I love my Ruger Mark III Hunter, but it does get annoying having to occasionally tighten the screw on the Hi-Viz front sight when it starts to jump a bit at the range. I tried some blue Loc-Tite on the screw during Thanksgiving, but after doing some dry maintenance and dry firing, I found the screw loosened again. It's quite possible the screw and corresponding hole just weren't clean enough and I took a brush to them earlier tonight. If anyone has any advice or suggestions here, I'm all ears.
Securing the front sight on a Mark III Hunter?
- Thread starter Simon Yu
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No KIDDING huh?!
That's the only complaint I have about my kmk678gc. loc-tite didn't even work for you?! I assumed that would secure it.
Wait- yours is coming loose just from handling? I at least have to put a few hundred through mine to shake it loose. Something's wrong I think. No way should it just wiggle loose without firing I don't think. Threads are good? It fastens down when you screw it down really good? Weird.
That's the only complaint I have about my kmk678gc. loc-tite didn't even work for you?! I assumed that would secure it.
Wait- yours is coming loose just from handling? I at least have to put a few hundred through mine to shake it loose. Something's wrong I think. No way should it just wiggle loose without firing I don't think. Threads are good? It fastens down when you screw it down really good? Weird.
SoCalShooter
Member
Send it back to Ruger. Thats not acceptable in my opinion.
Dont use the BLUE loctite, used it when I mounted my rifle scope and the damn WM shook my scope loose, moved to using the red loctite and my problems were solved
The blue is the medium strength. The red is high strength.
Red is 160 break lbs of torque. This should do the trick, the Blue is only 60 break lbs. You do the math on that one.
Dont use the BLUE loctite, used it when I mounted my rifle scope and the damn WM shook my scope loose, moved to using the red loctite and my problems were solved
The blue is the medium strength. The red is high strength.
Red is 160 break lbs of torque. This should do the trick, the Blue is only 60 break lbs. You do the math on that one.
Same exact thing.
I had to make little paper points to get into the threaded hole and completely degrease --- it was filled with oil. The screw had so much stuff on it, the fine threads took a bit of scrubbing. Also, the sight itself needed cleaning --- oil was wicking from it, to.
Tried Loc Blue, not much better.
Tried "Uncle Mike's Gun Glue." Now, the sight is still there. I have no idea what "grade" the UM's is, other than that it is a LocTite product, and is blue.
LocTite has to be pretty much sealed in the threads to cure. If there's a thread problem, the stuff will come out soupy, and not as sort of granular bluish stuff.
I had to make little paper points to get into the threaded hole and completely degrease --- it was filled with oil. The screw had so much stuff on it, the fine threads took a bit of scrubbing. Also, the sight itself needed cleaning --- oil was wicking from it, to.
Tried Loc Blue, not much better.
Tried "Uncle Mike's Gun Glue." Now, the sight is still there. I have no idea what "grade" the UM's is, other than that it is a LocTite product, and is blue.
LocTite has to be pretty much sealed in the threads to cure. If there's a thread problem, the stuff will come out soupy, and not as sort of granular bluish stuff.
Kruzr
Member
Blue loctite should work fine if you fully degrease/de-oil the threads before you put it on. It's held the front sight on my Mk II slabsides for 5 years now.
Use alcohol or acetone to get rid of all the grease/oil/gunk in the hole and on the screw. Then use the loctite and let it sit overnight to cure.
Use alcohol or acetone to get rid of all the grease/oil/gunk in the hole and on the screw. Then use the loctite and let it sit overnight to cure.
kymarkh
Member
Uncle Mike's Gun-Tite
The Uncle Mike's stuff works great for Ruger front sights and for 1911 grip screws.
The Uncle Mike's stuff works great for Ruger front sights and for 1911 grip screws.
Thanks for the suggestions about alcohol to clean the hole and screw. I managed to get off a surprising amount of dirtiness last night that I had no idea was there, but that means the screw and hole are covered in oil instead.
I strongly suspect that the grime was messing with the threads and loctite on top of that probably made it more problematic (part of my cleaning was using a toothpick to pick out a few bits of Loc-Tite that hadn't spread properly.
Still, I do wonder how a screw gets so dirty like that.
I strongly suspect that the grime was messing with the threads and loctite on top of that probably made it more problematic (part of my cleaning was using a toothpick to pick out a few bits of Loc-Tite that hadn't spread properly.
Still, I do wonder how a screw gets so dirty like that.
The crud on the screws is from going off the assembly line without too much fastidious cleaning ... 
It takes very little contamination to mess up LocTite setting.
