Spring has sprung. Get out and shoot your Henry
Can't get front dovetail sight off Henry 357..help lol
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- Tenderfoot
- Posts: 15
- Joined: Tue Feb 28, 2017 12:58 am
Can't get front dovetail sight off Henry 357..help lol
Hey I'm having a really tough time getting my Henry 357 steel carbine's front beaded dovetail sight off.
I've been hitting it with brass punches of all sizes and even steel punches. I've tried different sized hammers.
I've got the gun secured in a vice really well.
I've been pounding the heck out of the front dovetail sight from left to right like I'm supposed to.
I'm honestly about to go to a gunsmith. It just won't budge.
At this pount I've got so many dents in the old front sight which isn't an issue, but I'm just wondering why it won't come out.
Is there anything else I should be doing? Like heating it up or lubing it or something? Anyone have experience with this problem?
Thanks.
I've been hitting it with brass punches of all sizes and even steel punches. I've tried different sized hammers.
I've got the gun secured in a vice really well.
I've been pounding the heck out of the front dovetail sight from left to right like I'm supposed to.
I'm honestly about to go to a gunsmith. It just won't budge.
At this pount I've got so many dents in the old front sight which isn't an issue, but I'm just wondering why it won't come out.
Is there anything else I should be doing? Like heating it up or lubing it or something? Anyone have experience with this problem?
Thanks.
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- tx gunrunner
- Firearms Advisor
- Posts: 888
- Joined: Tue Apr 05, 2016 8:33 pm
- Location: near Ft Hood Tx
Re: Can't get front dovetail sight off Henry 357..help lol
You need a sight pusher . I have one like the one in paste for 20 yrs . It will do ft and rear sights and make fine adjustment a snap
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Universal-sigh ... Sw9N1VxgYu
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Universal-sigh ... Sw9N1VxgYu
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- North Country Gal
- Firearms Advisor
- Posts: 6093
- Joined: Thu Apr 07, 2016 12:46 pm
- Location: northern Wisconsin
Re: Can't get front dovetail sight off Henry 357..help lol
You're doing it right, but, sooner or later, you will run into a front sight that just won't budge with the brass punch and hammer method. Have had it happen to me, more than once. Then as TR says, it's time for a sight pusher or a trip to the gunsmith.
One last desperation measure I have used, now that your front sight is beat up and dinged, is to cut the sight in half with a hacksaw. Sometimes you'll need to hacksaw down through the entire sight and cut it in two and sometimes just getting down part way is enough to loosen the sight so it can be punched out. Not exactly finesse gunsmithing, but it will get the sight out.
One last desperation measure I have used, now that your front sight is beat up and dinged, is to cut the sight in half with a hacksaw. Sometimes you'll need to hacksaw down through the entire sight and cut it in two and sometimes just getting down part way is enough to loosen the sight so it can be punched out. Not exactly finesse gunsmithing, but it will get the sight out.
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Re: Can't get front dovetail sight off Henry 357..help lol
I hope like heck you have the muzzle end of the barrel in the vise jaws with thick, oiled leather strips for protection AND the barrel situated with the front sight centered vertically in the jaws so as you are tapping on the sight there is no movement of the barrel - and the jaws of the vise are absorbing all the impact.
I recently got the sight out of a 118 year old Winchester 94 and it wasn't as hard as you are describing.
I did apply penetrating oil on it for about two weeks before attempting to tap it out and you may want to try this first.
If you can please post a pic of the rifle in the vise and maybe from the left side so I can see what is going on.
Consider this also - the more you hammer and disfigure the sight the more you are 'staking' it - which means you are in effect 'bulging' the metal and possibly making it tighter in the dovetail.
I recently got the sight out of a 118 year old Winchester 94 and it wasn't as hard as you are describing.
I did apply penetrating oil on it for about two weeks before attempting to tap it out and you may want to try this first.
If you can please post a pic of the rifle in the vise and maybe from the left side so I can see what is going on.
Consider this also - the more you hammer and disfigure the sight the more you are 'staking' it - which means you are in effect 'bulging' the metal and possibly making it tighter in the dovetail.
Last edited by Mistered on Thu Oct 04, 2018 11:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Can't get front dovetail sight off Henry 357..help lol
Get some Kroil and like mistered said put some of that on it. Let it soak.
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Don't worry about getting older and still doing stupid stuff. You'll do the stupid stuff as always, only much slower. Hold my beer and watch this.......
H001T .22LR
H001T .22LR MONUMENT VALLEY
H003T PUMP .22LR
BBS .41 MAG
SS .357
SIDE GATE 38-55
H001T .22LR
H001T .22LR MONUMENT VALLEY
H003T PUMP .22LR
BBS .41 MAG
SS .357
SIDE GATE 38-55
Re: Can't get front dovetail sight off Henry 357..help lol
.some shouldn't make how to videos. I wonder how much bent damage was done to the slide?
dave77 wrote:Or you could use this guys method (just kidding).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWEY1r9E7so
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UPDATES: OR passes 114, "one of strictest gun control measures in U.S." https://henryrifleforums.com/viewtopic. ... 34#p213234
Re: Can't get front dovetail sight off Henry 357..help lol
That part of the slide is pretty tough and thick so I don't think there would be any bending of it, or any other damage providing the bit could be controlled to hit just the sight however............I wonder how much bent damage was done to the slide?
AN AIR CHISEL IS NOT THE TOOL FOR REMOVING A SIGHT OR TO PERFORM ANY OTHER WORK ON A GUN !!!!!
The sad part is this guy was completely serious about this - I thought it was going to be a humorous 'How NOT to do something' video but Lew-Bob in the video was completely dedicated to this - and got very lucky........
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Re: Can't get front dovetail sight off Henry 357..help lol
.
Note: "Comments are disabled for this video". Guess he wasn't open to getting feedback on his method. Or he got comments he didn't like, deleted them and then blocked them.
Maybe I should post a video on how to use my 22 ton wood splitter as a sight pusher.
Note: "Comments are disabled for this video". Guess he wasn't open to getting feedback on his method. Or he got comments he didn't like, deleted them and then blocked them.
Maybe I should post a video on how to use my 22 ton wood splitter as a sight pusher.
Mistered wrote:That part of the slide is pretty tough and thick so I don't think there would be any bending of it, or any other damage providing the bit could be controlled to hit just the sight however............I wonder how much bent damage was done to the slide?
AN AIR CHISEL IS NOT THE TOOL FOR REMOVING A SIGHT OR TO PERFORM ANY OTHER WORK ON A GUN !!!!!
The sad part is this guy was completely serious about this - I thought it was going to be a humorous 'How NOT to do something' video but Lew-Bob in the video was completely dedicated to this - and got very lucky........
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UPDATES: OR passes 114, "one of strictest gun control measures in U.S." https://henryrifleforums.com/viewtopic. ... 34#p213234
- tx gunrunner
- Firearms Advisor
- Posts: 888
- Joined: Tue Apr 05, 2016 8:33 pm
- Location: near Ft Hood Tx
Re: Can't get front dovetail sight off Henry 357..help lol
The air chisel or claw hammer is not my cup of tea ,try this one
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NfXJhTX1x0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NfXJhTX1x0
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