Changing front sight, Remington 1858

[Atlast357]

I want to mess a little with front sight on my 1858 Remington replica.
Not sure how the factory would have affixed it to the barrel.
I'm thinking that the post might be threaded rather than soldered.
Any one know for sure ? (The maker is Pietta, current manufacture.)

[telebasher]

I cut a dove tail and installed an extra thick rifle sight that I cut down to look right. I left it too tall and sighted it in with a file to get it shooting dead on @ 25 yds. Then drifted it opposite of the way the group lined up until the group was centered left and right and center punched the dovetail tight. This was on a Pietta 36 cal that came from Cabelas. My son thought that this ought to be his since I had just gotten a 45 with target sights. He still has the pistol and his almost three year old son wants to shoot the "pow pows". Can't wait till he gets a little older, he is all boy and loves anything that has to do with the outdoors.

[Atlast357]

I cut a dove tail and installed an extra thick rifle sight that I cut down to look right. I left it too tall and sighted it in with a file to get it shooting dead on @ 25 yds. Then drifted it opposite of the way the group lined up until the group was centered left and right and center punched the dovetail tight. This was on a Pietta 36 cal that came from Cabelas. My son thought that this ought to be his since I had just gotten a 45 with target sights. He still has the pistol and his almost three year old son wants to shoot the "pow pows". Can't wait till he gets a little older, he is all boy and loves anything that has to do with the outdoors.

Is your Pietta 36 a replica of 1858 Remington ?
What I want to do is, if threaded, make a blade sight, as I don't have ability to cut in a dove tail.

[telebasher]

Yes my 36 is a 1858 Remington. The original sight was threaded and screwed down tight and I twisted it off trying to remove it. But that was okay since I had seen an original '58 done this way. You can buy the sights from just about any good blackpowder wholesaler such as Dixie Gun Works, Track of The Wolf, just Google Blackpowder rifle gunmaker parts and take your choice. As far as tools are concerned a hacksaw , small triangular file , small hammer and a nail will do the job if your patient. I did mine with a dremel tool and file and small hammer and punch.

[Atlast357]

telebasher..
Got a picture of your handy work? You guys are tough there in the Country of Texas...a hammer and nail on steel ?

[telebasher]

The 36 '58 now resides in Lubbock with my son. The hammer and nail is for crimping the dovetail down tight on the sight base after sighting in. I've seen several originals done this way in museums and even one here in Perryton that a friend's Greatgrandfather carried in the Civil War. We have shot the old gun after fitting a new mainspring. It was very accurate out to 100 yds. Hitting soda cans was easily done after getting the trajectory figured out. Sadly my friend has passed on and I don't know where the old gun is now.

[Wolfer]

My 58 replica from EMF that I bought 35 years ago has a dovetailed front sight. It was too low for me so filed it flat on top and soldered on a small piece of brass. Then carefully shooting and filing I brought POA to POI.

[KCSO]

We do the dovetail conversions on the 1858's all the time. I like a big bead front sight and IIRR a 347 w is just about right for full loads.

[Gee_Wizz01]

My Rem 58 Pietta had the front sight soldered on. After several hundred rounds it fell off while shooting. Fortunately my buddy saw it come off and picked it up. I resoldered back on and it has stayed put.

G