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Replace Front Sight on my Kibler

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T

TarponStalker

54 Cal.
Joined
Aug 1, 2009
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Referring back to our earlier thread about not being able to see front sights. I’m thinking of ordering another blade sight from TOW. Not sure it’ll help me since I have retina damage and things are distorted with missing parts. But I think if I replace the original blade (Jim says it’s about .080 thick) with one that’s .095 - .10 it may help some anyway.
I’m trying to figure out what size dovetail I would need to order that would fit the original.
The logical thing is for me to measure it but I don’t have any tool or calipers to measure that precisely.
Yes I know that’s sad but that’s the case.
Do any of you have an idea what size may fit ? I can always make a new base fit as long as it’s not too small but I’d like to start with a new sight that’s close. It’s a pre Colonial .54
This is my last hope unless I switch to left handed shooting. I can see the front sight ok sometimes but I can’t always tell exactly where the top is. I’ve tried fluorescent Orange paint and recently put just a dot of fluorescent yellow paint. It helps but I’d sure like something better.
Thanks for your help.
 
If you are not worried about being traditional, Williams has fiber optic sights. The front sight is glows red and the rear sights glow green in daylight. I put a set on my last build.
All the sights that are dovetailed into the barrel have a standard size, making the change easier.
 
ord sgt said:
If you are not worried about being traditional, Williams has fiber optic sights. The front sight is glows red and the rear sights glow green in daylight. I put a set on my last build.
All the sights that are dovetailed into the barrel have a standard size, making the change easier.
Click to expand...
Thank you. I’ll look into that if I can’t come up with another solution. I’d sure like to keep it traditional but if I can’t see the sights it doesn’t matter does it?
 
If you remove the sight and peen the front edge until you create a lip on either side and then clean it up with a file you can effectively double the thickness of the blade. I’ve done it several times. That’s the easiest thing to do. It’ll take as much work to fit a new sight even if you can get one that is close. Perhaps take some aluminum foil and thicken the blade just to see if thickening the blade will help you. There are some brass sights that have rounded blades that give the impression of a bead when sighting and are easier to see. Allen Martin uses them on a lot of his guns. Maybe you can ask where he gets them.
 
Bob McBride said:
If you remove the sight and peen the front edge until you create a lip on either side and then clean it up with a file you can effectively double the thickness of the blade. I’ve done it several times. That’s the easiest thing to do. It’ll take as much work to fit a new sight even if you can get one that is close. Perhaps take some aluminum foil and thicken the blade just to see if thickening the blade will help you. There are some brass sights that have rounded blades that give the impression of a bead when sighting and are easier to see. Allen Martin uses them on a lot of his guns. Maybe you can ask where he gets them.
Click to expand...
Thank you Bob.
 
Have you considered a simple peep sight for the rear? My eyes got to where they couldn't focus on either front or rear, I always saw multiple lines. I made a simple peep sight and that cleared both sights up. It's worth a try.
 
the eye can only focus on one thing at a time. rear n target are fuzzy. front in focus, that is why you consentrate on front site, then never see flash in pan. could try glue flat toothpick to front n black marker. also full buckhorn on rear is poor mans peep with fiber on front is big help. no worry how it looks if you can still shoot. good luck
 
S.Kenton said:
Have you tried moving the rear sight towards the front sight about 4-6 inches and see if that helps any? I’m not sure of the extent of your damage to your eyes, but helped me out considerably as I’m getting older.
Click to expand...
The barrels are already have dovetails cut in them
 
Zutt-man said:
The barrels are already have dovetails cut in them
Click to expand...
Yes they sure do, simply remove the sight, tape it where you’d like to try it, if you do indeed want to move the sight after moving it up and down the barrel some, all you have to do is , cut the dovetail and install sight, you can also make a filler to put in place of the sight. I’ve seen MANY originals that have had the sights moved and fillers installed. The fillers can be made from brass, ivory or steel.. or really anything that can be worked well enough to fill the dove tail. I’ve even some made from wood.
 
Cheap reading glasses (the ones you find at supermarkets and large chain drugstores) will also help and you won't have to change out the front sight. Look for magnifications of 1.25 or larger diopters.
 
I've gotten readers with diopters of 1.00 from the Dollar store rack. They do help with making the sights clearer. Then I found some 0.75 and 0.5 diopter glasses on Amazon and Ebay. I used those until my cataracts became too much of a hinderance to my vision. Then I got lens replacements. Reading glasses are cheaper, but those cheap readers don't offer full safety glass protection.
 
TarponStalker said:
Referring back to our earlier thread about not being able to see front sights. I’m thinking of ordering another blade sight from TOW. Not sure it’ll help me since I have retina damage and things are distorted with missing parts. But I think if I replace the original blade (Jim says it’s about .080 thick) with one that’s .095 - .10 it may help some anyway.
I’m trying to figure out what size dovetail I would need to order that would fit the original.
The logical thing is for me to measure it but I don’t have any tool or calipers to measure that precisely.
Yes I know that’s sad but that’s the case.
Do any of you have an idea what size may fit ? I can always make a new base fit as long as it’s not too small but I’d like to start with a new sight that’s close. It’s a pre Colonial .54
This is my last hope unless I switch to left handed shooting. I can see the front sight ok sometimes but I can’t always tell exactly where the top is. I’ve tried fluorescent Orange paint and recently put just a dot of fluorescent yellow paint. It helps but I’d sure like something better.
Thanks for your help the dimensions of the base are on kiblers web site.
Click to expand...
 
The "slot" is bigger than the standard 3/8 dovetail, and not as deep.
I put on a 2 part fiber optic sight. A thin threaded nut fits in the slot, and snugs up to the sight via an hex screw. When my gun smith comes back from a hunting trip, he will machine in a real 3/8 dovetail.
I already had the barrel drilled and tapped for a rear sight.
I have to say my SMR is a excellent rifle, except for the sights, and the ability to pop in standard replacements.
 

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