How to: Replace the front sight on a Colt Walker
- Thread starter maillemaker
- Start date
Thanks fer posting the pics and all on the sight job........
That's a good job on the sight but......
The solder on the bottom of the sight would melt and not adhere to the barrel since the barrel wouldn't be up to heat. The solder would take up any minute space that is good but..... the solder would probably raise when heated and leave space under the sight leaving the bottom unsupported. Supported on the sides but not the bottom. The sight should have been pressed downward when the solder melted.
I'd recommend using a staking tool(have to make one from a small chisel or whatever. Thin and hard to lay along the side of the sight and peen slightly to push the metal of the barrel closer/tighter to the sight on each side. Clamp the sight in such a way as to hold it straight upright so when staking one side that doesn't move the sight leaned over towards the other side.
I'm just making a recommendation and not condeming the way the job was done at all really. If the sight stays in then it stays in and that makes things right. It's stayed in so far right? That's good.
If it ever comes loose then try my suggestions. It may stay in ferever and never need any more thunkin done about it though the way it is.
I have a taller sight on my Walker just about the same as inthe article. It had a little solder onit but the barrel was heated with the sight. Notch in the barrel was "tinned" with solder and also the bottomon the sight was "tinned". Tinned means solder adhered to the part.
In that case on my sight the solder was adhered to the bottom of the notch and when the barrel was heated and blade solder melted with the blade pushed down as the solder melted the solder in the bottom of the hole was melted also to join with the solder onthe sight. The sight was staked some after things cooled.
Thing is....the bluing on my barrel was thinned by the heat so the barrel had to be re-blued. I fergitted what it was blued with. It's got worn blue on it now anyway since it's old like me.
Actually I think I did re-blue it again with nitre blue and the little bit of solder in the bottom of the hole stayed in there and didn't leak out like other barrels sights did. Thunk I'll get it out of storage and see since I'm fergittin again.
Hot caustic modern bluing will attack solder so...if the barrel ever needs re-blued do it with a rust blue or something like the Dicropan IM Brownells sells.
That's a good job on the sight but......
The solder on the bottom of the sight would melt and not adhere to the barrel since the barrel wouldn't be up to heat. The solder would take up any minute space that is good but..... the solder would probably raise when heated and leave space under the sight leaving the bottom unsupported. Supported on the sides but not the bottom. The sight should have been pressed downward when the solder melted.
I'd recommend using a staking tool(have to make one from a small chisel or whatever. Thin and hard to lay along the side of the sight and peen slightly to push the metal of the barrel closer/tighter to the sight on each side. Clamp the sight in such a way as to hold it straight upright so when staking one side that doesn't move the sight leaned over towards the other side.
I'm just making a recommendation and not condeming the way the job was done at all really. If the sight stays in then it stays in and that makes things right. It's stayed in so far right? That's good.
If it ever comes loose then try my suggestions. It may stay in ferever and never need any more thunkin done about it though the way it is.
I have a taller sight on my Walker just about the same as inthe article. It had a little solder onit but the barrel was heated with the sight. Notch in the barrel was "tinned" with solder and also the bottomon the sight was "tinned". Tinned means solder adhered to the part.
In that case on my sight the solder was adhered to the bottom of the notch and when the barrel was heated and blade solder melted with the blade pushed down as the solder melted the solder in the bottom of the hole was melted also to join with the solder onthe sight. The sight was staked some after things cooled.
Thing is....the bluing on my barrel was thinned by the heat so the barrel had to be re-blued. I fergitted what it was blued with. It's got worn blue on it now anyway since it's old like me.
Actually I think I did re-blue it again with nitre blue and the little bit of solder in the bottom of the hole stayed in there and didn't leak out like other barrels sights did. Thunk I'll get it out of storage and see since I'm fergittin again.Hot caustic modern bluing will attack solder so...if the barrel ever needs re-blued do it with a rust blue or something like the Dicropan IM Brownells sells.
Last edited:
maillemaker
New member
I don't think that was necessary. As long as the solder flowed and wicked between the two clean surfaces, which it did, it should be fine. Since there was an excess of solder in the join to start with (thanks to the notch cut in the bottom of the sight that got filled in with solder), once heated to melting temperature that solder flowed out of the notch and into the join, which was pressed tight to start with. I could see the solder wicking wet around the perimeter of the sight slot so I knew it had melted and flowed.
I suspect also that it flowed along the sides of the sight and notch, and thus back-filled behind the existing stake-deformed metal of the barrel.
In any case, it's well seated and has not budged with over 100 rounds fired.
Steve