Marbles Tang sight on a model 14

[Tbury]

I have a recently purchased Model 14 C544xx which has a tang sight labeled MA & W Co, Gladstone, MI (Marbles Arms and Manufacturing Co). It has a patent date of 1908. Does anyone have an idea of the model number for this sight and what it might be worth? Will current marble sight disks fit this old sight?

[John Gyde]

The book "Old Gunsights" will give you all the info. You can find it any most any gun show for $25-$30 as I remember. My book is 1100 miles away for another two months or I would help.

[Noel]

I have a Marbles catolog from 1924 Tbury. Will check it tonight for the model information.

BTW, I found a M.14 25 rem and will be picking it up this weekend. Birthday present to myself! The guy selling it is crazy, it was his Great Grandfather's gun, I did not tell him that tho! . All origonal and unmolested, even comes with a box of old school ammo. You can be sure to see pics first part of the week. Ser. # C203xx. I hope it is as good as he says. My first two have been somewhat dissappointments.

Cheers,
Noel

[Tbury]

I tried out my 25 this weekend and it seems to be quite accurate. I did not have enough time or ammo to really sight in and test it at 100 yds. But when warm weather comes I will give it a good work out. I have about 400 shells to reload. I have loaded this caliber since 1962. I have a Stevens High powder in this caliber.

[Noel]

Since 1962! I am all ears. I have been loading with the 117gr Hornady and H380 but only test fired my clunker a few weeks ago. It was real cold and dark was fast approaching so it sure was a shooting session, pressed for time. Looked like two flew not bad but I think the last shot keyholed and that at only 50 yards. The bore is awful.

I had loaded up 20 more for this weekend before finding this other 25 today. I guess I will try the load in a better gun than I first hoped!

If you don't mind me asking Tbury, what do you like to use for a load?

Thanks,
Noel

[Tbury]

Noel, what is it with you Canadians . The .25 rem Mdl 14 I just recieved came from a collector in Toronto. It took 4 mo. to make it across the border and then to me (8 wks waiting for an ATF import permit). Way back when you guys north of the Big Waters had great taste in rifles.

As for loads, I have used IMR 3031 for 117gr JSP and 2400 for 110 gr cast with gas check. I do not remember the exact loads since most of it was done 20 yrs ago for a 1 in 8 twist lever action (Stevens 425). Recently, I have been shooting Varget in .223 so I decided to try it for .25 Rem. I shot a .46 groups at 25yds with the peep sight. I was shooting 21gr Varget behind a 117 gr Rem Jacketed softpoint purchased in the 60s. What ever you do -- do not try half-jacket bullets listed for .25-20. Back in the 60s I loaded them up and tried them. The 1 in 8 twist of the Stevens spun the jackets right off them. If you go to Hodgdons web site you can look up 25-35 load info for their powders as well as IMR and Winchester powders. The cast bullet I make is an old Lyman 257325 gas check bullet. It is no longer listed in their mould lists but you might find one on and auction site or at a gun show. The twist on the 14 should be 1 in 10 for .25 so a heavier bullet should be more accurate. I figure I will shoot cast bullets most of the time to save the bore in the long run but I want to see what the best load is for the 117s. I have two boxes of Remington bullets (sadly they are discontinued) and some factory loaded SuperX silvertips that I acquired over the years. I also have a Ideal Load Book from the 50s with load info for all the Remington Rimless calibers. Email me at tbury@insightbb.com and I will send you a word doc. with load info I have compiled from the internet.

[Noel]

How do you keep finding these guns up here? You are a magic man or something. I have been scouring the net for months and turn up next to nothing. I am swiftly making up for this week tho. I found another missing heirloom rifle yesterday and it is within 2 hours of me if I can track down the guy trying to sell it (truck driver).
The four month wait I would be happy to endure so long as I knew I would get my hands on the prize eventually! Nice score Tbury!

I will go get those pics I promised right now. Back in a jiffy.

[Noel]

Okay, step into my time machine and we will head back to the golden era of 1924.
This is pretty much everything I could find geared toward Remington in the booklet. Let me know if these images are too big to load on your computer. I can shrink them but then it will be harder to read.







From my Great Uncle's stash too, can't resist!


Hope this helps!
Noel

[Tbury]

Thanks Noel, it looks like my sight is a number R8. I have ordered a smaller sight disk from Marbles already.
Tbury

[Noel]

Happy to help Tbury!
I have been talking with TomH and there is a possibility this 25 I have coming doesn't have the holes for the tang sight. It would be nice to try one, but then I will have to trade out the rear leaf sight for a flip down one, unless shots will be at 500 yards. Not likely!
Get to pick it up Saturday, I need a fast forward button, this has been a very long wait to get this gun, like 16 years!

[Tbury]

The lyman sight and Marbles like I have use two existing screw holes in the receiver and I am not sure about the screw in the tang. These sights were available as an option from Remington when you ordered the gun, it cost 5% over the price of the sight. You do not need to remove the sight on the barrel mine is still there. They may have put a taller front sight to allow both sights to remain functional. The only problem now is the lyman sight (No. 14 I think) goes for more than $100 on the auction sites if you find them. I have not seen a marbles like mine on an auction site but I presume it would be similar.

[wiktor]

There is a Marbles on Ebay right now. I have both Lymans and Marbles and have to say I prefer the Marbles because you can lock the elevation.I also have a Redfield receiver sight on one of my 14's and it's the one that uses the factory holes. Now that's also a nice sight!