Brown Bess front sight

[Many Klatch]

Recently on this website, Undertaker (by the way, thanks a lot for your pictures Undertaker) had pictures of an original Rev War Bess that had been field modified with a front sight. Well I figured that if they could do it so could I. I have a Bess Carbine that shoots well, but that big lug for a front sight makes fine adjustments pure guesswork. My sight picture had been to see the entire bayonet lug and then cover the point of impact with the very top edge of the lug. A groove that I had filed in the top of the lug was a help, but at any distance the sight was bigger than most targets.

First, I started to try to remove the bayonet lug so I could solder on a new smoothbore front sight and then I realized, that I already had the best sight base that I could get.

I filed about a 16th of an inch off the top of the bayonet lug and then used my Dremel to cut a notch in the middle of the lug that went to the bottom of the lug. I had an old penny that looked appropriate, so I filed all the pictures and writing off of both sides, cut it to size with a cold chisel and then soldered it into the slot.

Took the Bess to the range yesterday. Now my sight picture is like cross hairs. Put the vertical sight through the target and bring the top of the bayonet lug base up to the target and then shoot. Once I got used to the new sight picture I found that it was a big improvement. I quit shooting when I got a 10X. I figured that was about all one could ask from a Bess and I wasn't going to push my luck :thumbsup: .

Many Klatch

 

[J.D.]

Very good shooting. Most folks I know file the lug into a narrow sight, or reduce the height of the edges, leaving a ridge as a sight in the center of the lug.

I like your idea best though.

Since I hunt in some reeeeaaalll thick woods and wanted somethign a little shorter, I cut the barrel off right behind the bayonet lug. A new sight was made and soldered in place. The increased accuracy has more than made up for the frustration of recrowning and making and properly locating the front sight.

ya did good. :thumbsup:
J.D.

 

[Many Klatch]

Yeah, I have seen those filed lug sights and I wasn't too impressed. Also I still wanted to be able to fit a bayonet on the lug. I will need to cut away the ring that is welded on the end of the bayonet, but the first model bayonets didn't have the ring anyway.

Many Klatch

 

[davidthered]

Defacing US currency is against the law, that penny could get you 5 to 20!!!
:rotf:

 

What does the penny date to? Is it authentic as well as the open ring bayonet? :hmm:

 

[Many Klatch]

Didn't say it was a US penny. I had to keep it authentic. The penny was Canadian, but dated 1970.

Many Klatch

 

[mckutzy]

up north here, defacing money will get u some years too.. :nono:

 

It's against the law to deface Monopoly money in Canada? :grin: Just kiddin'!!! :thumbsup:

 

[mckutzy]

yup.....we folks up here, have pretty colours in our money, :grin:..... i like the idea of using the penny.. tho what was used for the rear sight or just eyeballing it?

 

[hawk]

that's one of the better "investments" i've heard in a while!
just don't try to tell my little girl it's a good use for a penny, she'll have you convinced in no time flat, that the only place to put a penny is in her piggy bank!!