SMLE Mk 1 rearsight question

[Peter Laidler]

Like I said....., I could be wrong and it looks like I was. But look at it in a different way now. Through all the words and discussion BBB has come up with the goods and because of me and him you all know the answer and will now be sorting out your glued-up sights.

To me it is a totally unsatisfactory way of doing things. It's like leaving out the clicker spring in a Bren backsight or the No32 sight. Just waiting for something to rub against the knob and it's out of zero. Totally alien to my way of thinking confirmed in thread 3 when it appears that they were listening to me and did improve the system later!

Back to the drawing board

[Maxwell Smart]

They are an interesting sight to use, adjustable for windage and finer elevation

[mhb]

entirely off the rails in my earlier attempt to explain the disassembly of entirely the wrong sight, I hope to redeem myself by providing a walkthrough of the correct one. This sight is an early one (with bone inserts in the elevation slide buttons), but the windage and elevation mechanisms are the same. The sight is shown detached from the base - note the visible screw head, which is the first step in takedown.
Attachment 83843
The next photo shows the bottom of the sight leaf assembly, with the windage knob on the right and the elevation adjustment screw on the bottom.
Attachment 83844
Next photo shows the top of the sight leaf assembly with the screw which retains the windage and elevation assembly in the leaf removed.
Attachment 83845
Next is a side view of the windage and elevation assembly showing the elevation scale and the elevation fine adjustment screw on its bottom, which is the next item removed, allowing the detachment of the sub-assembly.
Attachment 83846
Next, the windage slide has been detached, by un-screwing the elevation adjustment screw - the screw is still in its seat. Note the 2 holes in the rear of the block, which contain small (tiny) coil springs (not shown). The springs are probably intended to take-up slack in the assembly, and/or add tension to the windage and elevation adjustments. Also, take note of the small recess in the left side of the windage assembly, which is critical to further disassembly.
Attachment 83847
This photo shows the elevation screw and its tension washer pulled directly rearward from their seat.
Attachment 83848
Next, a small, stiff punch is inserted in the recess in the block which retains the windage screw in the base. It is helpful to clamp the assembly between safe jaws in the vise, to compress the windage tension washer and reduce the effort required to start the block from its seat. It is also recommended that the elevation screw be re-installed in its threaded boss (which is slotted to permit adjusting the slack in the threads) to prevent springing the boss, which is used as the fulcrum in levering the block upward. Gentle persuasion will start the block moving upward.
Attachment 83849
This one shows the retaining block started upward - it can be removed relatively easily from this point. Note the elevation screw installed in its boss, to prevent deformation, as mentioned above. Having removed the retaining plate completely, the windage screw can now be backed-out if its threaded boss in the slide, permitting separation of the screw and the slide, completing the process.
Attachment 83850
And, finally, the disassembled parts (except the coil springs). The parts can now be inspected, cleaned, lubricated and re-assembled. The elevation slide can also be removed from the sight leaf, but that is not difficult, and outside the original topic.
Reassembly is fairly straightforward, but it is helpful to re-compress the windage screw and its tension washer to permit easier re-installation of the retaining block.
I hope any of this proves informative and/or useful to someone.
Attachment 83851


mhb - MIke

Later: I have no idea why the final attachment does not show as a visible thumbnail - I've tried to correct it via edit (several times), but it won't cooperate. I'd be obliged if one of the moderators could make it appear.

[mhb]

of the completely disassembled sight did not want to appear im my previous post, let's try again:

Attachment 83875

And that should wrap it up.

mhb - MIke

[mike1967]

The bone buttons can also be taken off. Press them in and pull to remove the slide from the leaf, and they and there respective springs wiggle and fall out. There is usually quiet an amount of crud in there!

Would have to come close to being the record on the amount of individual parts on a rear sight.

[RCS]

Some years ago, I purchased a Mark 1*** rifle and the backsight slide was missing with the small screw. I was able to make a backsighr slide after a few attempts with help from a small milling attachment on my lathe. The bone inserts were made from hard wood and checkered. After this photo was taken, I went back and reduced the sharp checkering. Behind the inserts are two small diameter coil springs and I was only able to locate chrome plated springs of the correct diameter - which worked out.

My other photo shows the difference between the early and later backsight leaf springAttachment 83899Attachment 83900

[RobD]

Well done, mhb Mike - that's a great tutorial.
I followed your instructions, cleaned out the crud, and gave the spring washer a bit more curve - it's now as good as new.
Rob