Filling a dove tail on a rifle

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  • Last Post 07 May 2014
R. Dupraz posted this 28 April 2014

How can an existing dove tail on a rifle barrel be filled with a metal blank and without welding so that the slot will be indistinguishable? The rifle will be browned instead of blued so that should help some. Installing a period adjustable leaf rear sight on a Gemmer-Hawken project.

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onondaga posted this 28 April 2014

"indistinguishable” is a pretty tall order. I am the guy with the golden hands and retired but have worked with Dental Implants requiring an invisible and unmeasurable fit. I could do what you are asking about but It would require many trial fittings and repeated abrasion and adjustments with indicating ink. Starting with steel stock similar to the barrel will help if you go that route.

I rough shape with abrasive with stone wheels on a bench motor and when I get close, then change to 3M Cratex wheels that still abrade but provide a good finish. I don't use a file at all, and I don't use sandpaper either. I use a Baldor Dental bench motor with a Jacobs chuck.

I recently got a Lyman Peep for my Lyman Great Plains Rifle and tried one of the slot fillers from MidwayUSA. It was huge and I tossed it deciding to make one from some steel bar stock I have.  I didn't go for a Dental Implant fit and finish because this is for a rifle and I may change back to the original sight. But I tried to keep it low and not too distracting to look at. It didn't take 5 hours to make nearly invisible and I could have done that had I decided to. What I ended up took with about an hour and  is a practical and removable slot filler:

http://s30.photobucket.com/user/rhymeswithwhat/media/P4280060_zpsf68de14f.jpg.html>

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joeb33050 posted this 28 April 2014

R. Dupraz wrote: How can an existing dove tail on a rifle barrel be filled with a metal blank and without welding so that the slot will be indistinguishable? NoThe rifle will be browned instead of blued so that should help some. Installing a period adjustable leaf rear sight on a Gemmer-Hawken project.

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RicinYakima posted this 29 April 2014

No, unless you blast with coarse abrasive and parkerize. Ric

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Uncle Russ posted this 04 May 2014

This is just a crazy thought. “What would one of the Hawken boys do if he had a spare dovetail?” Make a new barrel, I really doubt it.

If you want to be period correct do what they may have done. Make a well made, tight fitting dovetail filler and drive it in place. Then saw and file the filler until it matches the barrel contour. Once finished you won't see much of it if at all.

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R. Dupraz posted this 04 May 2014

Uncle Russ: You bring up an interesting point. I tend to agree with your statement about what the old Hawken boys would do. There is more than one example of just that with oriiginal muzzle loaders when the barrel was shorted and such. This rifle is being built for a friend and is a Rendition of a Gemmer Sharps from a Shiloh Sharps. The motivation for my question was because he wanted the original rear sight moved ahead which would necessitate milling another dove tail and filling the old one. Reason for moving the sight, old eyes. Surprise.    I know when building muzzle loaders, the joint between the breach plug and rear of the barrel can be dang near invisible after browning if it is fitted tight.

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RicinYakima posted this 05 May 2014

RD, Your key word was “indistinguishable". I have slow rust blued over plugged screw holes and you can see the edges if you look in the sun light. FWIW, Ric

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R. Dupraz posted this 05 May 2014

I think that would be a good option if I were doing it for myself and I had something long enough to boil the barreled action. I have rust blued smaller parts in the past and they can come out really nice.

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Ken Campbell Iowa posted this 06 May 2014

my thought was to put in an oversize filler then grind or turn everything to match ... but if the filler alloy is different, blueing or browning might still be different on the different alloys.

my next thought would be to flaunt the difference ... how about a brass or gold filler ... might be nicely ornametal ( get it ? ) ..

ken

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beemer posted this 07 May 2014

My gunsmith deals with a lot of antique firearms, he has shown me several that have had the rear sight moved forward at least two times. We guessed that the sight was moved as the owner got older.

The dovetails were fitted but by no means invisible,it just added character to the rifle.

Just do the brass one and have his initials engraved on it.

Dave

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badammo posted this 07 May 2014

I have a rifle that someone has filled the dovetail with JB weld and smoothed to contour. Its not the greatest way, but not too obvious.

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