Adding sight height to 1860 army

[Wolfer]

My buddy has an 1860 army that as normal shoots high. Does anyone know how the front pin is held in place.
Can I put a short piece of brazing rod in its place and file to height?

[rbertalotto]

I need to increase the height on the front sight on a pair of Pietta 1860 revolvers. The front sights on these revolvers are soldered in. i don't want to mess up the blueung so I'm going to machine a couple of sights that slip over these sights an JB Weld them on.

Going to make them out of old penny I have.

http://images16.fotki.com/v388/photos/2/36012/10360662/DSC_4204-vi.jpg

[Wolfer]

I may be off on the model number. His has the small round stud like the 51 navy.

[docone31]

I am not sure, unsoldering the front sights will trash the blueing. However, JB Weld, is not the way to go.
I sent mine out for a barrel bob, and front sight. Done and extremely clean. You will need to dovetail a front sight, groove, and put in a sight. Should not take long.
The gentleman who did mine, did it with no scratches, clean dovetail, excellent barrel cut back, new crown. He tossed in forcing cone work The revolver is a joy to fire, the sight was square and level. I am very pleased. It also shot high. He really did a great job.
Well worth it.

[docone31]

If it has a stud, it is riveted in. You can derivet, pull the stud, and make a rivet out of brass wire. That is simple.

[Hickok]

On the 1860 model, they are simply a press fit with a stake or stab type crimp close to the sight blade. You can easily drive them out from the rear of the sight. The bottom of the sight is shaped like an oval or half moon, as is the mill cut in the barrel. Use some electrical tape and wrap up several layers on the barrel around the sight so you don't slip and scratch the bluing. You can use a brass punch, but I have also used tooth brush handle that I cut and squared of for a non marring punch. Tap the site out by holding your punch at the rear of the site, parallel with barrel, and tap it out with a small hammer.

Use a brass door key to make a new front sight, they are easy to shape and work. Make the bottom of the sight a nice snug fit in the in the mill cut of the barrel, tap the new sight in with piece of hardwood and small hammer.

On the 1851, the post is simply pressed in a shallow hole in the barrel, like a screw hole without threads. Sometimes they are staked in close to the post. Many times a pair of vice grips can be locked onto the post and it can be pulled out. A nice piece of brass brazing rod can be shaped down for a new taller front sight on the 1851. Again file it down for a good tight "press fit" and drive it in.

[rbertalotto]

On the 1860 model, they are simply a press fit with a stake or stab type crimp close to the sight blade. You can easily drive them out from the rear of the sight. The bottom of the sight is shaped like an oval or half moon, as is the mill cut in the barrel. Use some electrical tape and wrap up several layers on the barrel around the sight so you don't slip and scratch the bluing. You can use a brass punch, but I have also used tooth brush handle that I cut and squared of for a non marring punch. Tap the site out by holding your punch at the rear of the site, parallel with barrel, and tap it out with a small hammer.

This is great news! I shoot Cowboy Action and I don't believe we can dovetail a front sight if it wasn't "period correct"....I'm not sure if the 1860 revolvers ever had a dovetailed front sight.

There are a couple of manufacturers that make wider sight caps for our sport. They simply JB Weld or Epoxy right over the existing sight to give the shooter a larger (wider) front sight.

[bubba.50]

i'm interested in those sights that go over the existin' sight. can you tell me what those companies are?