York sights installed

[agill]

I installed the sights today. I was a little concerned about putting a hacksaw to the barrel. So, I layed the cut out marking what I wanted to remove. I intentionally removed less than enough with the saw. Then I filed ever so little at a time until the sight fit the dovetail.

 

[Zonie]

Iffen that ain't a Sight for Sore Eyes! :rotf:

Seriously, ya done good! :hatsoff:

 

[bioprof]

Very nice. It looks like you have a knack for this. :thumbsup:

 

[Kentuckywindage]

i like the sights. Also looks like some damn nice maple.

 

[agill]

Very nice. It looks like you have a knack for this. :thumbsup:

Well, I don't know about that. However, as Hannible Smith on the TV show "The A Team" liked to say "I love it when a plan comes together!"

Thanks,
Allen

 

[agill]

i like the sights. Also looks like some damn nice maple.

Thanks. Yep, very nice character in the wood. Allen

 

[agill]

Iffen that ain't a Sight for Sore Eyes! :rotf:

Seriously, ya done good! :hatsoff:

Thanks. I left enough front sight to file down to sight the rifle in. I hope I can file a lot off.

I notice that there isn't much material on original front sights. Was this intentional? Allen

 

[Cosmoline]

I'm likely to be taking hacksaw to barrel myself in the next month. Would you mind giving a rundown of the steps you took to ensure a clean dovetail? Thanks!

 

[agill]

I'm likely to be taking hacksaw to barrel myself in the next month. Would you mind giving a rundown of the steps you took to ensure a clean dovetail? Thanks!

Sure.

Step 1:
Clean up the sight with a file.

Step 2:
Note this is the most important step. Measure several times and make sure of your cut marks!
After I determined where the rear site was needed I layed out the cut using a pencil and a then a scribe on the barrel side for the depth and the width on the top of the barrel. The top cut marks were made too narrow meaning I would widen the cut with a safe sided three sided file for a tight fit. I measure the sight with a dial caliper to determin the measurments for the layuot. The depth marks should be slightly less (.040 in.)too shallow tthan the depth you want the sight to sit. You will make it deeper with the file.

Step 3:
Using a hacksaw with a sharp blade, saw the top of the barrel down to the depth you want to go at the width marks. Make as many more cuts in between these as you can. Then make diagonal cuts across these to remove material. Don't go too deep and keep the cuts level.


Step 4: Using a narrow file remove the material down to the depth marks.You have a channel now without the dovetail angles. So, the sight will not fit yet.

Step 5:
Using a safe sided three corner file remove material at the rear of the channel for the dovetail.

Step 6:
Using a safe sided three corner file remove some and not all the material at the foward corner of the channel for the other dovetail.

Step 7:
Try the sight for fit using a brass or aluminum drift punch. Remove just a little material with the safe sided three corner file from foward corner only. Try fitting the sight and remove a little more as needed from one corner only. Be careful cause you will tend to make the file cut at an angle. Try to keep it straight and level.

Notes:

1. If you make the dovetail a little too wide you can peen marks on the bottom of the sight using a center punch to make dimples on the underside of the sight base. This will tighten the sight in the dovetail.

2. When trying the sight for fit use the tightest side to drift the sight in and keep using this side to enter and knock it out if possible.


I think I remembered everthing. Ask questions if you need to and don't cut anything until you understand what you need to do. It's hard to put this metal back once you cut it.

Everyone else jump in and give advise here. I've only done one sight dovetail!-Allen