There is something uniquely American about the lever-action rifle. It was not only invented in America, but the lever-action is the rifle that best symbolizes our pioneering spirit. After all, it’s the “gun that won the West.”
    Returning to those roots has a certain appeal, and I suppose it is what drives a lot of shooters to take up Cowboy Action Shooting. The problem is that most of us graybeards are discovering that open sights are not as sharp as they were when our eyes were young. A peep sight is much kinder to eyes of any age, and a tang-mounted peep sight is a nostalgic return to the roots of lever-action rifles. If you are a Cowboy Action shooter, it’s the only option as receiver-mounted peep sights are not allowed.
Installing a tang-mounted peep sight on a lever-action rifle is a simple “do-it-yourself” project for any shooter with a few basic tools. Both Lyman and Marble’s offer tang sights to fit most any lever-action.
    Clamp the rifle in a cradle like the Tipton Gun Vise. Remove the tang screw, making sure that you use a screwdriver with a blade designed for use on firearms. Do not use a standard screwdriver, as the tapered sides can cause the screwdriver to ride out of the slot and damage the rifle.

After determining the center of the tang and the specific location for the new hole, use either a spring-loaded center punch [lead photo] or standard center punch [2] to establish the exact spot. Remove the buttstock and ensure that the tang is square to the drill, then carefully drill through the tang [3] with the proper size bit. Next, fit the correct tap into a tap handle and cut the threads in the new hole [4]. Finally, wipe the tang clean, degrease the new threads, reinstall the buttstock and mount the new sight and screws. [5].

    Place the sight on the tang, and install the longer tang screw supplied with the replacement sight in the hole and tighten it enough to hold the sight, but not so tight that it won’t move when tapped gently with a nylon hammer. Center the front of the sight on the tang by tapping it gently with a nylon hammer or with a hammer and a nylon or brass punch. The human eye is a very good tool to ensure that the sight is centered on the tang. Just make sure that the lighting is even on both sides. You can confirm that the sight is centered by removing the rifle’s stock and measuring on each side from the edge of the tang to the edge of the sight.
    Mark the tang in the exact center of the hole with a center punch. Again, the human eye is a very good indicator of center. It’s best if one person holds the punch while another checks the center from several angles. A spring-loaded automatic center punch like the one made by Starrett makes the job a little easier, as it eliminates the use of a hammer and is easier to control. If you plan to do more projects, it will be worth the extra cost.
    Remove the tang screw and remove the sight and the buttstock if you have not done so already. Clamp the rifle in a vise with padded jaws and mounted on a drill press. Make sure that the tang is square to the drill and that the drill is lined up exactly with the punch mark in the tang. If the drill table is correctly leveled and the chuck is properly squared to it, you can align the tang using a small level. Level the tang, and then index off the receiver to make sure the gun is square to the drill. (You can drill the hole with a hand-held drill if you do not have a drill press, but it’s a poor second choice.)
    Chuck the proper size drill bit in the drill press. Be careful, as some imported rifles use metric threads that are very close to the standard threads used in the United States, but are not interchangeable. When in doubt, double-check everything with a thread pitch gauge and a dial caliper to measure the screw diameter. Make sure to match the drill size to both the screw size and the thread pitch. For example, the 10-32 screw used in the majority of rifles will require a No. 21 drill bit. Double-check everything and, when you are certain it is correct, carefully drill through the tang using the mark from the center punch as a guide to start the drill.
    Select the correct tap for the screw supplied with the sight and install it in a tap handle. Make certain that the tap is square with and centered in the drilled hole and that you have applied plenty of cutting oil. Carefully turn the tap clockwise to cut the new threads. Reverse the tap to clear the chips every turn or so. Reapply the oil often. The tap should turn easily and cut cleanly. If it binds or chatters, stop, because that means something is wrong. Do not force it, taps are very brittle and can break easily if misused.
    After you have the thread cut through the full depth of the hole, remove the tap. Wipe the tang clean of cutting oil and chips and clean the residual oil with a degreasing spray. Install the buttstock and put the sight in place. Replace the tang screw, but do not tighten. Install the front screw, but do not tighten it. Return to the rear tang screw and snug it tight. Then tighten the front sight screw. Applying a drop of blue Loctite on the threads of each screw before installing them will help ensure that the screws stay tight.
    If the gun has an existing rear sight, use a brass or nylon punch and a small hammer to remove the open sight from its dovetail. Drive it from left to right. Install a dovetail slot blank by tapping it into place with a brass or nylon punch, right to left, until centered. If you use a brass punch it may leave “tracks” on the metal. Remove this brass smear with copper-removing bore solvent on a cotton patch. The front-sight bead may need to be exchanged for one that is that is higher or lower. The process is the same; tap the existing sight out of the dovetail left to right and tap the new one in right to left.
    The sight is now installed. All that is needed is to zero the gun at the shooting range and enjoy it.