1858 pietta front sight

[Jerry Brummett]

Hi all, How is the front sight attached on a 1858 new Army? I read on a (how to) that it is tapped and screwed in but it isn't, and you know how that went. Thanks Jerry

 

[Leatherbark]

It is spot welded. There is a small indentation in the barrel. The front sight stud is placed in this indentation and the two are fused together with a spot welder. I have used an Uberti front sight once upon a time on a Pietta by cutting a dovetail to fit it on the Pietta.

 

[Jerry Brummett]

Thanks, I have another bright idia I'm going to try, sence I snapped the front sight off even with the barrel.

 

[M. De Land]

I'd just dove tail it out in the mill. Dove tailed front sights are a touch of class in hand guns. Many of the high end custom single actions from Bowen, Galleger and Linbaugh have dove tail fronts.MD

 

[Many Klatch]

The front sight attachment for an 1858 seems to vary from maker to maker. I have a pair that I installed new front sights on. I sawed the old sights off flush with the barrel, drilled a shallow hole in the barrel and soldered in a brass rod that I then filed down to work as a front sight. One of the sights was dovetailed and the other was welded in.

Many Klatch

 

[Jerry Brummett]

I think I'll do the brass rod. I have a pietta, and I think the brass tip on the end of the barrel would look good with the brass trigger gaurd. I messured the old sight and it was 3/8 inches high and my gun shot high so I'm thinking I'll start with a half inch and work my way down to where it shoots strait on at 50 yards.

 

[M. De Land]

Sounds like a good and practical fix to me! MD

 

[mjulihn]

I know this thread is over a year old. I purchased a used Pietta stainless 1858 sans front sight. I have ordered a new one from Taylor & Company. I agree the original appears to have been either spot welded or soldered. I think I will let my gunsmith determine the best fix.