Brass front sites for pistols

[Paladin Ralph]

You should double check with PWB and the ROC before you start grinding on your front sight. If I understand what you are attempting it would be considered a beaded post or insert and for revolvers they are not legal.

 

SHB pg 6 "Beaded post front sights or inserts are not allowed."

Oh well there goes that idea. Thanks for the heads up.

[Slick McClade]

Paladin Ralph,

I've been reading/following all the post on this topic. Being the topic covers my product I usually don't ever comment on such. But seeing that your having difficulity trying to make your own, I have a cowboy offer for you. Give me your gun manufacture, caliber and address and I'll send you a pair of my "Sure Hit Sights" for your revolver. Install them per the instructions and if your not 100% happy with the end product simply let me know and the sights are yours for free. On the other hand If you see that your 100% happy with my product then send me the money to cover the sight cost at your convenience and I'll cover the shipping free. 😉

 

Your Pal,

Slick McClade

[Krazy Kajun]

Now that there is a great offer that Slick made ya....he's a good pard and his products are great too...you ought to take him up on that.

 

Kajun

[Bad Hand]

Thanks, does that dot glow in the dark? I have a 9mm Sig that does.

Yes

[Bad Hand]

Not SASS legal. SHB pg 5

 

Not SASS legal. SHB pg 5

My answer was to post number 9 about front sights for Ruger LCRs.

[Paladin Ralph]

Paladin Ralph,

I've been reading/following all the post on this topic. Being the topic covers my product I usually don't ever comment on such. But seeing that your having difficulity trying to make your own, I have a cowboy offer for you. Give me your gun manufacture, caliber and address and I'll send you a pair of my "Sure Hit Sights" for your revolver. Install them per the instructions and if your not 100% happy with the end product simply let me know and the sights are yours for free. On the other hand If you see that your 100% happy with my product then send me the money to cover the sight cost at your convenience and I'll cover the shipping free.

 

Your Pal,

Slick McClade

Hi Slick,

 

That is a really good offer and I will keep it in mind, if my brass edge doesnt work or wont stay on. Im not crazy about the whole front site being brass. Im not having trouble with this, just getting more input on the best way for me. Im also very used to getting an idea, then go and make it in my gun cart shop, but most of that is outta wood. Like the door shelves I made for my wife that fit into that space between the door and the shelves, a 5" deep shelf, full width and height for light weight stuff.

 

I know yours have a much stronger ability to stay on because of the greater surface area, but I gotta try the strip being an ES and only having SS, as long as it lasts.

 

See yawl round the bend,

 

Paladin Ralph

 

Have Cart, Will Travel

[Paladin Ralph]

Now that there is a great offer that Slick made ya....he's a good pard and his products are great too...you ought to take him up on that.

 

Kajun

Agree!

[Paladin Ralph]

 

Not SASS legal. SHB pg 5

 

Not SASS legal. SHB pg 5

My answer was to post number 9 about front sights for Ruger LCRs.

That gun is not a SASS gun, its my wifes carry piece, a hammer less 357.

[Slick McClade]

Just remember that the entire front sight has to appear to be made of the same legal substance. You can't legally have only brass on the front blade of your sight. According to sass rules it must appear solid (covering the front and both sides).

The offer stands and its your choice.

 

Slick

[Paladin Ralph]

Just remember that the entire front sight has to appear to be made of the same legal substance. You can't legally have only brass on the front blade of your sight. According to sass rules it must appear solid (covering the front and both sides).

The offer stands and its your choice.

 

Slick

Ok. I only shoot my local match and dont travel around to state or regional matches. I understand, I just paid for the action job and am tapped til next month or so.

[Smokestack SASS#87384]

Just remember that the entire front sight has to appear to be made of the same legal substance. You can't legally have only brass on the front blade of your sight. According to sass rules it must appear solid (covering the front and both sides).

The offer stands and its your choice.

