A little help identification

A casual collector of vintage pocket knives and lighters picked up what I thought was an odd lighter today, bonus is that it is gun related. Well, much to my surprise when I got back to the shack and looked through my yardsale loot it is not a lighter at all. Rather a Carbide Site Blackener. My goodness, in my limited shooting experience never seen quite such a varmint. The original price tag indicates that it sold for $8.50 in the day, there is no date on the packaging or instruction sheet, but the cartoon man looks maybe '60's? In the 60's that seems a notable amount for a shooting doo-dad. I searched Google, but put in Gunsmoke and you get lots of Festus. The Gun house is long gone. Any help on dating / possible value would be very much appreciated.
Attachment 255080
Attachment 255081
Attachment 255082

Might want to check this thread out. http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...e-carbide-lamp

Dang that's cool.

I use to see them in the mid 70,s being used by PPC and bullseye shooters at pistol matches. Used to darken the front sight and stop any sunlight glare on the sight.

High Power Rifle shooters use them as well. They are still available new.

I used one in 1972-78 for PPC matches and bullseye shooting.

I still "smoke" my front sights when needed. Usually with a candle but matches or even a butane lighter will work ( on metal only obviously).

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

I have several here from my days of high power shooting. They were very handy and kept glare off the front sight. The originals had a flame straight up that was lit with the sparker. some were modified with a 90* flame that the sparker lit from the side and some made a 45* nozzle that lit over the top. I preferred the 45*. A new piece of a cigarette filter under the nozzle made a good filter. A little silicone grease on the o ring helps it last longer and improves seal.
1 big or 2 smaller rocks and a few drops of water will do several rifles front sights. I bought the calcium carbide by the quart can on commercial row at Camp Perry. Champions Choice, Champions shooter supply, And OK Webers had it. I think Union carbide are the only producers of it

Neat.
Haven't seen one in years. Still remember "want a bullseye pill?". I use rolled up masking tape now.

An old hack from the '50s was to take one of the old steel 35 mm film cans (remember them? remember film?) and drill a hole for a small brass machine screw in the top. The screw would then have the smallest hole possible drilled through it to serve as the jet. The shooter would throw a few carbide rocks in and just spit into the can when ready to use it. Light it with your cigarette lighter or match (everybody smoked back then) and you're good to go. Of course the gas would run out quickly as the moisture from one spit would be consumed, then you could put it back in your box for next time.

Shooters are a resourceful lot, aren't they?

Froggie

I still have and use mine whenever I shoot with iron sights. It is the best thing around to kill the glare.

Still have mine from my Bullseye days.

Thank you gentlemen! I appreciate the information on this!

They were still being made into the 90's and early 2000's until Ray Vin came out with his version made from nylon wich never seized up from corrosion and had a little water reservoir in the bottom. Now Highpower rifle is pretty much all scopes but last I talked to Ray VIn he stated Bullseye shooters were still buying them. IDK where you would find carbide rocks for them now, IDK if CHampions still carries it, its a hazmat item to ship.

Lots of sources, do a web search for "buy calcium carbide" :)

I have one and still use mine for IHMSA , the best thing to blacken the sights with to this day. Don't use on sights with plastic parts.

An old quick (& dirty) trick is to light a cheap piece of fast food cutlery to smoke sights with.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnZcdk1oEVc

New ones available here

http://www.champchoice.com/store/Mai...ions&item=CL20


http://www.watersrifleman.com/supersmokersightsmoker/

I still used mine but it on it's last legs.