need brass drift punch

[Ed from Maine]

I need a brass drift pin or punch, to make adjustments to my new (to me) Anschutz #1418 .22 rifle's rear sight. Without waiting for one to arrive from Brownell's, any suggestions for a substitute which will not damage the rear sight finish? I tried a short length of wooden dowel (actually a piece of a chopstick), not terribly happy with the feel of that. I have a steel drift pin, but am afraid to use it for fear of marring the side of the sight.

 

[Chawbaccer]

Brass bolt of the correct size from the hardware store should work. Your local hobby shop will have brass stock of various sizes too.

 

[alxshml]

Sears, Ace, Tractor Supply, Snap-On/Matco Tool truck, Lowes, ect

Any half decent tool department should have some brass punches.

 

[mothernatureson]

brass punch

Go to a hardware store, etc. They have brass rod in various diameters up to at least 1/4". One length of rod would suffice for several punches. You could sand, file, dress the end depending on what you would use it for. For sight movement in a dovetail, I use 1/4" rod with some black tape wrapped on one end , enough to give my fingers something to hold. Works great,and has yet to remove finish or make any marks. good luck'

mothernatureson

 

[brickeyee]

Brass rod is unlikely to be the correct hardness.

Brass punches should be 3/4 hard or fully hard.

 

[mxl]

I was in the same situation. Found a junk piece I had saved from a toilet flush handle. It was about 1/4 inch diameter, brass and pretty hard and long enough. Dress one end to whatever diameter you need.

 

[highlander 5]

I bought 2 lengths of brass rod in different diameters at a local hardware store for short money. In case your interested there is a formula to figure out how much to move the sight up,down,left or right. Take the amonut your weapon is shooting off divide that number by the distance you're shooting at in inches. multiply that number by your barrel length and that number is the amount you need to adjust.

 

[mothernatureson]

Brass rod is unlikely to be the correct hardness.

Brass punches should be 3/4 hard or fully hard.

Thats why you use the brass rod, if you used something hard, you will mark or mar the finish.