 

Slick

Rear and front sights may be “blacked” painted, or plated in the colors of the previously listed materials.

If blacking, paint, or plating is applied to a revolver front sight, it must

cover the entire rear surface of the sight to give the appearance of a solid material.

I may be looking in the wrong place but where do the rules stipulate that the sides be covered also?

[Ace_of_Hearts]

 

Rear and front sights may be “blacked” painted, or plated in the colors of the previously listed materials.

If blacking, paint, or plating is applied to a revolver front sight, it must

cover the entire rear surface of the sight to give the appearance of a solid material.

I may be looking in the wrong place but where do the rules stipulate that the sides be covered also?

 

It doesn't.

But trying to "paint" or otherwise cover just the rear of a Vaquero front sight might be a bit difficult and the result would look like a brass moon from the side.

If the gun is a Blackhawk then the job is simplified.

 

I saw where one shooter (name unknown) sanded one side of a couple of modern pennies, dropped them in acid and desolved the zinc, leaving just the very thin copper behind. He then epoxied the copper to his front sights.

[Gold Canyon Kid #43974]

Just remember that the entire front sight has to appear to be made of the same legal substance. You can't legally have only brass on the front blade of your sight. According to sass rules it must appear solid (covering the front and both sides).

The offer stands and its your choice.

 

Slick

I think on a Blackhawk that has a ramp between barrel and blade only the complete blade must be brass appearing or other historical color.

[Slick McClade]

 

Rear and front sights may be “blacked” painted, or plated in the colors of the previously listed materials.

If blacking, paint, or plating is applied to a revolver front sight, it must

cover the entire rear surface of the sight to give the appearance of a solid material.

I may be looking in the wrong place but where do the rules stipulate that the sides be covered also?

 

That would fall under the part the says "IT MUST COVER THE ENTIRE REAR SURFACE OF THE SIGHT TO GIVE THE APPEARANCE OF A SOLID MATERIAL".

 

If you only blacked, painted or plated the front of the blade(the part you see when sighting the revolver) then it don't meet the current rules as you stated above.

But if you blacken, paint or plate the front and both sides then your giving your sight the appearance of a solid material.

[Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933]

If blacking, paint, or plating is applied to a revolver front sight, it must

cover the entire rear surface of the sight to give the appearance of a solid material.

This has been discussed on the TG wire and the rule only requires plating, painting coating the REAR surface of the front sight blade. The portion in blue is to make sure someone doesn't just paint the tip of the blade and create a dot, which is probibited. If this isn't the case there are suddenly an awful lot of "illegal" sights out there.

[Paladin Ralph]

 

Rear and front sights may be “blacked” painted, or plated in the colors of the previously listed materials.

If blacking, paint, or plating is applied to a revolver front sight, it must

cover the entire rear surface of the sight to give the appearance of a solid material.

I may be looking in the wrong place but where do the rules stipulate that the sides be covered also?

 

And I cant do this with brass?

[Paladin Ralph]

It doesn't.

But trying to "paint" or otherwise cover just the rear of a Vaquero front sight might be a bit difficult and the result would look like a brass moon from the side.

If the gun is a Blackhawk then the job is simplified.

 

I saw where one shooter (name unknown) sanded one side of a couple of modern pennies, dropped them in acid and desolved the zinc, leaving just the very thin copper behind. He then epoxied the copper to his front sights.

Kinda what I had in mind with the brass, but no acid.

[Paladin Ralph]

It doesn't.

But trying to "paint" or otherwise cover just the rear of a Vaquero front sight might be a bit difficult and the result would look like a brass moon from the side.

If the gun is a Blackhawk then the job is simplified.

 

I saw where one shooter (name unknown) sanded one side of a couple of modern pennies, dropped them in acid and desolved the zinc, leaving just the very thin copper behind. He then epoxied the copper to his front sights.

I have pointed stain brushes in my leather working tools.

