Front Sight Adjustment

[psustang89]

I recently had a new barrel put on my TC Hawken. After an attempt to sight in the new barrel with various loads, the rear sight windage was maxed out and the gun was still hitting 4 inches left at 25 yds. So, I need to move the front iron sight. After copious amounts of lube and hits with a brass punch, the sight hasn't budged. Any tips on drifting the front sight?

Thanks!

 

[BrownBear]

Put the barrel is in a vise or other rigid support. If it has any give at all, a tight dovetail sight ain't moving.

 

[FishDFly]

You may have to drive the sight out to right and open the dovetail up a touch and re-install the front sight and tamp the sight to the left.

The sight was put in from the right to left and will come out left to right.

Bigger hammer?

 

[Billnpatti]

My T/C Hawken's sights are 21 inches apart. The distance to the target in inches is 900 inches. If I divide 21 inches by 900 inches and multiply by the 4 inches that you need to move your POI to the right, it comes out to 0.116 inches. So, you will need to move your front sight 0.116 inches to the left. Obviously, your front sight is in a very tight dovetail so you will need to use a brass drift and a hammer to drive the sight 0.116 inches to the left. Use a sharp knife to make a subtle scratch on the sight base and on the barrel, prior to making any sight adjustments, that are in perfect alignment. That will give you a reference point so you can tell how much you have moved your sight.

 

[FishDFly]

And folks ask, why do I know how to do math?, above is the answer why.

 

[crockett]

I think some sights were tapered- meant to be driven in and out from just one side.

 

[Dave K]

The standard is in from the right or out to the right.

 

[psustang89]

Thanks. Consensus is that I have a tapered sight.

Billnpatti - I understand the math, but that assumes I want the rear sight adjusted all the way left.

 

[Billnpatti]

Okay, all you need to do is to center the rear sight and find out where your POI is. Then apply the math and you will know how much to move your front sight. :thumbsup:

If the front sight is tapered, as it most likely is, just drive it out opposite to the way you have been trying to move it and stone the edges a bit to allow it to move a bit further. Before doing any stoning, check to see if the previous owner has tightened the front dovetail by driving the top down onto the front sight. That is a common way of tightening up a loose dovetail. If there is any sign of the dovetail having been tightened, you may have to gently file the dovetail just a bit to give you some room to move the sight.

 

[Billnpatti]

Let me add to my previous posting......actually correct it. What you need to do is get a good starting point for adjusting your sights. So, center both your front and your rear sights. Really try to get them both exactly centered. then shoot a group of 3 to 5 shots and see where you POI is relative to your POA. Unless your barrel is bent, and that can happen, you should not be all that far off. At that point, you should be able to adjust your POI windage to match your POA. Elevation is another thing that you will have to adjust once you get your windage set. If you have both of your sights carefully centered and you are way off, it is time for you to lay a really good straight edge along side your barrel and check to see if it bent. It is rare but it happens. If the barrel is not bent, the only thing I can think of is that the barrel is bored off center. I have never heard of that happening to a T/C barrel but there is always a first time.

 

[M. De Land]

You might check and see if the front sight as been lock-tited in place. The red really holds and will need some heat to let go if it has been applied. MD

 

[58CAL]

Seems like a lot of talk about a simple subject. I seriously doubt that your front sight is in a tapered dovetail. The simple question is why? Next put the barrel in a padded vice and with a brass drift move it in either direction. If it moves your good to go and just push it in the direction you want to go. Also tools are made just for pushing the sight in either direction and they don't use hammer blows to accomplish the job, just a simple screw. When in doubt go see your local gunsmith. FRJ

 

[Greebe]

My T/C Hawken's sights are 21 inches apart. The distance to the target in inches is 900 inches. If I divide 21 inches by 900 inches and multiply by the 4 inches that you need to move your POI to the right, it comes out to 0.116 inches. So, you will need to move your front sight 0.116 inches to the left. Obviously, your front sight is in a very tight dovetail so you will need to use a brass drift and a hammer to drive the sight 0.116 inches to the left. Use a sharp knife to make a subtle scratch on the sight base and on the barrel, prior to making any sight adjustments, that are in perfect alignment. That will give you a reference point so you can tell how much you have moved your sight.

Is this real math or were you just Joshing the OP? I have never seen math like that to figure out sighting in a rifle. Pretty cool if it is real.

 

[Greebe]

Haha, must have been just kidding with the OP as 21/900*4 is not .116 but .093333

 

[Zonie]

I agree the answer is .093 (3/32) and the formula Billnpatti used is the correct one to use.