Filing down a Skinner post type front sight

[Pitchman1968]

A couple of months I finally "threw in the towel" on the factory installed Marble sight on my Big Boy .44 Mag rifle. I don't want to scope this rifle so I ordered and installed a Skinner Express rear peep sight. When sighting in at 50 yds. my goups were 20" to 24" high even with the rear sight's elevation adjustment skrewed down as low as it would go.

I called Skinner and their service rep, Rob, advised me I needed a taller front sight and that it should be a post sight. He recommended Skinner's post type front sight -- 1x 1/2.750 brass sight. After installing the new sight my groups were consistently 24 " low with the rear sight turned up to its highest adjustment. I called Bob again, and he told me I need to file 1/4" of bronze off the front sight, and with that I would be dead on at 50 yds.

Before going at that front sight with my assorted set of files, I thought I'd reach out to the forum to see if anyone has any tips for me on how to file down a front post sight. Bob has shared with me that because the front sight is brass rather than steel, it should be fairly easy to file the sight down a quarter of an inch. Thanks in advance for any advice you can share with me. in advance

[North Country Gal]

Not hard to do, even with the iron version. Just takes a bit longer with the iron.

I would not do this at home, however. Once you file anything off of the sight, you can't put it back. Do it at the range where you can file and test for POI as you go. That's worked best for me. Do it with your favorite load, shooting at the distance you most often shoot. Set your rear sight somewhere in the middle of the elevation or a touch lower, so that you have plenty of height adjustment in the rear sight left if you want to shoot way out there, sometime. Shoot for effect, check POI, file a bit, repeat as needed until your elevation is where you want it. Really won't take long at all with the brass.

Notice that as you file down the front sight - I use a large flat file - you'll accumulate some material at the edges of the sight where you've been filing. I like to file that stuff off the edges so that I have as sharp an outline as possible.

[Settingsun1892]

I have the same sights. I was shooting 10 inches low at 25 yards. Took some off at home then took file to range. Shoot twice then take a little off the top. I have steel front so when I dailed it in I hit it with cold blue then two coats of bright white fingernail polish and one clear coat on back edge.

[Mistered]

Do it at the range where you can file and test for POI as you go.

Ditto this! - and don't start with a 1/4" off - maybe an 1/8" and take a couple shots and see where you are.
Also do NOT file on the sight back and forth like you are sawing wood. File one pass at time in the same direction and best from the rear to the front as you will be taking off most of the 'burrs' toward the front and the clean up as NCG suggested on the top & edges will be easier. Keep the file level & go slow!

[Pitchman1968]

Thanks to North Country Gal, Mistered, and Settingsun for your coaching on how to file down a Skinner post front sight. I followed your collective advice to the letter, and the results are Great! Just returned from the range where I did four filings in increments of 1/16" Following the last filing, I fired 3 rounds at 50 yds., and they formed a 2.5'' group at 9 o'clock, 3" outside the 10 ring. NCG, per your advice, I had the rear sight elevation set halfway up on the threaded adjustment screw so that I will be able to make quick adjustments for longer shots during deer season. BTW, I was shooting my handloads of 250 gr, 432" diameter Bear Tooth hard cast FN bullets atop 16.5 grs of Accurate #9.

[North Country Gal]

Sounds great. Glad to help and thanks for reporting back.