[Paladin Ralph]

 

If blacking, paint, or plating is applied to a revolver front sight, it must

cover the entire rear surface of the sight to give the appearance of a solid material.

This has been discussed on the TG wire and the rule only requires plating, painting coating the REAR surface of the front sight blade. The portion in blue is to make sure someone doesn't just paint the tip of the blade and create a dot, which is probibited. If this isn't the case there are suddenly an awful lot of "illegal" sights out there.

 

Thats what I want to do, cover the edge only and wont be too hard with the 0.005" thick brass and the 2 part Jweld Epoxy I got from Ace Hwd.

[Paladin Ralph]

Brass was a metal in use long before cowboys. I make the gun carts that Badman Bullets sells on his web site. The owner is a Regulator in Oregon. I will run this by him to see what he says, then post it here.

[Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933]

Brass was a metal in use long before cowboys. I make the gun carts that Badman Bullets sells on his web site. The owner is a Regulator in Oregon. I will run this by him to see what he says, then post it here.

If you have any doubts the solution is not to run it by a Regulator from Oregon, it is to run it by a member of the ROC.

[Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933]

Ralph, in all honesty I cannot figure out why you have not taken up Slick on his kind offer. He has spent thousands of dollars on machines to make perfect cuts in the brass stock and to make precision bends. Whenever anyone tries to cut brass from sheet stock with tin snips the edges tend to curl and you get rough edges. When the installation is done most of these cut and hack jobs look pretty tacky.

[Paladin Ralph]

If you have any doubts the solution is not to run it by a Regulator from Oregon, it is to run it by a member of the ROC.

I dont have doubts, I am just looking for the correct answer and thought Regulators have final say, but I guess not. So what is a"ROC" and where do I contact them? Ive only been in this for 3 years and have never seen anything that specifies the chain of command.

[Paladin Ralph]

Ralph, in all honesty I cannot figure out why you have not taken up Slick on his kind offer. He has spent thousands of dollars on machines to make perfect cuts in the brass stock and to make precision bends. Whenever anyone tries to cut brass from sheet stock with tin snips the edges tend to curl and you get rough edges. When the installation is done most of these cut and hack jobs look pretty tacky.

Quite simply, I dont want brass sites on my pistols. They are blued and i want to keep them that way. Personal preference.

[PaleWolf Brunelle, #2495L]

As quoted numerous times on this thread...the REAR view of the sight must be ONE SOLID color (chosen from the list in the SHB)

REF: SHB pp. 5-6

 

SASS Regulator is a peer-generated service award.

Criteria for that distinction can be found HERE (scroll down a page or two)

Regulators per se have absolutely no authority regarding rule interpretations.

 

FWIW - The Regulator you contacted brought this to my attention.

 

[Larsen E. Pettifogger, SASS #32933]

Pale Wolf didn't mention it but he is a member of the ROC.

[Hurricane Deck 100366]

I dont have doubts, I am just looking for the correct answer and thought Regulators have final say, but I guess not. So what is a"ROC" and where do I contact them? Ive only been in this for 3 years and have never seen anything that specifies the chain of command.

Paladin, you seem like a nice enough guy so don't take this the wrong way. If you've been shooting SASS matches (or local matches held by a SASS affiliated club), for three years you should not only know what the ROC is, but at least one person who's on it - not to mention your local TG, and at least a good couple of RO's. . . heck by year three, you're more than ready to spend an afternoon taking a sanctioned RO class to earn that first yellow pin, my friend! It's a great class, you will meet some very fine folks and learn a whole wagon load of valuable information in regards to our beloved sport.

 

Not all members if the RO Committee agree on everything, but they are the - THE - authority on SASS rules. In particular, you have two of the best pards around responding to your post here. Both Larsen (TG) and PWB (ROC) are into this sport very deep and are very knowledgable. On top of that, you've have an expert in the field of gunsmithing our beloved six-shooters (Slick) extend an offer that is WAY beyond generous and gracious for a product that is WAY beyond excellent and well made.

