How to Set Sights Inplace

[tippit]

I just got a new rifle and sights were loose in box. I can slide them into the dove tail slots but how do I secure them in place?

[Scota4570]

Slide them with finger pressure?  Sounds like the sights are too small.  Get other sights and fit them to the dovetail. If they require a drift punch and a hammer then they are good to go. 

It should be a tight fit that requires significant force with a brass drift punch.  Not so much force that the sight is deformed though.  There should be a slight taper to the  sight and dovetail to facilitate starting the sight in the dovetail.   

Some will suggest staking the dove tail to the the sights.  That looks terrible and screams  amateurish work. 

You may be able to fit a shim under the sight.  If the shim is more than a few thousands it will look bad too.   

[Eric Krewson]

Turn your sight upside down and put on hard surface like the anvil on the back of your vise. Peen the bevel edges inward lightly from the underside, test fit and repeat. The metal will expand ever so slightly, you can get a good tight fit this way if you take your time, don't get overzealous on the peening or you will have to file some off to even get the sight into your dovetail.

Always file the sight if you must, never the dovetail.

[flinchrocket]

You can also put a drop of solder on the bottom to act as a shim.

[smylee grouch]

I have done the solder on the bottom of the sight before, worked good. I actually tinned the bottom of the sight with soft solder and th e thing is still tight after 20+ years and the soft solder does not show.

[tippit]

Would a thin layer/smear of J. B. Weld epoxy work as a shim & hold the sight in place?  Good or Bad idea? I can send it back to the builder...but that seems like a lot todo for a simple procedure

[WadePatton]

Would a thin layer/smear of J. B. Weld epoxy work as a shim & hold the sight in place?  Good or Bad idea? I can send it back to the builder...but that seems like a lot todo for a simple procedure

It's possible, but then JB only gets so thin, then it chunks away. I expect you'd go from too tight, to "where'd it go?" lost if fitted with epoxy in the manner of a shim.  I'd rather upset the metal or add metal as suggested.  SOFT solder is -not- Silver Bearing solder.  It won't take a bunch of heat, you only need to heat the sight enough to get a good flow of solder and it won't take a lot.  If all that's beyond your comfort zone, try peening as suggested-lightly and try. Try again, avoid over-doing it. Good luck.

[borderdogs]

You can buy steel shim stock from MSC and some other places depending on how much space you are dealing with shim the sight. I have done this many times and it works great, Another set of sights or peening would work as well. For me I wouldnt rely on soft solder or any kind of solder for that matter I like to be able to drift sights when or if the need arises.
All the best,
Rob

[smylee grouch]

I have also seen where 3-4 center punch dots LIGHTLY punched in the bottom of the dovetail on the barrel helped. The center punched dots raise up a tinny amount of steel around the center of the punched dot and if the sight isn't too lose that small amount of raised steel might help. I think the moving of the steel on the bottom of the sight is still the best fix.

[P.W.Berkuta]

I just got a new rifle and sights were loose in box. I can slide them into the dove tail slots but how do I secure them in place?

Since we can not feel how loose the sight is we can only suggest fixes that we our self's have seen or felt so it is up to you to choose one of the fixes mentioned already . If you are handy with a propane torch and the fit is somewhat snug then soft solder is a good fix if not JB weld is a good strong epoxy and no one will know but you . Larger gap then shim it or fit another sight. My 2 cents worth

[jerrywh]

Adjust your vise jaws so that the blade on the sight will just fit between the jaws [ slip fit]. Place your front sight upside down with the blade between the jaws of the vise. Then hammer the base to expand it some. Don't take much. This will tighten the front sight and is much faster and less trouble than any other way I have ever found. You can peen the rear sight also.

[Craig Wilcox]

If you decide to shim it, McMaster-Carr has sets of shim stock.  Carbon steel, set of 9 sheets from 0.001 to 0.015, 8" x 12"is less than $25, and they deliver pretty darn quick.

[Pete G.]

Don't glue sights on the rifle; place a socket across the female dovetail and tap it. Test the fit and keep at it until sight will barely start.

[thecapgunkid]

Eric...Turn your sight upside down and put on hard surface like the anvil on the back of your vise. Peen the bevel edges inward lightly from the underside, test fit and repeat. The metal will expand ever so slightly, you can get a good tight fit this way if you take your time, don't get overzealous on the peening or you will have to file some off to even get the sight into your dovetail.

I did this once and it worked well.  It did not require a heavy hand or a lot of time...

[tippit]

Well this is a rifle that I've been waiting for a long time.  The builder said just send the barrel back and he'd take care of it.  With all your kind advise, I think I could do this but I'd prefer not to screw it up.  Thanks for all you help...tippit