Hello,

I have a 1930's German Guild rifle that I need to add some taller sight blades to. I don't want to replace the entire sight and I've already checked with NECG and nothing they have fits into the dovetail.

Below are three pics of one of the blades. I'm interested in a few copies, obviously taller, that I can start with and modify.

If interested, please PM with approximate costs.

If someone has a better idea, please let me know.

Use the original(s),,just cut the top blade portion off a ways.
Then silver solder (hard solder) a new blank blade into place.
It'll take a bit of file work to shape it up the way you like it as far as the sides and thickness are concerned.
Leave the top just dead flat and no notch in them.
At the range file the height of each to the proper elevation and notch to the style you want.

Then blue the blades. If done right only the thinnest of silver solder lines will be seen straight accross the lower face of the blade where the butt joint is done.

You can even 1/2 lap the old blade with the new piece for extra strength.
That can put any solder line right at the bottom on the back (sighting) face.
Soft solder would probably work fine if done that way with enough extra contact surface.

Either way,,a lot less work than making and fitting new blade altogether.

Yeah, do that; Making new leaves from a real gunsmith would cost $100 each. More or less. Soft solder, meaning tin/silver would be fine. True silver soldering, which is really silver brazing, is done at 1750 degrees; not usually necessary for most gun work. Remington Bolt handles and double rifle shoe lumps for example, it is good. Sights, not so much.

Thanks - I had thought of that as well. I'll go that route.

Silver solder (hard solder) is 1200/1400F depending on what % silver content you're using.
Lower the content, lower the melt temp. I think the 1200F stuff is around 55/60% silver. The high temp melt is around 80%.
The different melt temps are more for being able to build on already soldered assemblys than anything else.

It's used for all sorts of small things like this. It can be done with nothing more than a propane torch on small parts like these sight blades w/never a chance of damaging the steel parts.

If doing just a butt joint, I'd use that.
The low temp silver bearing soft solder just won't hold up on such a tiny contact surface.
But like I mentioned, if you overlap (1/2 lap to maintain the same original blade thickness) the two pieces to increase contact, I think you'd be OK with it there.


Brazing is up around the 1700F mark. That wouldn't be necessary for this and there's a very good chance you'd start to sizzle the steel while watching for the braze to flow on such small parts.

3D printer would be nice!

Silver brazing would work fine. Although I personally would tig it. and yes I can tig something that small then surface grind the weld and you would never know.

Or I'd build a little fixture to hold everything in place and silver braze it

i'd tig it

the other thing you can do is to take it to a jeweler & have them laser weld it together

or you can buy them pre-made from Recknagel

quote:

Originally posted by skb:
or you can buy them pre-made from Recknagel

I looked in their catalog, didn't see any. The leaf sights that come on their bases are too narrow where the pin fits through. I also considered getting their CZ replace express leaf assembly and filing it down to fit into a 20mm dove tail.