installing a front sight?

[bamafan4life]

hi. im ganna have my smith cut my barrel down and recrown it(i was ganna attempt it for my first time but he aint ganna charge me hardly at all since its my best friends daddy and hes going to teach me how to do this drill and tap for scopes, and weld on a new bolt handle or bend my current which ever i chose.) well the barrel won't have a grove for a front sight. im going to do this on my own. but heres the question are all dovetail sights the same? where can i find that dovetail sight fixture larry potterfield is advertizing in his videos?

 

[James K]

You can cut a dovetail directly into the barrel or or screw on a base that has the dovetail in it. Dovetail cutting requires a milling machine. It can be done with a good drill press and a movable vise head, or even with a triangular file, but I don't recommend either. If your gunsmith friend is willing to help as much as you say, he might be willing to show you how to cut a dovetail or drill a hole that won't go through into the bore for a ramp sight.

You can silver solder a front sight base on, but use heat stop paste both on the outside and inside the barrel or the heat will hurt the bluing and the steel.

Jim