Look at this mess

[Gowacky]

I’m going to try some white out as someone suggested. It’s cheap and you would just reapply often.

 

[Griz44Mag]

You can get very small bottle of colored paint from any hobby store. It's enamel and will stay on until you want it off.
I bought a bottle from Hobby Lobby 10 years ago, still have not used it all up.

 

[Gowacky]

What color have you chosen?

 

[Gowacky]

Best I could tell from a very brief tracking of your home I’m guessing it’s around Austin? Austin is beautiful! My daughter and grandchildren live in lake way.

 

[Sean Gadhar]

If you can figure out how to make it quick detach you could use a table spoon for running shots and a teaspoon for long shots.

My flint lock is at the smiths right now getting a different Rear sight. I really really like the sights on my pedersoli rocky mountain hawken & feel I can shoot confidently out past 100 even 110 yards with it, while the sight on my English Sporting rifle has me second guessing myself at anything over 80 yards. So I found a pedersoli rocky mountain hawken rear sight for about $50 and am having it mounted to the Flintlock ESR, If I can feel confident at 90 yards with it, I think it's well worth the $$, if not I might just use a spoon!

 

[Griz44Mag]

What color have you chosen?

White, easiest to see in low light against darker targets.

 

[Griz44Mag]

Best I could tell from a very brief tracking of your home I’m guessing it’s around Austin? Austin is beautiful! My daughter and grandchildren live in lake way.

We are a few miles East of Austin. If you ever get into the area and feel like burning some black, give me a ring.
I always enjoy meeting folks from this board, most are close to my age and a lot of fun to shoot with.

 

[Gowacky]

We are a few miles East of Austin. If you ever get into the area and feel like burning some black, give me a ring.
I always enjoy meeting folks from this board, most are close to my age and a lot of fun to shoot with.

I had looked into the Texas Muzzleloader Assn and the three events held annually at Brady. Do you know anything about that?

 

[Gowacky]

Love the tablespoon/teaspoon idea! I’m telling you there is a market for that!

 

[Griz44Mag]

I had looked into the Texas Muzzleloader Assn and the three events held annually at Brady. Do you know anything about that?

I know a few guys associated with the White Smoke Brigade, they shoot those events.
Two of those guys are here on this forum, maybe they will see this and chime in.

 

[M. De Land]

I sure understand. Plus, I ordered the ‘white dot’ for the front sight. That white dot came off so fast ... that made me sick. I would get a hood I guess for the front or would just prefer something solid. Maybe a white dot was a bad choice. I wouldn’t mind fluorescent but the only ones I’ve seen were huge. I just want to see it!

I have made a lot of sights both front and rear from bar stock and one of the things I like to do is to solder in a small piece of brass on the back of the front sight blade. The back surface needs to angle ahead slightly to pick up any light but the brass really shows up in the front blade and it stays put.
I'm currently starting a new kit gun and one of the things I want to try is from Elmer Kieth's book. It entails three brass horizontal bars in the back side of the front sight blade for elevation changes. The front sight is held at six o'clock on the target and the rear sight is lined up on a different front sight bar for the different ranges.
We shoot competitively each month and use distances of 25-50-75 and 100 yards. It would be good to actually have a solid mark to hold on for the graduated ranges encountered. The only alternative I can think of is to make a three leafed rear sight for the differing elevations.

 

[M. De Land]

Love the tablespoon/teaspoon idea! I’m telling you there is a market for that!

I like the looks of your rear aperture sight but would attach it with two shallow 6x48 scope mount screws. As long as you still have .050 of barrel steel under the screw holes you should be in good shape pressure wise. You have lots of glue surface purchase and it probably will hold for quite a while but one of these days the aperture blade will get a lateral bonk and it may come loose on you at the most in opportune time. The trouble with super glue is expansion and contraction from shooting or cold weather. The heat differential cause it to crack and begin to weaken. Couple that up with shock and barrel flex from shooting, the glue takes quite a beating over time.
The sight dove tails on Williams sights are made purposely loose but the tightening screw should have an angled shouldered bushing on it that jambs the sight into the slot to keep it tight. That is how they are made.

 

[Gowacky]

Telling me the front sight is more visible or maybe it catches more light but if it is ramped up. Well I believe I couldn’t decide which was correct and I put the tall end of the front sight closest to my eye. I did it just backwards didn’t I? It’s also brass so I’m going to reverse it and scrape off that fingernail polish and see how I like it.

 

[Gowacky]

I’ve got this on backwards, don’t I?

 

[Black Hand]

I’ve got this on backwards, don’t I?

No - the tallest end goes towards the shooter.

 

[Gowacky]

M De Land above made a comment about the sight angling up and it made me wonder.

 

[M. De Land]

Telling me the front sight is more visible or maybe it catches more light but if it is ramped up. Well I believe I couldn’t decide which was correct and I put the tall end of the front sight closest to my eye. I did it just backwards didn’t I? It’s also brass so I’m going to reverse it and scrape off that fingernail polish and see how I like it.

Good idea, hope it works for you. Bright brass up front should show up like a new penny and work well as long as it doesn't glare and fuzz up on you. If that happens you can always tone it done with a bit of black powder fouling which will tarnish it in short order. Like you said, with guns , it's away's something!

 

[M. De Land]

M De Land above made a comment about the sight angling up and it made me wonder.

Yeah, the tall end should be at the back but you can easily file a bit of angle on it to catch light.

 

[Gowacky]

I see what you mean. I just scraped it with my knife and got a nice bright tip that I can see much better.

 

[Cowboy]

Your ingenuity must be applauded my friend! As far as the superglue thing? I must admit that early in my BP journey I too did something similar by using JB Weld to hold a rear sight in place. I started filing the dove tail on the barrel until it was totally $@%# UP!!

Anyway, an experienced buck skinner ordered me a rear sight with a long base and dressed up my dovetail with a hacksaw and diamond file. He fitted the new rear sight. Never had an issue with that particular rifle since.

One thing he told me that stayed with me since that major screw up of my doing. He said “ The rear sight is a lot cheaper than the barrel! “ That lesson has always stayed with me my friend.

We all go through the school of hard knocks as we go through our BP journey. Thank god we have each other!!

Respectfully, Cowboy