Immoveable Traditions sights

[stewart.leach]

A while ago I posted about reworking the lock on a new BP shooters Traditions Kentucky flinter. Reduced the trigger pull from over the Lyman gauges limit down to 6 lbs, opened up the pan, and thinned toe of frizzen to get better access to pan. Now a new problem has been found- can't get the sights to move! Okay on elevation, but a foot to the right at 50 yards just won't do. Tried moving them with hammer and brass punch, only result was mushrooming both ends of the punch. Rounded off the corner on the tip of a steel punch, and then a bigger hammer. Barrel was solidly backed up with an oak block, applied Kroil, and several heat and cool cycles, all with no results.

I've heard rumors that Traditions sights are set in place with a hydraulic press, another shooter suggested the barrel was blued with the sights already installed, locking them together.

What do you folks suggest? I'd hate to think we need a hydraulic bearing press to move simple sights!

 

[user 48679]

If it was my gun, If it wouldn't move after heating it with Bernz-A-Matic plumbers torch; I'd dig it out of there and install a new sight in the dovetail.

Also the old sight can be ground/filed down enough even to the barrel flats to enable D/T'ing to install an adjustable screw-on rear sight.

 

[LawrenceA]

You have tried hitting it sideways. Try hitting down just in case there is rust or something in the join. Don't hit too hard as it may make it tighter. This may help loosen it.
As a last resort make a saw cut part of the way through. This will relieve the end to end pressure. The deeper you cut the more reduced the pressure. Once you get close to all the way through then you need to replace the sight.

 

[deermanok]

If you haven't already, try beating the sight from the opposite side. Maybe you can push it right out of the dovetail slot.

 

[bubba.50]

When all else fails, get a bigger hammer. That's what I always heard.

 

[muzzlediscipline]

It would appear you have an exceptionally strong front sight. How about keeping it and just replacing the rifle?

 

[poker]

You could put your barrel between two close trees and give er just a light pull to the side

 

[stewart.leach]

Thanks for the suggestions. I will put a new, fine blade in the jeweler's saw and make a cut just in front of the blade on the rear sight. This- I hope- will relieve the tension between base and barrel enough to allow adjustment. Will report the results.

 

[ohio ramrod]

Many builders "taper" the dove tail. Try hitting from the opposite side to loosen the sight.

 

[Billy Boy]

A while ago I posted about reworking the lock on a new BP shooters Traditions Kentucky flinter. Reduced the trigger pull from over the Lyman gauges limit down to 6 lbs, opened up the pan, and thinned toe of frizzen to get better access to pan. Now a new problem has been found- can't get the sights to move! Okay on elevation, but a foot to the right at 50 yards just won't do. Tried moving them with hammer and brass punch, only result was mushrooming both ends of the punch. Rounded off the corner on the tip of a steel punch, and then a bigger hammer. Barrel was solidly backed up with an oak block, applied Kroil, and several heat and cool cycles, all with no results.

I've heard rumors that Traditions sights are set in place with a hydraulic press, another shooter suggested the barrel was blued with the sights already installed, locking them together.

What do you folks suggest? I'd hate to think we need a hydraulic bearing press to move simple sights!

You can make very closely spaced cuts across the sight with a hacksaw almost to the bottom of the sight, tap it out..

 

[stewart.leach]

Regarding the Traditions Kentucky with that could not be targeted due to factory sights that would not be drifted even by a steel punch and big hammer, we wound up replacing them. Saw cutting down just ahead of the blade of the rear sight released the tension, but not until the cut went nearly to the bottom. The rear sight essentially collapsed, and could not be reused. Grubbing around in my collection of miscellaneous front and rear sights we found a pair that could be made to fit. The front blade is a good bit taller than the factory sight, so I anticipate some filing to bring point of impact up.

The dovetails on the Traditions Kentucky are the usual European width, just a bit under 9 mm, or 0.345 inches. The new sights had the usual USA width of 3/8 inch, or 0.375 inches. With safe edge file, caliper and 1" machinist square in hand, the new shooter dressed the bases down to be a snug but drivable fit in the barrel dovetails. Both front and rear were replaced. It took a while, but now he has something of himself invested in the rifle. Saturday morning we will do the shooting, filing and drifting to put the holes in the middle of the black spot.

 

[necchi]

Regarding the Traditions Kentucky with that could not be targeted due to factory sights that would not be drifted,,

Thank you for the follow up, I've watched this with interest as I have never run into one that's been that stubborn.
Did you find any peculiar circumstance that would lead to the problem? Rust? Scale? Evidence of chemical or adhesive that was used?

 

[stewart.leach]

Thank you for the follow up, I've watched this with interest as I have never run into one that's been that stubborn.
Did you find any peculiar circumstance that would lead to the problem? Rust? Scale? Evidence of chemical or adhesive that was used?

I found no evidence of an adhesive, nor corrosion. Can only conclude that either the barrel dovetails were on the small side, or the sight bases were on the large side. I speculate that the dovetails were cut with a worn tool, and the sights installed with some sort of press. Regret that we did not think to measure the dovetails after destructive sight removal- all our attention was on narrowing the bases on the replacement sight to achieve a snug but drivable fit.

On Saturday morning at the Boulder Rifle Club range we centered up windage off the bench, then filed down front sight blade for point of aim hits offhand. It helped that the owner of the rifle is a good offhand shooter.