Raybar sight

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PostPosted: Mon Feb 11, 2013 9:45 am
Anyone remove their Raybar in favor of a bead sight? The orange sight is almost a distraction to me when bird shooting.
Rex

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PostPosted: Mon Feb 11, 2013 9:48 am
No, I like my Raybar site.If one wanted to remove it in favour of a bead sight I do not think it would be hard to do.

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PostPosted: Mon Feb 11, 2013 1:45 pm
I'm another one that likes the ray bar sight Its funny I sometimes notice that one is not on my 1946 16ga.

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PostPosted: Mon Feb 11, 2013 3:52 pm
The ray bar sights are threaded into place. Simply turn counter clockwise to remove it and replace it with one that you prefer.

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PostPosted: Mon Feb 11, 2013 3:55 pm
I like em. I'm replacing the brass bead on my 1953 M-37 with an old Raybar as soon as it arrives in the mail.
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 11, 2013 6:28 pm
I have 3 on the way. 2 will go on vent rib guns that doesn't have one, and one on the beater I am refurbing for my son.
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 11, 2013 6:32 pm
i tend to stick with period correct.
even as far as 1 band or 2 band raybars...

i do however do some skeet/trap shooting at night ,and the raybar is more pronounced

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PostPosted: Tue Feb 12, 2013 6:10 am
I try to do this myself, twistedoak, but there's nothing wrong with putting an original double loop Raybar on a pre-1955 '37. Ithaca sold them for gunsmith mounting and even had an offer to mount them at the factory to customer's older barrels, I think the cost was $7.50 installed, (going by memory here).

I received 3 original double loop Raybars today and plan on installing one on my 1953 Field Grade 12ga. My ageing eyes don't pick up that little brass bead very well anymore and I'm very impressed with the single loop Raybar on my 1981 Magnum Model '37.

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PostPosted: Tue Feb 12, 2013 12:34 pm
My 37 came with 2 barrels, one modified choke and the other full, both have a double loop raybar sights.
I almost feel that I focus more on them than the bird.
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 12, 2013 2:02 pm
I practice my sight pictures in the house so that it becomes automatic that I am not looking for the sight consciously.

There is a 1948 over at a local pawnshop that has the look of being factory converted to the Raybar sight, meaning all the patina and such on it has not been disturbed around the sight.

If somehow I can scare up another bit of money I might buy it and the 1956 one they have also. It has a super tight action. There is a couple dings in the barrel, but it could be salvaged and sold.

You might cry heresy, but that action is so tight, that I think it would be a candidate to go to the factory and have the adapter installed and a modern barrel put on it.

Then the gun would be the best of both worlds. The fit and ergonomics of a 1956 model, with a modern barrel on it.

Of course, someone will probably get them before I save up some more money (I did share where they were at with one guy that needs them, I don't "need" them, I want them).

And of course if I got them, I might just fix them back the way they were intended to be and use my King Ferry 12ga for anything that would affect the barrels on the old ones.

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PostPosted: Tue Feb 12, 2013 2:52 pm
Same here, I practice bringing the gun up, point, and swing in the living room myself focusing on the target, not the sight. Of course each time the gun is checked to make sure it isn't loaded! I don't think the old woman would find any humor in me blowing the pull-chain off the celing fan!

I'm not sure what the make is on the sight Ithaca uses on the new barrels, but they're close to the old double loop Raybar, and brighter. I like them!

Heresy aside, the new Ithaca barrels are quite a bit heavier than the fixed choke barrels from New York. Something you may want to considder, it does change the balance point of the gun, but is more noticable carrying than shooting. I guess it's the price we pay for vent ribs and interchangeable chokes.

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PostPosted: Tue Feb 12, 2013 4:37 pm
I didn't mention it but I also practice bringing up the gun. I also don't notice a vent rib when I do this as well. About the only reason I notice the bead on my 46 model is because I know it should have a ray-bar on it.

I have ben thinking about putting a new barrel on one of my older guns. However I'll more than likely leave the 46 period correct
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 12, 2013 5:54 pm
I have a King Ferry barrel that is fitted to a 1949 date of mfg solid rib gun I have. You are correct in that it changes the balance point and the weight.

The 1952 that I have, has a Simmons rib installed on it. It is very light and fast handling.

