Attaching Sight to Thompson Center Hawken

[Infrangible]

Hello,

I really have no idea what I am doing, but I try. After tracking down an original sight for my kit Hawken, I now need instructions. How do I attach the sight? Do I need to remove the pin at the end then re-attach after the base is fixed to the barrel? Removing the height screw does not open up the piece so I can get to the two base screws. See attached pics and if you know please tell me what to do.

Thanks,

Dan

 

[2 shots]

hi, you have it right. remove pin ,install base repin the top piece. be aware of small spring.

 

[deerstalkert]

yes you will have to drift that hinge pin out, then back in after attaching the sight to the barrel.
just a word to the wise. see that slotted nut on the port(left) side of the sight? do not lose it. impossible to replace without making one. and that is a bigger pain then my mother-in-law was God rest her!

 

[Infrangible]

hi, you have it right. remove pin ,install base repin the top piece. be aware of small spring.

Thank you 2 shots. Would it matter what side I hit with a punch?

 

[Infrangible]

yes you will have to drift that hinge pin out, then back in after attaching the sight to the barrel.
just a word to the wise. see that slotted nut on the starboard side of the sight? do not lose it. impossible to replace without making one. and that is a bigger pain then my mother-in-law was God rest her!

Thanks Deerstalkert. How would you remove the hinge pin with only a hammer and a steel punch. Should I get a different set of tools?

 

[deerstalkert]

put the sight in a padded vice and get a eeeny teeeny punch. drive from the port (left side as you would be looking through the sight) it is really a tiny punch needed. avoid driving it completely out , just enough to remove the ramp. don't lose the spring.
i used a hardened leather needle (don't tell the wife) that i chucked up and turned a shoulder on leaving the point for a center guide. most punch sets won't have a punch small enough that won't turn into a pretzel on you. put some slick-em on the little pin to reinstall. you use the same punch to drive it back in.
this is the capture nut i mentioned. still haven't found a replacement. had to make this one.

 

[Infrangible]

put the sight in a padded vice and get a eeeny teeeny punch. drive from the port (left side as you would be looking through the sight) it is really a tiny punch needed. avoid driving it completely out , just enough to remove the ramp. don't loose the spring.
i used a hardened leather needle (don't tell the wife) that i chucked up and turned a shoulder on leaving the point for a center guide. most punch sets won't have a punch small enough that won't turn into a pretzel on you. put some slick-em on the little pin to reinstall. you use the same punch to drive it back in.
this is the capture nut i mentioned. still haven't found a replacement. had to make this one.View attachment 83295

That is absolutely superb advice. Yours is slightly different than mine. Now I feel bad that my ADHD did not let me wait. I suppose these tools worked, but they seem wrong now.

 

[deerstalkert]

anything to get er done!!!

 

[ord sgt]

What you need to do the job correctly is a 1/16" roll pin punch. But a regular 1/16" punch will work. Just go slow, as to not bugger up the end of the pin. The finish on the end of the pin will be rubbed off, no matter which tool you use.

 

[Grimord]

I have used a 4 penny finish nail with the point clipped off to remove those pins. Just go slow and use light taps of the hammer to get the pin moving.

 

[Eric Krewson]

There are at least two kinds of TC rear sights, you have to remove the pin on the older ones, you just have to remove the adjustment screw and flip the top up on the newer ones. The catch is the mounting hole spacing is different between the older and newer sights. I have mounted a newer sight on an old barrel with one screw because the holes didn't line up, it held OK.

 

[deerstalkert]

When the holes don't match, a drill press is your friend!