Removing the front sight base on a Ross Mk III

[Gingercat]

Hi
I have just bought a MkIII with this exact same issue! The sight alignment looks almost identical to your first picture and makes me wonder if moving front sight bases was a ‘feature’ of this rifle?

Is there any way to purchase the moving kit that you used, or should I get the rifle to a local gunsmith?

Kind regards Mike

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[Cantom]

Hi
I have just bought a MkIII with this exact same issue! The sight alignment looks almost identical to your first picture and makes me wonder if moving front sight bases was a ‘feature’ of this rifle?

Is there any way to purchase the moving kit that you used, or should I get the rifle to a local gunsmith?

Kind regards Mike

Hi Mike. Sadly this was a specially made puller custom made for the Ross.

I ended up buying the same setup from another gent, and it has moved on to a gent who was making replacement stocks. (he needed it more than I did)

Best suggestion is to study my pics and perhaps have the same thing made up?

That sight base is a bear to get on and off without it.

The barrel is tapered and the fit is tight and pounding on the sight can bend and damage it.

I dunno...if it was me maybe I'd try making something up using an oak block. The puller itself is an off the shelf item you can just buy, if you can find similar.

Basically, buy some chunks of oak and do some woodworking, and buy a puller similar to what you see in the pics.

All the best.



Mike- The sight did not move by itself I can assure you. Someone has pulled it off in the past.


Don't forget to drive the pin out first.

And, you really need to protect the crown with something like that brass button. (I can see in the pics that the brass button is not shown. That was a brass item that is shaped like a plastic wine cork. It inserted into the barrel and protected the crown from the puller screw.)

As I recall, you can also put a washer on the end of the barrel and let the puller push on it vs the crown.