Front sight adhesives?

[Bruce in WV]

Is normal 2-part epoxy or JB Weld strong enough for attaching a front sight to a heavy recoiling pistol, or should I use something like Loctite 620?
I need to put a metal front sight into a milled slot on a 45 Colt that I use to shoot moderately heavy loads. The sight can't be pinned. I don't intend to remove the sight once its installed.
What kind of adhesive do I need for this metal-to-metal application, how do I prep the parts, and do I clamp the parts once I insert the base of the front sight into the slot?

 

[rugerguy]

simply put....no the recoil ,shear factor whatever the terms for "
movement" , will cause the sight to fall ( fly) off....solder or dovetail is the proper way to do the job and do it "right".......
yes, you will hear some folks say "works for me", but we've seen them all the time come in the shop ,they'd 'come apart"..........kinda like ,it stayed on for a shot or two, BUT just when is the "next time" the sight pops off, and as Uncle Murphy said, it will be the MOST 'in-oppertune' (sic) time, and Murphy was an "optimist" :roll:

 

[Bruce in WV]

Follow-up pls rugerguy: can I solder a tritium front sight? Won't the heat damage the vial?

 

[rugerguy]

most we have seen or used were either swaged in ( staked) or a dovetail, me and solder do NOT get along..... :roll: :wink:

 

[Precision32]

I have a dovetailed slide and Novak sights on my 1911A1 and they have not moved at all after 1,000s of rounds.

 

[daveg.inkc]

loctite 620 is permanent heat will break it loose. But I dont think it would hold. There is a solder that melts 400 degrees. TV solder. I use it for wires, electrical ends, with a low mapp gas even used a bic lighter

 

[daveg.inkc]

clean with emory cloth, flux the parts keep heat on under side

 

[Bruce in WV]

Thanks everyone.

 

[Hondo44]

Bruce, tell us more about what the sight is like, why can't be pinned? Has the original sight and base been removed?

 

[Bruce in WV]

I need to install high visibility sights on my 45 Colt Redhawk in order to continue to shoot (I'm 70, with the usual eyesight limitations going with age).

There is a pinned fiberoptic front sight on it now that is OK, but I'd like to upgrade to tritium on both front and back for lower light situations.

The rear sight exchange is a Meprolight "drop in" that fits great:

The companion piece front sight uses the Super Redhawk/GP100 push button base. There isn't enough "meat" in the bottom "tab" to go down far enough to be engaged by the pin. If I wish to use this sight, I need to glue it in. It can't be soldered because the tritium vial can't take the heat.
It is the only high visibility sight (other than the fiber optic) that is tall enough for the geometry of the situation.
The shape of the tab on the bottom on the Meprolight SRH front sight is irregular and should give an adhesive plenty of purchase. The half-moon slot for the pinned sight needs to be roughed up, and have a few invisible nooks and crannies added inside the slot with a Dremel to give the adhesive additional purchase, but I think it should be OK.

 

[NikA]

I'd be concerned about appearances because there will be gaps underneath the sight due to the flats that are intended to fit into Ruger's quick change dovetail. Maybe some modification is in order? If you cut those pieces down/off, you might be able to extend the amount the base fits into the half-moon slot.

Another option to consider: if you don't have much work into modifying this particular gun, the newer 4" Redhawks have the plunger-style front sights. You could probably sell yours for pretty close to the price of a new one and the difference might be less than the loss on permanently modifying the gun in the way you suggest.

 

[rugerguy]

seeing now what you are trying to fit onto, is totally off from what we were even thinking or talking about ,mainly soldered or screwed on Blackhawk sights, , the one you picture is for a GP100 or the Super Redhawk, wrong application, contact Meprosight and explain to them just what gun YOU have, and as for how "high" (tall) it is or will end up at, there are other ways to mount, just gotta 'see' just what is all there and "how to".......
"dots be dots" and for many eyes, bright colored ramps work as well or even better, too many folks have issues lining up "rows of dots" ,especially in a fast , defensive environment...just MY .02 cents, I am at the point in life, we shoot with BOTH eyes open :roll:

 

[Thel]

Even if you could get the sight to fit I wonder if it would work. The newer 4" bbl models have a raised platform where the sight mounts above the rib. See the pictures below from Rugers site:

http://www.ruger-firearms.com/products/redhawk/models.html

Bowen on the older models without the Ruger interchangeable sight seems to use Weigand bases on the front. Whether a tritium insert to work with Mepro is available would be the question although there is a concern that does custom tritium sights. Many of Bowen's conversions appear to use the XS tritium sight setup.

 

[Bruce in WV]

I taped the front sight in place with Gorilla tape and took it to the range this morning. Normal rear sight adjustments put the gun dead on with 250grs LSWC/8gr Unique load at 25 yards. We're good to go in that regard.

 

[Bruce in WV]

I did the job last night using Loctite Professional HD Epoxy. Carefully followed directions to rough up the surfaces, degrease the parts, and clamp it during setup. Trimmed off the excess and left it to cure overnight. I'll drill and set the pin as extra shear insurance and take it to the range next weekend for durability testing with slightly heavier loads (9grs of Titegroup/250gr LSWC).
I think it looks good, too. Pictures later tonight.

ETA pics:

 

[Hondo44]

Bravo, good job!

 

[Jimbo357mag]

Looks good. You don't have anything to loose.

As flat as that is, if the glue doesn't hold you might consider drilling and tapping into the top strap as it is very thick.

 

[rugerguy]

agreed, nothing ventured, nothing gained, sounds like a plan.......... :wink:

 

[Bruce in WV]

Range report from today after drilling through the cured glue and installing the pin - 18rds of 270gr Thunderhead/9gr Titegroup and 50 rds of 250gr LSWC/8gr Unique - front sight solid. Its good to go.