Techniques for making front sight out of a coin?

[MatthewVanitas]

Greetings,
Though my intended use for said sight is not for a BP gun, thought I'd ask her since it's generally a BP technique.

I have a FIE (like Arminius) .38 revolver: primitive but solid steel, in good shape. I bought it for $35, fixed the cylinder pin detent that had kept the price down, and it works fine now. However, it's missing the front sight.

Rather than spend $16 on parts and shipping, I was thinking of just cutting up an Armenian or Georgian coin and attaching it to the barrel. I would like it to be attached solidly enough so that it won't come off under rough use.

Old Dragoon posted this, but I'm not a technical guy, so he lost me after "dovetail".

My front site is dovetailed so I had to drill a hole in the base cope the token to suit then Silver Soldered it together in a vise then filed the locator tpi off flush with the bottom of the base.

If I don't understand what this means, does this mean I shouldn't attempt the project?

My sight isn't dovetailed, the missing ramp sight just screws in with two screws. I don't imagine that I can tap a hole into the side of a coin, and I can't just solder half a coin onto a barrel and expect it to stay in place, can I?

-MV

 

[Thefabulousfink]

I assume that you want to use the edge of the coin as the sight blade. The problem is that most coins aren't thick enough or made of strong enough metal to withstand the nomal sight attachment meathods. I think the best bet to attach the coin is to use another piece of metal as the base of the sight.

This will require some metal working. Get a piece of steel and have it shaped (milled, filed, or dremel) into the shape of the front sight base. Drill a hole in it for the screws to attach it to the barrel. cut a small groove donw the center of the base to fit the coin in. The coin should fit snug, but you should also either solder or pin the coin in place.

This should work fine, but will probably end up costing you more in time, $$, and equipment then just buying the replacement parts.