Walt Sherrill
Member
I recently picked up new sights for my BHP, and took it to my gunsmith for installation. (They were the Millett's recently offered by Gun Parts.) Nice sights.
While I ordered the sights that seemed appropriate for the gun (staked front sight, and dovetailed rear), the rear dovetail on the gun was much narrower than the sight. My gunsmith redid the dovetail to accept the new sights, with my blessing. The rear sight is now installed, and I really like it.
The front sight was also different.
My gunsmith hasn't worked on a lot of Brownings, just a couple and some Inglis' -- and he has had nothing to do with sights for any of them.
The ones he worked with had dovetailed front sights, and did not seem to have a barrel bushing. (Or, if they had a bushing, they weren't obviously removable.)
My gun, which was made in the mid '60s, seems to have a barrel bushing, and it will move a bit -- but won't come out easily. (You can't feel the end of the staked sight, so it must be a bushing.)
He's trying to find some information, and I said I'd help too, by asking here. He said he would normally break off the front sight, drive out the remaining piece, install and then stake the new one in its place, ala 1911s.
Because he had NOT seen this particular combination of parts before, he was hesitant to charge ahead without checking with someone more familiar with the particular configuration.) I applaud his caution. <grin>
Do some of these older guns have press-fit barrel bushings? If so, should he just drive the bushing out, remove and replace/stake the front sight, and reinstall the bushing? Or is there some other process that should be used?
Thanks, folks.
While I ordered the sights that seemed appropriate for the gun (staked front sight, and dovetailed rear), the rear dovetail on the gun was much narrower than the sight. My gunsmith redid the dovetail to accept the new sights, with my blessing. The rear sight is now installed, and I really like it.
The front sight was also different.
My gunsmith hasn't worked on a lot of Brownings, just a couple and some Inglis' -- and he has had nothing to do with sights for any of them.
The ones he worked with had dovetailed front sights, and did not seem to have a barrel bushing. (Or, if they had a bushing, they weren't obviously removable.)
My gun, which was made in the mid '60s, seems to have a barrel bushing, and it will move a bit -- but won't come out easily. (You can't feel the end of the staked sight, so it must be a bushing.)
He's trying to find some information, and I said I'd help too, by asking here. He said he would normally break off the front sight, drive out the remaining piece, install and then stake the new one in its place, ala 1911s.
Because he had NOT seen this particular combination of parts before, he was hesitant to charge ahead without checking with someone more familiar with the particular configuration.) I applaud his caution. <grin>
Do some of these older guns have press-fit barrel bushings? If so, should he just drive the bushing out, remove and replace/stake the front sight, and reinstall the bushing? Or is there some other process that should be used?
Thanks, folks.