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Front sight moving

The Wiz
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Front sight moving

Post by The Wiz » Fri Mar 30, 2018 9:55 pm

Noticed that my front sight is moving on my SGR. About an sixtenth of an inch or so. Didn't seem to affect my shooting today. Granted it was at 25 yds. I imagine the further out you go more of an error would occur. If fixable, how would one go about it?
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Re: Front sight moving

Post by Mistered » Fri Mar 30, 2018 10:22 pm

Are you sure it is 'moving' ? have you been measuring it and noticed the drift?
If it in fact is moving you might have to 'stake' the sight - which is nothing more than punching a couple divots in the underside of the sight with a center punch to add a bit of 'swell' to the metal to create a tighter fit.
I do not have your rifle in hand but unless a really loose dovetail (like nearly able to move it by hand) I highly doubt it is moving.
Front sights can be VERY difficult to center - even with a good machinist's rule it can be deceiving - its easier on a octagon barrel as you have a 'flat' to lay the rule on to center the sight but it is still challenging. I was installing a front sight on an old octagon barrel Winchester the other day and it took me a while to finally get it centered - and that was with a good rule and light - it took a couple taps to get it where I was satisfied!
FWIW the rear buckhorn on this Winchester (1899) is dang near finger tight. It 'snugs' up on center but I could probably hit my sight drift punch with the palm of my hand and get it to move. the spring load aspect of it with the sight elevator tightens it up more but my point is it does not move as loose as it is.
You might want to consider simply drifting the sight back to center if you feel comfortable doing this. I can outline the procedure (mine anyway) via PM if you would like.
Last edited by Mistered on Fri Mar 30, 2018 10:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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The Wiz
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Re: Front sight moving

Post by The Wiz » Fri Mar 30, 2018 10:38 pm

I can move it with my fingers. I only noticed it because I was wiping the barrel down after cleaning the rifle today and felt it move.
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Vietnam, Cambodia, DMZ
101st Airborne, Recon. ( Where in the heck are we?)
25th Inf. Div.2/22 Inf. Reg.(mech.)
Sgt., U.S. Army, Sniper

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Re: Front sight moving

Post by Mistered » Fri Mar 30, 2018 10:41 pm

I can move it with my fingers.
Ok - for starters what is an SGR? Is this a round barrel or octagon?
If it is that loose try pushing it from the LEFT to RIGHT and see if you can remove it.
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The Wiz
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Re: Front sight moving

Post by The Wiz » Fri Mar 30, 2018 10:54 pm

Model H001TRP. Octagon. I can move it left to right. I can not remove it.
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101st Airborne, Recon. ( Where in the heck are we?)
25th Inf. Div.2/22 Inf. Reg.(mech.)
Sgt., U.S. Army, Sniper

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Re: Front sight moving

Post by Mistered » Fri Mar 30, 2018 11:05 pm

I can move it left to right. I can not remove it.
So - you can move it back and forth in the dovetail but you cannot push it out correct? If this is the case you are going to have to drift it out. NOW it is NOT entirely unacceptable to apply a small amount of good adhesive in the dovetail when reinstalling the sight to solidify it - but 'staking' it is the preferred method since it allows the ability to drift it to center it - but with an adhesive that gives you some time (like Gorilla Glue) you will have time to center it. The downside to adhesive is it will make it difficult to remove (not impossible) in the event you want to change sights at a later time. What do you want to do?
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Re: Front sight moving

Post by The Wiz » Fri Mar 30, 2018 11:28 pm

Let me sleep on it. Thanks for your help.
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Re: Front sight moving

Post by PT7 » Sat Mar 31, 2018 12:53 am

If the SGR were my rifle, I'd contact Henry and sent it in to have them check it out. I'm also certain you'd get a fix for whatever the issue is, and then wouldn't have to try various things to deal with it. A dovetail sight should not move with only your fingers pushing it.

Henry wants to be there to make your rifle right. Read again the President's promise to Henry customers at the bottom of the Henry home page: https://www.henryusa.com/

Again, I'd go that route, but final decision is entirely yours. Best to you.
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Re: Front sight moving

Post by Mistered » Sat Mar 31, 2018 7:20 am

I would start by removing the front sight and inspect and measure the dovetail to ensure is was cut squarely and evenly. If so then I would do the same to the front sight base to determine if it was improperly fit to the dovetail - which is often the case. A front sight should slide into the dovetail from the right side and start to 'snug' up about a 1/3 of the way to be 'set' by drifting it to center. Front sights are easy to screw up on fitting - mostly by the fitter removing too much material. However unless you have the basic tools and confidence to do this yourself then maybe it should go back to Henry for the repair.
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Re: Front sight moving

Post by tractortad » Sat Mar 31, 2018 7:22 am

The front sight should not be loose like that on a SGR. I'm sure Henry will fix it if you tell them about it, but they will probably want you to send the rifle back to them. If it were mine I would drift the sight out with a brass punch or a wooden dowell (going port to starboard), clean up the dovetail/sight base with some alcohol, reinstall/re-center the front sight with some blue loctite, and then wipe out the excess loctite with a couple of cotton swabs. Let it dry for a day and then sight the rifle in again.
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