How to move dovetail rear sight
Wayne
have been placing the slide in a small vise that has been padded with wood
and cloth. The end of the slide with the rear sight is supported by wood
blocks covered in cloth. Then I use a hammer to whack a wooden dowel for
adjustment.
The problem is that there is no vernier adjustment...if the slide moves at
all, it normally moves too much. I don't have enough adjustment work to
justify a proper sight adjustment tool. Any tips?
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<mygarb...@verizon.net> wrote:
#Is there any trick to adjusting a dovetail rear sight from right to left? I
#have been placing the slide in a small vise that has been padded with wood
#and cloth. The end of the slide with the rear sight is supported by wood
#blocks covered in cloth. Then I use a hammer to whack a wooden dowel for
#adjustment.
#
#The problem is that there is no vernier adjustment...if the slide moves at
#all, it normally moves too much. I don't have enough adjustment work to
#justify a proper sight adjustment tool. Any tips?
#
#
Here's the problem: "Then I use a hammer to whack a wooden dowel for
adjustment."
Use a vernier hammer to deliver smaller *taps*. ;>)
Bert Hyman
<mygarb...@verizon.net> wrote:
# The problem is that there is no vernier adjustment...if the slide
# moves at all, it normally moves too much. I don't have enough
# adjustment work to justify a proper sight adjustment tool. Any tips?
You might cobble together a sight pusher out of stuff you find at the
hardware store; start with a c-clamp, maybe?
--
Bert Hyman St. Paul, MN be...@iphouse.com
P D Fritz
"Wayne" <mygarb...@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:fu3c2u$lmt$1...@grapevine.wam.umd.edu...
| Is there any trick to adjusting a dovetail rear sight from right to left?
I
| have been placing the slide in a small vise that has been padded with wood
| and cloth. The end of the slide with the rear sight is supported by wood
| blocks covered in cloth. Then I use a hammer to whack a wooden dowel for
| adjustment.
|
| The problem is that there is no vernier adjustment...if the slide moves at
| all, it normally moves too much. I don't have enough adjustment work to
| justify a proper sight adjustment tool. Any tips?
Use a brass drift pin punch tool. The amout of adjustment or movement
depends on how hard or how soft you hit the tool with a hammer. It's a trial
and error process that requires delicate touch and feel.
sta...@prolynx.com
# Is there any trick to adjusting a dovetail rear sight from right to left? I
# have been placing the slide in a small vise that has been padded with wood
# and cloth. The end of the slide with the rear sight is supported by wood
# blocks covered in cloth. Then I use a hammer to whack a wooden dowel for
# adjustment.
#
# The problem is that there is no vernier adjustment...if the slide moves at
# all, it normally moves too much. I don't have enough adjustment work to
# justify a proper sight adjustment tool. Any tips?
#
Most of the hardware store dowels are ramin or some brittle South
Pacific wood like it. They splinter very easily. I wouldn't recommend
using one for a sight drift. The traditional tool is a brass punch or
section of brass rod. This works well with a rawhide mallet of about
1 lb. or a small dead-blow hammer. Most of the dead-blow hammers
these days are rubbery plastic which tends to get pocked up by the
brass rod. I have used a punch with a nylon end, this was a little
too bouncy, went back to the brass. Steel hammers mushroom the
drift. You can put marks on sight and slide with a Sharpie marker to
see how much you've moved the sight. Comes off easily with solvent.
I usually use a dial caliper and figure out how much I need to drift
the sight to get POI centered on target. It's one of those skills
that has to be developed by practice.
You can also get replacement rear sights that use set screws to wedge
them into place, much easier to adjust than whacking away with hammer
and drift.
Stan
pro...@ca.rr.com
# Is there any trick to adjusting a dovetail rear sight from right to left? I
# have been placing the slide in a small vise that has been padded with wood
# and cloth. The end of the slide with the rear sight is supported by wood
# blocks covered in cloth. Then I use a hammer to whack a wooden dowel for
# adjustment.
#
# The problem is that there is no vernier adjustment...if the slide moves at
# all, it normally moves too much. I don't have enough adjustment work to
# justify a proper sight adjustment tool. Any tips?
Hi Wayne,
2 solutions:
1. Smaller hammer. A lighter hammer will move the sights in smaller
increments.
