Mounting Iron Sights

[mickri]

A while back I picked up an old single shot anchutz to learn on. I previously glass bedded the action. With only one action screw and a prior owner partially removing the pressure bump in the forearm the barrel and action teeter totted in the stock. Glass bedding fixed that.

Next project is to mount a Williams peep sight. Been trying to figure out how to get the sight square to the receiver. There is a flat ground on the bottom of the receiver where the trigger mounts and above this on the top of the receiver there is a slot that the bolt handle fits in. After considering a bunch of possibilities I think the best option is to use my caliper to square the sight base to the receiver and temporarily glue the base in place to drill and tap the mounting screw holes.



Will this work?

 

[pontiac428]

I would clamp a 1-2-3 block to the flat and flop it over 90 degrees. That takes care of your angle. Then locate the centerline of the receiver using an indicator. Locate the back of the receiver, and dial the x and y for your holes.

The crazy glue idea might work. Even if the sight is off by some amount, you can click it back into true. Hopefully the windage leaf is zero-resettable. At least you can rest with the comfort of knowing that if you miss with an Anschutz, you have no one t blame but the shooter.

 

[Flyinfool]

Using the calipers to square it up is getting dangerously close to using a mic as a c-clamp.
I would use a machinist vice to clamp it square. it is more made for that.

 

[mickri]

I don't have any 123 blocks. I know that I am missing a lot of basic stuff. I only buy stuff when I need it for a project. Haven't needed a 123 block so far. That day will come.

The flat is on the bottom of the receiver and there is the slot for the bolt on the top of the receiver. The slot appears to be parallel to the bottom flat. I had thought about putting a small V block in the vise and clamping the receiver between the flat and the slot in the vise. Will also have to support the end of the barrel so the receiver is not tilted up or down. Then indicate everything to find center and drill holes. Not really confident that I would get everything lined up. Hence my idea to use the sight base as a guide to locate the holes.

Got the idea to use a caliper to position the sight from a mauser website. The caliper is not being used as a clamp. Only to keep the base in place long enough for the super glue to dry. Then use a transfer punch to mark the screw locations. I read one post on a rimfire forum where the poster stated that his father never bothered with the screws when mounting a sight on a 22. Just used super glue and never had a sight come off. I don't trust that. So I will use screws.

The anchutz is an old model from the 1950's. Well before anchutz got known for their precision target rifles. Still I am sure that it is more accurate than I can shoot it with my aging eyes and iron sights. I have not shot it yet. I need to check over the trigger pull. The pull feels to be only an once or so. When I was shooting competitively we would routinely set the trigger pull that light. Don't think that's wise for a general use rifle.

 

[pontiac428]

If you decide to transfer holes through the sight, don't do it with a punch. Put it in a vise and use a short drill that has a slip fit in the sight mounting holes to make precise spots so that when you remove the sight and drill for real, your drill won't wander on the curved surface. A punch won't help here, this is intended to be a precision operation.

I use target triggers on target ranges. First and only negligent discharge of my life happened at the 600 yard range when I closed the bolt in preparation and position to fire, and brushed that 1-1/2 oz. trigger with a finger as the bolt locked into battery. Nobody knew it was accidental, but I came clean and felt so bad about it that I left for the day. For me, if you're going to be carrying the rifle around and banging through the brush, I'd go with a 3-lb setting if possible.

For your vision, what's supposed to happen is old farts have trouble seeing a sharp front sight. Luckily, that Williams sight has a threaded aperture, which means you can put diopter lenses in them. I'm too young still for reading glasses, but I shoot with a 1 diopter lens for the benefit. You might want to start with a 2 diopter, but with a short sight radius like yours the effect is stronger than a match rifle with a 36" sight radius. Ebay usually has parts like this.

 

[epanzella]

I assume you intend to glue the sight and use the holes as a drill guide? I don't know what kind of glue will be strong enough but if it lets go while you're drilling it's gonna suck to be you. I would rather use a machinist clamp to hold it in alignment even if it covers up one screw hole. Center drill a dimple in the reciever, take the sight off, then drill tap the hole. Hold the sight on with that one screw and the machinist clamp, then center drill the dimple again foir the second hole. Take the sight off. Drill/tap as before and install the sight. Trying to drill thru the sight with a small drill bit likely will cause the drill to wander elongating the screwhole in the sight and ruining the hole in the receiver.

 

[mickri]

I think that I got lucky. Been playing around with different clamping ideas this morning. Cleaned up the receiver and the sight base with alcohol to remove any oil, grit, etc. Got the caliper set and did a couple more dry runs to quickly position the sight base on the receiver. Super glue on the sight base. Slipped the sight base between the caliper and the receiver and pressed everything together. The super glue instantly stuck. No chance to move the sight base. The fore and aft position was off by just a smidge but the vertical was spot on. I have no idea how I would remove the sight base. Might not even use the screws. Looks like this project is done.

Next up is to refinish and checker the stock. The refinishing and checkering will happen sometime this winter when I am stuck in the house. I have a craft/hobby/sewing alcove off of the living room. Some cold bluing touch up is also on the list.