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Joined: May 2010
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LRF Offline OP
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Attach are a couple pictures of a retractable front sight that are the incredible workmanship of Tom Burgess. He did make more then one of these but I have no idea how many. I am very interested in understanding some of the finer details of its construction and assembly. If there is anyone who has actually had the please of examining one or better yet owning one and would like to share what you know please contact me with a PM and we can discuss.
[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]
[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

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The design and metal working are impressive!

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I have seen a German sporting rifle with a front sight using the same principle, although it provided two different elevations. This one is for protection, by the look of it.
It seems a useful idea.

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It seems like you could easily screw up and put the sight in the down position and forget to return it to the up position and then throw your rifle to your shoulder to take a once in a lifetime shot and there is no front sight.

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What I am trying to clear up as I said in the original post are design and assembly questions. There are two mysteries in Tom's design: 1. How did he assemble and a fix the sight blade to the, I will call it the operating button. 2. How did he add "detents" to hold the blade in the retracted and deployed positions. If you zoom in of the attached pictures you can see some features that may be a screw in the top of the button and then what almost looks like a ball detent under the button in the base. But what do they do and how are the questions. There is also a question as to how the "pivot pin" is retained. The pin is a fixed and does not rotate. I know this by examining the position of the dust particles in the pics in the retracted and deployed position

Last edited by LRF; 03/30/25 08:29 AM.
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Just guessing:

I think the sight blade and operating button may be machined as one piece. The screw thru the operating button could be used as a sight adjustment for a different impacting load. The screw could have a concave end to ride on the ball in the base (if that is what it is?)
Is it possible the blade/button assembly is held in the open/closed positions by a flat spring that operates off a notch in the blade/button assembly?
This would negate the need for ball detents.
As far as assembly, I can only guess the main pivot pin is a press fit???


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Thanks Ken. I think you may be right on the blade and button being one piece. Over the weekend I did design in Fusion 360 a sight and during that design process I did identify that the blade and button could be one part. However as designed, currently there wasn't enough room for the spring detent inside. I think your idea is the best so maybe I will assess the dimensions again and see in more room is possible.
However thank you again for your input. As soon as I get a workable solution I will post pics of the 3D models.

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I worked for years in several drafting/engineering departments. I went from pin and ink, to AutoCad, to Inventor etc. I ended my career managing a drafting/design group. I had some people in my group that were masters at modeling. Consequently , I can really appreciate the power the new programs have.


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Ken, I drew up a design that I believe will work and incorporates all the original Burgess attributes, your input on the reason for the set screw, and a wider blade which makes manufacturing easier with the tooling I have available. Currently the design would retain the pivot pin as a press fit or a taper pin which I would want to be a little more positive so I will continue to refine. The basic dimensions of the sight are in the design however they will be refined as the project moves forward. The detent spring would be formed thru testing iteration when final piece parts are available.
The intention of the rifle is a both a retracted front and rear single folded leaf rear sight with a mounted Red Dot type sight mounted over the rear sight. Here are a few screen snap shots of the CAD model of the front sight.
[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]
[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]
[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

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Here is the basic intent of the rifle. Action and barrel (barrel is cut short in model for convenience in CAD environment) Caliber is 375 and is intended as a "Stroll" or "Walk-about" or "Back-up" rifle, take you pick. The bolt handle will not be straight in final.
[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]

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