Help installing front sight on SAA clone

[tallyho]

I have a SAA Uberti clone that was missing the front sight when I bought it. I ordered a front sight from Brownells.

I am wondering if it needs to be welded/soldered on, or if I could use some of the high tech metal weld stuff or epoxy type stuff instead.

Any thoughts, or experiences would be appreciated.

Cheers
Kerry

[John Traveler1]

tallyho,

Original and clone SAA front sights were pressed and crimped in place.  You can verify this by examining the front sight slot and the press or stamping marks alongside.  Some makes also use silver solder.

It's difficult for the home 'smith to duplicate this fit, so soldering is the accepted repair.  Both soft (lead/tin) or silver soldering is acceptable, with soft solder being easier, of course.  Make sure you THOROUGHLY clean and de-blue both the from sight base and the groove before soldering.  Done carefully, soft solder won't damage the barrel or sight blue.

I've seen several attempts to secure front sights using epoxy or adhesive, but it does not hold up to recoil forces tearing the sight loose.

[tallyho]

Thanks  for the great info and advice John, I appreciate it.

Cheers
Kerry

[gunnut69]

I've replaced several of the slotted variety front sights and recrimped them.  The front sight slot will tell how to replace it.  I cut the sight from a piece of steel the correct thickness for a tight fit across the slot.  Most of the crimped in sights only were crimped on the ends of the slot, being a tight fit crossways.  Using a cape chisel of the correct thickness raise a burr on each end and slightly slope the sight's base.  Insert and replace the burr thrown by the cape chisel.  I use a polished faced punch for this.  The smoothness of the punches face will allow flattening the raised area with almost no marking of the finish. The sight's thickness should be adjusted with a file to get a tight fit in the slot.  Lightly tapping with the burnishing punch(same as used to tighten the slot's end) can be used to alter the slots width a tiny bit.  Be careful to NOT create flat spots which will show.  Most often these sights can be replaced with almost no visible damage to a blued finish.  Nickle can cause problems although even more when trying to use solder.