Both of these are getting the Raybar sight added to them. I have considered having the King Ferry barrel refitted to the one I just picked up and leave the solid rib as a collector gun. It is pretty pristine........
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 13, 2013 7:32 am
krag96 wrote:Same here, I practice bringing the gun up, point, and swing in the living room myself focusing on the target, not the sight. Of course each time the gun is checked to make sure it isn't loaded! I don't think the old woman would find any humor in me blowing the pull-chain off the celing fan!

I'm not sure what the make is on the sight Ithaca uses on the new barrels, but they're close to the old double loop Raybar, and brighter. I like them!

Heresy aside, the new Ithaca barrels are quite a bit heavier than the fixed choke barrels from New York. Something you may want to considder, it does change the balance point of the gun, but is more noticable carrying than shooting. I guess it's the price we pay for vent ribs and interchangeable chokes.



the steel is different, too. It is a harder and slightly denser grade on the new guns.
--Jim

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PostPosted: Wed Feb 13, 2013 10:40 am
If you boys know anyone who needs a 12 gauge barrel without a serial number on the barrel, I believe the shotgun is 1974, non-rib full choke, I'd like to sell it.
Rex

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PostPosted: Wed Feb 13, 2013 3:14 pm
ravengunsmith wrote:
krag96 wrote:Same here, I practice bringing the gun up, point, and swing in the living room myself focusing on the target, not the sight. Of course each time the gun is checked to make sure it isn't loaded! I don't think the old woman would find any humor in me blowing the pull-chain off the celing fan!

I'm not sure what the make is on the sight Ithaca uses on the new barrels, but they're close to the old double loop Raybar, and brighter. I like them!

Heresy aside, the new Ithaca barrels are quite a bit heavier than the fixed choke barrels from New York. Something you may want to considder, it does change the balance point of the gun, but is more noticable carrying than shooting. I guess it's the price we pay for vent ribs and interchangeable chokes.



the steel is different, too. It is a harder and slightly denser grade on the new guns.


They advertize they use the best steel in the industry...I beleive em! I like my new barrel, it may take some getting used to with the extra weight forward though. I practice with it a few minutes a day and should be ready for the fall upland season.

I suppose the better grade of steel is good considdering all the steel shot used these days. The '37 Magnum with it's new barrel standing beside my 1953 Field Grade looks like a 10ga.
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 13, 2013 4:37 pm
i remember seeing an advertisement .
i believe it was for the new mag model as it was 1978,
they mentioned a "steel shot guarantee" real bold in the ad
so i think that is when they changed the barrel composition

basicly any 3" barrel fixed choke or not can use steel.
i think the dimensions changed when they decided to transition to all 3" chambers and to accept screw ins
i also believe there are a number of later year barrels marked 2-3/4 but are accually 3"
if these could be identified they would be usable with steel on mid aged guns

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PostPosted: Thu Feb 14, 2013 2:50 pm
I remember that ad as well and it was in that time frame very late 70s early 80s.

Yes sir the receiver dimensions and the barrels changed with the 3" chambers & choke tubes. I honestly don't recall any mis-marked barrels. Obviously stranger things have happened so it would not surprise me.

To change the subject I have read on several occasions that steel could be used with older models as long as the choke constriction is modified or a more open choke. However, I don't think I would advise doing so.
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PostPosted: Thu Feb 14, 2013 3:15 pm
i'v heard the same thing about steel and fixed mod chokes.
i wouldn't hesitate to put a few steel rounds down one in a pinch ,but wouldn't make a habit of it.
thats what my 78 mag is for..

the barrels i speak of arent exactly mis-marked ,they are marked correctly for the reciever they're on.
there was a transition period between the 2-3/4 and 3" guns when all barrels were cut to 3" dimensions.
during this time 2-3/4 guns got 3" barrels ,but they were marked 2-3/4 to avoid confusion.
these guns/barrels would be from about the 82-83 range
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 15, 2013 5:17 am
Chuck Findley wrote:I remember that ad as well and it was in that time frame very late 70s early 80s.

Yes sir the receiver dimensions and the barrels changed with the 3" chambers & choke tubes. I honestly don't recall any mis-marked barrels. Obviously stranger things have happened so it would not surprise me.

To change the subject I have read on several occasions that steel could be used with older models as long as the choke constriction is modified or a more open choke. However, I don't think I would advise doing so.



I'm with you, Chuck. In the UK, you have to re-proof a gun for Steel if it hasn't already been done.
--Jim

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