1885 Remington Lee Navy

[rayg]

Dick or someone, could you take the measurements of the m1879 rear sight ladder. I want to make sure the ladder of the M79 is the same as the Rem Lee so if I find a M79 slider sight it will fit. The R Lee is different as the base is stamped R-L and the ladder has no "R" on it and I'm hoping that is the only difference. Here are the dimensions of the Rem Lee ladder. Ray

.545 wide
.260 inside opening
.125 width each side bar
.100 thickness.

[rayg]

Disregard the above, I received comfirmation the TD M79 sight sider is the same as the RL slider, Ray

[Kragrifle]

Rayg
Ed Knisely would be your best bet for the sight and rod

[rayg]

Rayg
Ed Knisely would be your best bet for the sight and rod

That was who confirmed the TD sight slider is the same as the RL and that he has one. Emailed him back that I would take one and am waiting to hear back from him. Ray

[rayg]

That was who confirmed the TD sight slider is the same as the RL and that he has one. Emailed him back that I would take one and am waiting to hear back from him. Ray

It's been over a week since I emailed him and still haven't heard back from him. Hope he's alright, of course I'm just assuming he's an old guy like me. I will try again.
Dick did you look through your parts for one? Ray

[Dick Hosmer]

No, I stepped back when it seemed your issue was resolved, and now I won't be able to for about a week, myself. :-(

[Bob S]

S&S Firearms has a repro rod for the Rem-Lee. I cannot vouch for it's "correctness", but it fits, threads in and "looks" correct to my uneducated eyes on my 1885. Just on a whim, I decided to try it in a Swiss Vetterli, and it fit, threaded in and "looked" correct there, too. The Swiss rifles are always missing the rods, and folks are charging big bucks for rods of questionable origin that fit, so I called S&S to let them know of my serendipitous "find". In their latest catalog, it is advertised as Vette rod, too!

I have a 6mm Lee Navy inbound, pics as soon as I can.

Resp'y,
Bob S.

[rayg]

Thank's Bob, if I don't find an original rod, I will order a repro from them.
Looking forward to seeing the pics of the Win Navy Lee, Ray

[Kragrifle]

Original rods should not be that hard to find. The rod is the same as used in the Peabodies, though the length may be different. The threads, however, are unique so if the rod needs to be shortenen, save the threaded end to splice back on the shortened rod.

[Dick Hosmer]

S&S Firearms has a repro rod for the Rem-Lee. I cannot vouch for it's "correctness", but it fits, threads in and "looks" correct to my uneducated eyes on my 1885. Just on a whim, I decided to try it in a Swiss Vetterli, and it fit, threaded in and "looked" correct there, too. The Swiss rifles are always missing the rods, and folks are charging big bucks for rods of questionable origin that fit, so I called S&S to let them know of my serendipitous "find". In their latest catalog, it is advertised as Vette rod, too!

Resp'y,
Bob S.

I was once sold a Swiss rod as an 1867 TD Cadet rod, by someone (a one-time big-name TD collector) who HAD to have known better. It ultimately broke a friendship as he refused, after assuring me it was correct (and charging a commensurate price) to take it back. My policy has always been a full refund at any time for any reason, so long as the item has not been altered in any way.

[rayg]

No, I stepped back when it seemed your issue was resolved, and now I won't be able to for about a week, myself. :-(

Thanks Dick, would appreciate it as I understand Ed Knisely is recovering from a heart attack which explains why I haven't received a reply.
Ray

[rayg]

Dick don't forget to check to see if you have a 79 slider for me, Ray

[rayg]

Well an up date. I never heard back from Ed Knisely after he had the heart attack about the slider sight he said he had nor did Dick get back to me if he had one so I contacted Al Frasca and he had the slider but it was on the ladder which I bought but told him to only send me the slider part. Al's a class act as he deducted a few bucks because of that which he didn't have to do. He said ladders are common and not as scarce as loose slider sights.
Anyway, the slider came Sat and when I took the screws out to separate the front and back of the slider to put it on the ladder, and a spring and a small rectangle piece of metal fell out. Well it took me over half an hour to figure how that spring and the piece of metal fit back together again in the slider. You would think after years of taking rifles apart and always having trouble trying to figure on how they go back together again that I would study the position of the parts before I just let them drop out. Some people never learn do they. LoL. By the way I had to reorder the front screw from Al as I forgot about the missing screw when I ordered the slider.
Here's the difference between the stampings on the Remington Lee sight and the 1897 Trapdoor sight base and ladder. The ladder of the Remington Lee has no "R" stamped on the upper left of the ladder like the Springfield and it has an R-L, not just an "R" stamped on the base. Ray

[Dan Shapiro]

To aid to rayg's comment, another helpful hint:
Make sure your work bench is CLEAN before disassembling a newly purchased rifle. I put an M1922 all back together except for one tiny spring. Looked all over the schematic and could not locate it anywhere. Posted a pic of it on the relevant forum. No one could help. It was driving me NUTS!

Two days later, wife happens to mention: "Did you find the little spring I left on your workbench?"

[Dick Hosmer]

Well an up date. I never heard back from Ed Knisely after he had the heart attack about the slider sight he said he had nor did Dick get back to me if he had one so I contacted Al Frasca and he had the slider but it was on the ladder which I bought but told him to only send me the slider part. Al's a class act as he deducted a few bucks because of that which he didn't have to do. He said ladders are common and not as scarce as loose slider sights.
Anyway, the slider came Sat and when I took the screws out to separate the front and back of the slider to put it on the ladder, and a spring and a small rectangle piece of metal fell out. Well it took me over half an hour to figure how that spring and the piece of metal fit back together again in the slider. You would think after years of taking rifles apart and always having trouble trying to figure on they go back together again that I would study the position of the parts before I just let them drop out. Some people never learn do they. LoL. By the way I had to reorder the front screw from Al as I forgot about the missing screw when I ordered the slider.
Here's the difference between the stampings on the Remington Lee sight and the 1897 Trapdoor sight base and ladder. The ladder of the Remington Lee has no "R" stamped on the upper left of the ladder like the Springfield and it has an R-L, not just an "R" stamped on the base. Ray

Ray, I'm truly sorry I did not get back to you - We were on different schedules; I would have GIVEN you the slide, if I'd made looking for it a higher priority (talk's cheap, but I actually had planned to do it tomorrow - my weekend) but, clearly you wanted it sooner. At some later date you may want to get the later one that is more correct for the RL. The type shown - with the ears hanging down and with the fine graduations is the very first type, used only on TDs, and the SA-Hotchkiss Army rifle. Also, I hope you specified the right screw, they are significantly longer than those for the TD, as the base is much thicker (another "difference"). I will try and learn a lesson from this, and not volunteer to do something when I am uncertain of when I will get to it - it's not fair to the other party.