Hand-cutting a dovetail front sight for a Remington New Army revolver

M

maillemaker

New member
Tonight I attempted hand-filing a dovetail slot for a new front sight for my Pietta Remington New Army revolver. It turned out fairly well. The sight climbed a bit in the front of the slot, raising some metal of the front of the undercut, and you can see a bit of daylight under the sight base. But I drilled a pocket and filled it full of solder in the bottom of the sight base, so when I get it in position I will heat it until the solder flows, and that should lock it in place.

I wrote up an article of how I did it, with pictures.

http://4thla.weebly.com/replace-the-front-sight-on-a-remington-new-army-revolver.html

Steve
 
The benefit of having a dovetail front sight is the ability to adjust it for accuracy. If you solder it, you lose that. :confused:
 
Thanks for the post/link. Im planing on shortening one of my 58s and your post was helpful as that's my plan for the front sight.
 
Very interesting post, and good presentation. Very informative...
It's posts like this that really make the forums worthwhile. Thanks much...
 
The benefit of having a dovetail front sight is the ability to adjust it for accuracy. If you solder it, you lose that.
Click to expand...

You solder it after you have adjusted it for accuracy. The hidden bead of solder in the base of the sight allows you to adjust the site to point of aim, then you heat the blade with a torch until the solder flows and sets. This (semi)permanently fixes the sight.

In the N-SSA, sights must be permanently affixed.

Steve
 
Good post! Great photos!

If there is one chore I hated when building rifles, it was hand filing dovetails! I have a feeling you are really going to like that sight on your Remmie. I'm giving some thought to doing the same on mine . . . but I'm going to cheat. I'm going to take it to a LGS where they have a good machinist who can slap it in the mill and do it quickly. :)

Once you get that adjusted and soldered, you're set!
 
Well done.
I recently had to hand file a dovetail for my Pietta New Army's loading lever latch, after the soldered Pietta latch failed. (I replaced it with a Uberti dovetailed latch). It's a satisfying task to finish.
 
I knocked the sight back out, and re-filed the flat of the slot a little better, so it now fits a bit better.

I think I'm going to knock it out again, and re-tin the bottom of the sight with more tin, and file it off less agressively, improving the fit and filling what remains of the gap with solder. Then when I heat it to set it it will have even more solder to work with.

Steve
 
That is some great hand work. I am skilled using my hands and really appreciate this post and the attached photos. Best wishes
 
Thanks, that is a great link. I once hand drilled and tapped an old and very nice Mauser action, for scope mounts. Everything worked out alright, but I feel as though I might have just got by i.e. zero "slop room". Kind of nerve wracking. I love jigs.
 
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