Front sight

[long carabine]

 I tried changing the front sight from browned steel to brass but theres a problem, the dovetail is messed . It seems whomever cut it did one side larger then the other. I tried to install the new sight and it will not fit, what do I do in this situation fill in the dovetail and recut it? Tim

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

All dovetails that have been cut by hand have a sight or tennon that fits it.  They are usually not interchangeable without some work.  Dovetails are usually cut with a taper so that the sight goes in tighter and tighter.  This is very very slight, but is still there.  You will have to clean up the barrel's dovetail, and fit a new sight to it.
I once had a client "complain" after he broke his ramrod, that the ones in the hardware store didn't fit.  All my rifles now start out with two rods.

[hyltoto]

you could peen the bottom of the brass front sight to make it wider.

[Ken G]

Tim,
Just to make sure we understand. 
The dovetail is cut larger than the sight base?  Just on one side or completley too big?  How large of a gap do you have ?

Ken

[long carabine]

 One end of the dovetail on the barrel is cut larger then the other. I bought a sight from TOTW and cant make it fit. I have never seen a dovetail like this one. Tim

[northmn]

Suggestions:  First start by cleaning up the dovetail as Taylor suggested.  Use a triangular file with a safe edge.  Slight taper is good.  Even modern guns have a taper so that the sight goes out one way.

Use shims to make it fit.  To shim you cut the piece too long and seat the sight.  Usually you can bend the shim over or hole iot to keep it from coming out when seating.  File it off.
On a closer fit you can peen as has been suggested.  Sometimes both the base and a slight down peening of the dovetails.
Drill and tap the base and put in a set screw (usually better for modern stuff)
Make a sight that fits.

Have had to do any or all of the above.

DP

[George F.]

That shimming thought had me thinking. Why not solder a thin piece of brass on one of the beveled sides of the front sight, then file it to fit? If you file the barrel's dovetail, then it's not a  problem, but if you file the sight, then file the side that wasn't repaired. My first idea was why not make a new sight yourself, it isn't that hard, unless its sculptured. Another thought was to solder a piece of brass on the bottom, then gradually file the it to fit.But I rejected that idea because it will raise the bottom of the sight blade off the barrel.

[northmn]

If you use the right shim you do not need to solder.  Depending on how the sight is made you may run into problems with the sight construction as some are soldered together.  Regardless, if you find the correct shim you do not need to solder.  Its not a bad idea, just an uneccessary step. The shim ribbon when used gives a very tight fit and is easily trimmed.  If after cleaning up the dovetail, the fit gets real sloppy, the best bet is to make a new base.

DP