The insert should be placed as high as possible in the front sight blade so when looking at the blade through the rear sight notch, a minimum of the blade is visible above the new insert. On some blade designs this can be perfectly achieved with no metal showing...on others a compromise must be made as per sketches shown below:
To help determine the best location for the insert, use white tape to mark the estimated location, then sight through the sights and move the tape up or down until the exact spot is found.
WARNING Never attempt to disassemble or reassemble a firearm unless you are absolutely certain that it is empty and unloaded. Visually inspect the chamber, the magazine and firing mechanism to be absolutely certain that no ammunition remains in the firearm. Disassembly and reas-sembly should follow the manufacturer’s instructions. If such instruc-tions are not immediately available, contact the manufacturer to see if they are available. If they are not available at all, then you should consult other reference sources such as reference books or persons with sufficient knowledge. If such alternative sources are not available and you have a need to disassemble or reassemble the firearm, you should proceed basing your procedures on common sense and experience with similarly constructed firearms. With regard to the use of these tools, the advice of Brownells Incor-porated is general. If there is any question as to a specific application it would be best to seek out specific advice from other sources and not solely rely on the general advice and warnings given.
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CUTTING THE SLOT The insert size is largely a matter of personal preference, though certain factors should be considered. An insert length of 13⁄32" to 7⁄16", with a depth of 3⁄32" to 1⁄8" looks best in most sights. In addition to making an insert that looks “right”, also take into account the fact that these inserts have light gather-ing ability, so the larger the insert, the better it will show up to the shooter.
After selecting the insert location and size, use a scribe to mark the out-line of the insert slot on the front sight blade. By scribing both sides of the sight blade you will have depth lines established to cut to when making the insert slot. The easiest way to start the slot is with a Foredom or Dremel electric hand grinder. (A very fast-cutting and durable grinding wheel can be made by stacking several Dremel No. 409 cut-off wheels on one No. 402 mandrel.) This initial cut can also be made with a file (see Figure 3) or a hacksaw. If using a hacksaw, make several crosswise cuts as close together as possible, just as you would when cutting a sight dovetail in a rifle barrel. Of these methods, the No. 409 cut-off wheels will produce a started slot that is easiest to file to final shape.
Figure 3- Using a file to start the insert slot when electric hand grinder is not available.
Figure 4- Insert slot is now ready to be filed to shape.
SHAPING THE INSERT SLOT
Figure 5- Filing insert slot with 3-Square Needle File.
Using the Coarse 3-Square Needle File furnished in the Insert Kit, file the corners and bottom of the slot. Make the dovetail corners very pronounced to hold the insert securely. (See Figure 6.) The final step is to use the Fine 3-Square File to dress the dovetail slot to final dimensions, keeping the corners and edges sharp and true. The sharp edges will trim the insert as you press it in the slot, so it is important to file these edges very precisely.
Figure 6- Insert slot has been filed to shape.
CUTTING THE INSERT
Figure 7- Cutting the insert blank from the stock sheet with jew-eler’s saw.
Hold the insert material alongside the insert slot you cut into the sight, and lightly scribe the slot outline onto the plastic. (After you have made a couple of inserts, you will probably cut the insert blank without marking.) Cut out the insert with a jeweler’s saw (Figure 7), or a fine-toothed coping saw, or hacksaw. Keep the insert considerably oversized! Next, file the insert to the exact shape of the slot, keeping the insert slightly (.010" to .015") oversize on the bottom and corners. Do not remove any material from the top until the insert is installed.
FITTING THE INSERT
Figure 8- Pressing the insert into slot with smooth-jawed parallel pliers.
A pair of smooth-jawed, parallel pliers works best for this step, although a smooth-jawed vise can also be used. Place the oversized insert alongside the insert slot, and press it into the slot with pliers as in Figure 8. The sharp edges of the slot will shear the excess material from the corners and bottom of the insert for a perfect fit. Trim the top of the insert. If you prefer to polish the insert to a high gloss, use small muslin or felt wheels and Simichrome Polish.
Figure 9- Insert installed, ready for final trimming
Figure 10- Finished insert, side view.
Figure 11- Finished insert, front view.
Figure 12- Finished insert, seen from shooter’s viewpoint.
SELLING YOUR WORK The outside back cover is made to hang up in your shop as a means of informing your customers that you are in the Sight Insert business. Another good sales aid is to dis-play a handgun that has one of your Sight Inserts. You will pick up more business when customers see what services you offer, especially when they also see a sample of your work.
Reassemble the firearm according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Check for proper functioning using ACTION PROVING DUMMIES. Make sure ALL SAFETY MECHANISMS are fully functional as designed and ap-proved by the manufacturer. If these tests prove satisfactory, test-fire the firearm with live ammunition in a SAFE and APPROPRIATE manner. IM-PORTANT! If the firearm is a fully or semi-automatic design, start the live ammunition tests by first loading an ACTION PROVING DUMMY, then a live round, into the magazine. Only after several tests have been conducted in this manner should additional rounds be placed in the magazine and fired.
HANDGUN
FRONT SIGHTINSERT
YOUR CHOICE OF COLORS
Black - White - Traditional RED -Fluorescent Red - Yellow - Orange
HUNTING - TARGET SHOOTING
Improves sight visibility on dark days or againstbackgrounds that make other sights hard to see.
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