Front site

[Red Owl]

Sounds sort of stupid but I've learned to ask lots of questions.  Today there are a couple of types of front sites, on some the blade has a peg that fits in a hole in the base portion. You also see some base portions with short tabs on the lower sides of the blade. What was the historically correct front site?

[northmn]

Some were cast.  Most made today are too tall also.  Originals that I have seen have very low sights in general. 

DP

[sz]

Many if not most of the commercial offerings are authentic to a large degree.  We can't answer you question unless you get more specific.  It's like asking what is the correct engine to put in "a car"?

[Don Getz]

Red....of late, I have been using the brass cast sights that Reaves Goehring sells.   They come in a cast strip of about six
sights and you have to cut them apart.    They do require some filing but they do make an attractive sight, about 3/16"
high, which is still higher than most originals.   On the other hand, if I were building strictly a target rifle, I think I would
use one of the ohter higher sights.................Don

[rich pierce]

I think the cast ones are more authentic for the longrifle.  I think the tabs or lips on some sights are for reinforcement of a tall sight.  I am sure that if a gunsmith wasn't casting brass, he'd have made the type of sheet brass with the blade stuck in a mortise in the base.  The ones with silver blades and brass bases were made that way.

[Red Owl]

Well, I agree about the sights being too tall in many instances. I have some thick brass bar stock- maybe I'll use that.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

A piece of 1/4" plate brass is all you need.  That's 1/32 - .040" for the base and a little over 3/16" for the blade or barley corn.

[jwh1947]

Reaves' are good.  Got some from Drew that are good; silver on brass.  Need to be reduced considerably.

[David Rase]

Red Owl
Click on the link I have posted and scroll down about 3/4 of the way.  It takes you to Jack Brooks web sight where he describes how to make a one piece barley corn sight.  Authentic and easy to do.  While you are scrolling down you will see a bunch of other techniques that I am sure will interest you.
http://www.jsbrookslongrifles.com/theclassroom.htm
DMR

[Red Owl]

Thanks- lots of good info. I am also going to stripe the plain stock when it is finished.

[Militant_Hillbilly]

Red Owl
Click on the link I have posted and scroll down about 3/4 of the way.  It takes you to Jack Brooks web sight where he describes how to make a one piece barley corn sight.  Authentic and easy to do.  While you are scrolling down you will see a bunch of other techniques that I am sure will interest you.
http://www.jsbrookslongrifles.com/theclassroom.htm
DMR

Thank you for that link!!!

[northmn]

I read Brooks article and an amused as I rather independently started making sights that way, but mostly for the round barreled guns.  I used one like that on a thinner walled tapered barrel.  As he says, it takes longer to describe than to make it.  I like to time one edge of the fold with a silver solder and then solder it after the fold over.  The last couple were made with 1/16 brass as the older eyes are starting to need a little larger front sight.  Also permits forming a nice little bead.

DP

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

I have a couple of pieces of 1/2" wide .024 sterling silver sheet. Suppose I could fold it and make a front sight the  same way eh??

[northmn]

Sterling silver may be kind of wasted on a sight and would make nice inlays.  .024 is a little small for my old eyes anyway as it would fold to 048 which is less than 1/16" total sight width.  I would need to mount a scope for a rear sight to see the front sight that thin.

DP

[J.D.]

Sterling silver may be kind of wasted on a sight and would make nice inlays.  .024 is a little small for my old eyes anyway as it would fold to 048 which is less than 1/16" total sight width.  I would need to mount a scope for a rear sight to see the front sight that thin.

DP

Maybe folding the silver over a core of thin silver, brass, copper, or iron will make a front sight that is wide enough to see easily? A core of another alloy might make for an interesting contrast to the sight.

God bless

[Red Owl]

Well, let's remember that the question isn't how to make a sight, that's easy, it was what was/were the original types. Cast brass is one obviously. I was also wondering about plain iron. On the Nickel silver- I think I read that alloy was developed around 1810, is that true? If so the copper base and German or nickel silver blade is more of a plains rifle thing. Is that correct?

[northmn]

The Hawken is claimed to have used a copper base and silver blade commonly.   A one piece sight as in those cast or folded is a bit tougher.  I had one of the factory sights fold over when the rifle fell over one time during sight in. It did not break but bent over. The common use of the high sights today is a target shooting issue as higher sights help alleviate mirage and are made pretty fine.  German silver was a later development, likely at about the time you have mentioned.

DP