Front sight brass

[OLDSPARKY]

Going to make a front sight fo my build and have to order some brass sheet ,looks like I need 12 ga, What grade do i need to get ? found some h62 Thanks

[rich pierce]

I can send you scraps big enough to make one if you’re going to make the base and blade separately. Let me know the thickness.

[Daryl]

Bead or blade?

[OLDSPARKY]

Making the front blade, Rich that would be great, I was thinking around .080 , is that about right for a Lancaster I'm a senior and don't wear glasses but my eyes are not as good as they once were  Nice sights you have there Dayrl Thanks

[Daryl]

Blade thickeness, or bead diameter also depends on barrel length, ie: distance from your eye to the front blade or bead.
The shorter the barrel, the thinner it can, or visa-vis. Depends on what is needed for visibility. The top- rear corner, if cut
at a 45 degree angle & polished, will give a bright spot for aiming in the dark bush or on dark targets. Out in the open sun,
a swipe with a dry erase marking pen will make a dull black sight, not shiny at all. A simply wipe with the thumb of finger
will wipe off the dull black and leave your front sight shiny again.

[smylee grouch]

Go to your junk drawer, you might have an old brass key laying around. 

[WalnutRed]

Go to your junk drawer, you might have an old brass key laying around. 

GREAT suggestion!

[smylee grouch]

I have made lock bolt inlays out of old keys as well and barrel pin inlays

[OLDSPARKY]

Thanks looking for a key now

[Habu]

If you are organized and don't have any spares, any place that makes keys will have rejects.

[OLDSPARKY]

Thanks to all

[recurve]

I have small brass nails with round heads (found in hardware stores) would be easy to add to your sight   by soldering

[smylee grouch]

When using brass keys for front sights I found them too thin for my old eyes so I used two and silver soldered them together, giving me a sliver of silver in the middle of the sight when finished 

[Chris in SE PA]

Daryl, those are some really nice express sights. Did you make those?

[OLDSPARKY]

When using brass keys for front sights I found them too thin for my old eyes so I used two and silver soldered them together, giving me a sliver of silver in the middle of the sight when finished 

Grouch I like that idea !

[J.D.]

When using brass keys for front sights I found them too thin for my old eyes so I used two and silver soldered them together, giving me a sliver of silver in the middle of the sight when finished 

Scrap Brass sheet can be folded and soldered to get the same effect, though a medium to high temp silver solder needs to be used to solder the sight blade together, and a low temp solder used to solder the blade to the base.

[bluenoser]

Why do you think silver solder is required to solder the sight blade together?  The joint should be under zero stress.  In comparison, the sight to base joint has much less surface area and can be subjected to quite a bit of stress.

[whetrock]

Why do you think silver solder is required to solder the sight blade together?  The joint should be under zero stress.  In comparison, the sight to base joint has much less surface area and can be subjected to quite a bit of stress.

I think he's just talking about the different melt temps. He doesn't want the fold to come loose while he is soldering the base.

[bluenoser]

Good point.  I would be more inclined to clamp the sight, which would also act as a heat sink, while soldering the base.  Just different ways to skin that cat.