Rear Sight Dovetail Problem

[Skofnung]

I have an old riot shotgun that has rifle sights mounted. Long ago, the rear sight decided to slide right out of the dovetail! I have no idea how this happened.

Anyway, what are my options for putting it back and making it stick? It will slide freely in both directions as is.

I have heard of stipling the bottom of the dovetail, will this work? If so, how much stipling should I do?

Any other ideas?

Thanks

 

[c3006]

Sometimes you can get away with cleaning (degreasing) both parts good and useing red locktite.

 

[Jim Watson]

I have one sight with more slop than I thought Loctite would handle, so I cut a little strip of brass shim stock obtained from FLG and placed in the dovetail and pushed the sight in over it. You would likely need to experiment with different thicknesses.

 

[dfariswheel]

You can stipple the dovetail, but whenever you can, stipple the sight, since it's a lot cheaper to replace if something goes wrong.

What you really do is put some center punch marks on whichever, it's not really stippling.

Do do this, use either an automatic center punch or a punch and light hammer.

Brace the part on a SOLID surface, so it won't bounce, then use the punch to put a single or double line of spaced imprints on the part.

The idea is to raise small craters, so the raised edges of the punch marks tighten the fit.

Other options are:
Gently tap down the upper edges of the barrel's dovetail slightly.

Use a flat-faced punch to drive a small "notch" of metal upward at the center of the sight's male dovetail.

Use Jim's brass shim spacer.

Use Loctite.

 

[45crittergitter]

Reid Coffield recommends closing the slot a bit with a flat-ended brass punch, and recommends against stippling or staking. If you can find a new sight, it will likely be oversize and can be fitted to your dovetail slot.

I wonder if you could build up your sight base with JB Weld and then fit it to the slot (after hardening)...?

 

[brickeyee]

You can also drill and tap the sight and use a hex recess set screw (cup tip preferred) to hold it in place. Most sites are thick enough that 8-32 will have enough threads to hold tightly. Some blue loctite on the threads and tighten everything up.

 

[scott.cr]

If you go the stipple ("staking") route, be sure that the sight is held firmly in place so you don't stipple it right out of the dovetail and into the cobwebs underneath your workbench.