2. Cut a stop block. One side of the sight your smacking with your
dowel and hammer, cut a stop block for the other side of your sight to
prevent over travel.
Ooops, 1 more: If your going to adjust a lot of drift sights, get a
"C" clamp and modify either the anville or the shoe to fit the sight
and the other side so it fits your vice. Finally, grind 2 flat sides
on the screwhead so you can put a wrench on it. (When you have really
stuck sights.) Just use the clamp to pull the sight which ever way you
want. (By rotating the gun in the vice.) Oh, A little no-mar clamping
materials will work wonders preventing tool marks.
Hope this helps.
Trumpet
Rider
> ...
Good Lord!
Hammers and Punches for adjusting sights. My dad kicked my ass for
doing that (actually, it was a rock instead of a hammer at the sand
pit where I sighted in my old .300 savage) when I was 10 years old.
Let's get out of the dark ages.
There are a ton of iron sight adjustment tools on the market from
cheap b-square tools to expensive custom jobs made for specific
weapons.
Here is an example: http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/Store/ProductDetail.aspx?p=17840&title=P500+UNIVERSAL+SIGHT+TOOL
Regards,
Rider
Wayne
"P D Fritz" <pdf...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:fu4lr6$7b8$1...@grapevine.wam.umd.edu...
#
#
#
# "Wayne" <mygarb...@verizon.net> wrote in message
# news:fu3c2u$lmt$1...@grapevine.wam.umd.edu...
# | Is there any trick to adjusting a dovetail rear sight from right to
# left?
# I
# | have been placing the slide in a small vise that has been padded with
# wood
# | and cloth. The end of the slide with the rear sight is supported by
# wood
# | blocks covered in cloth. Then I use a hammer to whack a wooden dowel
# for
# | adjustment.
# |
# | The problem is that there is no vernier adjustment...if the slide moves
# at
# | all, it normally moves too much. I don't have enough adjustment work to
# | justify a proper sight adjustment tool. Any tips?
#
# Use a brass drift pin punch tool. The amout of adjustment or movement
# depends on how hard or how soft you hit the tool with a hammer. It's a
# trial
# and error process that requires delicate touch and feel.
#
Thanks for all the suggestions. I haven't had luck with the brass drift
pin, because sometimes it bounces off the sight and makes a mark in the
slide bluing. Today, I'll see if I can get a c-clamp and make enough mods
to easily make adjustments.
Brigadeir
> ...
Hammers and Punches!
Good God, get out of the dark ages. These methods should only be used
in an emergency (like self amputation).
There are MANY sight adjustment devices available.
Here are a few links, check with your gun shop.
http://www.midwayusa.com/ebrowse.exe/brandlisting?brandid=2169
Get together with some friends and invest in one together.
With the proper tool, you can finely tune your iron sights for
accuracy that may surprise you.
http://www.brownells.com/aspx/ns/store/catsearch.aspx?c=1394&p=4810
http://www.midwayusa.com/ebrowse.exe/browse?tabid=8&categoryid=10577&categorystring=649***
http://www.impactguns.com/store/
Regards
Rider
fr1939
# have been placing the slide in a small vise that has been padded with wood
# and cloth. The end of the slide with the rear sight is supported by wood
# blocks covered in cloth. Then I use a hammer to whack a wooden dowel for
# adjustment.
#
# The problem is that there is no vernier adjustment...if the slide moves at
# all, it normally moves too much. I don't have enough adjustment work to
# justify a proper sight adjustment tool. Any tips?
#
Assuming your slide is mounted in the wooden vise jaws in the
horizontal position drill a suitable sized hole vertically in the wood
vise jaw for a steel rod. Use this rod with a brass bar/wooden dowel
set against the sight and lever the sight over. I normally used a rod
big enough to drill a locating hole in it to hold the brass drift pin
during the adjusting push. Depending on the length of your lever the
movement can be controlled much better than the hammer method. By
adjusting the fulcrum point to a minimum usable distance moving the
sight become a gentle process compared to a hammer. I used a set of
wood jaws lined in leather to remove/replace/adjust iron sights on
round barrels years ago before my eyes told me to start using a
scope. ;-/
Good luck.
Wayne
"Rider" <ri...@painthorseworld.com> wrote in message
news:fu5s76$itv$1...@grapevine.wam.umd.edu...
