Mauser 71/84 Front Sight

[rescuerandy2]

Good Afternoon,

Front sight blade is loose. Other than mastics what fixes do you recommend. Have brass tools and the weapon is not pristine. Thanks, Randy

Information

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[WarPig1976]

Remove the blade and peen one or both bottom edges and bang it back in. Don't go nuts just enough to snug'er up..

[Patrick Chadwick]

Remove the blade and peen one or both bottom edges and bang it back in.

Agreed re. peening. NEVER peen the dovetail socket on the rifle. But I would rather press the blade back in than bang it!

TIP:
Many old foresight blades are worn and rounded, giving a very poor sight picture. If you want to shoot it at 100 yards, and need a higher or better blade, please note that 98k blades will fit! Mauser never changed the basic design in almost 100 years!

[WarPig1976]

I'm speaking metaphorically of course. Does bring up a good point though.
I know front sight adjustment tools are out there but are expensive. I've used my AK/SKS front sight tool at the range a few times on a SMLE and type 99 arisaka. It "kinda" works it ain't pretty! on blades that are proud of the base but beats whacking away with a punch and hammer and holding the rifle with your elbows.

Does anyone have a homemade sight adjusting tool that's range portable? Or some sort of set up that works with a vise?

[Patrick Chadwick]

Since one can't magically produce proper adjusting tools for all possible sights and muzzle diameters, and can hardly take the workshop to the range when trying out something new, I confess to using a fair amount of careful and controlled bang myself. Tools: a light ball-pene hammer and a piece of brass rod! It is important to have the sight block resting on something solid - such as a another brass block - so that you can control the blow and feel when the blade moves. Doing it "freehand" is very chancy. If you want really fine adjustments, say a couple of 0.001", then a small toolmaker's cramp will do the trick.

In all cases, you need something like a brass block between the object applying the force and the sight blade/block to avoid marring the sight blade and/or the sight block! Brass is good, aluminium can be quite "scratchy".

[rescuerandy2]

Will give peening a shot and have a 98 sight blade on standby. Thanks, Randy

[WarPig1976]

We're on the same page here Patrick..

[Patrick Chadwick]

We're on the same page here Patrick..

Indeed - one has to adapt theoretically correct methods to the means one actually has available. So if necessary, it's back to the caveman days and flint knapping with a blunt instrument - but the proper tools do make it easier