move front sight on 1871 mauser

[tony1]

Could anyone tell me if its possible to move the front sight on the 1871 mauser without damaging or braking it off, still trying to cure it shooting 6" to the left at 100 yards.

thanks inadvance+a happy New Year to all
Tony

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.

[Patrick Chadwick]

If your rifle looks anything like mine did when I bought it, dirt and corrosion may prevent you seeing that the foresight is a blade insert in a dovetail. In fact, the Mauser M1871 uses a blade foresight insert that is basically the same as that used right up to the end of K98k manufacture by FN for the Israelis. It was never changed!

So:
1) Your foresight is a driftable insert. You can use blades for the K98k as replacements.

2) The rifles were zeroed at 200-250 meters on the lower flip-up leaf, 300-350 on the higher flip-up, and the ladder sight starts at 400 meters! (VERY load-sensitive)
Since the original blade is often worn down, so that the rifle shoots even higher than when new, it is a good idea to remove the original blade and keep it safe somewhere. It should be knocked out with a brass drift from the left. Replace it by one of the extra-high 98 blades, to achieve a usable aiming point at 100 meters/yards. It may be necessary to file or peen the dovetail on the replacement blade a tiny bit so that it is held firmly. But do not, of course, file or peen the original rifle!!!

3) The M1871 has a single side locking lug, so the horizontal deviation is also load-sensitive. Do not waste your time making microscopic horizontal adjustments until you have settled on a standard load. This is a subject that I have covered in detail before, so please read through up my previous contributions on this topic!

If you look through the thread "Argentino M1879 Rolling Block" on the Restorer's Corner forum, you will find pictures of my M1871. Look, read, and be encouraged!



---------- Post added at 01:47 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:43 PM ----------

PM him if he hasn't responded soon.

And a Happy New Year to you too!

[jmoore]

Links to some of Patrick Chadwicks' other 1871 Mauser material:

To carry on where we left off...Smokeless in a Mauser M1871 or 71/84

Argentino M1879 Rolling Block. Is it worth restoring?
See Post #10 particularly, but there's more scattered throughout the MANY pages!

ETA:Trying to make up for my transgression...Sorry, Patrick, the offending Post's deleted now!