I recently bought a sporterized MS carbine, (actually a military contract 1927 Breda) and the Lyman #36 sight on it is redundant because the rifle has been modified for a scope. I was wondering if anybody has seen or heard of a Lyman #36 that would help me price mine when I put it out for sale. Guns Intl sold one recently, but they don't post the selling prices. I bought Nick Stroebel's book on vintage sights...but I see a lot of errors and omissions in the book, so I don't have much confidence in his data. Normally I wouldn't worry about trying for top dollar, but I paid too much for the rifle...lol...78 yrs old and still impulse buying.
Well this is a fine pickle we're in, should'a listened to Joe McCarthy and George Orwell I guess.
In a word: lots. Last time I searched they were going for multiple hundreds - but it's a small market for them. Sight collectors have muddied the waters too.
"You can lead a man to logic, but you cannot make him think." Joe Harz "Always certain, often right." Keith McCafferty
There were different models of #36 sights, from the pictures of your rifle it looks like it's for the early rifles (pre-1924) that I believe replaces the bolt stop. If you remove it you would have to replace it with another bolt stop. As far as pricing, they don't come up for sale often. The only one I've found is one that sold on Ebay for $179.50 but I can't tell how long ago. https://picclick.com/Lyman-No-36-Receiver-sight-for-M-S-323460689024.html. If you come up with a price I'd be interested to mount on my 1908 MS. If you're looking to get top dollar I'd suggest an auction like gunbroker.
Charter Member Ancient order of the 1895 Winchester
"It's an insecure and petite man who demands all others like what he likes and dislike what he dislikes." szihn
Don't be too fast. There is a M/S collectors association with a web site. Check there and other sites. When I was looking several years ago the Lyman receiver sight for the M/S were in the 300/350 range and uncommon.
Don't be too fast. There is a M/S collectors association with a web site. Check there and other sites. When I was looking several years ago the Lyman receiver sight for the M/S were in the 300/350 range and uncommon.
The only thing I can add, I bought a reproduction from NECG to put on my 1903 M-S. When I sold the rifle the buyer didn't want it so I removed it and got tired of looking at it after a few years and was able to sell it for about $275.00, memory isn't that fresh. I wouldn't be afraid of asking $350 for yours, maybe selling for a little less. Mine was sold 10-12 years ago.
"The more I am around people the better I like my dog." Mark Twain
There were different models of #36 sights, from the pictures of your rifle it looks like it's for the early rifles (pre-1924) that I believe replaces the bolt stop. If you remove it you would have to replace it with another bolt stop. As far as pricing, they don't come up for sale often. The only one I've found is one that sold on Ebay for $179.50 but I can't tell how long ago. https://picclick.com/Lyman-No-36-Receiver-sight-for-M-S-323460689024.html. If you come up with a price I'd be interested to mount on my 1908 MS. If you're looking to get top dollar I'd suggest an auction like gunbroker.
Tmitch, Yeah, I didn't like the price of the replacement bolt stop...so I made one today with some milling and 1/2" keystock. Works well.
I don't know what to think about the contention that 1903 to 1924 takes one version, and 1924 to 1950 takes another version. Curious about it, I pulled the bolt stops off a 1903 Y prefix Steyr Greek contract, a 1927 Breda contract model, and tried the Lyman bolt stop/base and strangely a 1904 Steyr in 8x57...mixed them up and they all work interchangeably. wth??? The critical distance between the front of the stop and the center of the pivot pin is within .005 on all three, but all three have a different style concave cut on the edge facing the bolt. Gas deflection? No comprende.
Well this is a fine pickle we're in, should'a listened to Joe McCarthy and George Orwell I guess.
The referenced Lyman sight is pricey with such reputation in comparative sense for at least a couple of decades or more. It's unique as the very horizontal element upon which the aperture is mounted rotates horizontally as accommodating the split bridge passage of the bolt handle in cycling as needing to clear that sight arm by the arm rotating away aft and forward. it's a bit complex and one because of the need for constant "re-centring" a weak spring or wear isn't tolerable. Fortunately it's appropriately rugged "in its fashion". Pix of mine below on a 1952 Mannlicher in 7x57. The Mannlicher action itself taken from the Model 1903 of origin, utilized a short action of the 1903 itself only, intermediate of through chambering from 1905 through 1910 Model Years (not production years as wider) and the last Post WWI edition of 1924. Whether and if so, what, effect as on any Lyman sub-model itself, I'm unaware. My Model '52 in pix below came to me with sight installed. No 'pro' here, but it would seem really important to be absolutely the sight is complete and functioning freely as intended, lest repairs/parts might be difficult.
Also, the Lyman 36 designation is a generic descriptor embracing both fixed and swinging arm variants for Mauser and Mannlicher variations respectively. So necessity of assurance any purchase is for such correct submodel lest an unhappy surprise. These in all eras were to my recollection, a "no drill" proposition sliding over the ejector box and secured with such as set screws or some such.
Have no more for the M/S, but below a few Lyman Model 36-Mauser sights on an early production Model "M" Oberndorf Carbine of late 1913, though not officially intro'd until 1914.
Short war story: Bought this in latter seventies at Sacramento Gun Show, from an Oregon collector. Over a decade later, bought a second one in the SoCal area. Turned they were consecutive SN's! Other w/o this sight. Both marked "Germany", believe they were both imported into the U.S. by official Mauser Oberndorf Agent, Hans Tascher. Caveat the extensive inletting required for these sights.
