Buyer Beware!! If you plan on buying a Remington 700 Ultimate Muzzle Loader, and you plan on shooting iron/open sights, DO NOT purchase model 86960 with the Bell and Carlson stock. If you live and hunt in Colorado or Utah where it is against the law to hunt with a muzzle loader using any optics or sight system other than iron sights, this model may not be for you. I opted for the Bell and Carlson stock as a more weatherproof, lighter option (model #86960) after reading several product specs stating both models came with iron sights.

This model (#86960) does NOT come with iron sights (regardless of what ANY website or distributor advertises).

Simple solution right?! Just order/buy the sights designed for the model #86950! Well, after hours and hours of research with Remington Customer service, I found that the rear sight on the model 86950 is a standard Williams WGRS-700 peep sight item #1451 retailing for approximately $39.95 from Williams Gun Sight Co. HOWEVER, the front sight on the cannot be obtained…PERIOD!! Remington Customer Service Reps and I were BOTH educated on this new weapon. The front sight on the #86950 has three part numbers. The ramp #F28512; the sight F201985; and ramp screws (2) #F28505. The ramp screws can be obtained most anywhere using this part number. The dovetail HIGH sight post can be found but at limited locations on the web. HOWEVER, the ramp is a custom machined part designed for the Remington 700 Safari .458 Rem Mag rifle which comes from Remington’s custom shop. Per Remington Customer Service, these parts are NOT AVAILABLE to the public and the weapon must be sent to Remington to be purchased and installed. If you want the model #86960, and you want to use Remington iron sights, plan on paying another $100-$150 to use iron sights AFTER you purchase the rifle!

Now, here’s the rub! Remington offers both the laminated stock (#86950) and the Bell and Carlson stock (#86960) on this rifle. Remington advised (after weeks of constant phone calls by yours truly) that the weapon was test fired after fitting the Bell and Carlson stock, only to find out that the Bell and Carlson stock has an higher comb than the laminated stock, WHICH PLACES THE SIGHT PLANE TOO HIGH FOR THE REMINGTON IRON SIGHTS, making the Remington iron sights unusable on the model #86960! Remington decided to simply replace the iron sights with Weaver bases rather than spend additional money in R&D for a second iron sight system for this specific model.

After learning all of this, I contacted Williams Gun Sight, the manufacturer of the rear peep sight for the model #86950. All the measurements were provided to WGS, and after a trial run of their tallest sight package, there were unable to provide an iron sight system that worked with the model #86960.

I refused to give up and replace my model #86960 just so I could hunt in Colorado. After searching for more than a year, I came across XS Sights based in Ft. Worth Texas. I reviewed products on their website and gave them a call. After spending a half an hour with XS Sight Tech William Cobb he provided me with a tall, weaver-mounted ghost ring mount (rear sight) to obtain the height I needed, and a tall front sight base with several test posts for sighting in. (I was able to use the rear Weaver mount supplied by Remington with the #86960). After only a few rounds, I was able to determine the front sight height had to be almost exactly 1 inch high (including the sight base).

XS Sights provided me with a a .650 high front dovetail post and now the rifle is PERFECT for hunting in Colorado or Utah!

The XS sights are very well made, milled out of steel stock with great attention to a very nice, finished product.

The sights required for the Remington UML #86960 are specifically:
Tall Weaver Backup ghost Ring, part #WB-2001N-T
#6 x .605 C to C .39 R .340 H – Front Base, part #12-2031A-039-1
3/8 Dovetail Trapper Center Dovetail White Stripe Front Post- .650 H, part # 11-2072C-650-2
Cost for these sight parts totals $140 including shipping.

I hope this helps those who require iron sights on their #86960 but have yet to find any!

Regards!

Rob G.

Editor: There are important legal differences between muzzle-loaders and breech-loading centerfire rifles. In some areas, the hunting season is extended for muzzle-loaders.

Now this one, on the other hand….
http://ultimatefirearms.com/tacticalmodels.php

And to the above, yes, if you are nuts enough to do so, you can even drop in Arnold’s 2oz BR trigger.

Signed: Useless without smokeless.