Front sight dovetail

[satwel]

I have a Colerain B weight .50 cal barrel. What is a safe depth for the front sight dovetail, please?

Thank you.

[wmrike]

B-weights have a lot of flare.  The groove-to-flat dimension is on the order of 0.20 in.  It's hard to imagine a sight base requiring anything close to 0.10 in., so I would say there's more than enought material there and base depth should not be an issure.

[Lucky R A]

File the base of your sight down to .062 or buy them with that thickness base.  The originals did not use the .080-.090 bases commonly offered, but more on the order of .062.  Track supplies at least one with a .062 base.  With a base of that thickness you never have to worry about the depth of your dovetail.  The front sight on most longrifles was positioned about 2" back from the muzzle.  Too close to the muzzle and the gun looks stubby....

[Don Getz]

Lately I have been using Reaves Goehrings cast sights.   They require a little more filing than most, but you can turn them
into a real neat, low sight.    You will end up with about a .050 deep dovetail.   On the other hand, to answer your question, most of the  sights commonly sold....brass or steel base with a silver or brass blade, have a base about .090 -
.100 thick.  It should not create a problem on the barrel to inlet those sights that deep, after all, by the time the ball gets
out to the muzzle, your pressures have dropped off drastically.    Like so many things, common sense has to prevail at
times.   Buy a caliper and do some measuring before you cut...............Don

[satwel]

Lucky R A and Don: You are spot on. The sight from TOTW had a base of .090 when I received it. I've filed it down to .060 and I wasn't sure if I needed to go any thinner.

My thanks to all who replied and thanks to everyone else who makes this board such a valuable resource through the sharing of their expertise.