LocTite "cures" anaerobically, that is, it has to be sealed off from air in order to set up properly. Normally, this happens when a threaded fastener is turned in --- the threads squeeze, and the air is pretty much excluded.
Some of the other, "higher octane" grades of LocTite can lock stuff in so well that it takes heat --- more than you'd like --- or sitting in solvent for longer than you'd like. With some of the red stuff, you can actually shear the screw head before the bond gives. WHich is even less fun than a jiggly sight.
It takes very little contamination to mess up LocTite setting.
LocTite "cures" anaerobically, that is, it has to be sealed off from air in order to set up properly. Normally, this happens when a threaded fastener is turned in --- the threads squeeze, and the air is pretty much excluded.
Some of the other, "higher octane" grades of LocTite can lock stuff in so well that it takes heat --- more than you'd like --- or sitting in solvent for longer than you'd like. With some of the red stuff, you can actually shear the screw head before the bond gives. WHich is even less fun than a jiggly sight.
spacejunkiehsv
Member
A clean surface is the first step. You could run a tap (that is the same thread pitch as your screw) into the hole to clean the threads. I'd recommend blasting everything out with some compressed air after that.
I'm no gunsmith, but I do work with Loc-tite some. Too much of it, and it will take way too long (if ever) to cure properly. You have to apply only enough to get into the threads. Don't goop it on. Clean any excess off before you screw it in.
That's what I'd try anyway. Just make sure that if you do use a tap, that you start it by hand! If not, you could ruin your threads in the barrel.
I'm no gunsmith, but I do work with Loc-tite some. Too much of it, and it will take way too long (if ever) to cure properly. You have to apply only enough to get into the threads. Don't goop it on. Clean any excess off before you screw it in.
That's what I'd try anyway. Just make sure that if you do use a tap, that you start it by hand! If not, you could ruin your threads in the barrel.
MatthewVanitas
Member
Dang, this seems to be an overall bugbear for the Ruger Mk line!
I had a MkII that did the same thing, wondered why I was suddenly quadrupling my group sizes until I figured it out. Mine was solved by Loc-Tite Blue, but it seems you've moved on to more extreme measures.
Is this something inherent to the way Ruger installs the front sight, or are they just sloppy about some QC step?
My rear sight used to drift too, until I took THR advice and dimpled the underside of the dovetail to provide more traction.
-MV
I had a MkII that did the same thing, wondered why I was suddenly quadrupling my group sizes until I figured it out. Mine was solved by Loc-Tite Blue, but it seems you've moved on to more extreme measures.
Is this something inherent to the way Ruger installs the front sight, or are they just sloppy about some QC step?
My rear sight used to drift too, until I took THR advice and dimpled the underside of the dovetail to provide more traction.
-MV
AStone
Member
wally
Member
If you are young fine, but if you've got presbyoptia the fiber optic fronts blow away white paint dots.
I picked up a MKII target slabsides a local store had on sale and immediately added a Dawson Precision fiber optic front. The OP had the problem of the sight shooting loose, the target model has the same screw in front sight arrangement as does the hunter.
--wally
I picked up a MKII target slabsides a local store had on sale and immediately added a Dawson Precision fiber optic front. The OP had the problem of the sight shooting loose, the target model has the same screw in front sight arrangement as does the hunter.
--wally
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Hate to make too much of a project for ya, but when you mount the scope base, you're gonna have to clean, degrease, and flush out the scope base holes, as well as the sight holes.
Just get a little tube of blue LocTite, some solvent, Q-Tips, and paper towel (to twirl paper points out of, and get EVERYthing out of those holes. A dab of LT on the screw threads, tighten screws snugly, no problems.
Just get a little tube of blue LocTite, some solvent, Q-Tips, and paper towel (to twirl paper points out of, and get EVERYthing out of those holes. A dab of LT on the screw threads, tighten screws snugly, no problems.
So . . . does anyone know what temperature it takes to break the threads on red Loc-Tite? I wound up accidentally undoing my job with the blue stuff last night at the range when I decided to test if the screw was still properly locked in . . . and then turned it counter clockwise :banghead:
Examination during cleaning earlier showed that the threads of the screw had white stuff sitting in them, which in my experience is what blue Loc-Tite looks like after being broken down by heat.
Obviously I want the screw to be locked down more securely than that, but not so securely that I can't undo it if I ever decide to swap out the sight. I have a soldering iron I got for the sole purpose of nuking Loc-Tite on pocket knives I need to disassemble and I'd like to be able to find out if that would be enough to handle the red stuff too.
Oh, and I've read reports that new Mark IIIs apparently now come from the factory with red Loc-tite already applied so it looks like our collective frustration reached someone's ears at least.
