Gentlemen and women,
I bought a new Henry .357 rifle then purchased a Skinner peep sight. I had an inkling that it might shoot high so I bought the taller front sight at the same time. It has come to my attention that in my vast collection of tools I do not have a file small enough to successfully install the sight into the dove tail. I could smash it in butt....well It's a kind of a nice rifle.
Any recommendations on who to take it to? I'm in South Calgary if anyone is interested in tackling it. Be more than happy to compensate.
Thanks for any help.
Canadian tire, Princess auto etc. sell small files, generally in a cheap plastic package. I have used the files many times, not extra high quality but decent enough to do the job.
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Trades I would interested in:
- Sightron rifle scopes, 4.5x14x42mm or 4x16x42mm
especially! with the HHR reticle. (no duplex pls.)
- older 6x fixed scopes with fine X or target dot.
I’m assuming the sight is slightly too wide to fit in the dove tail , if so by how much. If it’s a minute amount you don’t file the dovetail on the barrel . You use a flat file and file the bottom of the sight. Not the sides , the bottom . As you remove material off the bottom this makes the sight dovetail smaller . Go slow it doesn’t take much
Theres a princess auto on my way home. I have files at work, if its just removing material from the bottom, I have files big enough to use. I was under the impression you filed the edge. I will just make it the same profile as the one I removedish. Well, I guess if you take too much off there is always green loktite, right?
Ok, thanks again,
Tullfan
If its almost there i take a stroke or two off the bottom. Many 3/8 dovetails i have installed the past few years required a safe file and removing materials off the side of the dovetail. You can make a safe file pretty simply by geting a small triangular file and grinding one side flat. Safe side points up so your only cutting materials off the dovetail. I like using a front sight tool for pressing them into ramps but if it into a dovetail on the barrel i shoot for being able to push the sight about 30% in using just my hand then a brass punch for the remainder. Go very slow and test often. Loose dovetails can be tightend but a thorough careful job of fitting is always best. Its best to measure both the insert and the dovetail to figure which method for filing is needed.
So, grabbed my calliper and some files from work and got home and went to work. Took about an hour of filing and testing. I got the dovetail to start by hand and finished tapping it in with a brass punch. I centred it best I could and It’ll work just fine. Now to verify poi, and adjust.
I’m less worried about wrecking a 10g Harley engine than a 3/8 dovetail. Stresses me out. Lol
Thanks again for all the help.
Tullfan
Need a hand installing a front sight.
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