Savage 219 and 220 Single Shot Rifles & Shotguns

Savage Single Shot Firearms => Savage 219 Single Shot Rifles => Topic started by: Mike Armstrong on July 16, 2018, 11:17:22 AM

Title: Williams "Shorty" ramp front sight on 219B
Post by: Mike Armstrong on July 16, 2018, 11:17:22 AM
My 219B newly relined to .25-20 had no front sight and the second screw hole had been "filled" by cutting the head off the screw so there was no slot to back it out.   The front hole was filled with some kind of glue, but I was able to clear it out.

Now I HATE traditional rifles that have no front sight.  When I was getting used to rifles in the early 1950s, nobody anywhere near us had a scope.  They were for "city people" and were considered an admission that you just couldn't shoot straight like us.  I still maintain that prejudice a bit, even tho I am a now "city person" and need scopes because of cataracts and old age.  But I always put a front sight on my older rifles because they look weird without one.

So I needed to find a replacement ramp for this 219B.  Looked at a bunch and found that the Williams "Shorty" ramp covered the filled (but ugly) back factory screw hole and the front hole on the "Shorty" fit the front one.  And the single screw that Williams supplies with the "Shorty" fit the front hole threading!  So now the rifle looks like a rifle again, tho not a factory one.    My eye doc tells me that my cataracts are so bad that Uncle Sugar will pay part of the cost of replacing them with new lenses next summer, so I MAY be able to use iron sights again, and dump the little 2.5X scope I have on this .25-20! 

If you can't find a replacement front sight for your "Alphabet" .219, you might try this non-factory fix.   Then if you find a factory sight and want the gun to be all factory, you can just unscrew the "Shorty."

Range report soonish.
Title: Re: Williams "Shorty" ramp front sight on 219B
Post by: Garnett on July 16, 2018, 05:09:33 PM
Mike, how about a picture of your new sight.  Also, if you don't mind sharing, tell us about the cost of relining as others might want to go the same route, not only for the .25-20 but maybe even the .25-35.  I look forward to the range report.
Title: Re: Williams "Shorty" ramp front sight on 219B
Post by: Garnett on February 25, 2019, 10:01:40 PM
I have added a long ramp front sight to a couple of my guns that were already altered.  I don't know if they make any difference in accuracy, but they sure do look better.