Front sight moving

[The Wiz]

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?

[Mistered]

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.

[The Wiz]

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.

[Mistered]

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.

[The Wiz]

Model H001TRP. Octagon. I can move it left to right. I can not remove it.

[Mistered]

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?

[The Wiz]

Let me sleep on it. Thanks for your help.

[PT7]

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.

[Mistered]

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.

[tractortad]

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.

[Mistered]

If you DO decide to approach this yourself I would try to find a price of UHMW 1/2" round Stock as a drift punch. Cut to about 4" or 5" inches UHMW works as a great sight punch without marring the sight and does not absorbs as much hammer impact, or split as a wood dowel can and cause a hammer mistrike to the gun - or your hand. AND - I like the blue Loctite idea mentioned by TT. This could save an otherwise poorly fitted sight if you don't want to try staking it.

[The Wiz]

Since I already sent back my .357 BBB once to Henry for repairs, with all the hassel that entailed, I think I will go with the blue Locktite method. Question: what is UHMW?

On a side note. I am getting a little frustrated with Henry's product. Two rifles and two problems needing to go back for repairs. I don't know if I will buy another Henry. I will to think about it

[Mistered]

what is UHMW?

Ultra high molecular weight - it's a very hard, dense plastic. A short section of 1/2" round stock is my sight drift punch.
What were the other two problems you had they had to go back for?

[The Wiz]

If I were to send back the .22 that would be #2. The .357 went back for a loading tube issue. that took about a month to resolve.

[Mistered]

The .357 went back for a loading tube issue. that took about a month to resolve.

I guess I got lucky on this one (mine had it also) and figured out what the problem was and fixed it in about one minute. Heck the follow up cleaning took longer.

[The Wiz]

I went ahead and did the Locktite yesterday. Seems pretty solid today. Now to sight in on Thursday at the range. Thanks everyone for the advice taken and not taken.

[Mistered]

I went ahead and did the Locktite yesterday.

Good deal! Did it drift out easily? And did you manage to get it centered?

[The Wiz]

I ended up not removing the sight. When the sight was all the way to the right, looking down the barrel, it would not go any further just using finger strength and it was centered. I moved it all the way to the left exposing some of the sight base. Put a drop of Loctite on the edge and slid it back on until it stopped. Double checked and it was centered. I turn the gun around tipped the barrel up so I was looking down at the front of the sight. I put a very small drop on the front of the sight where it join the barrel and it flowed into and around the base. Wiped off the little bit of glue showing and I was done. It looks like I knew what I was doing. Time will tell.

[JEBar]

interesting .... I've never heard of Loctite being used that way .... looking forward to hearing your results

[Shakey Jake]

Yeah, Loctite will hold most anything if you use the correct formula. They make a bunch of different ones. I use the BlackMax 340 all the time in my instrument repair work. I had a Kawasaki 1600 several years ago that the valve adjusters had to have a spacer added ( a problem all 1600's had back then) which was held on with Loctite! That was the way it was.....