Attaching Front Sight to Featherweight Barrel

[DeBee]

Since I am on vacation, I get to do some gunsmithing I've been procrastinating on...

Specifically, I want to attach a front sight ramp to my pet rifle in progress, the Winchester Classic Stainless .308. This will compliment the Warne Rear Peep Base- I think I have the height correct... I have a Williams Shorty Ramp (one 6x48 screw)

However, the barrel is featherweight contour and that means not much steel to thread. I considered silver solder (Silvaloy 335) but I can't seem to get it to jig up securely and I am concerned about scale formation in the barrel from the heat.

I know I've seen .30-06 Pre-64 Featherweights with front sights. How did Winchester drill and tap? Is the contour the same as the Classic? Has anyone successfully drilled and tapped for a front sight on a featherweight contour .30 barrel? Any recommendations?

Similar post appears in Art of the Rifle Forum...

[George Stringer]

Debee, I've done a few but I drill a blind hole about 1/2 the wall thickness deep. Just enough to get a couple of threads in. I don't use this as the permanent hold for the sight but just to hold it in place for soldering. George

[DeBee]

Thanks George, I knew I could count on you to answer the difficult questions.

Do you think it would help to swap the screw to one with more threads per inch?

[George Stringer]

DeBee, I don't recall right off hand what size the screw is. I want to say 5-40 but it might be something else. You could go to a larger screw but you'll have to re-drill and countersink the ramp. If you don't want to solder the sight you could use epoxy instead. Loctite Black Max should work well. George

[DeBee]

I'm going to go with drill and tap to half the depth and try the Black Max (Do you know where I can get it cheaper than Brownells?)

If it doesn't work, I guess I'll be cutting and recrowning to 20"...

[George Stringer]

DeBee, that's the only place I've ever bought it. I couldn't find it locally but you might in your local hardware store. George