Author Topic: front site attachment  (Read 417 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline hillbill

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3285
front site attachment
« on: November 07, 2003, 02:13:14 AM »
hey guys i have a sporterized military bolt rifle. it has a front site assembly that slips over the barrel and fits pretty tight on it. however i noticed while trying to drift the front site in its dovetail that the assembly was rotateing instead of the site drifting in its dovetail. looks like it was just drove on there fairly tightly and called good by the guy that built it. is there a way to solder or glue it into place to be as permantly attached? would maybe it work to take it off and clean everything and then put some red loctite on it? also how do i get it perfectly straight up and down when i install it? im afraid of it being slightly rotated and not being able to tell untill i try to sight it in again. does this make any sense?

Offline Mikey

  • GBO Supporter
  • Moderators
  • Trade Count: (2)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 8734
Front sight attachment
« Reply #1 on: November 07, 2003, 04:28:38 AM »
hillbill:  everything you have said makes sense, but you encounter that sort of a problem when you try and drift a front sight out of a sight base that is not anchored to the bbl with a screw or something.  Even if they are you can bust a front sight base retaining screw with little effort.  That is why I have a couple of front sight adjustment tools - inexpensive pieces of insurance so I don't bust any (more) front sight bases.  Brownell's carries a good assortment of those tools.

You may need the help of a gunsmith to center that sight base properly, or maybe gunnut69 has a suggestion for you - this guy has an incredible  wealth of information.  

I think those slip on sight bases may be soldered on and that may be what it needs to remain in its proper place.  Gunsmiths should be able to do that for you once the sight base and front sight blade are centered.  Believe me, I am well aware of off center sight bases and what they look like through the rear sight.  It ain't purdy.  I'm not sure that locktite would work on smooth surfaces where there isn't a thread binding against another thread but maybe some of the other posters have more experience than I with that.  HTH.  Mikey.

Offline gunnut69

  • Moderators
  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 5005
front site attachment
« Reply #2 on: November 07, 2003, 06:02:50 AM »
hillbill-  I take it this was not the military front sight assembly.  The military front sight assemblies or mostly pinned in place and would not rotate if the pin were still in place. If this is an aftermarket piece, called a barrel band front sight, one may well find a set screw in the dovetail under the front sight.  The ramp MUST be supported while pushing of tapping on the front sight.  Permanent locktite combined with a set screw would probably hold although the proffessional fix would be to solder the band in place and apply the set screw.  For this 'sweating' operation soft solder would be quite strong enough..  To get it lined up I would lock the barreled action in a vise(lightly) and using a spirit level, level the action horizontally(taking measurements on the bottom of the action, on the mauser).  Then using a level one can use any horizontal or vertical surface of the front sight to get the sight vertical.   A note is in order here.  I have noticed that many mausers(always hated the word 'all') have a degree of tilt built into the sights.  This is mind I would also check the level of the rear sight and include that in determining level for the front sight.  It being more important that the front and rear sights be the same than the front sight level.
gunnut69--
The 2nd amendment to the constitution of the United States of America-
"A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed."

Offline hillbill

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3285
front site
« Reply #3 on: November 07, 2003, 08:55:21 AM »
hey gunnut! thanks for the info. you were right about it being a band type sight. i hadnt thought of a set screw in the dovetail. ill take it apart and if it doesnt have one ill just drill and tap one in there. that with some loctite ought to be a easy fix for it. thanks guys!!!

Offline williamlayton

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 15415
front site attachment
« Reply #4 on: November 07, 2003, 03:57:42 PM »
i'm tellin ya boys- GN is not allowed ta die.
blessings
TEXAS, by GOD