 

You've got the best of the best visitin' yer campfire. Take heed and listen well.

[Paladin Ralph]

Paladin, you seem like a nice enough guy so don't take this the wrong way. If you've been shooting SASS matches (or local matches held by a SASS affiliated club), for three years you should not only know what the ROC is, but at least one person who's on it - not to mention your local TG, and at least a good couple of RO's. . . heck by year three, you're more than ready to spend an afternoon taking a sanctioned RO class to earn that first yellow pin, my friend! It's a great class, you will meet some very fine folks and learn a whole wagon load of valuable information in regards to our beloved sport.

 

Not all members if the RO Committee agree on everything, but they are the - THE - authority on SASS rules. In particular, you have two of the best pards around responding to your post here. Both Larsen (TG) and PWB (ROC) are into this sport very deep and are very knowledgable. On top of that, you've have an expert in the field of gunsmithing our beloved six-shooters (Slick) extend an offer that is WAY beyond generous and gracious for a product that is WAY beyond excellent and well made.

 

You've got the best of the best visitin' yer campfire. Take heed and listen well.

Our club does not have a TG nor has had one since I started and are in the process of electing one this year. I am a certified RO 2. My club puts everyone through that training for safety reasons. They sent me to RO school after I was shooting for 2 months. 4 months after the training, I got my pins. I am still trying to find out what "ROC" stands for, but no answers yet.

[Hurricane Deck 100366]

R O C = "Range Officer Committee"

[Paladin Ralph]

The manual says this:

 

"Fixed sight revolvers may only use traditional style, barrel mounted, fixed metallic

foresights of a simple blade, bead, or post configuration."

and "

And just below it says this:

"Beaded post front sights or inserts are not allowed"

I ask questions to learn.

Why is it whats good for the rifle is not good for the pistol?

And another:

"Rear and front sights may be “blacked” painted, or plated in the colors of the previously

listed materials. If blacking, paint, or plating is applied to a revolver front sight, it must

cover the entire rear surface of the sight to give the appearance of a solid material."

Plating is an electronically applied very thin layer or a metal. I am wanting to add 0.005" of brass to the entire edge of my fixed front site, but not on the sides and when looking at the sites will show like it is one piece of metal, which could be interpeted as a thicker plating.

May I or may I not do this?.

[Paladin Ralph]

R O C = "Range Officer Committee"

Thank you!

 

Someone should have told me that when I took my RO training, but Ive never heard of it until now.

[PaleWolf Brunelle, #2495L]

 

The manual says this:

 

"Fixed sight revolvers may only use traditional style, barrel mounted, fixed metallic

foresights of a simple blade, bead, or post configuration."

and "

And just below it says this:

"Beaded post front sights or inserts are not allowed"

I ask questions to learn.

Why is it whats good for the rifle is not good for the pistol?

And another:

"Rear and front sights may be “blacked” painted, or plated in the colors of the previously

listed materials. If blacking, paint, or plating is applied to a revolver front sight, it must

cover the entire rear surface of the sight to give the appearance of a solid material."

Plating is an electronically applied very thin layer or a metal. I am wanting to add 0.005" of brass to the entire edge of my fixed front site, but not on the sides and when looking at the sites will show like it is one piece of metal, which could be interpeted as a thicker plating.

May I or may I not do this?.

 

 

ROC = Range Operations Committee

 

The reason that "beaded post" front sights are not allowed on revolvers is because that is one of the restrictions that the Modification Committee came up with when they created the "SASS FIREARMS COVENANTS".

 

The definition of "plating" is not limited to "electronically applied" methodology.

NOUN

1. a thin coating of gold, silver, or other metal.

If what you are proposing complies with the Shooter's Handbook (SHB) regulations regarding front sights on revolvers, it would be LEGAL.

