Removing front Sight - HELP

[aslondon]

Any suggestions on how to remove the front sight so I can replace it with the eagle HK style sight/flash hider combination? I drifted out the roll pin ok, but the sight seemed very tight to the barrel and I didn't want to really beat on it. The gun is a 183 series blued with standard front sight. Is there a trick?

Thanks

Al

[bushwack]

I've found a sharp rap on a brass punch usually pops them right off. Be sure to support the muzzle with something soft like a piece of 2X4 so you don't damage the crown.

Good luck
Bushwack

[cajungeo]

That sounds like a solid tip to me. ;)

[gundoc]

I like to hang the barrel in a vise. Close the vise loosely around the barrel, with the rear of the sight supported by the vise jaw tops, then with a piece of wood on the muzzle, rap the wood with a hammer and she'll slide right out and the sight can be salvage. I must have done this a hundred times by now and it's never failed me!

B)
Doc

[aslondon]

Thanks for all of the help - bad news - nada :( Didn't budge a millimeter and yes I took the roll pin out!

[special poop]

those suckers are mounted on tighter than my eigth grade girlfriend. You really have to pound the crap out of it. Instead of using a brass punch I've used another piece of wood. Wedge it into the seam btw, the sight and the barrel and pound the crap out of it!!!! I've found a brass punch can mar the surface. Make sure like suggested to have nice soft wood under the crown (muzzle) and pound downward.

[scruffy]

ditto the poop. Mine took a bunch of force, ie pounding, to get off. I used a soft 2x4 under the crown, clamped the rifle barrel down in a black and decker workmate (didn't have someone else to hold the rifle up on the 2x4), and used a hard oak or walnut, don't remember which, and hammered away on it.

Some sights fit tigher than others... <_<

The trick will be getting it back on straight. I had to put it on, take it off, put it on, take it off, etc multiple times before I got it pounded on straight... <_<

All and all it was a frustrating night. But in the end the hard work and alot of patience paid off.

later,
scruffy

ps. has anyone thought of heating the front sight up a little? I'm not talking red hot and changing the temper of the metal, I just mean a small propane torch and heating it up a bit to expand it so it easily taps off. Just an idea, has anyone tried it?

[GREYBEAR]

In another post, I had mentioned that to get the front sight of my Mini, it had to be heated up with a torch for a few minutes then let cool down. As it cooled the sight was tapped lightly and just slipped off. This is the best way to do it if it won't budge from being hit with the wood.

:beer: :rapid:

[Lexington]

I was considering one of those flash-hider combos, not so much for flash-hiding but more for looks and because I've heard that hanging more weight on the end of the muzzle improves accuracy.

Is it worth the trouble? Does a flash-hider improve the harmonics or something and tighten the groups?

[ventilator]

Welcome to the site Lexington. I was in the market for a muzzlebrake and wound up getting a flash hider.Got a deal at a local gunshow.Haven't really tested it formally(on paper),But it adds a little weight and disperses the blast in all directions except from the bottom(no slots) It does sound different and the gun doesn't seem to jump as much now. Mines a pin on variety. I like the option of going back stock if needed.