #8

Its possible the first catalogs were more pamphlets than regular bound catalogs.
Posted By: Tinker Re: Dating a Pacific banded front sight - 12/17/20 02:55 AM
Thanks again for your comments

Here's a view of the rear sight.



Looking at that Steele conversation, and looking at Lyman information, considering the features *including the provision for the flip aperture* this rear sight would be a later first variation.

Further digging around the internet for archived images of early and later Pacific Gun Sight Company catalogs and print media, the catalog illustrations of banded front sight ramps change - and the one on this rifle appears to be their "Improved" model which came around in perhaps the very early 40's

I'll keep poking around, maybe I'll find when/if Pacific either stopped making it with provisions for a hood, or started offering a version without provisions for the hood.

Posted By: Herschel Re: Dating a Pacific banded front sight - 12/17/20 10:23 PM
The book Old Gunsights by Nick Stroebel says Pacific went into business in the late 1920's. Information about the company says data is based on information from the 1934 Pacific Catalog.
A picture of the barrel band front sight is pictured. It looks like the one on the subject rifle. It implies but do not specifically say that the picture is from the 1934 catalog.
Posted By: Tinker Re: Dating a Pacific banded front sight - 12/18/20 03:10 AM
Herschel I appreciate your input.


I don't have that book.
Can you post a snapshot of the rifle that you reference?
Thanks!
Posted By: Tinker Re: Dating a Pacific banded front sight - 12/18/20 11:13 PM



One neat thing about this rifle is that the barrel had been set up for dovetail blocks.

Today I got a package in the mail from the folks at Malcolm

This should be fun
very handsome krag.
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