Installing banded sight over barrel porting?

[CoryTheCowboy]

Good morning folks,

I've been wanting to install a set of sights on my Ruger M77. It came to me re-barreled (to 375/338) and Magna-Ported.

I've successfully installed a banded sight using LocTite Black Max before, and that's what I'd planned to use. I'm not too concerned about losing the effects of the porting, I'm more wondering if there's any precautions I should take in case any of the Loctite drips through a port and into the barrel? Or any suggestions on alternative methods of attaching it? I'm guessing that solder would be even worse for potentially getting into the ports?
Alternatively, I could just install a ramped sight and avoid the ports all together.

Thank you for any and all advice,

Cory

 

[b72471]

Ramped sight is the way to go. A band over the ports is not a good idea.

 

[Potashminer]

Good morning folks,

I've been wanting to install a set of sights on my Ruger M77. It came to me re-barreled (to 375/338) and Magna-Ported.

I've successfully installed a banded sight using LocTite Black Max before, and that's what I'd planned to use. I'm not too concerned about losing the effects of the porting, I'm more wondering if there's any precautions I should take in case any of the Loctite drips through a port and into the barrel? Or any suggestions on alternative methods of attaching it? I'm guessing that solder would be even worse for potentially getting into the ports?
Alternatively, I could just install a ramped sight and avoid the ports all together.

Thank you for any and all advice,

Cory

As far as "drips" through the ports - could likely install a plug or even a patch inside the bore to catch and absorb any "drips".

I have never done what you propose - I would expect the gases coming out those ports would work away at whatever epoxy or solder that you might use to attach that front sight - which will no doubt not be apparent until you "REALLY" want a front sight, and it is gone or sticking out sideways on the barrel. Let us know how it works out for you.

I have a rifle that I think needs a banded front sight - but it does not have ports there - so was thinking solder - but maybe good epoxy will also work fine, in my instance.

I did use 4% silver solder to attach a ramp front sight on a 9.3x57 barrel that I sawed off to be shorter - has not fallen off yet - much fussing to get the thing to sit "straight" - I used sort of "sweat" process - a coat of solder on barrel, then coat on the underside of ramp - then super red-neck spring loaded gizmo to hold it in place as the solders went liquid as I heated again to fuse the "sweating". I am pretty sure that one was the one that I marked up well with soap stone (like welders use to mark on metal), or perhaps it was lead from a pencil - in places that I did not want the solder to stick to.

As I recall - I set that ramp in place and traced around it - then scraped all the bluing out from inside the markings - to more or less shiny steel for the solder to stick to - I do not know if it will "hold" on bluing. Same deal on underside of the front ramp - I made it more or less shiny with emory cloth - and a LOT of soldering resin was used to stick the "sweat" layers and then to join them together - was probably an entirely "rookie" attempt, but it seems to be holding, so far.

 

[guntech]

I dislike Magna Porting, I have seen far to many ported rifle barrels that have bore damage in the ported areas from dust/debris settling in the bore through the ports and then being fired... this occurs from running it in and out of a gun case and general use... it builds up over a period of time... a band over the porting would stop that effect. You would still have to clean carefully so nothing gets left in the ports to seep back into the bore.

 

[CoryTheCowboy]

I dislike Magna Porting, I have seen far to many ported rifle barrels that have bore damage in the ported areas from dust/debris settling in the bore through the ports and then being fired... this occurs from running it in and out of a gun case and general use... it builds up over a period of time... a band over the porting would stop that effect. You would still have to clean carefully so nothing gets left in the ports to seep back into the bore.

Ramped sight is the way to go. A band over the ports is not a good idea.

As far as "drips" through the ports - could likely install a plug or even a patch inside the bore to catch and absorb any "drips".

I have never done what you propose - I would expect the gases coming out those ports would work away at whatever epoxy or solder that you might use to attach that front sight - which will no doubt not be apparent until you "REALLY" want a front sight, and it is gone or sticking out sideways on the barrel. Let us know how it works out for you.

I have a rifle that I think needs a banded front sight - but it does not have ports there - so was thinking solder - but maybe good epoxy will also work fine, in my instance.

I did use 4% silver solder to attach a ramp front sight on a 9.3x57 barrel that I sawed off to be shorter - has not fallen off yet - much fussing to get the thing to sit "straight" - I used sort of "sweat" process - a coat of solder on barrel, then coat on the underside of ramp - then super red-neck spring loaded gizmo to hold it in place as the solders went liquid as I heated again to fuse the "sweating". I am pretty sure that one was the one that I marked up well with soap stone (like welders use to mark on metal), or perhaps it was lead from a pencil - in places that I did not want the solder to stick to.

As I recall - I set that ramp in place and traced around it - then scraped all the bluing out from inside the markings - to more or less shiny steel for the solder to stick to - I do not know if it will "hold" on bluing. Same deal on underside of the front ramp - I made it more or less shiny with emory cloth - and a LOT of soldering resin was used to stick the "sweat" layers and then to join them together - was probably an entirely "rookie" attempt, but it seems to be holding, so far.

While the rifle is quite pleasant to shoot recoil wise, I don't know if it outweighs the noise benefit...and at about 22" right now, it's not able to be shortened to remove the ports. Everytime I've hunted the rifle, I've ran electrical tape over the ports because I was also concerned about debris working in, I see that was a real issue.

I had considered the gases "working away" at the epoxy, I just wasn't sure if it was a valid concern or not. Sounds like it is.

Thank you for your help gentlemen, off to the NECG site I go

Cory

 

[Potashminer]

"valid concern" - from my experience, I do not know that - I never tried it - would be what I expect to happen and I have been surprised multiple times in the past - both by stuff happening that I did not expect, and stuff not happening that I was expecting to happen. So, not a "slam dunk" certainty for me - just what I think is a plausible / possible occurrence ...

I base my concern from having seen "gas cutting" on the strap of a revolver - over the cylinder / barrel gap - so I believe that those gases have significant ability to cut through steel / metal - but maybe I am overlooking something relevant.

 

[bunny]

cut and crown the barrel the install, probably wont loose much velocity, and end up with a nicer balanced rifle.