Advice on replacing front sight on M94

ozymandias · Post by **ozymandias** » Thu Dec 24, 2009 11:24 pm

I acquired a 94 Big Bore (.375 Win.) recently, and I find the front sight much too tall. I see no evidence of it not being factory installed, but it's so tall it almost touches the sight hood. I have to use the highest elevator notch and move the leaf-insert as high as possible to get it to hit a bullseye at 50 yards. It groups superbly, and I'm anxious to get this rifle working properly, so I want to install a lower front sight. The sight is the dovetailed affair common to Winchesters, but I've never had occasion to change one. Before I start whaling on it with a hammer & brass drift, I'd like some input on what might be a better way to do the job. The rifle has a beautiful finish, that's un-marred and I'm loathe to botch it up.

CEMENTHEAD · Post by **CEMENTHEAD** » Thu Dec 24, 2009 11:35 pm

Get or borrow a front sight pusher. You'll never have to worry about dinging it up. Hope this helps, Tom

ozymandias · Post by **ozymandias** » Thu Dec 24, 2009 11:43 pm

CEMENTHEAD wrote:Get or borrow a front sight pusher. You'll never have to worry about dinging it up. Hope this helps, Tom

Using the proper tool for the job sounds right to me. I'll check the Brownells catalog and see what they've got. Thanks guy.

Griff · Post by **Griff** » Fri Dec 25, 2009 1:26 am

The hood will just press off with finger pressure. Ok, a LOT of finger pressure, but it should slide off, I generally push from the rear.

The actual sight should be in a dovetail and can be removed with a brass drift from left to right as you look at the sight from the stock end. It will be pressed in from the opposite. At the bottom of this page are detailed instructions on their method for determining sight heights.

For me... it's been just far simpler to measure several of the .30-30s I own and guess what... they're pretty standardized at ¾" from the centerline of the bore to the top of the sight. For your new sight, just measure what height the BOTTOM of your dovetail is above the centerline of the bore and subtract that from .75 and it will give you what height your need to order. Marbles is a good brand of front sights. Although they don't sell direct... their website will give you needed part number to correctly identify your desired sight.

Good luck.

ozymandias · Post by **ozymandias** » Fri Dec 25, 2009 1:57 am

Griff wrote:The hood will just press off with finger pressure. Ok, a LOT of finger pressure, but it should slide off, I generally push from the rear.

I appreciate your measuring technique, and roger the starboard to port. Your mention of the hood reminds me of a time long ago when I tried to push one off towards the muzzle with the heel of my hand. It was a 98K Mauser and the hood was a little stubborn, so I used a lot of force. The hood slipped and my hand (palm) went full force into the inverted 'v' sight. I uh...wimpered. I'm considerably more careful doing that now. Thanks again Griff.

Cast Bullet Hunter · Post by **Cast Bullet Hunter** » Fri Dec 25, 2009 3:16 pm

Griff wrote:The actual sight should be in a dovetail and can be removed with a brass drift from right to left as you look at the sight from the stock end.

Absolutely wrong! Drive out TO the right and in FROM the right as the rifle is held for shooting. Pins, dovetails, makes no difference this is always the convention.

Modoc ED · Post by **Modoc ED** » Fri Dec 25, 2009 4:14 pm

Might testy today huh!!??

Sixgun · Post by **Sixgun** » Fri Dec 25, 2009 4:36 pm

Cast Bullet Hunter wrote:
Griff wrote:The actual sight should be in a dovetail and can be removed with a brass drift from right to left as you look at the sight from the stock end.
Absolutely wrong! Drive out TO the right and in FROM the right as the rifle is held for shooting. Pins, dovetails, makes no difference this is always the convention.

Whew! Griff, you had me scared for a moment there as I must have knocked out 5,000 sights "from the left to the right" as your looking down the barrel.

Cast Bullet Hunter confirmed what I had "thought". Nothing personal Griff, we all get old (if were lucky)

. Diesel fumes coming into your cab from the KW?

