OT: why are sights so tight

[sullkat]

Why do rifle mfg'rs put sights in so tight? Henry,winchester (japanese) and rossi.
Yet they all tell you to adjust them "tap" them left or right well a tap on these ain't gonna do it.
On my japchester I cannot move the front sight, started with a brass punch and a brass hammer, did not budge, moved to a steel ball peen hammer, no go, moved to a 2 pound hammer and still no luck. The rifle is locked down in a padded vise.
Don't want to mess up the finish on either the sight or barrel, bought a piece of acetal/derlin gonna try that with a 5 pound hammer.
By the way that stuff is really tough.

[Rusty]

You might need to be using a very small diameter punch so you're only trying to move the right part.

[AJMD429]

Maybe you could use ice or dry ice to the sight for a while, then heat the barrel a bit so the dovetail opening is bigger relative to the sight. I've used that method for stubborn screws (along with Liquid Wrench and Plentiful Cursing).

[FWiedner]

Yeah, IMO, the cursing is what really does the trick.

[jnyork]

OK, just to be sure, you ARE trying to push it out from left to right as seen from the rear of the rifle?

[Nate Kiowa Jones]

OK, just to be sure, you ARE trying to push it out from left to right as seen from the rear of the rifle?

Bingo!!! we have a winner!!!

The old sights should be driven out from left and the new installed from the right side. I've had people tell me that dovetails are cut into the barrel on a taper. That's just not how they do them. Standard dovetails or at least the most common are 3/8 (.375) X 60 degree straight across cut. The taper that these folks are seeing is the results of driving the sights in and as they go in they swedge the dovetail in the barrel out on the right side and the bases of the sights down on the left side creating this taper. That's why it's important to always install from the right and remove from the left.

On a side note, I've seen Rossi's that had tight spots in the bore because Rossi forced the poorly fitted sights in.

[Cruise]

Maybe you could use ice or dry ice to the sight for a while, then heat the barrel a bit so the dovetail opening is bigger relative to the sight. I've used that method for stubborn screws (along with Liquid Wrench and Plentiful Cursing).

Body English works well in conjunction with all the above!

[AJMD429]

OK, just to be sure, you ARE trying to push it out from left to right as seen from the rear of the rifle?

Good point on that; it DOES make a difference that all the swearing and Liquid Wrench and so on won't overcome without making a MESS of the sight.

I used to feel dyslexic because of forgetting which way the 'rule' was, but finally remembered it because many if not most guns (bolt-actions, single-action revolvers, lever-actions) load and/or unload from the right side, so if cartridges go in from the right and out to the right, makes sense parts would, too...

[Mike D.]

The front sights on the Miroku Extra Lightweight rifles are impossible to remove with a drift pin. I simply cut them with a hacksaw and knocked out the pieces before installing a NOS Lyman No 4 sight.

[Old Savage]

My Rossi was shooting to the left so I finally did succeed in moving it to the left. Giving up on the little brass hammer and drift punch, I used the tool that was to unlock the hubs on my Cadillac as a drift, padded the barrel, used a real hammer and HIT IT!

I have no appropriate picture of a pretty girl to insert here.

[Old Savage]

Disclaimer - I do not know this gal but, she may be from the Rossi Sight Adjustment Team.

[El Chivo]

I don't have much luck with the small punches but did fine with using a larger diameter bolt as a punch.

[Jeff H]

Not simply to be contrary, but the front sight on my recently new '92 Rossi was actually about "right."
I did not notice any discernable difference between it and any other I have ever moved/removed.
Small brass drift, 8 0z. ball peen and a few well-connected raps drove it out with the barrel supported on a wooden block and clamped down to the bench with a quick-clamp.
In fact, after I had it out for the third time, I gave the rear lip of the dovetail a gently tap to ensure I wasn't loosening it up.