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Old 07-18-2012, 01:44 AM
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Ruger .44 carbine question - odd front sight. Ruger .44 carbine question - odd front sight. Ruger .44 carbine question - odd front sight. Ruger .44 carbine question - odd front sight. Ruger .44 carbine question - odd front sight.  
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Default Ruger .44 carbine question - odd front sight.

I just laid away a .44 carbine with a 62000 serial number, which means 1962 manufacture, I think.

Its in decent shape, and the price was right. I got it to use on javelinas. One odd thing is this front sight:



It actually looks good in person. It looks like someone installed a little steel ball in the existing sight. Has anyone seen one like it before?
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Old 07-18-2012, 03:38 AM
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It's what you do when you cannot afford the gold bead option.
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Old 07-19-2012, 01:35 AM
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I found this photo of a similar front sight on a current Gunbroker listing:




It looks like mine lost the white insert, and the steel ball was substituted.

I'm not sure if its OK to post a link to a current auction, so I won't. If you search "Ruger .44 carbine original peep and swivels" you'll see it.

So, could this be an original sight? I've seen references to early .44 carbines that came with peep receiver sights, could this be the front sight used on those guns?
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Old 07-19-2012, 03:01 PM
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Ruger .44 carbine question - odd front sight. Ruger .44 carbine question - odd front sight. Ruger .44 carbine question - odd front sight. Ruger .44 carbine question - odd front sight. Ruger .44 carbine question - odd front sight.  
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no Sir, the front sight on your gun is either a 'repair' or some psuedo custom effect, NOT a factory order/option...the white insert pictured is the one that came on the early guns.........
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Old 07-19-2012, 06:05 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dant View Post
no Sir, the front sight on your gun is either a 'repair' or some psuedo custom effect, NOT a factory order/option...the white insert pictured is the one that came on the early guns.........
Do you think it could be an early original sight that lost its insert, and then was home-repaired with the little steel ball? The gun is from 62.

If you click the Ruger ad in this article, it looks the .44 that Bill Ruger blasted the warthog with has the same half-moon type sight.

7 ‘Old School’ Deer Rifles That Can Still Bring Home the Venison

ADDED:

I may have solved my own insignificant mystery. It seems early carbines had these front sights - called "sourdough" sights. Originally the sight held a white plastic insert as shown in the other photos. Mine apparently has been modified with a steel ball.
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Old 07-20-2012, 09:56 PM
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Ruger .44 carbine question - odd front sight. Ruger .44 carbine question - odd front sight. Ruger .44 carbine question - odd front sight. Ruger .44 carbine question - odd front sight. Ruger .44 carbine question - odd front sight.  
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looks like they forced the "mouth" open a bit when whoever jammed the steel ball in there, so no going back to a factory white plastic insert even if you could find one.
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Old 07-25-2012, 01:42 AM
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Some clear epoxy, titanium dioxide, and an Exacto knife or razor, and one can be easily had.
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