Are iron sights made from iron?

[armedindy]

first off, i know you can have magpul polymer sights and theyre still referred to as "iron sights"...so i know that iron sights dont have to be made from iron...but it must be a throwback term right? were there ever any sights that were truly made from iron?


gun enthusiast, and metallurgy dummy

give me a history lesson

 

[midget]

Well, technically there are some sights still made of iron alloys (steel). I'm not sure if the initial sights being produced were iron or some sort of alloy.

 

[echoagain]

Slang term. Steel is mostly iron. 'Shootin Iron' does not literally mean made of pure iron.

 

[printcraft]

Iron sights lacking any kind of glass as in an optical sight.

 

[ghostdncr]

Sights back in the flintlock days (along with the locks and barrels and much of the furniture) were commonly made of wrought iron, which is where I've always assumed the term originated from.

 

[Slawburger]

In the late 1800's there were still rifles with iron frames so I would assume the sights were made of iron as well.

 

[Hogwylde]

Slang term. Steel is mostly iron. 'Shootin Iron' does not literally mean made of pure iron.

Sorry. Steel IS iron. Steel is just a form of iron with carbon added. Various alloys of steel have different things added to change it's qualities, but the bottom line is.......Steel is iron, stainless steel is iron, tool steel is iron. Just because it's not "pure" does not mean it's not iron anymore.

 

[Disposable Heart]

Sorry. Steel IS iron. Steel is just a form of iron with carbon added. Various alloys of steel have different things added to change it's qualities, but the bottom line is.......Steel is iron, stainless steel is iron, tool steel is iron. Just because it's not "pure" does not mean it's not iron anymore.

But iron isn't steel. I don't want you to get mad or alloyed with my comment

 

[saleen4971]

BUT SQUARES AND RECTANGLES.......

 

[armedindy]

BUT SQUARES AND RECTANGLES.......

lol...ok thanks guys, thats kinda what i figured...i knew steel was iron+carbon, i guess i was just suprised that the term hadnt been changed to "steel sights"...or some other term like "open sights" or somethin i dunno

 

[saleen4971]

i think "iron sights" rolls off the tongue easier than anything else

 

[actaeon277]

Sorry. Steel IS iron. Steel is just a form of iron with carbon added. Various alloys of steel have different things added to change it's qualities, but the bottom line is.......Steel is iron, stainless steel is iron, tool steel is iron. Just because it's not "pure" does not mean it's not iron anymore.

Don't you mean carbon removed (mostly)?
HowStuffWorks "Creating Steel"
The Blast Furnace burns off carbon.

And from the article
­"Steel is iron that has most of the impurities removed. Steel also has a consistent concentration of carbon throughout (0.5 to 1.5 percent). Impurities like silica, phosphorous and sulfur weaken steel tremendously, so they must be eliminated. The advantage of steel over iron is greatly improved strength."

Steel is iron... and it goes on. Steel is iron that has changed.
Just like iron is iron ore and coke, but it isn't.


A cake is not flour.
Once the cooking process has happened, it becomes cake, with the proper recipe.

Iron and Steel also use recipes.
Something is done to them, and they become something else.

 

[echoagain]

Sorry. Steel IS iron. Steel is just a form of iron with carbon added. Various alloys of steel have different things added to change it's qualities, but the bottom line is.......Steel is iron, stainless steel is iron, tool steel is iron. Just because it's not "pure" does not mean it's not iron anymore.

Iron is an element. Steel is a mixture of various things including iron. Steel is not a subset of iron in strict terms. My chili contains beans, but chili is not beans.
p

 

[actaeon277]

Iron is an element. Steel is a mixture of various things including iron. Steel is not a subset of iron in strict terms. My chili contains beans, but chili is not beans.
p

Natural iron is an element. But most irons have ingredients added, based on a desired use.

 

[actaeon277]

Iron is an element. Steel is a mixture of various things including iron. Steel is not a subset of iron in strict terms. My chili contains beans, but chili is not beans.
p

Not disagreeing. Just adding to.

 

[Fordtough25]

Like already said I assumed it came from previous weapons systems that used "iron" sights. Also the durability of them resembles steel, compared to an optic that could break or have the battery go dead on. Who knows.

 

[echoagain]

Not disagreeing. Just adding to.

No worries. I think some folks are getting twisted up between the use of the word iron as an element vs the jargon use of iron to refer to various ferrous based materials. The latter is usually pronounced "arn".

 

[JettaKnight]

Iron and steel are often interchanged (incorrectly) in general life.

As for the context at hand, I've never seen true iron sights on any firearm, only steel alloys. There is a difference between "shooting iron", which is to aim without the aid of optics, and to "shoot steel", which is to use hardened steel targets.

All things considered, the term iron sights is no where near egregious as interchanging the terms clip and magazine.

 

[LarryC]

Iron and steel are often interchanged (incorrectly) in general life.

As for the context at hand, I've never seen true iron sights on any firearm, only steel alloys. There is a difference between "shooting iron", which is to aim without the aid of optics, and to "shoot steel", which is to use hardened steel targets.

All things considered, the term iron sights is no where near egregious as interchanging the terms clip and magazine.

I still have to laugh when people correct me and others for using the term "Clip" for a "magazine". Many of the WW-2 veterans used the term "Clip" for the 45 magazine. My BIL taught me to shoot and hunt back in the 1950's, after my father passed away when I was 10 in 1952. He had been a Sergeant in the army, fought throughout Europe, was shot in Normandy and carried the 30 cal slug to his grave. He had a Silver Star, 2 Bronze Stars and of course the Purple Heart. I certainly don't feel I had the right to correct his terminology. I have owned firearms since the 1950's, collected them for the last 25 years or so, still (in error) may call a magazine a clip once in a while.

This is the first forum that I have seen make a big deal about using the term clip. AFAIK the term has been used rather interchangeably throughout most of my life by many knowledgeable people. I certainly don't consider it a "Egregious" fault. I think almost all gun owners know what you are talking about if you refer to a 1911 "clip". Some of the "Clips" (like my Garand's use) certainly approach the definition of "Magazine" when in the firearm, IE: the cartridge is directly fed by the bolt from the "clip", and it remains in the gun until it is emptied. It is considered "disposable", however the M-16 and M4 "magazine" was also meant to be "disposable".

I really like this forum, however it IRKS me when people post corrections to an OP or other poster when it is quite obvious what he/she meant. I am far more interested in the subject being discussed than taking a vocabulary or English lesson from others (that often know far less than the rest of the posters). Guess it makes them feel intelligent to themselves - but certainly doesn't impress me in any way.

 

[JettaKnight]

I still have to laugh when people correct me and others for using the term "Clip" for a "magazine".

(must...not..fall..for...trap...)



If we use the correct terms then it makes spotting the anti-gunner easier.

And everyone say it with me, they are "standard capacity magazines".