Ok... so the wife really likes turtles and we found those turtle front sights on TOTW and Dixie. Problem is her barrel came with a pre cut dovetail that is 5/8" and the turtle sights only have a 3/8" base. My knowledge in this area is limited unfortunately. Would it be possible to wedge a shim in there and secure the front sight to withstand the shock of the gun going off? Obvious problem is that if it doesn't work accuracy goes the way of the Dodo bird. Maybe a shim and small screw or two tapped into the barrel to help secure it with some good ol' locktight. Any suggestions welcomed.
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Something Different
- Thread starter jimmy82
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You might consider soldering, but you will need to somehow fill the void in the dovetail. Or cut a plug and fill the existing dovetail and cut a new dovetail, although you have to decide whether you have enough room to go forward or backward (and still work).
Or put the old sight back on and buy your wife a diamond turtle so she forgets about the sight. :haha:
Or put the old sight back on and buy your wife a diamond turtle so she forgets about the sight. :haha:
LadyColeman
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I would be agreeable to getting diamonds instead. :grin:
The only turtle front sight I am aware of is made to solder onto round barrels. They don't have a male dovetail to mount on your rifle.
However, you might cut and file a base to fit your existing dovetail. Just make sure the top of the base matches the radius on the turtle sight. Solder the sight on the base and mount that in the existing female dovetail on your rifle.
The blade on those sights is pretty low, so you may have trouble adjusting elevation.
If you don't have the equipment or know how to solder, diamonds might be a better option. :shocked2:
J.D.
However, you might cut and file a base to fit your existing dovetail. Just make sure the top of the base matches the radius on the turtle sight. Solder the sight on the base and mount that in the existing female dovetail on your rifle.
The blade on those sights is pretty low, so you may have trouble adjusting elevation.
If you don't have the equipment or know how to solder, diamonds might be a better option. :shocked2:
J.D.
I saw a post yesterday about a guy wanting a sight with an old mans face and a gunsmith got mentioned. I wrote an e-mail but patience is a virtue that is hard to handle when it comes to me and guns so I had the wife call 'em too. He was out hunting but his wife answered and let my wife know when a good time to call back would be, she also gave some other info about some possible leads. So we will see how that goes.
The extent of my soldering knowledge stops when it goes beyond electronics and wiring. I am not familiar with high temp brass or silver soldering. But this is something I hope to remedy before I turn 30 :thumbsup:
The extent of my soldering knowledge stops when it goes beyond electronics and wiring. I am not familiar with high temp brass or silver soldering. But this is something I hope to remedy before I turn 30 :thumbsup:
Soldering your turtle onto a piece of steel or brass isn't hard at all if you have a propane torch, some soldering flux, some soft solder (lead or tin) and a piece of fine grit sandpaper, a piece of steel or brass that is the same thickness as the depth of the dovetail in the barrel and a flat file.
Plain old lead or tin solder will be more than enough to hold your turtle onto the base for hundreds of years.
The solder flux should be the kind for steel, not the rosin core stuff used for electrical wiring.
The first thing to do is to cut the steel or brass base so that it fits the groove in the barrel.
This 5/8 dovetailed piece only has to be as wide as the width of the barrel where its dovetail breaks out on the side flats.
If you are working on a piece of stock for the base first file one of the edges so it has close to a 60 degree angle on it. Place the filed edge into the barrel dovetail and scribe a mark on the material (with a sharp nail) where the other end of the dovetail is at.
Use your flat file to file down the width of the material at a 60 degree angle until you just about reach the scribed width line.
Then slowly file more until the piece just starts to enter the barrels dovetail. A few swipes more of the file should produce a piece that could be lightly tapped into place.
Mark the needed width on the stock and use a hack saw to cut off a piece that is just slightly wider than what you think you need.
Use the sandpaper to lightly sand the top surface of the stock and the bottom of the turtle.
Apply a small amount of flux to the top surface and heat the piece gently with the propane torch.
Do this slowly and every little bit, touch the end of the solder to the surface and hold it there for a few seconds. DO NOT aim the torch at the solder and do not overheat the base trying to speed things up. That will only destroy the flux.
When the metal is at the right temperature the solder will melt. You might want to add just a little more solder to the top surface until it is covered. Then use a cotton rag to wipe off the excess. You now have a "tinned" base.
Use your flat file to make sure the bottom of the turtle is flat. Then apply a touch of flux to the bottom of the turtle.
Reheat the base slowly until the solder melts, then place the turtle in the center of the base and move it around until it is pointed in the right direction. You may want to aim the torch at the base every once and a while to keep the solder melted.
When the turtle is where you want it, hold it down with the end of a screw driver or something that won't be damaged by the heat (like your fingers).
Remove the heat and hold the turtle in place for at least 30 seconds. After this time the solder will be hard.
You can use the file and sandpaper to remove any solder that is exposed.
Use the file if needed to do a final fit to the barrels dovetail and tap the new sight in place.
