Author Topic: Front sight material...... (Read 9154 times)

Macon Due · « **on:** June 04, 2011, 07:13:39 PM »

Gentlemen
Perhaps one of you could be kind enough to assist me in locating a piec of copper for my front sight? On my new TVM I wish to use a copper blade front sight.Copper shows up so well in the woods or in overcast conditions and does not seem to have a downside in bright light.I used an Indian Head penny on my Shiloh Sharps but need something a bit larger for the longrifle.It needs to be about .080" thick and about 1" x 3/4". Thank you for any help.
Macon

bgf · « **Reply #1 on:** June 04, 2011, 08:50:04 PM »

Copper flashing (for roofs)? Aside from wire, I don't know what a good source of fairly pure copper would be these days. You could split some copper plumbing pipe (the smaller tubing may be more workable and purer copper), but I don't know what the actual composition is -- seems more like some type of brass. I'll throw out those ideas, but they are really just to get the ball rolling.

Ky-Flinter · « **Reply #2 on:** June 04, 2011, 09:11:47 PM »

Macon,

I was at the local coin shop recently to buy an old silver coin for an inlay and I noticed some rather large dark colored coins that I assume were copper. Might be worth a call to your local numismatist.

-Ron

Macon Due · « **Reply #3 on:** June 04, 2011, 09:37:02 PM »

bgf
Thank you Sir but the copper you mention is too thin.
KY-Flinter
I thought of coins specifically the U.S.Large cent. I have bid on several on flea bey but keep getting out bid. I wanted a really ratty one so as to not ruin a good coin but it seems that if I bid.......so does everyone else.
Thanks so far.........Macon

Bill of the 45th · « **Reply #4 on:** June 04, 2011, 11:27:33 PM »

Macon, send me a PM with your address, and I'll send you some heavy wall coper pipe, it's about as thick as a penny. I just split it, flatten, anneal and good to go. Those large penny's are getting harder to find, and more expensive. I had Ken Guy/Packdog put one in an East Tenn. he built for me. After he was done he told me he had an earlier date that was bad on one side. I would have traded in a minute had I known. I'm currently using some of this stuff for a toeplate, and cheek piece on a little .32 cal.

Bill

Macon Due · « **Reply #5 on:** June 04, 2011, 11:34:12 PM »

bill of the 45th
That is very kind of you Sir. P.M. will be enroute.
Thanks......Macon

shortbarrel · « **Reply #6 on:** June 04, 2011, 11:51:18 PM »

Malcom: find metal recycling place in your phone book, they have bins of copper. For the price of the copper, plus a little mark up, you can get enough last a lifetime.

Macon Due · « **Reply #7 on:** June 05, 2011, 12:47:08 AM »

shortbarrel
Great idea except where I live it's about 60 miles to any place like that .
But I will keep looking,Thanks......Macon

Keb · « **Reply #8 on:** June 05, 2011, 01:06:52 AM »

I have a piece of scrap copper .040" x 1 5/8" x 2 1/2" sitting here on my desk. I'd be happy to send it to you if you think it's thick enough. I was using it to make arm bands.

Macon Due · « **Reply #9 on:** June 05, 2011, 01:27:23 AM »

Keb
Thank you for the offer but I'm afraid it needs to be about .080" thick. I do appreciate the offer though.
Macon

James Rogers · « **Reply #10 on:** June 05, 2011, 01:41:18 AM »

Double it.

BJH · « **Reply #11 on:** June 05, 2011, 06:29:26 AM »

Find some one who works n electric forklifts. The contactor bars they use are 1/8 in thick and need to be changed periodocally. If not contact me. BJH

shortbarrel · « **Reply #12 on:** June 05, 2011, 10:32:24 PM »

Old cartridge fuses (220 volt) have a rectangular piece of copper on both ends. When an electrician changes out a fuse box to bring it up to code. he just throws these fuses in a box,with copper wire to go to the scrap metal dealer when he gets enough. If you know or know of a electrician he might have a few. You can go on line and find a metal supplier that deals in small amounts of metal. Done this a number of times.

Macon Due · « **Reply #13 on:** June 05, 2011, 10:57:18 PM »

shortbarrel
Good idea,I'll also check that out.
Thanks.......Macon

Bill of the 45th · « **Reply #14 on:** June 05, 2011, 11:56:01 PM »

Macon, Ill get that piece of copper out in tomorrows mail.

Bill

Macon Due · « **Reply #15 on:** June 06, 2011, 12:49:40 AM »

Bill
Thank you Sir!
Macon

Stophel · « **Reply #16 on:** June 06, 2011, 08:43:23 PM »

Why aren't you just using a penny?

Macon Due · « **Reply #17 on:** June 07, 2011, 01:45:28 AM »

Sir
A couple of reasons.......# 1 for copper content it would have to be at least a Wheat penny but Indian Head would be better.
# 2 a penny is too small for what I want unless I bought a U.S. Large Cent [which I have bid on several but keep losing out.]
Macon

Stophel · « **Reply #18 on:** June 07, 2011, 02:25:50 AM »

Pennies were 95% copper until 1982.

Please don't cut up an old Large Cent just for this!

Pound it out of an old piece of heavy copper wire or something!

FRJ · « **Reply #19 on:** June 07, 2011, 08:49:02 AM »

As I remember Australia used very large copper pennies during the second world war. My dad used to show me some he had brought back from the war. Maybe one of these would suffice. Frank

Macon Due · « **Reply #20 on:** June 07, 2011, 01:54:02 PM »

FRJ
You are correct Sir, so did Erie but my understanding was they were not pure copper....?
Thanks again......Macon

Dphariss · « **Reply #21 on:** June 07, 2011, 04:45:07 PM »

Quote from: Macon Due on June 07, 2011, 01:45:28 AM

Sir
A couple of reasons.......# 1 for copper content it would have to be at least a Wheat penny but Indian Head would be better.
# 2 a penny is too small for what I want unless I bought a U.S. Large Cent [which I have bid on several but keep losing out.]
Macon

You know you can buy copper. Its not necessary to cut up historic coins.
Search MSCdirect for 1/16 copper.
Or what ever thickness you need.
Dan

Stophel · « **Reply #22 on:** June 07, 2011, 09:42:37 PM »

Actually, I would not have considered copper to have been a good sight material.... It would get brown quickly, and be hardly any brighter a sight than iron.

jim meili · « **Reply #23 on:** June 07, 2011, 10:37:32 PM »

Chris, I have built a few guns where the guys wanted copper for front sites and you are absolutely correct. But you can rub of it with the cuff of your jacket and the it will brighten up just there on the edge. Makes it easier to see, I guess. Anyway, I used a piece of copper pipe I cut down the middle and with some help from the torch flattened it out.

Macon Due · « **Reply #24 on:** June 08, 2011, 12:16:18 AM »

Stophel
You should try it sometime it is a very good material for a front sight. It seems to glow in the woods ect and does not glare like the fakey silver ones.
As to cutting up a historic coin.......I would only consider one that was basically nothing remaining of pictures or dates on either side although on my Shiloh Sharps I used a rather nice 19th century Indian Head.
Macon

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Author Topic: Front sight material...... (Read 9154 times)

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