How to install front sight

[ian45662]

I have to replace the front sight on my hoyt 2 band 1863 springfield because some how I took to much material off. Long story short I cant get the new front sight to stay on the barrel. I cant solder it to save my life. Could someone walk me through how to do this as if I have never done it before because well....... I have never done it before. I have done my own trigger work but I can get this to work at all. I noticed on the old sight that I screwed up there was a layer of solder on the bottom of it and I can not replicate that at all. Not even close, the bead of solder just rolls off the side of the sight and now that I am about out of solder I figure now would be a good time to ask what I am doing wrong. I am using 50/50 solder if that means anything.

[Maillemaker]

Some people drill a small hole/pocked in the bottom of the sight, then drop in some silver solder in the pocket. Then you install the sight. When you have windage adjusted as you want it, heat the sight with a torch and the solder melts, soldering the sight in place.

Steve

[robertdeans72]

Hi there,

You didn't mention if you had fluxed so I will. You need to ensure that the metal surfaces to be soldered are bare, no rust/patina/blueing. Next, you need to heat the parts and lightly apply flux to the contact surfaces (unless your solder is flux core). It will spatter and bubble and create some smoke with the heat and seemingly make quite a mess. Only then will you be able to have the solder stick. Tin the barrel dovetail (tinning is "preplacing" solder on parts by melting a small amount on a surface and then wiping away any excess.) and then slide the front sight in. Continue heating until you see the solder wick all the way round the joint of the sight and barrel. To move the sight all you need to do is heat up the area until you see the solder flow and gently tap the sight left or right. Let cool and wipe off any mess...

Cheers,
Rob

[ian45662]

Do you use a cloth or paper towel to wipe away the extra and how much should be left on the surface?

[robertdeans72]

You can use a damp cloth or paper towel to wipe away excess drips. The intent with tinning is to leave just a thin film of solder on the surface to joined. It has another application wereby you tin the surface and then place the parts together after things have cooled. After clamping lightly, you just heat up the parts and the solder present in the join flows and makes the attachment. This method may not work if you are having to slide the sight into a already tight dovetail (due to the extra thickness now cool of solder), hence the former mentioned method of mating the parts while heated...

Cheers,
Rob

[ian45662]

Sounds good. Thank you much!!!

[ian45662]

Front sight is in there like swimwear.

[robertdeans72]

I presume that means it worked then!!! Nice going.

Rob