# On Apr 15, 7:00 pm, "Wayne" <mygarbage...@verizon.net> wrote:
# > ...
#
# Good Lord!
# Hammers and Punches for adjusting sights. My dad kicked my ass for
# doing that (actually, it was a rock instead of a hammer at the sand
# pit where I sighted in my old .300 savage) when I was 10 years old.
# Let's get out of the dark ages.
# There are a ton of iron sight adjustment tools on the market from
# cheap b-square tools to expensive custom jobs made for specific
# weapons.
#
# Here is an example:
# http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/Store/ProductDetail.aspx?p=17840&title=P500+UNIVERSAL+SIGHT+TOOL
#
# Regards,
# Rider
At the moment, I only have one gun to adjust, so I didn't want to drop $130
for the tool.
Went to the range today, and the gun is pretty well centered now. I won't
be adjusting it again, unless I get a better way of adjustment, as the rear
sight is very tightly mounted.
Wayne
"fr1939" <cf1...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:fu5s7m$iua$1...@grapevine.wam.umd.edu...
# On Apr 15, 7:00 pm, "Wayne" <mygarbage...@verizon.net> wrote:
# # Is there any trick to adjusting a dovetail rear sight from right to
# left? I
# # have been placing the slide in a small vise that has been padded with
# wood
# # and cloth. The end of the slide with the rear sight is supported by wood
# # blocks covered in cloth. Then I use a hammer to whack a wooden dowel for
# # adjustment.
# #
# # The problem is that there is no vernier adjustment...if the slide moves
# # all, it normally moves too much. I don't have enough adjustment work to
# # justify a proper sight adjustment tool. Any tips?
# #
# Assuming your slide is mounted in the wooden vise jaws in the
# vise jaw for a steel rod. Use this rod with a brass bar/wooden dowel
# set against the sight and lever the sight over. I normally used a rod
# big enough to drill a locating hole in it to hold the brass drift pin
# during the adjusting push. Depending on the length of your lever the
# movement can be controlled much better than the hammer method. By
# adjusting the fulcrum point to a minimum usable distance moving the
# sight become a gentle process compared to a hammer. I used a set of
# wood jaws lined in leather to remove/replace/adjust iron sights on
# round barrels years ago before my eyes told me to start using a
# scope. ;-/
#
# Good luck.
Sounds like a method I could easily duplicate. Thanks!!
Al Patrick
# doing that (actually, it was a rock instead of a hammer at the sand
# pit where I sighted in my old .300 savage) when I was 10 years old.
# Let's get out of the dark ages.
# There are a ton of iron sight adjustment tools on the market from
# cheap b-square tools to expensive custom jobs made for specific
# weapons.
#
# Here is an example: http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/Store/ProductDetail.aspx?p=17840&title=P500+UNIVERSAL+SIGHT+TOOL
#
# Regards,
# Rider
Rider,
Thanks for coming down HARD on this hammer & punch idea! I recently
purchased a used 50 cal black powder rifle and should have inspected it
a little more thoroughly but thought well, what's a $100 for a rifle?
On closer examination: Several screws appeared to have been loosened
and re tightened with a worn out, tapered, wrong sized screw driver or
punch! To put it in top shape I'll need to change out several of these.
The wooden rod had been broken and needs to be replaced.
The sling mount on the barrel, a two-hole type, was mounted with one
screw so the barrel needs to be drilled and tapped in order to secure it
properly. The supporting bracket will swing back and forth, eventually
wearing the bluing.
Don't recall anything else right now but will probably "discover"
another thing or two when I really start to get it ready for hunting season.
Al
Al Patrick
# Thanks for all the suggestions. I haven't had luck with the brass drift
# pin, because sometimes it bounces off the sight and makes a mark in the
# slide bluing. Today, I'll see if I can get a c-clamp and make enough mods
# to easily make adjustments.
#
Wayne,
PATIENCE! Take your time. Do it right. You remind me of myself. When
I was about 12 years old +/- I just had to have a model airplane - the
kind you fly in a circle and rock your wrist to raise and lower the
elevators, thus raising or lowering the airplane.
I was delivering newspapers and making my own money so I was allowed
to spend it pretty much as I pleased.
