Building the Stevens Favorite

[Tom Griffin]

You are welcome Steve. Glad you are enjoying the build.

Tom

 

[Dranreb]

Hi Tom, I have just noticed this thread, found it so fascinating I read it all in one hit!

To see such wonderfully skillful work, and with your working methods so well described, has taught me things I can only dream of being able to use!

Thank you for going to the trouble to post it for us to see.

Bernard

 

[Tom Griffin]

Thanks Bernard, I'm glad you are enjoying the project.

Tom

 

[medicmike]

You sir, are a true craftsman. I have played around with gunsmithing, built a 1919 or two and some other projects that I thought were pretty involved, nothing of this "caliber" though. This thread is truly inspiring )

 

[Tom Griffin]

Thanks Mike. In my book, being called a true craftsman is the ultimate compliment. Glad you are enjoying the build.

Tom

 

[Alphawolf45]

That is real Purty work TomG and I'm loving the pictures. Really Like seeing a guy having fun like that.Great hobby ain'it.

 

[Tom Griffin]

Thanks!

And a good thing it is just a hobby, I'd starve to death trying to do this stuff for a living.

Tom

 

[Tom Griffin]

I spent a little time in the shop today and got the mounting screws made for the sight and most of the frame re-made with the latest design changes.

The screws were #5-40 oval head machine screws. Nothing to difficult, but I'll post pictures just the same.

The screws were made of O1 and the first step was to turn the major diameter for the #5 screw and form the 100º angle on the head. There are many ways to form the angle but I chose to generate it by setting the compound to 50º and machining it with the point of the turning tool.




Short, small diameter threads like this are a pain to single point so I decided to cheat and use a die. Besides, how often do you get to use a #5-40 die? The body of a drill chuck in the tailstock was pushed against the die stock to ensure a square start.




Once the thread was cut, the screws were parted off a little long.




They were then held in a collet and the crown machined with a form tool.




After "crowning" they were held in a collet block and a .032" x .050" slot cut for the screwdriver.





Next, the base needs a little more modification, the frame needs to be finished and the leaf spring made for the detent. That will pretty much wrap up the sight project.

Tom

 

[Tom Griffin]

I finally got all the bugs worked out of the tang sight design and finished it up. By finished, I mean the parts are made, but there are still a few things to do. The elevation and windage marks need to be applied, but that won't be until the gun is shootable and like the rest of the parts, they still need to be hardened, polished and blued. The windage and elevation adjustments work well as does the detent mechanism to lock the sight in the raised and lowered position. I was happy with the way it folds down, completely out of the way, to allow use of the standard iron sights.

Tom

 

[David]

Tom I have thoroughly enjoyed this build! Credit should be given when credit is due; you are a true craftsman, the quality is amazing!

Thanks so much for taking the time to document this build and sharing it with us!

David