[Paladin Ralph]

 

ROC = Range Operations Committee

 

The reason that "beaded post" front sights are not allowed on revolvers is because that is one of the restrictions that the Modification Committee came up with when they created the "SASS FIREARMS COVENANTS".

 

The definition of "plating" is not limited to "electronically applied" methodology.

NOUN

1. a thin coating of gold, silver, or other metal.

If what you are proposing complies with the Shooter's Handbook (SHB) regulations regarding front sights on revolvers, it would be LEGAL.

Thank you for the clairafication.

[357wheelgunner]

 

The definition of "plating" is not limited to "electronically applied" methodology.

NOUN

1. a thin coating of gold, silver, or other metal.

 

 

What Slick is accomplishing with his sights is an age-old process using modern materials. The process is called close plating and consists of the mechanical bonding via welding, brazing, or soldering, a thin piece of metal, usually 0.010" or more thick, to cover the base material. It would have been a very easy thing for any blacksmith, jeweler, or gunsmith to do back in the day.

 

I am relatively new to SASS and had not heard of these sights before. Like a lot of members my eyes are not getting any better so anything I can do to improve the visibility of that elusive front sight is a good thing. I am also an ammature gunsmith,among other skills, and figured I could make one of these sites pretty simply. I just happened to have some 0.010 brass shim stock in my tool box from some long gone by project. I cut it with a pair of heavy scissors and rough shaped it with files and dremmel. I bent the brass using the trick previously posted of a soft lead block and a big screwdriver. I ground the edge of the screwdriver down to the same thickness is my front sight. When placed over the brass and pounded into the lead it made a lovely pair of 90 degree bends that fit perfectly and slipped right over the front sight. With a bit of file work and sanding the brass sight fit like a glove! A touch of industrial strength Cyanoacrylates glue (superglue) on each side of the roughed up sight and clamped for a couple of minutes with a small machinist parallel clamp permanently affixed the brass to my pistol! Total time, start to finish, for the first one was slightly less than 1 hour. Figured I just made $35 per hour! Second one will go a lot quicker. Can't wait to try them out as soon as the rain lets up.

[Paladin Ralph]

 

The definition of "plating" is not limited to "electronically applied" methodology.

NOUN

1. a thin coating of gold, silver, or other metal.

 

 

What Slick is accomplishing with his sights is an age-old process using modern materials. The process is called close plating and consists of the mechanical bonding via welding, brazing, or soldering, a thin piece of metal, usually 0.010" or more thick, to cover the base material. It would have been a very easy thing for any blacksmith, jeweler, or gunsmith to do back in the day.

 

I am relatively new to SASS and had not heard of these sights before. Like a lot of members my eyes are not getting any better so anything I can do to improve the visibility of that elusive front sight is a good thing. I am also an ammature gunsmith,among other skills, and figured I could make one of these sites pretty simply. I just happened to have some 0.010 brass shim stock in my tool box from some long gone by project. I cut it with a pair of heavy scissors and rough shaped it with files and dremmel. I bent the brass using the trick previously posted of a soft lead block and a big screwdriver. I ground the edge of the screwdriver down to the same thickness is my front sight. When placed over the brass and pounded into the lead it made a lovely pair of 90 degree bends that fit perfectly and slipped right over the front sight. With a bit of file work and sanding the brass sight fit like a glove! A touch of industrial strength Cyanoacrylates glue (superglue) on each side of the roughed up sight and clamped for a couple of minutes with a small machinist parallel clamp permanently affixed the brass to my pistol! Total time, start to finish, for the first one was slightly less than 1 hour. Figured I just made $35 per hour! Second one will go a lot quicker. Can't wait to try them out as soon as the rain lets up.

Exactly what I plan to do. I got 0.005" brass at Ace Hwd for less then 3 bucks. Those kids are so young they never heard of shim stock. My guns came back today from Boom Stick and I just need to find some time to do it. Im so busy in retirement, I dont know how I ever found time to work.