Model 94 rear sight removal pains..

[Aussie Chris]

Gday fella's.

Just bought a nice Williams reciever peep for my 'antique' model 94 in 30-30.
Now, I have another XTR '94 that I put a Lyman peep on and tapping out the rear sight with a hammer and small dowl was a breeze.
This one I'm trying to tap out is as stiff as anything! I have already broken three dowles and my thumbs looking a little larger than usual thanks to my hammering skills..

Any advice? I have sprayed some oil around it and havn't resorted to metal on metal, hope I don't have to..

Chris

[Bruce Scott]

Chris,
I had the same problem with a Winchester Legacy model - splintered dowels and an unmoved sight. A brass drift did the trick for me with only a couple of hits.

I assume you are going from left to right?

[Tycer]

I assume you are going from left to right?

+1

I had to resort to hardened steel on two Springfield Armory pistols. Brass just deformed around the sights. Once they moved a little, brass was fine.

Sometime a little heat and then after air-cooling (don't want to temper the metal) a little cold can break a bond.

[Pop Watts]

Chris,

Go from left to right but use a brass drift if you can. Some of those sites have been there for a long time and need a little persuasion to move.

Take it easy and good luck.

Pop.

PS - where is the pic of the gun?????

[kimwcook]

PS - where is the pic of the gun?????

+1

[J Miller]

Chris,

Drive the sight from left to right as you hold the rifle to shoot it.
Use a brass or steel drift with a piece of leather between it and the sight and barrel, just in case you slip.
Use a big enough hammer to do the job.
Remove the elevator and put a piece of cardboard ( back of tablet kind ) under the springy part of the sight. Helps keep the barrel from getting scratched up.
Hold the rifle solidly so your tapping has effect.
Hit it like you mean it.

Joe

[Aussie Chris]

Thanks for the advice guys. Yeah I have been going from left to right but to be honest I did not know it had to be done this way, is the dove tail a tapered fit?

I don't have a brass drift here yet will have to get one from dad in the next couple of days, will let you all know how it goes

Heres a couple of pics of the 'antique' model. Love the case colouring!

[J Miller]

Chris,

It's easy to improvise a brass punch. I once used a long steel bolt about 5/16" x 4 and put a 9 mm case over the end of it. Once in position it worked real good.

Joe

[Pete44ru]

No disrespect meant - but from your left side sight pic, it looks like you might be trying to drive the sight at the wrong point - since the male dovetail appears unmarked but the side of the sight longleaf has chuff marks.

I hope you're placing the tip of whatever drift pin squarely on the side of the sight's male dovetail.

BTW - The hinge pin from a common household interior door works wonderfully as a temporary expediency drift pin - I've been using one, temporarily of course, for only about 25 years.

[J Miller]

No disrespect meant - but from your left side sight pic, it looks like you might be trying to drive the sight at the wrong point - since the male dovetail appears unmarked but the side of the sight longleaf has chuff marks.

I hope you're placing the tip of whatever drift pin squarely on the side of the sight's male dovetail.

BTW - The hinge pin from a common household interior door works wonderfully as a temporary expediency drift pin - I've been using one, temporarily of course, for only about 25 years.

Hinge pin, hmmmm gotta find me one, for temporary use of course

Oh, in Chris' picture I think that's some sort of debris under and on the rear sight. I didn't notice any impact or chuff marks on the leaf.

Joe

[1894cfan]

FYI, a section of brass welding rod will also work in a pinch. HTH

[Aussie Chris]

Thanks for the advice guys. Tapped it out in the end with a brass punch

Pete44ru, I have only been working the left side of the sights dovetail, don't insult me like that
That sight leaf would'nt be looking too good if I was belting it with the dowel, the debris is parts of the dowel I used unsuccessfuly.

Well got there in the end
Can't wait to take it out and shoot it!

Chris

[flatnose]

aussie chris,
Maybe someone else can explain it to me, but I dont see that the dovetails are tapered either way. I have cut a few on the mill and cleaned them up with a file if required. If either the barrel or sight dovetail were tapered, it would be difficult to adjust for windage in one direction, and the possibility of being too loose in the other.
It seems that this maybe a myth, although I cannot confirm if that has always been the case.
Can anyone shed some light on that?
I have had sights set to extremes for windage, but never come loose.

[Pete44ru]

[Pete44ru, I have only been working the left side of the sights dovetail, don't insult me like that ]
[the debris is parts of the dowel I used unsuccessfuly.]


[ No disrespect meant - but from your left side sight pic, it looks like you might be trying to drive the sight at the wrong point - since the male dovetail appears unmarked but the side of the sight longleaf has chuff marks. ]

Oh, well.

.

[Griff]

Yes, the sight dovetail is slightly angled... not the dovetail slot, IIRC. VERY SLIGHT! Just as the sight comes out from left to right... when you put the blank in, remember it's the opposite.

Pete44ru's suggestion of the hinge pin is great! They're usually quite hard and yet still won't leave a permanent mark. So's Joe's suggestion about the bolt with the 9mm case.

[albert123john]

Have removed the Barrel mounted sights from a 92 and a big bore 94. Never had a problem. never bothered with direction. Always used a Brass Drift. Am now woking on a 94 and having a great deal of difficullty. I'm glad I'm not at the range trying to adjust for windage. Will keep at it. Seems to have moved a bit. The rifle is a 94AE in 38-55. Think I'll take it to a gunsmith.

[ANDYLARSSON]

Have removed the Barrel mounted sights from a 92 and a big bore 94. Never had a problem. never bothered with direction. Always used a Brass Drift. Am now woking on a 94 and having a great deal of difficullty. I'm glad I'm not at the range trying to adjust for windage. Will keep at it. Seems to have moved a bit. The rifle is a 94AE in 38-55. Think I'll take it to a gunsmith.

Hold the rifle firmly in a padded vice. Use the brass drift and a small steel hammer. Tap on the left side out towards the right. A little bit of penetrating oil could be your friend. The key is holding the gun very tightly. Maybe even remove the fore end and magazine tube, so you can hold the barrel right underneath the sight.

Some can be very tight. They are slightly tapered intended to install from the right towards the left.

[GunnyMack]

The gummsmiff skool mantra was
It goes RIGHT in
or
You'll be LEFT out.

Also don't be afraid to put the gun in the freezer over night. Let things contract, any corrosion will let go easier and its far safer than heat!