Installing front sight

[Michigan Flinter]

On my current build I want to use a piece of silver for the front sight BUT don't want to use a base and dovetail it into the barrel  just make a slot and tap it into place.  What is the best method to make the slot and install the sight? Thanks for your help.  Eric D. Lau  Riverdale Mi.

[flintriflesmith]

Cut a slot in the barrel using the same small chisel you would use for slotting a trigger plate or barrel loop. Pick a chisel that is the same width as the thickness of the silver you plan to use. Mine is the same graver I use for cutting a bright cut border in engraving and is sharpened almost like a cold chisel but with the bottom side slightly curved.

Cut the groove in the barrel about a 1/16" deep --removing the steel except at the extreme ends where the chisel is allowed to swage up a curl. If you were to section the slot at this point it would actually look like a dovetail slot with the ends about 1/16th beyond the rolled up curl.

Cut out the silver with a slight concave arch to the bottom. Adjust the length until it just drops in the slot. When it bottoms out, tapping it lightly in the middle will bend (straighten) out the arch and extend the silver under the overhanging steel. Use a polished rectangular punch to set the steel down against the silver and also tap it along the sides of the sight so the slight bit of echo turned up by the graver is pressed down and helps trap the silver.

This method of installing front sight was very popular in some schools of riflemaking in VA.

Gary

[Acer Saccharum]

Use a narrow cold chisel, same width as the blade. Cut a mortice in the steel, and make your front sight with a tenon that just fits.
Set the sight in, and stake the barrel metal on either side of the sight with a polished punch.

If you have a really thin barrel, I would not use this method.

[smylee grouch]

I have instaled one like the other replys have done but i tinned the slot with low temp silver solder and sweated the blade in after i had staked it, then cleaned up excess solder. I think some will say overkill but it worked out and never has come loose.    Gary

[Dave B]

Here is one I just did on an Oct-rd .62 smoothy. The solder is a silver bearing type using a liquid flux.

[Dennis Glazener]

Man this is great, I am ready to put a sight on my .63 Oct/round smoothbore and wanted to use silver. You all have given me the how-to but no none mentioned what they made the sight out of. I have some old silver coins and had thought about using one of them. A quarter is what I had in mine since a silver dollar is way more than I need and probably worth quite a bit more than the quarter. Is coin silver good for a front sight or should I try to find something else?
Dennis

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

I like using pure silver.  It takes a polish like there's no tomorrow, and a wipe with my thumb brings back that shine when I need it in poor light.

[Michigan Flinter]

Thanks everyone for your help . I appreciate it.  Eric D. Lau  Riverdale Mi.

[Dave B]

What you see in my posting there is fine silver 99.9%, I have heard of others using coin sliver which is harder. I think it is essentially sterling silver correct me if I am wrong. I bought my fine silver from my local Jewelry findings supply.

[mjm46@bellsouth.net]

What you see in my posting there is fine silver 99.9%, I have heard of others using coin sliver which is harder. I think it is essentially sterling silver correct me if I am wrong. I bought my fine silver from my local Jewelry findings supply.

Sterling silver is .925  Fine silver is .999 
Sterling is a little bit harder than fine silver.