Sighting in the 1862 Pocket Police

[JimT]

Went to the Range this morning and worked on the front sight. I had to cut it down quite a ways .. figured on that. But it's now hitting close to POA at 20 yards.

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[GunnyMack]

Big improvement Jim!

[JimT]

Thanks. It helps to be able to see the sights.

[Ysabel Kid]

Oh that is sweet!

What sight did you use?

[gamekeeper]

Nice when things work out, well done Jim...

[JimT]

Oh that is sweet!

What sight did you use?

It was an all steel sight blank that was intended for a Hawken rifle. I got it from Dixie Gun Works.

[horsesoldier03]

Very nice, good work.

[Sixgun]

Filing a dovetail is no easy task……..lots of angles can go wrong. That’s a nice detailed job and one I would have screwed up…….more than likely I would have pinned it with 1/8” pins and epoxied it on…..I must have a hundred front sights.

Inspiring…what ball do you use, a .375 or 379?:: My original uses a .379.

[JimT]

Filing a dovetail is no easy task……..lots of angles can go wrong. That’s a nice detailed job and one I would have screwed up…….more than likely I would have pinned it with 1/8” pins and epoxied it on…..I must have a hundred front sights.

Inspiring…what ball do you use, a .375 or 379?:: My original uses a .379.

.375" works really well in this gun. Cuts a nice ring of lead when you seat it. Seems to be accurate if I do my part.

[Scott Tschirhart]

Very nice!!!!

[Bill in Oregon]

Nothing ever wrong with the Pocket Police. A friend has one he bought in high school -- a loooong time ago as he is only a couple of years younger than I am.
That's a nice 20-yard target, Jim.

[JimT]

Nothing ever wrong with the Pocket Police. A friend has one he bought in high school -- a loooong time ago as he is only a couple of years younger than I am.
That's a nice 20-yard target, Jim.

Thanks. Every once in awhile I get lucky and wobble 'em pretty much close together.

[JimT]

Filing a dovetail is no easy task……..lots of angles can go wrong. That’s a nice detailed job and one I would have screwed up…….more than likely I would have pinned it with 1/8” pins and epoxied it on…..I must have a hundred front sights.

This isn't the best dovetail I've cut. It was an odd size and I had to clean up the sight quite a bit. But like I heard a guy say once, "The ditch may be crooked but I dug it all and you can run water down it!"

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I had opened up the rear sight and squared it up .. works nicely with the new front sight.

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[Sixgun]

Who cares about the ditch for any job that’s not important any redneck style will do……..but your file job is done right and tight……don’t forget, I’m an old head who has removed and reinstalled a thousand or two sights…..and have made many more fit on hundred year old guns when tolerances were haphazard at best…….and to hand cut a dovetail that close is no easy job……..that’s what milling machines and levels are for…….

[Pat C]

They do make sight dovetail guides from hardened steel ,harder than files. And are just about goof proof . Fairly inexpensive as well. I've cut a few by hand using actual sight base dovetail file . They work excellent having only one live side other two are smooth.

Most of the barrels I do today I use dovetail cutter on the mill but even then I often adjust with the dovetail file for perfect fit.

When I was training in tech school in the 80's you had to hand file a block of steel square on all sides including end. And polish to 63 or better finish .Then it had to be checked on surface plate and be square and flat within .003" before they would let you start on any machine.

Many dropped out after they couldn't do it.

[JimT]

They do make sight dovetail guides from hardened steel ,harder than files. And are just about goof proof . Fairly inexpensive as well. I've cut a few by hand using actual sight base dovetail file . They work excellent having only one live side other two are smooth.

Most of the barrels I do today I use dovetail cutter on the mill but even then I often adjust with the dovetail file for perfect fit.

When I was training in tech school in the 80's you had to hand file a block of steel square on all sides including end. And polish to 63 or better finish .Then it had to be checked on surface plate and be square and flat within .003" before they would let you start on any machine.

Many dropped out after they couldn't do it.

I have the guide for the 3/8" dovetail ... but this was an odd one. The guide does work very well and makes the job fairly straightforward.

[Ysabel Kid]

Oh that is sweet!

What sight did you use?

It was an all steel sight blank that was intended for a Hawken rifle. I got it from Dixie Gun Works.

Thanks Jim!

[Walt]

Beautiful picture of your lower forty and flowers, Six!