The plane I chose to buy from a friend was not just any plane but a
fairly large one, well built and with a powerful engine. I'd say,
especially after I "tuned" the engine by rotating a screw into the top
of the head, shortening the compression stroke and revving the engine
ever higher, it was a "high performance" plane.
It was not the .049 engine most used but a diesel (?) that was a
McCoy .09. I was so impatient that I had a fellow hand launch it in a
cut over soybean field. Couldn't wait to get to a large paved parking
lot. Couldn't get someone to give me lessons, partially block the
extremities of the elevator, slow that engine down. I just wanted to
"fly" that airplane!
Well I didn't have to worry about the soybean stubble! It
"launched", went straight up and straight back down on the other side.
It buried that powerful engine and popped off both wings at the fuselage
in the soft sandy soil - ending my model airplane hobby! I could now
think of a BUNCH of things that I'd do differently today - a few named
above! And I'll bet if you rush into this thing you'll look back and
wish you'd WAITED a little longer.
It's better to suffer with impatience now than to suffer with
depreciation later! ;-)
Offbreed
# At the moment, I only have one gun to adjust, so I didn't want to drop $130
# for the tool.
Make a tiny mark on both the sight and the barrel with some ink so you
can keep track of where you are. Brace the gun so it does not move, and
gently tap the sight over using a brass punch. That's what generations
of gun smiths did.
You have to brace the gun, though.
Ron Seiden
news:fu4lr8$7b9$1...@grapevine.wam.umd.edu...
# On Apr 15, 5:00 pm, "Wayne" <mygarbage...@verizon.net> wrote:
# # Is there any trick to adjusting a dovetail rear sight from right to
# left? I
# # have been placing the slide in a small vise that has been padded with
# wood
# # and cloth. The end of the slide with the rear sight is supported by wood
# # blocks covered in cloth. Then I use a hammer to whack a wooden dowel for
# # adjustment.
# #
# # The problem is that there is no vernier adjustment...if the slide moves
# # all, it normally moves too much. I don't have enough adjustment work to
# # justify a proper sight adjustment tool. Any tips?
# #
# Most of the hardware store dowels are ramin or some brittle South
# using one for a sight drift. The traditional tool is a brass punch or
# section of brass rod. This works well with a rawhide mallet of about
# 1 lb. or a small dead-blow hammer. Most of the dead-blow hammers
# these days are rubbery plastic which tends to get pocked up by the
# brass rod. I have used a punch with a nylon end, this was a little
# too bouncy, went back to the brass. Steel hammers mushroom the
# drift. You can put marks on sight and slide with a Sharpie marker to
# see how much you've moved the sight. Comes off easily with solvent.
# I usually use a dial caliper and figure out how much I need to drift
# the sight to get POI centered on target. It's one of those skills
# that has to be developed by practice.
#
# You can also get replacement rear sights that use set screws to wedge
# them into place, much easier to adjust than whacking away with hammer
# and drift.
#
Or, for less than the cost of a good sight pusher, you can get replacement
*adjustable* sights. Several of my guns went that way, so I had to do the
hammer&drift thing once per gun (out with the old, in with the new), and the
adjustable sights were all steel and did not stick up any more than the
original unadjustable ones (and, best yet, I could get my choice of three
dot, white outline, whatever).
Adam Smith
# You can also get replacement rear sights that use set screws to wedge
# them into place, much easier to adjust than whacking away with hammer
# and drift.
#
# Stan
#
Those sound interesting but I can't find them by Googling. What would
they be called? Can you give an URL where I can see some? I've ruined
many a driftable sight trying to adjust it, and I won't mention trying
to change elevation by altering the front sight. A gun smith I ain't.
Bill
--
Will the last American please lower the flag, fold it carefully, and put
it away?
pro...@ca.rr.com
# doing that (actually, it was a rock instead of a hammer at the sand
# pit where I sighted in my old .300 savage) when I was 10 years old.
# Let's get out of the dark ages.
# There are a ton of iron sight adjustment tools on the market from
# cheap b-square tools to expensive custom jobs made for specific
# weapons.
#
# Here is an example: http://www.brownells.com/aspx/NS/Store/ProductDetail.aspx?p=17840&tit...
#
# Regards,
# Rider
Hi Rider,
My Granddad sat me down when I was about 4. He explained to me about
the craftmen of our family. Master carpenters, Master cabinet makers
and Master masons. From apprentices thru Masters.
