Installing Front Sight Insert

blue68f100 · Post by **blue68f100** » Wed Mar 26, 2014 3:39 pm

I'm going to install a Insert into the front sight on a Smith 39 in nickle finish.

I got a kit from Brownells http://www.brownells.com/gunsmith-tools ... 22791.aspx

Any tips or tricks I need to know before I dig in to this. The instruction are pretty good on this. Cut a dovetail slot, drill 2 holes in the bottom of it. The holes are to lock the insert material in.

Since this is a Ni finish gun, I'm going to do a cu/ni plated before I do the mix for the insert. I think the plating will prevent any corrosion that may form if it gets wet.

Post by **Bullseye** » Thu Mar 27, 2014 6:00 am

Just follow the directions carefully and you should be fine.

R,
Bullseye

blue68f100 · Post by **blue68f100** » Thu Mar 27, 2014 1:31 pm

Looks like the hard part will be drilling the holes on this thin S&W Model 36, 38spl. The front blade width is only 0.070" wide. I will have to set it up in my end mill using a small center drill (0.040"dia) in order to control it. Will post pictures when I'm done.

blue68f100 · Post by **blue68f100** » Thu Mar 27, 2014 4:34 pm

Got it done. I ended up using my endmil to put the holes in the narrow 0.070" wide front thin sight on this little gun.

I put a thin copper plating down before I poured in the acrylic. I use a couple of binder clips to hole my Al sides on for the mold. This photo show the acrylic poured in to the make shift mold. Doing the 30 min set time.

Side view, the depth is only 0.045" deep.

A view down the barrel. The only thing I see with my eyes is the red. That small narrow rear is useless with my eyes. This gun was design for up close work so that's all you need is the front sight.

My friend also wanted the hammer bobbed to match is other one he has, so I did that for him. All I can say is that hammer is really hard. Took one stroke with my Nichols file, the second stroke dulled it. Ended up taking it to my belt grinder, then use my Valtitan files (super hard for cutting carbide) to smooth out. And followed up with sand paper to polish.

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