Sight rib loosens in one session--is this normal?

[Dilettante]

I gave my .22 (a Buckmark Camper) a good disassembly + inspection + cleaning the other day. Among other things, I tightened up all the screws.
Today was its first time out since. After 120 rounds or so, I noticed that the sight rib was so loose it was about to come off--you could easily see between it and the slide.

Is this normal? Do I need to tighten the screws even more, or do I need to go to loctite?

How tight is tight, anyway? I usually turn until it gets sticky--when the tightening isn't smooth anymore. It can probably go another half-turn, with effort, or another full turn if I force it. I'm reluctant to do this because I don't want it to hurt my hands loosening it afterwards.

 

[Zer000]

I don't know about buckmarks, but I had the same problem with my Ruger 22/45. A dab of loctite fixed it right up.

 

[Marcus]

Make sure the factory lock washers are in place and make the screws tight. Not just snug, tight (but not "stupid tight"). I`ve put untold thousands of rds. through mine and I have NEVER had to tighten the screws between cleanings. If it makes you feel better get a $2 tube of temporary Loc-tite. Marcus

 

[stans]

Use blue Lock-tite, the red stuff is nearly permanent.

Racer's rule of thumb: torque it down until you strip the threads, then back it off 1/2 turn.

 

[albanian]

Is this normal? Do I need to tighten the screws even more, or do I need to go to loctite?

Sounds normal from the Buckmarks I have had experience with. Ruger MKIIs with the bull bbl tend to have loose front sights also for some reason. It doesn't mean the gun is bad or falling apart or anything. Just Locktite it and you should be O.K. Anyone that owns a gun should have some Locktite around.

 

[c_yeager]

It doesn't mean the gun is bad or falling apart or anything.

Unfortunatly for the buckmarks that sight rib is also holding the whole thing together. I had this same problem and the only solution i could find was to use blue-loctite. A real pain since you need to break it loose everytime you clean it. But the alternative for me was that i would start to shoot higher and higher as the rib came loose and eventually the whole action started to jump out of the top of the gun.

 

[HSMITH]

I have 80K + through a Buckmark and my shooting buddies are nearing 20K on the newer ones they bought. If you tighten the screws they won't loosen, if they are loosening up you are not getting them tight. The downside is you will eventually wreck the heads getting them tight.

In hindsight, I would tighten them snugly and put a drop of clear nailpolish on the heads where they touch the rib. Then it will stay fine until you give it a little pop with your fingernail or pocketknife to break it loose.

The best solution would be to source some TORX head screws to replace the hex sockets, then you could go ahead and tighten them down with a lot less worry of wrecking the heads. The problem there is the screws are an odd size and thread, #8x40 if I remember correctly. #8 screws are quite common, but the ultra fine 40 thread is the kicker.