This seems to be an "old sight thing" as when putting a micrometer on the old sights, the right side (as your looking down the barrel with the sight in the dovetail) is usually about .003-005 wider. Many newer sights are the same specs on either side.

Ozy Osborne, Don't worry 'bout dinging it up. Use a brass drift, (you said that) line it up on the left side of the sight with the drift even with the bottom of the base of the sight and whack away. Usually two whacks will knock 'em out. I like to use a brass rod 3/8" in diameter and about 2-3" long.----------------------------------Sixgun

J Miller · Post by **J Miller** » Fri Dec 25, 2009 4:51 pm

If you drive that sight blade out of the ramp, check first to see if the ramp is screwed on or soldered on. Winchester got cheep sometime back and began using tiny screws to hold the front ramp on. If I remember right the screw is under the sight blade, so it's hard to tell. If it's screwed on, it's best to use the sight pusher rather than to risk ripping those tiny little screws out of the barrel.

Also there is two brands of sight pushing tools that I know of. Williams, and the cheaper ones. I tried one of the cheaper ones and it bent when I was trying to remove a sight with it. Cheap junk. Get the Williams brand pusher.

Joe

Post by **Chuck 100 yd** » Fri Dec 25, 2009 4:55 pm

If that sight in dovetailed into a ramp. you will want to support that ramp or it could be found laying on the floor.

Sixgun · Post by **Sixgun** » Fri Dec 25, 2009 5:11 pm

Chuck 100 yd wrote:If that sight in dovetailed into a ramp. you will want to support that ramp or it could be found laying on the floor.

I forgot about that one. I've done that......twice, maybe three times. New screws and a bit of epoxy straightens her out.-------------Sixgun

ozymandias · Post by **ozymandias** » Fri Jan 01, 2010 2:09 pm

I'm grateful to all of you for your input. I decided to get a Williams sight pusher. It seems the best way to go, and me or friends can probably get more use from the tool. I just lost an eBay auction to get one (strangely the winning bidder paid the price one pays for a new one in the Brownells catalog. I've got boolits cast, and new loads made up, so I'm anxious to get the new rifle shooting good. Thanks to all of you again, and Happy New Year.

Griff · Post by **Griff** » Fri Jan 01, 2010 2:38 pm

Sixgun wrote:
Cast Bullet Hunter wrote:
Griff wrote:The actual sight should be in a dovetail and can be removed with a brass drift from right to left as you look at the sight from the stock end.
Absolutely wrong! Drive out TO the right and in FROM the right as the rifle is held for shooting. Pins, dovetails, makes no difference this is always the convention.
Whew! Griff, you had me scared for a moment there as I must have knocked out 5,000 sights "from the left to the right" as your looking down the barrel. Cast Bullet Hunter confirmed what I had "thought". Nothing personal Griff, we all get old (if were lucky) . Diesel fumes coming into your cab from the KW?
This seems to be an "old sight thing" as when putting a micrometer on the old sights, the right side (as your looking down the barrel with the sight in the dovetail) is usually about .003-005 wider. Many newer sights are the same specs on either side.
Ozy Osborne, Don't worry 'bout dinging it up. Use a brass drift, (you said that) line it up on the left side of the sight with the drift even with the bottom of the base of the sight and whack away. Usually two whacks will knock 'em out. I like to use a brass rod 3/8" in diameter and about 2-3" long.----------------------------------Sixgun

I can only claim fatigued memory

Post subject: Re: Advice on replacing front sight on M94Posted: Fri Dec 25, 2009 1:26 am

ozymandias · Post by **ozymandias** » Fri Jan 01, 2010 3:26 pm

Griff wrote:I can only claim fatigued memory

You're in good company Griff. Once on this forum I said that a friends .308 Win. M99 Savage was "pre-WWII" until another member tactfully mentioned the fact that the .308 Win. didn't exist before WWII.

adirondakjack · Post by **adirondakjack** » Fri Jan 01, 2010 5:07 pm

"Out the way ya read, left to right." In the other way. Simplified the memory aid is "read-out"

SMALL brass hammer and a brass drift cut to a wedge at the business end always worked for me.