Hello:

I have a 1926 Savage 99 takedown rifle. It has an Integral
front mount that holds a thin front sight blade. The blade is
damaged & has no bead. Where can I find this front sight blade to make my 99 complete?
Please email directly if any source or where to find this item:
email: [email protected]
Thanks,
Tom from Cody

Tom, are you looking for the early short sight or the later long sight?

If made mid-1924 or later, it will be the long base. Lyman specifically mentions "for rifles after serial number 260000" on period blister packs. The heights of the blades varied to match cartridge classes (303/30WCF and 250/300 Sav).

Lyman had #26 and #32 front sights.
Redfield and Marbles (#16?) also had sights.

The sight is 0.0625" thick, IIRC. Krag and Springfield '03 commercial sights can work regarding thickness, but are frequently too tall. Shorten the top of the blade, you lose the "bead". Shorten the bottom of the blade, you lose the retaining pin hole. I have one rifle with a '03 Springfield front sight, and scars on my right hand to prove it. It is too long for the base, sharp, and needs a little file work, but the retaining pin hole is in the right config. I like thin "post" style front sight over a bead, anyway.

A friend spent a few minutes with a mill file, bench vice and drill press to convert half a real copper US penny to work. Abe watches over the action, to boot! Chuck it up in a piece of thin leather, remove edge and flatten, cut, and drill hole. You could use later zinc pennies, but they aren't as easy to work.

Source is Google and eBay. Loose sights at gunshows can be found, but it is hard to tell if used for Savage 99, Krag, Mann., or Spfld.: figure out the height and length you need, then measure the sight before buying.

I made mine out of a canadian nickle, which was nickle

Gary: The blade that was damaged is 0.58" long at the base,
and the top is about the same. I ordered one from "Gun Parts"
Corp. but I'm not sure if it is the correct one....
Thanks,

Tom

Tom, can you put a link to the part you bought?

my dad claimed to have made a front sight replacement using a nickle for his savage 1920. when i looked at it it did not seem to be homemade however. I ordered all the differengt types of pin in front sights from gpc. i even got one with a double tail that i guess goes over a blade base.

Measurements for a Lyman replacement:
- .69" long
- .064" wide
- .300" to .345" tall
- .064" bottom-edge to center of retaining pin hole

Lyman 32GF and 26GF differ only in bead diameter, 3/32" and 1/16", respectively.

Redfield sight is "16 S", (or, ".70 Sourdough Partridge, .300 high, .063 wide".)

Marbles sight is also model "16 xx".

If ya still have the damaged one, and don't want to pitchit...I just did a repair to one, and would like to try another. Sooner or later, mostly as soon as I figure out HOW, I'll get some photos up of some the repair and enhancement I've been doing on thoroughly beaten up sights.

Hello: I don't have the link to the Gun Parts blade part...I'm not sure if they will send the right one anyway. I've ordered before...with a photo they had showing the right part & they still sent me the wrong part before. Its a crap shoot.
Flintnocker, I appreciate your help...but if I don't get a replacement, I'll fix up the original...its just missing the bead.
I can find a bead somewhere & replace it & epoxy it in. But I was hoping just to find a replacement...maybe I'll be lucky with Gun Parts?
Thanks,

Tom

If you're going to make/install a bead, go to a jeweler and get a tiny piece of gold, solder it on, and shape it with jeweler's files. Never tarnishes like brass, shows up beautifully in low light situations. Soldering will be more permanent than epoxy anyway. I've been using scraps cut out of my old wedding band, but I can't imagine a teeny piece of scrap from a jeweler would be very expensive even at today's prices.

A guy in ohio had some marbles ones, but he wanted $35 ea. They are blued with a bead I think. New.

Hey buddy,
Just acquired an 1899H takedown in 22HP.
The front sight is a hot mess.
It has "NO. 16" stamped on it and it was pinned in.
I tried to attach a picture but it looks like the file is too large.
I would love to fix it but not sure if it can be.
I can email or text you pics if interested.
Let me know !

Do you happen to have their contact info ?

If you use https://postimages.org/ it will resize the image for you. Click the choose images box, select the photo file. Click on the far right tab for Hotlink for Forums, it will indicate copied. Right click here and paste.

There is another thread here on front site inserts Front Site Inserts

Good luck.

LHS

Flintnocker was "Last Seen 03/25/19 09:53 PM"