Front sight protectors

[A. F Medic]

What is the best way to remove them with out tearing up the barrel finish?

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.

[Johnny Peppers]

There really is no good way. I have found that less damage to the finish is done if you heavily oil the barrel and protector, stick a round shank screwdriver through the sight protector, grab the screwdriver shank with two fingers on either side, and give it a quick jerk. Working it back and forth will do more damage than just getting it off with one motion.

[Randy A]

I stand the rifle up in front of me facing the under side. Grasp the barrel just below the front sight with both hands, interlocking fingers. Extend both thumbs up so they contact the bottoms of each side of the cover. Roll your thumbs forward evenly (like JP said) and it will pop off with the greatest of ease. Use your fore fingers to catch it so it doesn't land two firing positions away.

[barbarossa]

I remove the sight hood by running a piece of twine through the sight hood, tie a knot, then pull it right off the barrel in one clean movement. I have never mastered how to remove them with finger pressure but this works like a charm.

[Harlan (Deceased)]

Johnny is correct that there's no good way, and all of the above will work. I can push them off with upward pressure from the bottom using my thumbs, and after I take it off I never put it on again. There's really no need to have them today unless you're needing them to protected your front sight blade from getting dinged, and most of us would never put them through that kind of abuse the military might have done. I can see having them installed for a collector grade that you aren't going to take out shooting though.