I'm trying to get a rear sight out of a dovetail in a browning sa-.22. I have used pb blaster solvent on it and soaked it in hppes #9 for a couple of days. I have the barrel in a padded vice been using brass punches on it, and their tips are taking a beating, and the sight has not budged. I also have removed the part of the sight that flips up and down, so all that is left is the sight base in the dovetail. this has given me a better surface to strike as opposed to the outside of the sight base where it contacts the barrel. I am working left to right. I don't care if the sight base is lost, because I am putting a scope on the gun. I think the sight base and the guns dovetail have become one, and I'm thinking this may end up in a gunsmiths hands and have to be drumeled out. any thoughts on trying something else?
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stubborn rear sight removal
- Thread starter joe45c
- Start date
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With the barrel held in the vise, I would apply some gentle heat (like from a small, hand-held Bernz-O-Matic propane plumber's soldering torch) to the dovetail area.
After the work's had a chance to heat up a bit, then drive the sight base out using the drift pin, with a hard smack (not love taps) from a heavy hammer (1lb or more - like a large ball peen hammer, and not a household claw hammer).
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With the barrel held in the vise, I would apply some gentle heat (like from a small, hand-held Bernz-O-Matic propane plumber's soldering torch) to the dovetail area.
After the work's had a chance to heat up a bit, then drive the sight base out using the drift pin, with a hard smack (not love taps) from a heavy hammer (1lb or more - like a large ball peen hammer, and not a household claw hammer).
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Last edited:
Dixie Gunsmithing
Moderator Emeritus
If its stubborn, and you don't care if the finish is scuffed on the sight, your best choice is a steel punch, the largest you can use that will fit the part, and a good sized ball pein. Always drive the sights from the left side to the right (ejection side).
Hunter Customs
New member
I actually try to use my press every chance I get.
If you must use a drift and hammer also keep in mind that if your holding fixture (most likely a vise) is padded it will absorb much of the blow making the sight harder to drift.
You might find using a smooth jaw vise and card stock to keep from marring your gun will work best for a holding fixture.
Best Regards
Bob Hunter
www.huntercustoms.com
If you must use a drift and hammer also keep in mind that if your holding fixture (most likely a vise) is padded it will absorb much of the blow making the sight harder to drift.
You might find using a smooth jaw vise and card stock to keep from marring your gun will work best for a holding fixture.
Best Regards
Bob Hunter
www.huntercustoms.com
Rather than hijack your thread I started a thread that might assit you.
http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?p=5809645#post5809645
http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?p=5809645#post5809645
Thanks for the help everyone, I couldn't get it out so I took it to a gunsmith, and he had it out in less the a minute, charged me 2 bucks. I worked on it for 4or 5 days trying the various things you all , and others suggested. My brass drift pins are all mashed on their points, so what was my problem? Well being overly careful. The barrel is off a 72 browning SA-.22 so I didn't want to mare it, so when I mounted in my vice I wrapped cloth around it. My vice jaws are hard plastic that have magnets that hold them in place. after a couple of hits the barrel would rotate a little. I tightened up the jaws as much as I dared, but with the cloth wrapped around the still caused it to turn. I shouldn't have used the cloth. So I guess that's why he gets the big bucks. he knows how far he can go with something before it gets messed up. As a bonus he had so .22 mags in stock, as well as .22lr. So I picked that, and in addition, of course paid him his 2 bucks.
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Plastic vise jaw pads are contra-indicated for working on firearms - They can slip, and are susceptible to melting when heat needs to be used on whatever.
I've been using the standard, knurled-surface vise jaws for working on guns for over 40 years w/o incident - BUT I use a piece of heavy harness leather on each side of the vise jaws, as pads, which allows the gun/part to be clamped very tightly in the vise (the leather forms/crushes to whatever gun/part contour w/o slippage).
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Plastic vise jaw pads are contra-indicated for working on firearms - They can slip, and are susceptible to melting when heat needs to be used on whatever.
I've been using the standard, knurled-surface vise jaws for working on guns for over 40 years w/o incident - BUT I use a piece of heavy harness leather on each side of the vise jaws, as pads, which allows the gun/part to be clamped very tightly in the vise (the leather forms/crushes to whatever gun/part contour w/o slippage).
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petahw, you are right about heating. they started melting right off as soon as I applied heat, not too bad though, I had the barrel sight area about a inch away from them. I'm not sure if the inserts would have held the barrel firm enough or not, but for sure with it wrapped in cloth it definitely didn't. i'll remember your tip about the leather. thanks