hi guys. if the turnaround im workin lasts atleast two more weeks i will be orderin my first flinchrock, a tvm southern rifle. im interested in maby trying something a little different for the front sight. iv heard\read about using bone, or more specificly warthog tusk, to make a sight that is highly visible and throws no glare or shimmer. anyone ever heard of or tried this? what do yall think of it?
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bone\ivory front sight?
- Thread starter newtothis
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brawny man
36 Cal.
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I have read that some frontiersmen favored a front sight made of bone. Easily seen in low light conditions. I would be a little concerned of how fragile the bone sight is. Don't know how many original rifles had em. Won't hurt to try it.
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I have several older cartridge guns with them and grew up shooting doubles that mostly had them. And I'm not really inspired to put on one a muzzleloader. It's a taste thing, but some experience there too with snowy days and bright sun. They have an advantage in low light, but truthfully I just carry a little jug of typing "white out" in my bag. I put a little dab on the front sight when I set out, and once the light level comes up I flick it off with my thumbnail. Done.
I've only had one gun mounted with what I was told an ivory bead,
And my experiance was much like BB, it was kinda tuff to see in some light. I mean it would just disappear if the sun was just right (or wrong).
And now, again like BB I use white out and a black marker to "change" the front bead as the light changes.
Course I'm thinkin our eyes might just be a little older than yours.
I did git $20 for that sight though, :grin:
And my experiance was much like BB, it was kinda tuff to see in some light. I mean it would just disappear if the sun was just right (or wrong).
And now, again like BB I use white out and a black marker to "change" the front bead as the light changes.
Course I'm thinkin our eyes might just be a little older than yours.
I did git $20 for that sight though, :grin:
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necchi said:
Seems like my eyes are getting older a lot faster than they used to. :rotf:
ohio ramrod
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I have fitted my target rifle with an ivory front sight which really helps my old eyes pick it up. I had trouble with the ivory being brittle ( 100year plus old piano key ivory) So I made some sights out of steel,blued the steel and put an ivory insert in them. :hmm: :hmm:
Ya they work good on a black bullseye type target, but swing the sight onto the burm an take another look.
Sometimes for novelty type targets white won't work well, and in a hunting situation like BB said early or late they can be real nice, but get that 10AM or 4PM sun light and their gone.
I guess for the OP, try'm, what da heck, swapping out a front blade is easy enough.
And you'll know from trying, :idunno:
Sometimes for novelty type targets white won't work well, and in a hunting situation like BB said early or late they can be real nice, but get that 10AM or 4PM sun light and their gone.
I guess for the OP, try'm, what da heck, swapping out a front blade is easy enough.
And you'll know from trying, :idunno:
I either put floresent Yellow on the front sight
or make it out of horn...when I point that one at
something dark the horn sight turns light and
when I point it at something light it turns dark.
This works in most cases for me but what do I
know? I don't even know how it knows to do that.
Wulf
or make it out of horn...when I point that one at
something dark the horn sight turns light and
when I point it at something light it turns dark.
This works in most cases for me but what do I
know? I don't even know how it knows to do that.
Wulf
Grizzled Roberts
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Glenn McClane makes a iron front sight that has an ivory insert right in the middle of the blade. I used them years ago, I can't see the ivory line now.
I doubt there is a single color of sight which is perfect for all conditions. For low light I find a white front bead to be visible when the plastic fantastic fire sights have faded away, while those same plastic sights become too dazzling in good sunlight.
The white line center on a blued steel post is not a bad idea but it's not so visible as a totally white bead in low light.
Brown Bear and necchi have probably given the best suggestion, a dab of white on a black steel post or bead.
The white line center on a blued steel post is not a bad idea but it's not so visible as a totally white bead in low light.
Brown Bear and necchi have probably given the best suggestion, a dab of white on a black steel post or bead.
I first saw bone and ivory front sights at the Hawken match range at Friendship. They seemed to work very well in low light conditions. I long thought it would be great to have one. When my Jaeger was built I specified a bone or ivory sight. Now that I have it I'm not real convinced I made the best decision. In certain low light conditions it is fine. In open bright sunlight it glares. And, contrary to what you might think would happen, on a black target it does not give the best definition. For that very rare shot at the end of the day at a deer, it might be the best. For almost all other conditions, I believe the standard iron sight is best. My Rev. period traditional longrifle has a silver front sight. Very poor for shooting. Looks great in a museum. I kept it (rear too which is also silver) blackened with a felt tip marker.
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