Loose Front Site Blade on Green Mountain Barrel

[Von Hayek]

I have regained an interest in shooting muzzleloaders, and a nice aspect of it for me is that I get to shoot my father's guns, one of which is a 1980s vintage Thompson Center Hawken with a Green Mountain barrel. Unfortunately, the front sight blade moves in the dovetail. As I am not a gunsmith, any recommendations on how to fix this?

 

[Hatchet-Jack]

Use a metal punch and make several dimples on the underside of the site base. This will expand the metal and give it a tighter fit in the dovetail.

You might also need to stake the dovetails down after you install the site.

 

[TechMoron]

Lay about a 9/16ths socket across the dovetail & give it a light tap or two. Tap lightly & check fit often. It'll tighten the dovetail right up & the sight will fit like factory.

 

[springfield art]

Lok-Tite?

 

[The Crisco Kid]

I've cut a shim out of old feeler gauges to put under the sight. That works at times. I've also used the socket trick as mention above that works very well. When the edges of the dovetail are peened over they flatten back out when the sight is drifted in.

 

[Von Hayek]

Excellent advice gents. Thanks.

 

[Buff1958]

you can order a new front sight for 10 or 15 dollars from track of the wolf. They are a little big out of the box. you file them down a little at a time until they fit

 

[Ohio Rusty]

If you don't have a shim thin enough, a bit of solder on the bottom of the sight, then file the solder until it will be a good tight fit then tap the sight back into the dovetail.
Ohio Rusty ><>

 

[Flint62Smoothie]

Like @Hatchet Jack, I'd use the dimples in the base of the dovetail along with some low-strength LokTite as @springfield art suggests. That solder trick is another good idea, but the former is simpler.

Works for me! Sure, one can always replace a sight, but many times people like the shape/size/desig of the one that's already on there.

 

[Rebel bull]

Lay about a 9/16ths socket across the dovetail & give it a light tap or two. Tap lightly & check fit often. It'll tighten the dovetail right up & the sight will fit like factory.

I never thought of doing it this way I always just taped the edges down with the same brass punch that I use for drifting the sight side to side

 

[yellowhammer]

If you don't have a shim thin enough, a bit of solder on the bottom of the sight, then file the solder until it will be a good tight fit then tap the sight back into the dovetail.
Ohio Rusty ><>

Agree; solder works. I just did it myself on a loose front.

You dont even have to file the solder blob if its not too large. Just tap it on and the dovetail will shave the excess solder off as it goes in.

 

[Scota@4570]

The easiest thing is to put a piece of paper or business card under the sight. With a dab of blue loctite it will stay securely. Whatever you do avoid mauling the barrel. Work on the sight.

I never stake sights. I see that suggested. I think it looks terrible. It also shows the guy who did it is a poor craftsman. I would not own a gun so treated. I once had one but gave it to a friend.

 

[SDSmlf]

I’ve posted the following a number of times.

Here are a couple of photographs of the method using a socket. Photographs are supposed to be worth a thousand words each. Should make it self explanatory. You just lightly tap the socket to tighten up the dovetail. I prefer a slightly larger socket. Other than tightening up the dovetail, it will never be noticed.

 

[Pete G]

Sure beats a center punch