Waisted front sight protector on 1941 Long Branch

[Cantom]

If you make the dies, its not too bad. Foundry cost for a short run of pieces they might have to fool around with would likely be an issue. If the waxes don't pull cleanly from the die, the die might have to be redone. In the US there is a business, The Rifle Shoppe, that specializes in castings for antique gun parts. They might be an option. I've been thinking about how a die could be arranged, and it could be a bit complicated. I wonder how big the market would be for a reproduction part, and what folks would pay for one. Until the die is made, and parts cast, there is no way of knowing if the project is a waste of time or not.

My thought was that since the piece in question was LB stamped hopefully the casting would have that appear in it too, cleanly. If it's just a generic blur it might be less interesting.
Aren't there small time hobbyist types that do this kind of thing too?

I'd probably be in for like $50 for one if it could be done and the LB showed up clearly, as a very true reproduction.
Someone would need to step up to the plate to volunteer one of these as a casting model, and no doubt would have to be assured that they'd be getting theirs back in perfect order.

[Claven2]

Cantom, your expecations are WAY unrealistic. On a short run, the cost would be more like $100+ and still FAR cheaper than an original would cost on e-bay.

Also, it would have sprue marks and need to be polished. you would have to have the checkering pressed into the top of the ears after the part is made. Also, it will need to be finish milled to fit the barrel properly.

Forget about punched in markings showing up at all. Luckily, if you are anal about it, a set of letter stamps are cheap at princess auto and the LB mark is just an L super-imposed over a B. Then you need to have it blued.

This is NOT an inexpensive undertaking.

Consider that the repro SMLE Mk1 rear handguards with wax cast sight pretector is about $250 US and though it comes with an inlet piece of wood, the guard is a much less complicated casting than the sight ears you are looking for.

The cheapest solution is to have an original No.4 LB regular sight protector altered to duplicate the waisted one. It will involve some milling and welding but will be much easier than casting a repro IMHO.