Making your own sites for your muzzle loader

[Scorpmann3518]

Just thought I would throw this out there for something to do. Has anyone made their own rear sight for their muzzle loader? I have a T/C Renegade and was thinking it would be possible to make a new one that screwed on. Any ideas?

 

[Zonie]

A short 1/2" or 5/8" piece of 2 X 2 X 1/8 thick angle iron from your local scrap yard could provide the stock for creating your own rear sight.

You'll have to drill and countersink the mounting holes in the right place and saw off the long vertical leg but after doing that, a lot of file work with a double cut bastaard and then a single cut bastaard file should turn it into a nice rear sight.

 

[Bill Hall]

I made a rear sight when I was a teenager, cut out of a big piece of soft metal. It was dovetailed though.

One thing I learned is that you need to make the metal around the notch very thin, or else you get a fuzzy sight picture. That's why there is a concave dip cut in the front of most rear sights right at the notch.

I've also modified rear sights, making the notch taller by soldering a very thin piece of sheet metal over, and higher than, the existing notch. After cutting a new notch, the thin metal makes a crisp sight picture.

Just a couple of things I've learned. Hope they help. Bill

 

[Birddog6]

Look at TOW or MBS and see if they have one you can grind off the dovetail & drill for mounting. If not, you can make one out of a piece of 1/2" key stock from Lowes or Home Depot or most hardware stores.

Keith Lisle

 

[Rifleman1776]

While I usually encourage doing things for yerself, there are some chores just not worth the time and energy. Check the vendors, there are ready made sights just for what you are wanting to do. Will save you lots and lots of time filing and grinding.

 

[Scorpmann3518]

I took a look Rifleman. Saw one I liked that would fit the rifle. Either way it's something for me to play around with. That and the non dovetail ones I have seen are $30 dollars plus shipping.

 

[Rifleman1776]

I took a look Rifleman. Saw one I liked that would fit the rifle. Either way it's something for me to play around with. That and the non dovetail ones I have seen are $30 dollars plus shipping.

It is a personal choice.
One view is to consider how much your time is worth compared to the $30.00.
OTOH, for some, including me at times, there is nothing more valuable than being able to spend quite time in the shop making something. That can be priceless. Let us know what you do.

 

[BrownBear]

I've been real happy using this sight on TC Hawken barrels, but haven't tried it on Renegades. If the hole spacing is the same, it should be fine.

Oh, and it's $16. They didn't do themselves any favors with that photo, but the sight itself looks really good.

 

[Scorpmann3518]

I'll have to check that out. I tend to like to make anything I can just because. Way too much time on my hands. Wife and I reversed roles and I keep things so clean theres not much to do most of the time. Bright side is I can get away with a lot of things in the kitchen I couldn't the other way around :haha:

 

[sc45-70]

I seem to be making a lot of rear sights lately.

Here is one of mine (the only one I have a picture of).

When you make it yourself you get exactly what you want!


SC45-70

 

[Scorpmann3518]

Nice sight and I love that pistol. I'll post how it goes. Probably going to start on in in the morning.

 

[John Taylor]

I made this little peep sight for a small under hammer.

 

[Scorpmann3518]

I'm really considering the peep site idea or something of my own variation that works. Havn't been having the best of luck with creating ones like I see in the online stores.