Pietta 1851 Colt front sight.

[T-Bird]

I recently acquired an 1851 .44 the previous owner had never even shot. It shoots high with RB like most do, but high enough that it makes hitting a can at 15 yds hard. I have to aim at the dirt in front of the can to hit it. Can that little button sight be replaced with something taller? Anyone ever do that? It seems to shoot well otherwise.

[jaegerstutzen]

S&S sells a higher front site blade with a rounded top, but you need to have a dovetail cut. Once you have your load you file it down to the height you need and the shape you want. You can adjust for windage. Had it done to a .36 Remington but sold it before I ever shot it. On my Rogers and Spencer I unscrewed the cone and screwed in a hardware store screw, Filed the threads off, and bent it for windage. Any mistake in elevation will also cause a mistake in windage. Won a few NSSA medals with it in the day but now can hardly see it. Fixin to get a dovetailed site put on that but it is waiting in line behind other projects. Jaeger

[T-Bird]

Thanks Jaeger. That sight unscrews?

[jaegerstutzen]

T-bird, I had a brass cone on my R&S and it did. I can not vouch for yours. Hopefully some one else will chime in. Jaeger.

[Mr. Crumbly]

On the Pietta, and I think all 51's for that matter, the sight will be press fit into the flat of the barrel. So you will most likely have to cut a dovetail and insert a taller blade. Dovetails look easy but can be tricky to cut and make them exact, unless you have the right equipment. Depending on how much you love the gun, a gunsmith would be the way to go.

[T-Bird]

I DON'T have the right equipment thank's for the info

[bedbugbilly]

If it is just press fitted in - pull it and make a higher sight out of a piece of brass brazing rod - chuck it in the drill press or a hand drill and polish the base until it fits into the old sight hole - then you can just carefully solder it in place or even epoxy it in place - work your load up and keep filing the new sight until it his POI/POA. Most '51 Navies that I have owned have had a pressed in pin sight up front. I have replaced the original front sight on most of then using the above method. Same as some of the others like the Pietta Spiller 7 Burr. If you can't find short piece of brazing rod - check the hobby shops - most will carry various pieces of brass, rod, etc.

[Hellgate]

268543
I've had a plethoria of Navies. Here's what I have done on different guns:
--Ground the rear notch a little wider and deeper with a Dremel cutting disc. Makes a better sight picture.
--Ground the tip of the hammer off in order to "lower" the rear sight and then Dremeled the notch deeper & wider. Be careful that you don't grind off too much or the barrel will block the front sight. You can sight down the barrel and see what kind of clearance you have to start with. Some guns don't have any. A longer or shorter trigger may raise or lower the arc of the hammer and thus change the heighth of the hammer but I have not intentionally done that but noticed more hammer above the barrel line after swapping out a trigger for a shorter one.
--Filed off the front sight (or lifted it out of the hole) and epoxied a cut off #4X3/4" brass flat head wood screw (upside down). This fix made a nice tall bead/post that a little cold bluing "ages" it nicely and it looks good if you don't goop too much epoxy onto the barrel. Cut, size, & shape the "bead" before you glue it on. See attached pic

[T-Bird]

Thanks guys

[FLINTNFIRE]

Dovetails are not that hard , do not be afraid to cut one mark it slightly undersize and cut short of depth with a hack saw and use a triangle file that has been safe sided , you can look up sticky on this site or look for muzzle loader building info , get sight you want or make your own and cut and file to a tight fit and tap new sight in and you can use a punch to set it or to tighten dovetail if it is loose , if you keep it tight you should not have to punch it . Good luck and as always go slow and cut and check easier to take off to much harder to fill in .

[LIMPINGJ]

By KSCO, http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?33233-Cutting-Dovetails-by-KSCO

[pakmc]

I had the same gun for about a year. Same problem! I finally put it on paper and it shot 3 inches high at 10 yards. I never was able to find someone to change the sight. (I don't have the machinery to do something like that.) I shoot steel plates at mostly 10 yards. my 1860(in .44 )and my 1861(in 36cal.) both shoot to point of aim at 10 yards and it seems the same at 20 yards. I shoot a lot of fffg. but both of them like ffg and they both like 777. I use the same tube for black powder and 777. the 777 seven makes the .44 like a .44 mag.
I also had a Spiller and burr in .36 cal. I finally put it on paper and it shot 9 inches high at 10 yards.(steel plates)and no, I didn't even try it at 20 yards. I sold the 51 and S&B, and keep the 60 and 61. and yes, I have a problem with spent caps falling into my shooting hand(just like every one else)

[10-x]

Knew guys to cut a copper penny in half , remove front sight and have it silvered soldered on. Easy to file it down.

[pietro]

I DON'T have the right equipment thank's for the info


Sure you do, or should.... KASCO's sticky has the how-to: http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?33233-Cutting-Dovetails-by-KSCO

You will need:

A rule:

https://cdn.mscdirect.com/global/images/ProductImages/8642169-23.jpg
A hacksaw:

https://shop.harborfreight.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/i/m/image_22937.jpg
A triangle file with 45-degree sides, one side made safe:

https://www.harttools.com.au/media/catalog/product/cache/be65bccf7ff6fb3aa88c6e5b2f22b344/h/a/hart_-_triangle_profile.png

[Good Cheer]

Thought that old revolvers with a half dime up front looked sharp.

[Good Cheer]

Uh, that reminds me... there's a Pietta .36 caliber 1858 winter project; front sight fell off.