General discussion > Black Powder Shooting

Open iron Sight blackening soot for SMR?

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Hunterdude:
My vision is not what it was in my youth, however I would like to retain the traditional iron sights on my new SMR squirrel rifle. I believe the long sight radius will help, but have heard guys say the glare from a coin silver or brass front sight can shift the point of impact by as much as a couple inches.(in bright sun).
    This would be for taking longer range squirrel shots.
They make a fancy little carbide sight smoker, but I want to keep things simple, thinking of just carry a small stump of a candle in my shooting bag? I will soot the sights just before a hunt, but can see how the front sight could get wiped clean during the loading/ and hunt. If I am having a good hunt it would be nice to be able to touch up the front sight. The only issue I can think of is if it is breezy it may be slightly difficult to get a candle burning out in the woods.
   Just curious if anyone uses sight blackening soot, and there favorite way to apply?

The photo is the professional carbide sight blackener, but I want to go more traditional.

Daryl:
Neet little lighter.  I use "Dry Erase" felt pens for blackening sights. The dry erase pens leave a thin, dull coating that is easily wiped off,
if needing a little shine, say in dark woods, compared to an opening where the sun is shining, then easily applied when needed. Takes up
very little "room" in the bag and easily recognized by feel. Kept capped, they last for years. A swipe of two and done.

AwwNaww:
I use the little carbide lighter and have on occasion used a paper match.

There is a spray on product in a small can but found it to clog repeatedly and drove me to the carbide solution. You do have to clean those carbide lamps out from time to time, but the soot is superior. I'm 71 and shoot oympic air pistol and have to have ink black sights.

Pukka Bundook:
If you have birch trees in your area, a piece of the paper that curls from the bark can be lit and does a great job for blacking sights.
This is traditional in Nordic lands and Finland.

Hunterdude:

--- Quote from: Pukka Bundook on April 12, 2022, 05:04:15 PM ---If you have birch trees in your area, a piece of the paper that curls from the bark can be lit and does a great job for blacking sights.we
This is traditional in Nordic lands and Finland.

--- End quote ---

I like it! Birch bark burns very readily, I prefure real soot as it is absolutely Flat black and very thin coat so the sight picture is very crisp. Also just wipes away when cleaning the rifle.

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