Adding Height to Front Sight with Solder??

[tek4260]

I have changed several sights on my Rugers due to them being too short and from barrel shortening. I have soldered them on as well as attaching the sights with a screw Single Six style. My latest 45 is too short, no surprise there. Dad got a Super a while back that had a fiber optic sight that he hated, so I cut the fiber off and pinned the sight, then shaped and painted JB.

How hard would it be to do the same and replace the JB with solder, while it is mounted on the revolver. Also, the area will be much less as I will be adding to the flat and that is less than 1/4" long. Actually the end product will kind of resemble a TLA style sight.

So how hard would it be to "glob" lower temp silver solder up there over the pins I will install and then file it down to something resembling a sight? Any suggestions on how to get the solder to stick and then stay so I can build it up?

To end up with something like this quick and dirty photoshop

 

[flatgate]

I think the absolute best sight solution is marketed by the amazing Hamilton Bowen.

He makes a sight blade that has a "half round" front of it's "foot". Huh?

OK, mill off old sight flush with the sight base. Plunge cut a 1/8" wide slot the length of Bowen's sight blade's "foot". Install sight blade, clamp and drill for a retaining pin.

File sight to suite your needs.

Here's Bowen's description.......

P401-Pin-in Front Sight Blank - $ 14.95
An invaluable part for situations where the original front sight cannot be readily removed and is too short, of the wrong shape, height or material. The old blade is simply milled away, a pocket machined in the existing base and the new blade pinned in with a roll pin. The installation is flexible, simple and extremely tough and is suited to a wide variety of both single and double-action revolvers. Bear in mind, however, that roll-pin blade retention is not a substitute for a proper interchangeable-blade system which should be engineered around screws or the S&W DX-type set-up. Repeated removal and re-installation can wear the pin holes in the base and blade which can lead to a loose fit. Plenty tall for regulation with heavy-bullet hunting ammunition. Made from low-carbon steel for ease of shaping, serrating and bluing. Installation by a skilled gunsmith required.

JMHO,

flatgate

 

[tek4260]

I managed to fix it with some 1/8" key stock silver soldered to the top of the sight. A bit more shaping, sight in, then cold blue should have it fixed. The KISS principle applies here. Spend $10 and order a .595 sight from Brownells. Too much sugar for a dime for me.