What's the best to use.

[mushka]

I have a rifle with a thin front sight blade that was filed down. I think that it is brass. The rifle shoots extremely high. I want to affix a piece if iron to the top of the sight to lower the impact of the bullet. I've worked a lot with wood but I'm pretty ignorant of the ways of metal. What would be the most appropriate material to affix the metal to the top of the sight to lower the bullet strike.. It would have to be somewhat robust as there will be some filing to do.
Appreciate any ideas.

 

[dave_person]

Hi,
Can you not just replace the front sight with one that has a higher blade?

dave

 

[necchi]

What @dave_person said,
Just knock it out of the dovetail and replace it, here's 73 options from Track;
https://www.trackofthewolf.com/list/Item.aspx/874/1

 

[mushka]

At my skill level, no. The only known so called gun smith here in Yuma is a sorry excuse.

 

[azmntman]

Ball Peen, nailset, done. Easiest repair or alteration one can do. ANYTHING you add to the top is gonna break or bend pretty quick.

 

[Vaino]

I make both sights because it's very enjoyable and my sights are very sturdy. The front sight blade is made from .100 thick steel w/ a sterling silver insert soldered in. The face of the insert is angled for better light gathering. Both sights are browned. Shown below is a front sight. .....Fred

 

[Vaino]

At first thought a front blade that's .100 thick might not be accurate, but looking at it down a 42"-46" bbl makes it look thinner. The pic shows it on my squirrel rifle.....Fred

 

[dave_person]

Hi,
Can you post a picture of the gun and sight?. Replacing a front sight is not a complicated task. All you need is a hammer, punch, and possibly a triangular file. If you shrink from making a sight, companies like Track of the Wolf sell many kinds with standard dovetailed bases that can be made to fit. I have friends who piled JB weld on top of their sights or soldered a piece of metal. They did the job but look like crap and rarely result in a precise sight picture.

dave

 

[mushka]

This rifle has a groove and the sight sits in the groove. I don't know how deep it is. Wonder if I can remove the sight by heating it with an electric soldering iron. Like I said I don't do metal often, once every ten years or so and I don't really know how much heat the barrel can tolerate with out trouble from a soldering iron. Plus my arthritis doesn't help me holding small items.

 

[ord sgt]

Get a nail set and a hammer. Drive the base of the old sight from left to right. Replace with a new front sight. Drive in the new sight from right to left. Just go slow. Don't try to force the sight in with one hit. Most sight dovetails are a standard width,

 

[mushka]

This is not a dove tailed sight, it is standing in a vertical groove and soldered in place. Not a side to side dovetail. If it was just in a dovetail I'd have no problem, just get a newer higher sight with a dovetail fit base. This one is going to have to be taken off with heat, and replaced with heat. It's the amount of heat that I don't know about.

 

[deerstalkert]

Mushka, you will not get enough heat from a soldering iron to hurt your barrel. lay the heat element on the existing sight blade and wait for the blade to wiggle.
OR you can cut a length of brass rod, and solder it on top of the existing blade to gain some height.

 

[appalichian hunter]

Perhaps a picture of the current sight on the barrel would help. Or suggestion can the rear sight be replaced or adjusted.

 

[ohio ramrod]

I have made front sights higher by using brass shim stock.Most old time hardware stores have it. You can cut it heavy shears. I cut a piece and "fold" it over the sight and solder it to the sight, the solder will fill any gaps and then file it to desired height and thickness.

 

[DuncNZ]

I buy brass strips from my local hardware store , it has a small model making section with balsa wood etc and a small display of brass rods , tubes and strips , all sorts of stuff crammed into 2 square feet , it is very handy for me . I'm sure hardware stores in the USA would have something like that .

 

[mushka]

I think I'm going to try and find some brass strips somewhere and go from there if the soldering iron won't generate enough heat to damage the barrel.

 

[SDSmlf]

I think I'm going to try and find some brass strips somewhere and go from there if the soldering iron won't generate enough heat to damage the barrel.

Could you possibly post a photograph of the sight and barrel? Someone here may see it and come with simple fix you have not yet thought of.

 

[mushka]

With my flip phone I don't know how to send pictures.

 

[SDSmlf]

What are you using to view this forum?

 

[necchi]

I have a rifle with a thin front sight blade that was filed down.

Does the rifle have a name? Like a brand name or style? Perhaps others here are familure with the brand and can offer more specific help