Examination during cleaning earlier showed that the threads of the screw had white stuff sitting in them, which in my experience is what blue Loc-Tite looks like after being broken down by heat.
Obviously I want the screw to be locked down more securely than that, but not so securely that I can't undo it if I ever decide to swap out the sight. I have a soldering iron I got for the sole purpose of nuking Loc-Tite on pocket knives I need to disassemble and I'd like to be able to find out if that would be enough to handle the red stuff too.
Oh, and I've read reports that new Mark IIIs apparently now come from the factory with red Loc-tite already applied so it looks like our collective frustration reached someone's ears at least.
The white residue also comes from LocTite that's been torqued out, sort of "shocked" from the thread bond. No idea of the exact temperature. You do, however, need to clean all of the residue from the threads before re-doing the attachment. No cheating.
If the sight is plastic, heat will not be a good idea. Nor will a lot of solvents. But you can brace the gun carefully, put a screwdriver blade into the screw slot, and strike it sharply; snap-turn the driver immediately. This works very often with smallish screws.
If the sight is plastic, heat will not be a good idea.
Nor will a lot of solvents. But you can brace the gun carefully, put a screwdriver blade into the screw slot, and strike it sharply; snap-turn the driver immediately. This works very often with smallish screws.
wally
Member
All flavors of Loc-tite let loose by about 500F, a bit below the melting point of plumbers solder, I think there is a low strength formula that gives up about 350F (water boils at sea-level at 212F).
I often find the white crude that remains jams up the threads enough on re-assembly that you might not need to re-apply the loc-tite. I'd just tighten it up again and see if it still shoots loose before re-applying.
--wally.
I often find the white crude that remains jams up the threads enough on re-assembly that you might not need to re-apply the loc-tite. I'd just tighten it up again and see if it still shoots loose before re-applying.
--wally.
same issue
I had the same exact thing and since i am new to handguns I tried the blue lock tight with no luck and just took it in and asked a local gunsmith, he looked at it and told me the screw was too short and did not grab enough threads, so he replaced the screw and I have not had a problem yet. Maybe take it in to a gunsmith for a look or better yet just call Ruger it sounds like maybe they have a problem I would think they will fix it.
I had the same exact thing and since i am new to handguns I tried the blue lock tight with no luck and just took it in and asked a local gunsmith, he looked at it and told me the screw was too short and did not grab enough threads, so he replaced the screw and I have not had a problem yet. Maybe take it in to a gunsmith for a look or better yet just call Ruger it sounds like maybe they have a problem I would think they will fix it.
Wally, I retightened it after my blunder and it did start to come loose again, albeit slower.
51Cards, outside of the fiber optic pipe you can remove, the sight and screw are metal, though I've done the soldering iron to screw thing on knives where said screw is surrounded by plastic. Just have to have a narrow enough soldering iron, a light touch, and a steady hand. Course, the last bit applies anytime you're dealing with a soldering iron and don't want to hurt yourself . . .
I'll probably try the red stuff since that's apparently what Ruger themselves are putting on new Mark III's anyway.
51Cards, outside of the fiber optic pipe you can remove, the sight and screw are metal, though I've done the soldering iron to screw thing on knives where said screw is surrounded by plastic. Just have to have a narrow enough soldering iron, a light touch, and a steady hand. Course, the last bit applies anytime you're dealing with a soldering iron and don't want to hurt yourself . . .
I'll probably try the red stuff since that's apparently what Ruger themselves are putting on new Mark III's anyway.
Took me two tries. A more-than-thorough cleaning of the hole and the screw, and Uncle Mike's Gun Glue has held for a couple thousand rounds, both sights and scope mount.
Years ago, we had a Loctite consultant come in with an unbelievable assortment of the stuff. I forget, I think it was the 690(?) red stuff that we wound up with. Smelled sort of fruity. Properly applied, it exceeded any mechanical locking on an 8-32 stud. Errors in assembly were not easy to correct, in a confined area. I'd be careful with it.
Again, I was surprised at the amount of cutting oil left in the hole, courtesy of Ruger. I suspect also that there's something about the exact barrel length/sight position that's creating some sort of harmonic. They all seem to fall out.
Years ago, we had a Loctite consultant come in with an unbelievable assortment of the stuff. I forget, I think it was the 690(?) red stuff that we wound up with. Smelled sort of fruity. Properly applied, it exceeded any mechanical locking on an 8-32 stud. Errors in assembly were not easy to correct, in a confined area. I'd be careful with it.
Again, I was surprised at the amount of cutting oil left in the hole, courtesy of Ruger. I suspect also that there's something about the exact barrel length/sight position that's creating some sort of harmonic. They all seem to fall out.
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