Sun Shades

[kudu]

Anyone use a Shade over their sights when shootin Targets.
I shoot alot of competition Line Matches- and see a few, mostly they are takeoff, (spring tension holds them on) so you just grab them and pullem off.

alot of them look real crappy ie. plastic pipe, painted black- tin hammered into a semi circle etc. 
Id like some spring steel or something that worked but was a little better than some of the ones i see.

any ideas on what to use to make some?   

[rich pierce]

Big black spring paper clips can work. Looks nasty though.

It’s hard to roll thin spring steel and harden and temper it without a lot of warping.

[retired fella]

I use a piece of thin sheet metal bent in a rough semicircle and held on with a thick rubber band.  No, i'm not PC but it works.

[Robby]

Brass shim stock works really well, I use the .015" thick sheet.
Robby

[Sharpsman]

$#@* paper cardboard....cut in half!

[smokinbuck]

I use copper tubing that has been annealed. Cut a slot out a little smaller than your sight base and then close the slot around the sight base. This can be done with hand pressure. Stays put and can be adjusted as needed.
Mark

[Ky-Flinter]

A lot of the guys around here use pvc pipe painted black.  Ick!  I made my set out of brass sheet stock that I rolled into a tube.  It's springy enough to stay put.  I'll measure thickness and photograph tomorrow. 

-Ron

[Jerry]

I haven’t shot competition for years, but when I did, when it was needed, and when it was allowed, I used a 35mm film case with the bottom cut out and split to fit over the barrel at the front sight location.

[bgf]

$#@* paper cardboard....cut in half!

Thats whats on my table gun...for last 3-4 years.  Lined with black construction paper.  My steel shader weighed too much to make the 13# limit , and i havent gotten around to making a lighter metal one.

I think horn could work well and look classy also, if you can find the right horn.

[Don Steele]

Schedule 20 PVC. Painted flat black inside and brown on the outside so as not to offend the more sensitive eyes 'round here. 

[hanshi]

Looking for something durable to use as a shade, I went through my parts bin and found one of those front sight covers from a modern gun.  My .40 was in the cleaning/work cradle and the cover was too narrow to fit.  No worry, all I had to do was spread the springy cover just enough for a snap on fit to the sight base.  It worked fine, was easy to slide off and tall enough for a good view.  I have yet to get the rifle out for a test but I'm optimistic.

[Ky-Flinter]

Here's my shaders.  Made of .014" brass sheet, cut to size with tip snips, turned the long edges to keep them from scratching the stock, formed them around a piece of pvc tubing.  They are springy, easy to remove, but stay in place while shooting.  Weigh next to nothing.

The top one is the shader for the front sight.  Wider at the front to accommodate the barrel flare.



Edges turned.



They nest for storage.











The sights aren't lined up, but you get the idea.



-Ron

[Robby]

Yep, that's what I use Flinter. Looks like you took them out of my bag, Hah!
Robby

[Craig Wilcox]

Ky-Flinter, use some flat black lacquer for the inside of those shaders, and they will be perfect.  And thanks much for sharing, I have a couple that will need these.