OT - 1903 Springfield rear sight removal

[AJMD429]

I managed to install a Williams FP on the gun without screwing it up so far but am unsure how to remove the rear sight. There is a screw at the rear which I removed but it looks like all it does is impinge on the rear part of the sight 'carriage' and keep it perhaps from sliding. Do I have to drive out the pin at the front of the sight, or is there some way to depress the leaf spring and 'pop' it out...?

[Pete44ru]

I have good news; and I have bad news:

The good news is that IIRC, the pivot pin drifts out easily.

The bad news is that drifting it out isn't gonna do anything to remove the bulky sight base - which IIRC is soft-soldered to the barrel, leaving a barrel finish issue after it's removal.

Some guys used to unsolder them, then spin the base upside-down (NG if it's a skeleton base; OK w/a solid tube lower), inletting the stock for the bulk not ground off prior to the spin.

.

[AJMD429]

I don't mind the base and 'ears' stuff - I just want to get the sight blade itself out of the way, since it fills the lower half of the 'peep' view.

I can't recall the elevation settings that zeroed at 100 yards, so it may not be an issue (the blade may in its fully lowered position not be in the way of the peep), but I still might want to remove the sight blade assembly.

It will be NICE to have a .30-06 rifle I can hit a little better with (...or perhaps NOT nice because I won't have as many excuses to miss ).

[morgan in nm]

I am a little confused. Is it an 03 or an 03A3? What screw? Is it the one that goes on the elevator and its the elevator that your trying to get off? If thats the case, simply turn your windage adjustment until your "gear" threads are no longer engaging the sight then lift it straight off. If you try to remove just the elevator, not the sight assembly, you will likely bend the elevator. Sometimes, you can get lucky and there is enough wear at the pinned-side of the elevator to simply open it up from the screw side. Or, you can remove the pin which is sometimes difficult on the elevator and take it apart in 4 pieces and just save them in a bag.

BTW, the pin on the elevator is 1/16th of an inch and drives downward toward the barrel.