Need help? Ideas? Front sight on a roller carbine.

[Remmy4477]

Well took my little 44-40 RB carbine out to the range today.

They had 100 yards with a camera to see your hits and just binoculars for the 50 yard target.

I ran three rounds at the 100 yard, did not hit paper so no idea as to where my hits were on the birm, not a dirt birm so no dust. The RSO watched two rounds and could not tell if I was low or high?

Switched to the 50 yard target. I know I need to aim low at 10-15 yards so started out aiming at the bottom of the target and was two high. So I aimed at the stand marker A just below the target, maybe a foot between the two according to the RSO. I aimed just right at the left top corner of there A and started hitting paper, not a group to write home about but not used to the rifle or load I was using. Loads a 220 grn 43-215C, .429, 36 grns Goex, seems to shoot good if I do my part considering where my sight are.

So currently not really wanting to add a tang sight as my goal is to keep it close to original looking as I can for now. My eyes are still good with open sights.

I need to raise the front sight, how much? No idea, quite a bit from what I can tell. No access to a welder to weld up the sight to raise it. So thinking maybe a rocky mountain style front sight, something I can file down if need be? Would like to zero the sights at 100 yards.

So any ideas on a replacement front sight? Best I can tell the front sight dovetail is around .345

Not real savvy when dealing with sights!

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[TNsailorman]

Why not just braze a piece of steel onto the top of the original sight and then file down as needed. That way you can keep the original sight and it looks. If you are wanting to keep the original front sight so you can put it back on at some point in the future to maintain the originality of the rifle, then by all means, buy the replacement front sight and file it down at the range you want it. I just replaced the front sight on my Marlin 336 some time ago with a Skinner front sight and am going thru the shoot, file, shoot file until I get it where I want at the yardage I want. my way anyway, james

[Rockindaddy]

Do you have a buddy with a horizontal milling machine or a Bridgeport vertical mill? Have a 1/16" slot cut through your front sight. Get a piece of brass or an old door key and slide file it to .062" in thickness. Hacksaw and finish file the blade to .600" or 5/8" in height. Cross drill a 3/32" hole through the base and new blade. Shoot your carbine and file the height of the new blade till you get center hits at 100yards. Numrich in West Hurley has several replacement front sights if you do not want to slot your original front sight. Also Track of the Wolf has an assortment of steel base/brass blade front sights. Knock your front sight out and measure the widest dimension of the dovetail and include that with your inquiry. Winchester called that style of front sight a Rocky Mountain sight.

[uscra112]

There are sights on evilBay and Gunbroker that could be modified easily enough. How did you get that figure of .345" ? Did you take the sight out to measure? An awful lot of Stevens sights were nominally 3/8". Buy one and file the bottom until it fits your dovetail.

[Remmy4477]

There are sights on evilBay and Gunbroker that could be modified easily enough. How did you get that figure of .345" ? Did you take the sight out to measure? An awful lot of Stevens sights were nominally 3/8". Buy one and file the bottom until it fits your dovetail.

Measured at the outer edge of the sight. Once off It actually measures .350

[koger]

I probably have one or two that would work, how high is the front sight from the bottom to the top.

[Remmy4477]

Dug through my parts bin and found this marbles sight. Had to file some off the bottom to get it to fit.
The original sight is .390 from the dovetail to the point. The marbles is .500, (might be too much?) going to be a starting point and see how it fairs. If close I'll see if a friend of mine can add a piece of steel to the original sight and I'll file it down till on at 100 yards.

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[Remmy4477]

I probably have one or two that would work, how high is the front sight from the bottom to the top.

.390 bottom of dovetail to tip.

[country gent]

Error X sight radius / range in inches will get you very close.

A trick Ive done is build the sight up with JB weld epoxy to see where you need to be for sure.
A couple small pieces of flat stock. coat these with several coats of release agent and clamp to sides of front sight.
seal front and back with tape or clay.
Mix JBweld and if you have it add black dye. fill gap between plates extra full
Let cure
file in to desired shape and test.
You can ussually see the seam from original sight to the JB so judging Height isnt hard.

[M-Tecs]

It's simple trig but lots of calculator sites are available with no math required.

https://www.brownells.com/the-trigger-times/tips--tricks/tech-tips/tech-tip-sight-height-calculators/

https://www.dillonprecision.com/sight-correction-calculator.html

https://dawsonprecision.com/sight-calculator/

https://homesteadparts.com/shop/a-free-download-calculating-rear-and-front-sight-heights-p-4129.html

[Remmy4477]

It's simple trig but lots of calculator sites are available with no math required.

https://www.brownells.com/the-trigger-times/tips--tricks/tech-tips/tech-tip-sight-height-calculators/

https://www.dillonprecision.com/sight-correction-calculator.html

https://dawsonprecision.com/sight-calculator/

https://homesteadparts.com/shop/a-free-download-calculating-rear-and-front-sight-heights-p-4129.html


Thank you! The brownels, shows a front sight height of .578

[Remmy4477]

Error X sight radius / range in inches will get you very close.

A trick Ive done is build the sight up with JB weld epoxy to see where you need to be for sure.
A couple small pieces of flat stock. coat these with several coats of release agent and clamp to sides of front sight.
seal front and back with tape or clay.
Mix JBweld and if you have it add black dye. fill gap between plates extra full
Let cure
file in to desired shape and test.
You can ussually see the seam from original sight to the JB so judging Height isnt hard.

Sounds like a good idea! Least then I'd know what height I'd need.

[uscra112]

Error X sight radius / range in inches will get you very close.

A trick Ive done is build the sight up with JB weld epoxy to see where you need to be for sure.
A couple small pieces of flat stock. coat these with several coats of release agent and clamp to sides of front sight.
seal front and back with tape or clay.
Mix JBweld and if you have it add black dye. fill gap between plates extra full
Let cure
file in to desired shape and test.
You can ussually see the seam from original sight to the JB so judging Height isnt hard.

Wouldn't simple masking tape make a good-enough form?

[country gent]

Some front sights dont have enough area for tapes to work good. clay can be used all around but is a paint to form out so you get a good flat side and square front and back

[marlinman93]

A simple trick I use is to take some duct tape and cut a strip the size of the front sight. Then fold the tape over double, stopping at the ends. Slip it over the front sight and stick the two ends to each side of the sight. You can make the height whatever you want now with a pair of scissors.
Take it to the range and begin trimming the height down with scissors until it hits dead center. This will give you the exact overall height so you can buy a sight at that height, or slightly taller to file down.