As apprentises', all were expected to build their own tools. The
first leg of their apprenticeship was spent with the blacksmith
learning about metals used in tool construction. They would then MAKE
their own tools.
In this case with the sight mover I guess I'd rather spend an hour or
two making the tool. Figuring it out, spill a little skull sweat and
apply the elbow grease.
As Granddad said:"You can loose every cent you have. Loose your
family and friends. All of your possesions can be destroyed and you
can sit back and smile. Because, if you know how to make the tools of
your trade and know how to use 'em and are willing to use them, you'll
never go hungry."
Same thing here, you can spend the $$$ for the tool. But when you
design and make the tool yourself and use it successfully, there's the
tri-fecta. A true understanding of the problem, manual skill,
application to solve your problem. 3 victories instead of 1. 4 if you
count saving money.
Trumpet
Jim
#
# You can also get replacement rear sights that use set screws to wedge
# them into place, much easier to adjust than whacking away with hammer
# and drift.
#
# Stan
Stan, where can I find those type of sights??
Al Patrick
# My intent was not to be HARD but to impress that using the right tool
# for the job is important.
Please note that the HARD applied to the IDEA not the individual! :-)
I worked with a fellow once in maintenance who got a LOT of work done
but he also tore a lot of things up. If he wanted it to go, it went,
one way or another. Don't force it, just get a bigger hammer!
Al Patrick
rather lend my dog than my tools. The dog knows his way back home!"
Wayne
"J Buck" <jbu...@webtv.net> wrote in message
news:fu8s0d$oph$1...@grapevine.wam.umd.edu...
# Wayne wrote: <Is there any trick to adjusting a dovetail rear sight from
# right to left?>
#
# The best part is, out of all the techniques posters will give you,
# they'll work just as well adjusting sights from left to right :)
#
Left to right is the easy part...I already know how to do that :)
Wayne
<pro...@ca.rr.com> wrote in message
news:fu7b3r$77r$1...@grapevine.wam.umd.edu...
# On Apr 16, 2:48 pm, Rider <ri...@painthorseworld.com> wrote:
# # On Apr 15, 7:00 pm, "Wayne" <mygarbage...@verizon.net> wrote:
# # > ...
# #
# # Good Lord!
# # Hammers and Punches for adjusting sights. My dad kicked my ass for
# # doing that (actually, it was a rock instead of a hammer at the sand
# # pit where I sighted in my old .300 savage) when I was 10 years old.
# # Let's get out of the dark ages.
# # There are a ton of iron sight adjustment tools on the market from
# # cheap b-square tools to expensive custom jobs made for specific
# # weapons.
# #
# # Here is an example:
# #
# # Regards,
# # Rider
#
#
# Hi Rider,
#
# My Granddad sat me down when I was about 4. He explained to me about
# the craftmen of our family. Master carpenters, Master cabinet makers
# and Master masons. From apprentices thru Masters.
#
# As apprentises', all were expected to build their own tools. The
# first leg of their apprenticeship was spent with the blacksmith
# learning about metals used in tool construction. They would then MAKE
# their own tools.
#
snip
Probably not obvious in my original post, but I had hoped to get some ideas
on how to build a sight adjustment tool, without springing for the approx
$100. Based on comments here, I mounted the slide in a vise, with a wooden
block on one side, and two wooden blocks on the other side. The two blocks
were arranged with a gap opposite the sight, so that a steel pry bar could
fit between the blocks, against the vise iteself. Then a wooden dowel was
cut for a good fit between the pry bar, and the sight. A pencil mark on the
slide and sight give me an idea of movement. Works great.
Brigadeir
> ...
I had no intention of hurting any feelings. (Getting to be a
curmudgeon in my old age, I guess).
If you can't find a reasonable priced adjustment tool (I got mine at a
yard sale 35+ years ago for about $5) a serviceable one can be made
with a C-clamp. (A 4" is about right). Pad the fixed end, then remove
the disk from the threaded part. pad the small end with leather and
place to the sight. Put the larger (fixed) side on the oposite side of
the barrel and turn the handle. A little bit goes a long way. This is
much more precise than you get with a hammer.
Best Regards,