Sight pusher needed

[NaClAddict]

Anybody near Redondo with a rifle barrel sight pusher? Bought a 10/22 barrel that came without a front sight. Ordered a replacement but I can?t get it in and don?t want to mar the sight or barrel. Tolerances look good. 6 pack of your favorite beer on me.

[ar15barrels]

I have a williams sight pusher for the type of front sights that go on Ruger 10-22 barrels.

Dovetail sights are supposed to be fitted so that you can get them about half way into the dovetail with finger pressure.
Only then should you press them the rest of the way in.
If you are not able to get the dovetail to start and go half way by hand, you need to do the fitting first.
After that, it will go in relatively easy, even easy enough that a brass punch and 4oz hammer will do it.

[NaClAddict]

Thanks Randall. I cannot get the sight started by hand. I?m pretty good at manipulating things and have great hand strength. So fitting is needed. I?ve read that sights should get pushed in right to left from the orientation of the shooter. Does that mean I should bevel the left side slightly with a little light sanding? I?m lacking any fine files that would fit into the groove on the sight. Last night I was thinking of cutting a vee into a 4x4 and tapping the sight in with a dowel or brass rod once I?ve fitted the sight. Any advice on the fitting or tapping would be greatly appreciated. I like diy stuff. If you were closer I?d probably just drop in, watch, and learn.

[foothillman]

I remembered this one.

https://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=1639032

[ar15barrels]

Thanks Randall. I cannot get the sight started by hand. I?m pretty good at manipulating things and have great hand strength. So fitting is needed. I?ve read that sights should get pushed in right to left from the orientation of the shooter. Does that mean I should bevel the left side slightly with a little light sanding? I?m lacking any fine files that would fit into the groove on the sight. Last night I was thinking of cutting a vee into a 4x4 and tapping the sight in with a dowel or brass rod once I?ve fitted the sight. Any advice on the fitting or tapping would be greatly appreciated. I like diy stuff. If you were closer I?d probably just drop in, watch, and learn.

You first need to measure the male and female dovetails and determine where material needs to be removed.
If the male dovetail is deeper than the female cut, then you shorten the bottom of the male dovetail first.
I do this on a bench stone.
If the cuts are the same depth already or the slot is deeper than the sight blade dovetail, then you cut on the sight with a safe-side file.
This is a special file made specifically for fitting dovetails.
It has one safe side so you only cut on one surface at a time.
It also has a much sharper corner than a traditional triangle file.
They are sold in 60 degree and 65 degree to match the cut.
Your traditional 3/8 dovetail should use a 60 degree.

I am in los angeles and I do this type of work if you don't feel like buying the task-special file to tackle it yourself.

[NaClAddict]

Well I took the front angle down of the dovetail with some 220 with a slight bevel towards the left side. Had to take some old peen marks off the dovetail down also. The sight drifted halfway in and then started digging into the vise jaw pads. I then wrapped it in a thick piece of leather and hit it with a steel punch. It’s off by less than half a hair. Probably good enough. I’m either going to pad a steel punch with a .22 shell and see if I can’t get it in, buy a brass punch, or leave it. Figured I just gave away a bunch of old rifle brass I could’ve used on this project.