Just made a big mistake!

[James Rogers]

Dennis,

Most of those wrap around wing sights you mentioned I have seen were on German and Spanish pieces so I would not consider them for your particular build. As far as distance though, there seems to be quite a few of those wings sitting about 7" from the breech on a lot of them I am seeing in my picture collection. While looking, I even found RIFLE sights on a de La Chalemette park rifle and a Mortimer rifle that were only about 4" from the breech. Of course these are pictures and I am basing on lock measurements to get an estimate.

James,

You always seem to forget about the French!  These  winged sights were very typical on French guns from the second half of the 17th century.  I would speculate they developed this system.  Check out Lenk's book.  Many if not most of the long guns have this feature.  I'm starting to think you have something against the French

Jim

                                                                                                    Ha Ha!!!  Actually Jim I usually will just say "continental" but every one I seemed look at today was either Spanish or German.  When I was typing I wondered if I would be receiving an email from you about the French so I left it as typed. I really do understand and appreciate their position as the cutting edge of the origin of most styles and designs. I do find myself bogged down looking for the hints of refinement, differences or individualism of those that followed the trends............................. I'm not predjudiced. Some of my favorite fries are French!

[smylee grouch]

This might be a good place to ask why you should not put a filler in and weld the seems and draw file smooth. I know those in the know will say dont do it but I just want to know why.   Gary

[g rummell]

This might be a good place to ask why you should not put a filler in and weld the seems and draw file smooth. I know those in the know will say dont do it but I just want to know why.   Gary

Last time I tried to weld on a barrel I ended up ruining the inside of the barrel.
The weld went straight through to the bore and what was a 50 caliber bore ended up being a 17 caliber.
Then again I'm not an expert on welding, just a guy who will never do it again on a barrel.  

I agree with Mr. Martin, dovetail in a new piece of metal file, polish, and antique.

[Roger Fisher]

I agree with Cpt. Fred...re-fit the breech to put your lug where it goes. 

Dennis: I feel your pain (where did I hear that before)   More work of course; but depending on how far you have gone in the breech area and tang of the stock have a look at her and go farther with the breech plug til that mistake is on the bottom (or at least the lower qt flat)  Then you don't have to look at that 'blemish'.

I have spent more than a few moments checking to be sure I'm placing that top flat up!   I finally landed on a simple solution magic marker marked 'T' on top flat just forward of the plug.

[Dennis Glazener]

Dennis: I feel your pain (where did I hear that before)   More work of course; but depending on how far you have gone in the breech area and tang of the stock have a look at her and go farther with the breech plug til that mistake is on the bottom (or at least the lower qt flat)  Then you don't have to look at that 'blemish'.

I have spent more than a few moments checking to be sure I'm placing that top flat up!   I finally landed on a simple solution magic marker marked 'T' on top flat just forward of the plug.
   

Roger,
Can't do that since I had to relieve the barrel about .020" for the front lock bolt to clear the rr groove. Plus all the Colerain stamping (deep) is on the bottom also.

I have a solution, made a Fowler wing sight like James Roger's told me about. It will work great, wanted a sight anyway but wasn't sure it would look right. Now that I know they used them in America I am going with that. I made one this afternoon but made it shorter than I should have. It fits the dovetail fine but I think it will look better longer. I just had to guess at dimensions and I didn't make it long enough to look right.
Dennis

[Dphariss]

Thanks to all of you, guess I was just frustrated with what I did, first time doing it. I think I am going to recut the dovetail a little larger to clean up the dimples then try to find a piece of the same alloy steel to make a plug. Then peen it and file it smooth. If that looks too bad (doubt it will) I will make some type of silver plate to go there.

I have some 4140 and 4150 steel, anyone know what steel Colerain is using?

Thanks, knew I would get good advice from the members!
Dennis

12L14 unless things have changed recently.

Dan

[Old Ford2]

You could put a steel piece in the dove taile cut-out with sterling silver inlay, with your initials engraved in the silver.
Even a gold insert, it won't take much gold.
Old Ford

[Birddog6]

Dennis, if you have an old breechplug or one you cut the tang off a Colerain, or a cut off piece of Colerain, Getz or Rice barrel, most likely the same steel.  Use that for the filler piece, file to fit, tap it in, peen it, draw file it, it will brown the same as the rest of the barrel.

Keith Lisle

[David R. Pennington]

I have a friend who says a good gunsmith is not a man who never makes mistakes, but a man who learns how to fix them.

[camerl2009]

Thanks to all of you, guess I was just frustrated with what I did, first time doing it. I think I am going to recut the dovetail a little larger to clean up the dimples then try to find a piece of the same alloy steel to make a plug. Then peen it and file it smooth. If that looks too bad (doubt it will) I will make some type of silver plate to go there.

I have some 4140 and 4150 steel, anyone know what steel Colerain is using?

Thanks, knew I would get good advice from the members!
Dennis

4140 is my best guess

[Waksupi]

I would make a steel filler, TIG it in, file down, and it will have disappeared.

[California Kid]

Wak welding will ruin the barrel.

[Waksupi]

Wak welding will ruin the barrel.

No it won't, that is why I specified TIG.

[California Kid]

Try it and find out. you either have to pack the bore with charcoal or purge with an inert gas to avoid scaling in the bore, not to mention warping the barrel. Its just too much heat.