Can Anyone Tell Me How to Take off the Front Sight?

[.41 magnum man]

The front site on my Ruger is evidently soldered on my gun. I was told a gunsmith could get it off and tap it for other sights. Well, has anyone here ever done it before? Can I heat the front site to get the sight off? I'm sure getting the rest of the gun hot would not be good. Should I mill it off?

Thanks!

 

[Old Fuff]

I trust that this is the Ruger Blackhawk you mentioned in a previous post. If not disregard this advice.

The blade is part of the ramp, and the ramp is silver soldered to the barrel. Rather then make a relatively simple job a mess, involving unsoldering and re soldering the ramp, plus refinishing - do this.

1. Mill off the blade, and leave the ramp in place. Then mill a slot in the ramp, put a new blade into the slot, and crosspin it in place.

2. Or mill off the original blade, cut a dovetail in the ramp, and install a new front sight in the dovetail.

 

[.41 magnum man]

Thanks Old Fuff,
My Ruger is a New Model Blackhawk .41 mag. I want to put a fiber optic sight on the front and replace the back sight with a peep site. I have thougt about drilling a hole through the blade longways with the barrel, and slide a fiber optic wire into the hole. I am a machinst, so I could handle about whateve can be done. I just like checking out all kinds of ideas before I pick one. That milling idea is a good one. Once I take it off, I'm not going to solder it back on. I plan to drill and tap it if I go that route. What would be the proper way to heat up the sight without getting the barrel too hot?

 

[Old Fuff]

Since the present sight is silver-soldered on I would change the blade, but keep the original ramp. If you are determined to remove the ramp you can buy a paste from Brownell's (www.brownells.com) that acts like a heat sink. Coat the bore with this paste, as well as the barrel exterior behind the ramp, and then heat the ramp until the ramp let's go. After you replace the ramp (and/or blade) you'll need to have the barrel (or barrel and frame) reblued.

In my experience the fiber-optic beads are great for a quick pick-up in fast & dirty work, but not so good for precision long-range shooting. Peep sights work well on rifles where the eye is about two or three inches behind the sight, but you do not want too do this with a .41 Magnum revolver!

Consider a square, flat or undercut post, that gives you something that's true black (not gray) to focus on. If you want an insert consider a metal gold (brass) one that can be smoked when you are shooting at longer ranges. Or Elmer's Keith's old trick of gold wire strips in the front blade to indicate hold-over for different ranges. He would, by the way, use this to shoot at distances up to 600 yards.

 

[.41 magnum man]

Hey, Old Fluff,

Thanks for that info. I am getting the idea that I don't want to remove the ramp. I like knowing all I can, not only so I can do, but also so I won't do!
I like that idea of the wire strips too. Maybe I could mill off just part of the blade, leaving the tallest portion making the facing flat. Do you think that would make the blade too weak? Or perhaps I could just cut out a square piece that would leave more of the blade for strength? I'm going to draw a picture and put it below:

Picture A shows milling out the sight except for front portion.

Picture B shows milling out a small portion to give more strength. (If needed)

Picture C shows putting in a whole new squared off blade.

Do you prefer any one, or do you think they would all work fine?

 

[Neophyte1]

.41 Magnum Man

Sir: Visit 'Old Fluffs' thought. Mill off flush the sight. Mill the slot, ie dovetail, square, or how-ever a Machinist would see it. {being the machinist that you are] Remember the Heat in Milling. Silver Solider will fail.
The Square Post that you have drawn.
Question that for yourself? I'm not sure why, or what you are visualizing?

My interpretation of "Ramped" sights

1. Less sharp angle [getting in and out of holster,pocket, something]
2. More/Less to file to shooting 'FIT'. [heavy bullets high, lighter bullets low
3. Looks better.
4. Single post? [maybe weaker, ie bending? maybe hang more,

I personally can see many/multiples, advantages to 'Old Fluffs' ideas

Now excuse me sir if I misunderstood your MACHINIST History.

Slot it and Pin it.
Make additional heights to assist the bullet
What Fun to have available tools for this application.

Good Luck: Craig

 

[jaybar]

Take a look at Jack Weigands front sight

Weigand makes a front sight system that allows for interchangeable front sights. He has a version for Ruger Single-action guns. Its cheap and if you've got machinist skills and tools it should be an easy swap out. Follow this link: http://jackweigand.com/interfs.html