Most visible front sight.

[Scoper05]

I want to get some new sights for my Southern Poor Boy rifle. But I was wondering what people's opinions are on which front sights are more visible. Silver, steal, or brass.

[smylee grouch]

A lot of the times the visibility of the sight has more to do with the conditions or enviroment your in and the target your aiming at than the sight blade it self.

[Dave R]

I prefer an old solid pre 1964 quarter with approx
30 degree angle toward the shooter to catch light!
Kind of a H House thing! I can email or text you pictures ect  if you get me your email or
Text you pictures ect.

[Scoper05]

Thanks but I've actually seen pictures of the quarter before. It's a neat idea.

[Pukka Bundook]

Silver for all around use, and if lights wrong it can be blacked.    (my opinion only)  :-)

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Pukka B hit it on the head.  Pure silver blade of a thickness that is easy to see...thicker for very long barrels and thinner for short ones.  I undercut the back of the blade so it is in shadow, ie:  black against target, and file a 45 deg. forward bevel on the tip to catch light.  The bevel is the same length as the blade is thick so the bevel is square --  appears round to the eye in the otch of the rear sight.
Rear sight:  make the notch big enough so you can see your front sight clearly in it.

[Ghillie]

I formerly believed a silver sight was best till I tried one made of copper.  I'll never go back to silver.  The copper gives of a glow in dim light that silver can't make.  It also mutes super bright light in full sun.  I first tried one about 8 years ago on my '74 Sharps after years of resistance.  Since then I've installed them on the flintlocks I've built.  First year I took a nice deer at about 7:15 am on a cloudy day in woods with the leaves still on.  Worked great there and since.  Give it a try, I think you will like it.

[Scoper05]

Lots of good information thanks guys.

[hanshi]

I've had sights of silver, steel and brass.  I paint mine, white paint usually or flat black as the situation demands.

[Turtle]

 I use a thick silver sight filed at a 45deg angle. I cut a vertical groove in the center and fill it with black nail polish. This gives 2 silver strips with a black strip in the middle.  it works in dim light and sunlight. Where do you get a copper front sight? I never tried one.

[Ghillie]

A copper sight blade can be made from a real copper penny or a piece of copper pipe.  You just fit the blade like you would a silver on into a sight base.  I normally soft solder it in the base groove.  Really pretty simple.  You have to make your own as no one offers a premade one.

[David R. Pennington]

Makes no matter much any more. Some days, I can't see the front sight no matter what it is made of, I just try to remember where it is.

[hanshi]

Makes no matter much any more. Some days, I can't see the front sight no matter what it is made of, I just try to remember where it is.

I've been trying to figger out hows to mount a small lightbulb as the front sight.

[stubshaft]

I prefer a steel front sight.  Silver and brass have too much "glint" when shooting in bright light for me.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

 Silver and brass have too much "glint" when shooting in bright light for me.

I carry a dry erase marker in my bag for those shots in bright sunlight where you need a dulled down front sight.

[xx54]

MY 54 FLINTLOCK HUNTING RIFLE HAS FIBER OPTIC FRONT SIGHT THAT WORKS FOR ME.

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Congratulations...not for this child.

[redheart]

I walked up on a conversation between two friends where one was showing the other what he'd done to the front sight on his flintlock rifle.
What he had done was inlet a piece of light colored horn on the sight. I held it in many different positions in the brightest sun to the darkest forested shade and was astounded at how it showed up clearly without glare in all conditions. If you are looking for the best sight ever, to be made of primitive materials I believe that this is it.

[Scoper05]

Wow, now that's freaking awesome. I'll have to look into something like that

[Turtle]

 There used to be a sight you could buy that was steel with a white plastic strip in the middle. I don't remember where I got them?

[redheart]

There used to be a sight you could buy that was steel with a white plastic strip in the middle. I don't remember where I got them?

Plastic!!!!!!!!
What's plastic??
 

[Turtle]

 well maybe it was horn, but I doubt it.

[Elnathan]

Bone is another possibility. I haven't tried it, so I can't say if it is a good option or not, though.

[Martin S.]

I have a Chris Hirsch rifle that has a small piece of gold attached to the front sight.

It works good for me.

Of course in 1983, gold was a lot cheaper.

I am not sure if he still does that on his rifles.

Perhaps he will respond.

[thecapgunkid]

Slap my face and call me revisionist, but I make a dovetailed base and drill press a hole for an 8X32 thread.  I put a slight countersink in the bottom and screw an 8X32 bolt in tight.  Cut it flush on the bottom and solder the countersink.  Then I cut the top down to about a quarter inch and mount it on the gun.

If that don't turn your stomach, then I take a hack saw blade to the notch on the rear sight.  It'll position  well when I put it atop the barrel and slide it back and forth when sighting.  One mounted, the bolt will fill the notch completely.

I was thinking of a drone to designate targets, but lost my nerve because that idea wouldn't even stand up to the lowly..." If they'd had it, they'd used it"...diatribe

Can't find this type of stud anywhere but I can hit stuff on the trail.

One more time if you have not heard it from me...There's a reason riflemakers make rifles and shoemakers make shoes...

Don't shoot yore eye out, kid
Capgun.  AKA The Still River Cordwainer