After you've installed the sight, test fire the gun to see that the sight is in the correct place. If it isn't in the correct place you can drift it sideways until it is. Then you can file the small protruding edges of the sight base down to be flush with the sides of the barrel and you will have a professional looking turtle sight.
Have Fun!
Plain old lead or tin solder will be more than enough to hold your turtle onto the base for hundreds of years.
The solder flux should be the kind for steel, not the rosin core stuff used for electrical wiring.
The first thing to do is to cut the steel or brass base so that it fits the groove in the barrel.
This 5/8 dovetailed piece only has to be as wide as the width of the barrel where its dovetail breaks out on the side flats.
If you are working on a piece of stock for the base first file one of the edges so it has close to a 60 degree angle on it. Place the filed edge into the barrel dovetail and scribe a mark on the material (with a sharp nail) where the other end of the dovetail is at.
Use your flat file to file down the width of the material at a 60 degree angle until you just about reach the scribed width line.
Then slowly file more until the piece just starts to enter the barrels dovetail. A few swipes more of the file should produce a piece that could be lightly tapped into place.
Mark the needed width on the stock and use a hack saw to cut off a piece that is just slightly wider than what you think you need.
Use the sandpaper to lightly sand the top surface of the stock and the bottom of the turtle.
Apply a small amount of flux to the top surface and heat the piece gently with the propane torch.
Do this slowly and every little bit, touch the end of the solder to the surface and hold it there for a few seconds. DO NOT aim the torch at the solder and do not overheat the base trying to speed things up. That will only destroy the flux.
When the metal is at the right temperature the solder will melt. You might want to add just a little more solder to the top surface until it is covered. Then use a cotton rag to wipe off the excess. You now have a "tinned" base.
Use your flat file to make sure the bottom of the turtle is flat. Then apply a touch of flux to the bottom of the turtle.
Reheat the base slowly until the solder melts, then place the turtle in the center of the base and move it around until it is pointed in the right direction. You may want to aim the torch at the base every once and a while to keep the solder melted.
When the turtle is where you want it, hold it down with the end of a screw driver or something that won't be damaged by the heat (like your fingers).
Remove the heat and hold the turtle in place for at least 30 seconds. After this time the solder will be hard.
You can use the file and sandpaper to remove any solder that is exposed.
Use the file if needed to do a final fit to the barrels dovetail and tap the new sight in place.
After you've installed the sight, test fire the gun to see that the sight is in the correct place. If it isn't in the correct place you can drift it sideways until it is. Then you can file the small protruding edges of the sight base down to be flush with the sides of the barrel and you will have a professional looking turtle sight.
Have Fun!
Thanks a bunch Zonie, that is exactly what I was looking for :hatsoff: If the gunsmith can't help us out I think I can manage that process. That is not as different from electronics as I thought it would be (just open flame instead of an iron). Plus it's bigger then 22 gauge wire :wink: Would a solder suction be worth while to suck up extra solder when the sight is placed or is using a file after it hardens more preferred?
When you get to the part where you solder the turtle in place, you will want a thin coating of solder to exist on the surface of the base.
Although you should see a tiny fillet of solder develop around the joint between the base and the turtle, I would suggest leaving it. In other words, I wouldn't try to suck up any of this solder. It is part of what gives the assembly strength.
After you have allowed the assembly to cool, a light sanding with some black silicone carbide sandpaper should be enough to remove any unwanted solder that remains.
Just a reminder, you do not want to overheat either of the parts when your soldering and it is real easy to overheat things.
Take your time and it will all work out just fine.
Although you should see a tiny fillet of solder develop around the joint between the base and the turtle, I would suggest leaving it. In other words, I wouldn't try to suck up any of this solder. It is part of what gives the assembly strength.
After you have allowed the assembly to cool, a light sanding with some black silicone carbide sandpaper should be enough to remove any unwanted solder that remains.
Just a reminder, you do not want to overheat either of the parts when your soldering and it is real easy to overheat things.
Take your time and it will all work out just fine.
Jimmy;
I was the fella looking for the old man face sight. I did the same as you, email and phone. Although I didn't get any other leads. I'll try him again next week. If his sights are anything like the one I had years ago it might be worth the waite over a turtle sight. Something a little different. Doc
I was the fella looking for the old man face sight. I did the same as you, email and phone. Although I didn't get any other leads. I'll try him again next week. If his sights are anything like the one I had years ago it might be worth the waite over a turtle sight. Something a little different. Doc
Cool, the e-mail that was posted was either incorrect or I copied it wrong cause a day later I got a "could not send, address does not exist" message from yahoo.
Even if he does have something that can work this is great info for possible future projects. I'm looking to possibly get into at least part time gun smithing and the more I learn now the better off I'll be later :hatsoff: Can't be in the army forever :wink:
Even if he does have something that can work this is great info for possible future projects. I'm looking to possibly get into at least part time gun smithing and the more I learn now the better off I'll be later :hatsoff: Can't be in the army forever :wink:
