silver front sight/ whats better?

[sonny]

what is a more  visually perfect sight! a rounded barley corn front sight with a radiused front? or a flat faced barley corn? or a tapered back front with a flat face like target sight. I don't want to mess with the sight i just made but it seem's that for a silver sight it don't stand out when sighting in for hunting......can't a sight be good for hunting and target???....sonny

[northmn]

As to what is better or more visible.  That depends on the eyes.  I ahve switched to a large bead brass sight but think a silver might work.  I ahve always used a bead as I could see the top of the sight.  A good sight should work for both targets and hunting.

DP

[wvmtnman]

Most of the responses that you will get will be based on personal preference.  I personally like the brass base with the silver blade.  I buy the blanks and shape the blade myself.  I file the back side (the part of the blade that you see while shooting) at an angle going down, file a slight flat spot then a straight slope to the barrel.  When I get home I will post a picture to clear it up.  I do a lot of hunting in thick wooded areas and have had the best luck using this type of sight.  It seems to give a consistant sight picture in a variety of lighting situations.
                                                                              Brian

[sonny]

more like a target sight!wvmtnman ..sonny

[chris laubach]

Bone works nicely






Just a suggestion

Chris Laubach

[B.Habermehl]

It really depends on your eyes. I personally have not had the best of luck with silver sights. My own best compromise is a brass barley corn style front sight. Shine it up for hunting, or tarnish it up with black powder fouling for target, or anything between as needed.  BJH

[Nate McKenzie]

Ever try shooting the very low original style sights? They're really not bad in the woods for a few shots as they were intended. They're so small that if you see a speck of light you're right on target.

[B Shipman]

I love a sterling silver sight. Square cut.  It shows perfect in dark conditions like the woods. Shows different with the light in different positions but always visible in all conditions.

[Mike New]

While not traditional or PC I have the Lyman ivory bead front sight on both my small rifle (.32) and the one I deer hunt with (.50). I'm legally blind without glasses and these work for me in the woods. Mike New

[Darkhorse]

I have found the silver sights work best is the shade. Once the sun hits it the glare is too much for me to do any accurate shooting. But I prefer a brass base with a silver sight with mods.
I file an angle on the back of the sight also, then use cold, touchup blueing to darken the silver (it will). Now the sight  works well in sun or shade. But I do one final thing to it.
As I'm primarily a hunter I want to see the front sight as early and late as possible, so using a commercial sight paint I dab a little orange on the front sight. Unbelievable! This let's me shoot from almost first light till end of legal shooting hours. Plus gives better definition of the front sight.
I bought this paint from Sportsmans Guide. They call it flourescent but it does'nt really glow, just stands out. It comes with 3 or 4 colors, plus the same colors in light gathering persuasion. Again, doesn't seem to work after dark. But I mix the florescent orange with the light gathering orange and it works real well.
I think they call the stuff  Hi-Viz, and they have a website so try a google search.

[B Shipman]

For some reason. German silver is not the same as sterling or coin silver. The latter is vastly better.

[roundball]

The Virginia I had built this year came with a brass base / silver blade front sight.
The bright silver sight blade was fairly narrow at .050"-.060" wide and was a constant PITA for me to acquire and see sharply in any kind of sunlight at the range....tried it straight, tried it angled, still a poor sight for me.

Replaced it with a  .090" wide brass Virginia sight from TOW and the difference is unbelievable...significantly improved acquisition, sharpness, and visibility both at the range and the woods...just shoulder the Flintlock and the sight is right there every time.

[Long John]

I make my own from silver dollars. 

I have found that it is important to file the back edge of the sight (the edge that you are looking at when sighting) close to a 45 degree angle from the plane of the bore and dead flat - no rounded top.  The front edge of the sight slopes down towards the muzzle leaving a sharp, almost 90 degree angle at the top of the sight.  This sight shoots extremely well from overcast daylight on into dusk.  On sunny days for target shoting I blacken it.  Remember, iron (silver) front sights always shoot away from the sun due to the refraction that occurs at the edges of the sight.

Best Regards,

JMC