1899 rear sight question

[curious relic]

Newbie here. Hello, everyone, and thank you all for the wealth of knowledge collected here.

I saw a 1899 carbine on an auction site. After looking more closely, the rear sight is the 1896 rifle sight. Could that ever have been a legitimate arsenal installation? Or does it speak of a bubba job? I used the search function, but after gleaning through many threads I gave up and posted. :icon_redface:

[Parashooter]

A rifle sight on a carbine would not be characteristic of authentic arsenal work.

[dave]

I do not know if and doubt a 1896 sight was originally used on a 99 carbine. However a 96 carbine sight is rare and costs go over 500 for one. Of course carbine sights were always put on carbines, no matter the year. The hand guard must also be considered. 90% of 96 carbines will have rifle sight on them so I would not call it a Bubba job. You use what you have some times.

[Dick Hosmer]

Yes, there was a period of time when 1896C sights were used on M1899 carbines, and there is a special humped handguard for that exact application, on the 32" stock.

That said, 1896C sights - for any intended usage - have been in very short (near non-existent) supply for a great many years, so 1896R sights are frequently found in their place, as people did what they had to do to complete their arm - so, it is probably more much more a case of desperation rather than Bubba.

[Kragrifle]

A few more things-the 1896 style sight used on the 1899 carbines will only have the 1900 dated cartouche and will be around 280K-300K (look in Mallory's book for a better range). When this style sight was used this later group of carbines (and rifles) the binding knob was increased in size so that most of the 1896 carbine sights out there will not be correct for the 1899 carbine. Finally, of the 15-20 carbines of this style that I have seen, all have had the lighter colored walnut or even a few with the "Italian Walnut" wood.

[Dick Hosmer]

A few more things-the 1896 style sight used on the 1899 carbines will only have the 1900 dated cartouche and will be around 280K-300K (look in Mallory's book for a better range). When this style sight was used this later group of carbines (and rifles) the binding knob was increased in size so that most of the 1896 carbine sights out there will not be correct for the 1899 carbine. Finally, of the 15-20 carbines of this style that I have seen, all have had the lighter colored walnut or even a few with the "Italian Walnut" wood.

+1, thanks for the additional clarification, with which I totally agree.

[curious relic]

Thank you, gents, for your helpful and informative replies.