Replacing Burnside Front Sight

**Hal** · 06-23-2016

I have tried to knock out the front sight on my Burnside, but to no avail. It won't budge. I've only used a brass drift against it, but it is starting to upset (mushroom) the edge of the sight, so I quit. What is the recommended method? Heat? PB Blaster? Is the dang thing brazed in place?

Thanks

Hal

**Hal** · 06-28-2016

Well, I got it off. A couple of light taps in the opposite direction, and it started moving. The sight was indeed soldered in place. I do not know if it was that way from the factory or done at a later date.

The replacement sight was a little wide to start back in the dovetail. Judicious use of a belt sander removed a little material from the bottom surface of the sight, thereby narrowing the width of the dovetail. Using a file for the final material removal resulted in a nice fit.

Once I get a load worked up, I will file the top down to the proper height.

**geezmo** · 07-01-2016

Hal,

Any pictures? Mold and cartridge case choices? Let us know how it shoots.

Thanks,
Barry

**jim14th** · 07-04-2016

Gizmo , check your messages,,,jim

**Maillemaker** · 07-05-2016

I as I recall, according to N-SSA rules your front sight has to be "permanently affixed". So most folks wick some solder onto the bottom of the sight before tapping it in place, and once windage is set, they heat the sight with a torch until the solder flows, locking it in place.

Steve

**Hal** · 07-06-2016

I'll have to try to remember to take some photos. It's certainly NOT a museum piece. Just something I hope to get to where it will shoot straight. Not a lot of luck, just yet. I've been trying to use a Round/Flat with a single large grease groove from Accurate Moulds. I don't recall the weight. 360 gr maybe? I just haven't hit on the right combination yet. The alloy I was using was a mix and maybe on the hard side at 7.0 BHN. It's been a while since I slugged the bore so I don't remember what it was off hand, but my bullets are as large as they can go and still fit on the brass cases. I suspect they are still a thousandth or two undersize and I will have to rely on obturation to get me where I need to be. I'm gonna try dead soft next and see what happens.

Flowing some solder under that sight won't be a problem, but I'm still a ways from wanting to do that.