doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion Classic & Custom Single Barreled Sporting Rifles @ doublegunshop.com Has anyone ever seen this front sight

Kutter thanks I will continue to noodle and I hope you do also.

gunmaker, are you saying that you think Tom's design use an over center concept or an original design of your own? If you had Tom's design in mind can you explain your thoughts?

I have been thinking this:
There is one possibility of design I was thinking about before Kutter offered his concept suggestion and that is to drill a hole perpendicular to the pivot pin in the base parallel to the sight blade or basically along side it. Into this hole a spring and detent pin would be insert. Then a small dimple hole would be drilled in the appropriate location on the pivot pin such that when the pin is insert the detent pin would fall into the detent hole in the pin preventing it from coming out and also turning. Disassembly would be a tap on the pin with a punch compressing the detent pin and spring there by sliding out. I will draw it up. Do you think it will work?

In reference to the over center design:

Are you suggesting a lobe type design on the bottom of the blade/button assembly that rides on a formed V shaped flat spring? Once the lobe rotates past the centerline ( either side of the V shaped spring) the blade assembly effectively snaps into either open or closed position.

Thanks,
Ken

Yes, that is one way to accomplish it.

I believe Tom used the over center concept, yes. The large pin fits snug to the front sight base, and the sight insert rotates around said pin. The screw on the top of the blade is for elevation adjustment of the sight. The small ball detent(appears to be) is a bit of a mystery. Possibly it was put in place as a “cushion” for the front sight insert snapping up. Or maybe it’s just an imperfection in the surface from the elevation screw.

It’s also possible that the over center spring isnt under the sight blade, but rather a spring loaded detent drilled in front of the insert. Judging by the square slot, the sight was held upright in the mill to create such, which would have been a great time to drill for a detent. You’ll notice some bluing wear on the sight insert which may support my theory, as well as an angular change. The over-center is timed so that it doesn’t take much movement to activate its opening.

Cashapp or Venmo is easiest.

This is the concept I mentioned in my last input and is very doable. The hole is drilled in at 28 degrees and does not mark the edge of the pin hole. so completely hidden. Field disassembly accomplished with point of a cartridge.

So I was strolling down the isle at the Tulsa show over the weekend and noticed a couple custom rifles on a table so stopped for a closer look. Was surprised to see this front sight on one of them. Don't think I have ever seen one before, and I find one a week after someone posts about it on the forum. What are the odds. Anyway, here are a few pics. Not sure how much help they will be. I will say the front sight blade is very hard to raise or lower. Not sure if it is by design or due to dried oil in the slot, but it was a two thumb job to press the tab hard enough to elevate the sight. Lowering was easier due having better mechanical advantage on the blade. It was certainly not what I would call snappy.

John

Wow John thanks, that is strange. Looking at the pics I see some major differences and actually considerably harder to make then the one Tom Burgess made. (the added difficulty would be in the area of cutting the hinge shape for the blade to rotate on. Perfect work for a wire cutter or a shape end mill) It may use the over the center pin concept which would not surprise me as being harder to operate. However, being stiff has it's advantages over the issue Fred was concerned about. Wish you could have gotten a pic from the top but I certainly do appreciate the 2 you posted. By chance you didn't get the name or info of the rifles current owner?

I’ve really enjoyed this thread. I appreciate LRF starting it. I enjoy learning about the engineering that goes into some of the detailed parts like iron sights. On the sights both LRF and John posted I noticed, when elevated, the sight places the brass sighting surface at what appears to be an exact and optimum 45 degree angle, much like a sourdough sight. Very impressive!

One question:
Is the sight base and barrel band one assembly??