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britrifles View Drop Down
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    Posted: January 14 2024 at 1:36pm
Finding a wide blade front sight has turned out to be like finding hens teeth.  Our friend “Strangely Brown” has graciously located a few but while I wait I thought I would see if I could make one. 

The CMP Rules for Vintage Military Rifles allow for blade widths up to 0.100 inches providing they are of the same profile as the original. 

Dug through my sheet metal pile and found some 0.024 inch thick Aluminum alloy sheet. This added to each side of the 0.053 thick blade gives 0.101.  Don’t think anyone will complain it’s one thousands of an inch over the limit Smile



Here it is “in the rough”. JB Weld to bond the aluminum to the sides of the front blade. Once that cures, I will profile the aluminum to match the blade with a file. I’ve got some “Aluminum Black” to touch it up. Then apply Sight Black. 



I have a USMC 0.10 inch wide blade on my 03A3 and it’s a big help with sight picture. 
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Shamu View Drop Down
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That's about what I did to make my front sight taller! I used a bit snipped off a soda can as I wanted height rather than width. I made an inverted "U" & let the JB full the empty space at the top. The whole lot was filed to shape & then painted matte black with a rattle can.
Don't shoot till you see the whites of their thighs. (Unofficial motto of the Royal Air Force)
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britrifles View Drop Down
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Yup, same concept I’m doing, except I’m making it wider. 

Now profiled to match the existing blade.  I just figure out this sight had been filed down. It’s a -0.015, but it’s actually shorter than a -0.030.  



Now painted flat black. 





I still need to check the barrel bearing pressure from the forend, something has changed with barrel pressure to make the elevation change this much after replacing the barrel. Elevation dropped about 8 to 10 Minutes. I’ve never had that happen before from a barrel replacement. 
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Looks good.
Don't shoot till you see the whites of their thighs. (Unofficial motto of the Royal Air Force)
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Mayhem View Drop Down
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Nicely done.  Probably two thou over now with the paint!
.303 - Helping Englishmen express their feelings since 1889
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BWHAHAHaHahaha!
Don't shoot till you see the whites of their thighs. (Unofficial motto of the Royal Air Force)
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Strangely Brown View Drop Down
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That's very impressive Geoff! 

A page from an early 1960's Parker-Hale catalogue for your delectation...who knew P-H offered so many foresights? 
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britrifles View Drop Down
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I shot the rebarreled No. 4 with the widened (.010 inch) front sight blade today. I really like how the wider blade dominates the sight picture.  I should have tried to take a photo thru the aperture. 

I was shooting for groups today, not necessarily for score, but no question the wider blade helped. 

200 yards prone in sling.  7 shots came into a 1 MOA group. 
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That's seriously good shooting Geoff!

I may have to look to do something similar for my SR"b" .303. 
Mick
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Looking good!Thumbs Up
Don't shoot till you see the whites of their thighs. (Unofficial motto of the Royal Air Force)
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britrifles View Drop Down
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Thanks guys. 

I was a bit disappointed with the outcome of the Berdan to Boxer conversion, but the wide blade foresight was a success. Now to get a solid zero elevation setting on the rear sight and leave it alone! 

I found the wide blade has another advantage.  Hold over for windage adjustment is much easier when shooting in cross winds. You can compensate for most conditions of cross winds at 200 yds (10 to 15 mph full value) by holding one edge of the sight to the edge of the black bull.  This is much harder to do with the 0.05 wide foresight blade. 
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Well done Geoff, what have you used to paint the sight?
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Zed View Drop Down
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I may need to try this on my No1 mkIII*.
It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice!
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britrifles View Drop Down
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Originally posted by DarioPirovano DarioPirovano wrote:

Well done Geoff, what have you used to paint the sight?

Flat black enamel then Musou Black resin paint. 
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DarioPirovano View Drop Down
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Thank you
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