Silver Soldering Wilson 870 Front Sight to Barrel?

sixty9santa

sixty9santa

CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Rating - 100%
36   0   0
Well I have a set of Wilson Combat tritium sights waiting to be installed.
I've already installed the rear sight, and no problems there, but I doon't want to epoxy the front sight on. I'd rather silver solder it and then refinish it.
Question is do I need to remove the tritium insert? And if so, how?
I would guess that I would have to remove it due to the high heat from the torch.
 
Last edited:
I've heard good results with locktite black, but that is almost the same as epoxy.

Perhaps blue or red which you could remove and then pin it?
Can I ask why you don't want to epoxy it? Maybe I can shed some further light if know your reasons for a work around.
 
I'm sending mine to TacOrd (Arwen Ace).

He says he removes the vial, silver solders, and then replaces the vial with Loctite Black. How he removes the vial, I have no idea!
 
scotty said:
I've heard good results with locktite black, but that is almost the same as epoxy.

Perhaps blue or red which you could remove and then pin it?
Can I ask why you don't want to epoxy it? Maybe I can shed some further light if know your reasons for a work around.
Click to expand...


Loctite black is no where near as strong as epoxy, and the grey epoxy Wilson ships with there sight rocks big time, especially if you have a phosphate finish on your gun. We used to use that epoxy to hold carbide wear strips onto steel plate that bearing shafts rode on going through centerless grinders to the tune of 10-20 000 a day. It retains a degree of flexibility for shock resistance when hard. I have a set on my shottie and the blade hasn't so much as wiggles no matter how many slugs I put through. Degrease well and stick her on, and clean up any overflow IMMEDIATELY! or its there for good.
 
My Wilson front sight is epoxied on. If it falls off I am going to have my gunsmith silver solder a small piece of barstock onto the front of my muzzle, re-blue the muzzle, drill and tap the bar stock and then screw the front sight onto the bar stock.
 
Garry Styles said:
What he says is The Gospel, he is the Man when it comes to these matters. I have used him on several occassions and he never steers you wrong !
Click to expand...


Black Max is good stuff, I've used it alot for various things, but it will not hold the front sight blade on, it's shear strenght is not good, use the supplied epoxy, it is very very good stuff.....
 
canucklehead said:
I think the Scattergun epoxy blows chunks. Unless you have a sight base, the sight will come off.
Click to expand...

Did you read the instructions? That is the way the sight was designed to be installed, epoxied over the bead base of a Remington. After the epoxy sets up you drill the front sight, ensuring you go through the bead base, and insert a roll pin. It'll never come off, and it is easy for the do it yourself types.

If you have a shotgun that installs the bead directly into the barrel, then you are right, it'll probably come off because you don't have anywhere to secure a roll pin. You could solder it on, but send it to a pro to remove the tritium vial, you'll then have to have your barrel refinished, and the tritium re-installed. This would be a much more expensive option, it is certainly do-able, but lets remember that this sight was designed for easy installation by the do it yourselfer over a Remington bead sight. It will be more difficult, and probably better left to a pro, for any other circumstances.
 
I did install it as per instructions from Wilson directly. There is mention of an 'adapter' that you can purchase from Wilson if you don't have a base, but they told me they haven't sold that part in years.

The glue itself is quite strong, but if it has nothing to bond to but bare metal, it's not that adhesive long term.

Either way - my barrel is off to Arwen to get fixed up right (silver solder!).
 
canucklehead said:
I did install it as per instructions from Wilson directly. There is mention of an 'adapter' that you can purchase from Wilson if you don't have a base, but they told me they haven't sold that part in years.

The glue itself is quite strong, but if it has nothing to bond to but bare metal, it's not that adhesive long term.

Either way - my barrel is off to Arwen to get fixed up right (silver solder!).
Click to expand...

The 'adaptor' was a large head, flat top screw.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom