Loose rear sight

[rjpalmer]

Can anyone offer suggestions on how to tighten up a rear sight?  What are some of the more common methods used?

[smylee grouch]

There are lots of different ways to do that and one that I have used is to take sight out and tin the bottom with a thin coat of soft solder then reinstal sight.

[E.vonAschwege]

What works for me, I'm sure there are dozens of ways to fix it.  I take the sight out, place it upside down over a depression lengthwise, then give it a whack with a punch to give the base a SLIGHT concave surface.  Should slide back in with a lot more friction now.  You can also take a metal punch and swage the dovetail slightly tighter.  This must be done in a careful manner so your cleanup on the barrel is minimal.  
-Eric

[kaintuck]

There are lots of different ways to do that and one that I have used is to take sight out and tin the bottom with a thin coat of soft solder then reinstal sight.

Plus, "stripple the floor of the dovetail with small punch...then when the sight is tapped back in....they "bite" the solder and tiny little rolls will hold it.
Marc n tomtom

[WadePatton]

if your barrel finish allows it, try a dab of browning solution for intentional rust.  That'll snug up lots of things.

[BE] careful punching into the flat of the dovetail slot as the bore lives just under [the center of the flat, and displacing metal into the bore is no good].

[Robby]

Probably the simplest way is to just tamp down the lips of your barrel dovetail.
Robby

[bama]

Place the sight upside down in a vice, take a  crosspeen hammer and lightly stretch the metal along the outside edges of the dovetail ends. This makes the sight longer and should take care of the problem.

[EC121]

Unless you are very careful, punching the bottom of the dovetail on a barrel is not a good idea.  I once had a rifle with a 13/16" .45cal. barrel that some one had punched the rear dovetail floor.  The punch marks put a tight spot in the bore from hitting too hard on a thin barrel and bending the metal into the bore. It is better to work on the replaceable sight than to do too much to the dovetail.

[Pete G.]

I place a cold chisel behind the dovetail and give it a tap. It leaves a decorative line and gives the raised dovetail effect all in one operation.

[Turtle]

I stretch the sight and leave the barrel alone. If it spoils the looks of the sight, it's a lot easier to replace.
                                    Turtle

[rsells]

Ever now and again I will get a dove tail that I feel is not as tight a fit as I want, and I take a piece of brass and lay it on top of the dove tail edge on the barrel.  I take a small hammer and peck on top of the brass transferring the pressure down on the lip of the dove tail edge on the barrel.  I do each side seperate.  This has tightened up the dove tail for me several times and did not give me a lot of clean up because of using the brass between the hammer and the dove tail edge.   It all depends upon how much clearence you have between the sight and barrel dovetail.  There is a point that it will not tighten it up enough to fix the issue unless you make a new sight.
                                                                                                Roger Sells

[WadePatton]

Unless you are very careful, punching the bottom of the dovetail on a barrel is not a good idea.  I once had a rifle with a 13/16" .45cal. barrel that some one had punched the rear dovetail floor.  The punch marks put a tight spot in the bore from hitting too hard on a thin barrel and bending the metal into the bore. It is better to work on the replaceable sight than to do too much to the dovetail.

I didn't use enough words in my post.  this was the point i meant to make.  Thanks

[Robby]

Ever now and again I will get a dove tail that I feel is not as tight a fit as I want, and I take a piece of brass and lay it on top of the dove tail edge on the barrel.  I take a small hammer and peck on top of the brass transferring the pressure down on the lip of the dove tail edge on the barrel.  I do each side seperate.  This has tightened up the dove tail for me several times and did not give me a lot of clean up because of using the brass between the hammer and the dove tail edge.   It all depends upon how much clearence you have between the sight and barrel dovetail.  There is a point that it will not tighten it up enough to fix the issue unless you make a new sight.
                                                                                                Roger Sells

I didn't use enough words in my post either. Thank you Roger, to a tee!
Robby

[Roger B]

Or you can take one of the aluminum Coke cans that you emptied at the range and cut a small shim or shims out of it.  Once you get the sight in tight, use your knife to trim the tag ends of aluminum that stick out of the dove tail.  Not an elegant fix, but works in a pinch.
Roger B.