Front Site 1851

[Archie]

I put a Kirst conversion in a Pettia 1851.  Was easy to do and looks great.  Shoot pretty good except high.  How do you get the front site out.  It will not screw out.  Can you buy a higher replacement site. I am about to cut of the front  site off and solder on a hand made brass site.  Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[John Traveler]

I've only seen a couple front sights on Italian Colt 1851 revolvers, but they were both pressed into the shallow hole drilled in the barrel.

Not real tight, so I suspect they were swaged in.

Yes, you can replace it with a soldered on front sight.  I would use a ramp base to increase the surface area for a stronger bond.

[Flint]

The Pietta is either pressed in or soldered in, but it's awful hard to get hold of to pull.  I replaced several 51 front sights, one with the dovetail sight from an Uberti Remington, which is then shortened to about 5/16 inch tall and reshaped to a straight back and round front.  I made two on a mill from brass stock using the dovetail cutter (from Brownells) to set the angle of the sight's dovetail base.  Email me, I can send photos.

On a 61 Navy or 1860 Army I make a new blade shaped like the SAA from brass and solder it in, again, about 5/16 inch tall..  Soldering, however, requires a reblue.

I made taller post sights for Armi San Marcos, they were pressed in, and the proper diameter for the press is very touchy to get on the lathe, and would be best soldered in if it comes up a bit loose.

[NoYa]

I'm having the same problem with a recently aquired pair of 2nd gen Colt '51 Navies. Can anyone tell me if these brass factory post sights are screwed on or pressed, and what is the best way to remove them?
Thanks for the help,
NoYa

[1860]

The original sight can be knocked out by makeing a flat chisel type tool out of brass.  Just hold ot firmly by the bottem/front edge of the bead and give it a whack with a small hammer, they come right out.   Fashion a new sight out of brass, I make them like a SAA sight and leave a pin on the bottom just a tad larger than the hole left in the bbl. from the original sight.  Clean out the hole good and fill it with that 2 part grey epoxy, then press the new sight in useing a wood lined vice.  If everything is fit correctly and degreased, the sight ends up tight enough so you can bend it a little to adjust windage and I've not lost one yet.

60

[Shorty]

All of these Colt C&B's shoot high, and everyone wants to raise the front sight.  The alternative is to LOWER the rear sight!  I've done this by using a Dremel tool with a cut-off wheel to deepen the notch in the hammer.  One can even work it to one side or the other to correct for windage.  I've also ground the hammer nose to present a flat sighting plane at full cock.

[Flint]

The first purpose of the extension over the hammer the rear sight is cut into is to control the cap flash and particles from the propellant charge.  Reducing or removing it is allowing more danger of injury, so make sure you always wear glasses when you shoot.

[Ramrod]

Flint has it right as far as I'm concerned. I have gone as far as welding up the hammer notch and re-cutting it to to one side to correct windage, but I don't think it's wise to shorten it much. A bigger front sight is easier to see when you have to shoot fast, and is easier to file at the range when getting the gun on target.