Front sight installation

[gaucho1]

When a barrel without a rib is shortened and the front
sight is installed, what is the proper prep and fastening
method?

I am thinking about half moon style front sights.

Thank You

John

 

[chief38]

They are usually silver soldered on to the shortened barrel before it is re blued.

 

[gaucho1]

Seems like it needs a groove to set in.
I am thinking of just a blade with no base like an early Colt.

 

[john traveler]

That's correct, Gaucho.

A blade front sight needs all the surface area you can give it for proper strength for the silver solder to hold. A ramped base is preferred, but if you want to avoid that, a milled groove closely fit to the blade base is acceptable.

One option is to saw and file off the old front sight to form a base for the blade, and closely fit it to a filed flat on the new muzzle. That greatly increases the surface area for bonding, and silver solder will hold fine. The downside of course, is the solder line will be very visible after bluing, but will be invisible if the finish is plating.

 

[gaucho1]

Thank you for the replies. I am going to cut then see what I can make
with the front sight still connected to the cut off.

The temperature of silver soldering has raised some flags.

 

[john traveler]

No worry about the temperature of silver soldering a front sight on. At the muzzle of a revolver barrel, silver soldering does not reduce it's strength significantly.

You can use Brownell's low temperature fusion silver solder, specifically for gunsmithing work. It melts readily using a propane torch.

Some silver soldering technique applies here:
1. clean the contact surfaces down to bare metal.
No bluing, rust, scale, or plating.
2. Apply flux the solder if in a strip or sheet.
3. Use a point-contact clamp or twisted iron wire to hold sight in position.
4. Apply heat quickly and directly. Touch joint with solder and it will be wicked in as the solder melts. Let cool.
5. Clean joint and remove flux and oxide. Apply finish as desired.