Sloppy rear sight….

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Gollywomper

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IMG_1112.jpegIMG_1113.jpegIMG_1114.jpegFinally got around to shooting the Tradition mountain rifle a bit more with my cast bullets. Last time out I noticed some horizontal stringing on my group, I did not take notice as the wind was blowing a good bit. This time I noticed it again. Toward the end of my session I noticed my rear sight moved side to side. Not in the dovetail, but where the sight screw to the dove tail. See pics. I will see what Traditions has to say tomorrow morning.

I was a bit suspect when I got the rifle and the screw looked to have been fussed with.
 
I don't know much about factory guns, but that is a oddball rear sight. Looks like someone tried to tighten the screw & buggered it up. I would recommend either filing the base of the sight so there is no gap between the sight's notch and the dovetail piece, or scrap it altogether & get a new rear sight that fits the dovetail. They aren't expensive, the shipping cost will be more than the sight cost.
 
Phil Coffins said:
The screw isn’t all the way in. It’s either loose or striped and needs tightened up and or replace the screw.
Click to expand...
It does not matter how tight the screw is, it still moves. The sight vs dovetail adapter tolerance is not tight enough.

I will double check my CvA mountain rifle later, however I believe they one is a machined fit and not sloppy.
That screw is not enough to keep the sight from twisting a bit regardless how tight one might get it. I may try to shim it to take the slip out.
 
Gollywomper said:
It does not matter how tight the screw is, it still moves. The sight vs dovetail adapter tolerance is not tight enough.

I will double check my CvA mountain rifle later, however I believe they one is a machined fit and not sloppy.
That screw is not enough to keep the sight from twisting a bit regardless how tight one might get it. I may try to shim it to take the slip out.
Click to expand...
I see what you are saying. The top of the dovetail base should fit into the cut out in the bottom of the sight. I suggest you unscrew the sight and file the underside of the sight to allow it to engage the base. This in effect would lock the two pieces together when the screw is tightened. Note how the as cast sight is resting on the barrel and not fully engaging the dovetail.
 
This is indeed a strange set-up. Traditions Firearms is Spanish (before the brands, Jukar, Dikar, and ARDESA), we have many of these guns here (it's the proximity of the countries) and this type of rear sight is always welded to the dovetail, the central screw only serving to prevent this dovetail from moving sideways once the rear sight is well-adjusted...

This appears to be a manufacturing defect...
 
It is a new rifle, I will call Traditions this morning, will see if they are helpful or not.
I have tried shimming with aluminum. I was not able to get it tight enough, still had a small amount of play. I will explore some more option after my call today.
 
I have tightened sights with a shim. Just cut one from a soda can and either tap it in the dovetail beneath the sight base or remove the sight and then tap both the shim and the sight into place. Or maybe get a traditional sight and file or stone it to tightly fit the dovetail. The trick there is not to buy one with a too small base. I've always been a fan of tight fitting sights. There is other remedies if all the advice here is not working.
 
The dovetail is too deep. Look at the gap, there is nothing to keep the sight from turning, no matter how much you tighten it.
New sight? New dovetail?
 
Flintandsteel said:
The dovetail is too deep. Look at the gap, there is nothing to keep the sight from turning, no matter how much you tighten it.
New sight? New dovetail?
Click to expand...
That's what I thought too when I saw the pic. Dovetail looks deep. As in too deep. How much metal is left between the bottom of the dovetail and the top of the rifling groove?

I built my CVA MR in 1978 and I am sure the dovetail is not that deep, I will measure it tomorrow.

I really like that CVA sight and have put it on a couple other rifles.
 
Last edited:
rp77469 said:
That's what I thought too when I saw the pic. As in scary deep. I built my CVA MR in 1978 and I am sure the dovetail is not that deep, I will measure it tomorrow. Unless I am way off, I'd consider asking for a replacement barrel....but let me measure mine to make sure. I really like that sight and have put it on a couple other rifles.
Click to expand...
It is a tad deeper than my Cva mountain rifle.
The CVA and Traditions are not the same sight. CVA is a one piece and the traditions is a 2 piece.
Both the front and rear dovetails are the same depth.
 
The dove tail on My Traditions is .025 deeper than on my CVA. I looked at a few other photos online, it seems they are all cut deeper as shown in the photo.

The 2 piece sight is a problem when the two half’s are not a tight slip fit. This is one place where a bit of play/slip is unacceptable.
IMG_1117.jpeg
 
I talked with a few others with the same issue. After confirming my CVA MR sight would fit I set out to find another CVA sight. Found a new sight set on EBAY this morning. Lucky draw to find new old stock….IMG_1118.jpeg
 

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