adding a front sight

Hi. Lock-tite and Superglue are not the same thing. The former is not an adhesive either.
JB Weld is just epoxy with powdered steel in it. It's a bedding material more than an adhesive.
Use the silver solder. The bluing needs to be removed where you put the solder.
No drills unless you have a drill press that you can put a stop on. You do not want to drill a hole through the barrel.

Check Brownells for a front shotgun bead and drill and tap to suit !
This way you can easily change the height of the sight if desired.

I made a front sight out of a brass coffee cup hook from the hardware store. If you click on the picture below you can see a sample of an original hook, and a modified hook that is ready to be glued on to the barrel with Loctite 330. It's a two part adhesive.

I pulled the tiny original "acorn" sight out with a pair of pliers, and glued my "coffee cup hook" sight into the original hole in the barrel with the Loctite 330.

Then I took it to the range and filed it down till it was hitting where I wanted. Actually, I have a pair of these guns for cowboy action shooting so I had to do everything twice! (Including the silver wire inlay on the grips)

So I guess to answer the OP's question, both silver solder, or drilling a hole and using adhesive will work just fine. I haven't been able to teach myself how to do an acceptable silver solder job, so I went with adhesive.

Another option would be to cut a dovetail into the barrel. Then it would be adjustable for windage too. I think laying out and cutting a dovetail is easier on an octagonal barrel than a round barrel.

Had a Remmy 36 that shot high and left. Filed a dovetail in the barrel, made a base from key stock, drilled and tapped it for a post sight I made from brazing rod. Worked great. Still have it.

webrx said:

Hi,
Long time viewer, but mostly just read.....

I have a cut down 1851 that I need to add a front sight to. I have a brass screw I have cut down and shaped, but I am not sure how to attach it to the barrel.

I have read where some have used silver solder, but not sure that would work with Brass, and I have also read where some have used loctite (Superglue?)

So my question is, should I drill a hole and superglue it or jbweld, or what is the best method for attaching?

Any help would be appreciated

Here is a picture of my small collection..

Click to expand...

Silver solder is the best way to do the job.

If it's like my Sheriff's model, you'll need it long. With 23 gr. of 3F BP and a round ball mine shoots 6" high at 25 yards. I need to do the same thing to get it to shoot to POA.

Great work fellas and Delrom, you're inlays look great too! Thanks for posting gentlemen!

Do realize that the heat of silver soldering will remove the bluing. Brownells sells a low temperature (450 degree) gunsmith's "silver solder" that requires far less heat, and is extremely strong. Actually, the melting point of mid and high temp "real" silver solder id dangerously close to the melting point of the brass.

If you attempt to solder or JB weld a sight directly to the barrel with no hole, it won't stay there very long...

When I re-sight like this, I prefer a dovetail.

I would do a dovetail front sight.

Lock-tite and Superglue are not the same thing. The former is not an adhesive either.

Click to expand...

Is that why it's marketed as "thread adhesive"???

Original Loc-Tite is a sort of thread locker and as you Gentlemen know, can be gotten in all grades from removable to nigh permanent. Loc-Tite also now manufactures one of the absolute best super glues by the name of Ultimate Gel Super Glue. I use this stuff quite a bit for outdoor applications and it works great. Very good shear strength and good workability as a gel.
regards!