Removing replacement front sight

Black Powder · September 28, 2008, 10:09:45 AM

Greetings -

Bought a Uberti 1873 carbine, 44-40, barely used. Great deal, but has a replacement front sight and the orginal was filed off. I can get that from VTI, but assuming it's not a good idea to wedge a screwdriver under it and give it a good whack to remove it

, how do I have it removed?

It looks like it's glued on; pics attched. Since I don't have the necessary tools if a heat souce like a torch is necessary, how do I determine if the generous local pards can help me out? I know there's gonna be lots of folks volunteering that they can do the job, cuz that's in their nature. I assume discoloration may be left; can that be cosmetically treated?

Like I say, it was a sweet deal, even with boxes of ammo, boxes of empties, leather wrap for stock and lever. Had been slicked up with an action job & short stroke kit. He gave me the original linkage assemblies so I can be NCOWS appropriate and the sight presumably has to go. Plus, I just don't need it or care for it, even if it is an "improvement."

Appreciate the advice on how to find the best equipped pard to help me out.

BP

Ten Wolves Fiveshooter · September 28, 2008, 11:00:34 AM

Howdy BP

Sounds like you got yourself a nice rifle, a lot of shooters have switched over to this type front site, it makes it easier to get on target, but if you don't like it , it's on a dovetail, just use a brass punch, and hammer and punch it out, then you can put in a new one.

Enjoy your new rifle

tEN wOLVES

Pettifogger · September 28, 2008, 11:24:30 AM

It's hard to tell, but it looks like it is dovetailed. If this is a recent Uberti carbine the front sight was part of the barrel band. If it's dovetailed and you remove it, even if you buy a new barrel band you will still have the dovetail cut in the barrel. IF it is in fact just glued or soldered, all you need is a hammer and punch to remove it. Just clamp the barrel in a padded vice, put the punch on the sight and give it a smack. If it's dovetailed it can be removed by driving it from left to right out of the dovetail, but as noted then you will need a new barrel band and still have a hole in the barrel.

Paladin UK · September 28, 2008, 12:45:57 PM

Fer BP....

I`m a bit gobsmacked as to WHY you would want to replace the sight

JMOO...

I personally, would do NOTHING UNTIL I`d shot the gun, unless of course the sight that's on there really upsets you!!

Paladin (What likes the sight ya already got!! ) UK

Black Powder · September 28, 2008, 01:05:36 PM

PUK - I absolutely did shoot it. Before, during and after the match! I like it a bunch. I saved so much vs. buying new that I could buy a replacement barrel and still be ahead. But that'd be really stupid as far as domestic tranquility goes. I just wanted to know what it'd take to make it more original. It's not of immediate concern as the nearest NCOWS org is 6 hours away and my monthly matches are not NCOWS. My read on NCOWS' regs is that this sight is a no-no.

10W, it is fine indeed. 44-40 for my planned conversion to the darkside... I kinda do like that brass bead; I've got enough eyesight issues so it really does help with faster target acquisition. Wish it'd just been glued on the band though. I don't think it's gonna be a big deal as I've got about 20 seconds to take off which have little to do with rifle target aquisition.

I have a heckuva time seein' things up close anymore, but Pettifogger, I think it is dove tailed into the barrel. It is a recent Uberti, less than a year old and there's clearly evidence that there's been a filing job done on top of the front band, undoubtedly to gid rid of the original sight.

The screw in the barrel band is way over tightened and a little chewed

and there's not much to be gained by fiddlin with it now. As I squint with these old eyes, it looks like the front band slides up to a notch or recessed area of the barrel. I just can't be sure and VTI's diagram isn't clear whether this is the case. If there's not a barrel stop for the band, could I just slide a replacement band over the dovetail that was cut in the barrel to hide it? If not, bondo and blue/black paint?

Let's see if I'm getting the scenario right:

Drool over guns and gear; i.e., do "research"
Acquire as quickly as finances allow; i.e. "Honey...?"
Take apart. Been doing this ever since the mechanical pencil was introduced.
Think about tweaking and fiddling. What makes them our own.

I think I'm on pace.

Thanks for your perspectives.

BP

Pettifogger · September 28, 2008, 01:28:14 PM

There's a groove in the bottom of the barrel and top of the magazine tube. The barrel band screw goes through the grooves and that is what keeps it from moving fore and aft. If you move it to cover the dovetail, you will have file new grooves and the two small grooves already in the gun will show between the barrel and mag tube. No big deal, but it will be visible. You could just grind down the existing sight and blend it into the barrel contour and then use some touch up blue. Seems like an awful lot of work for little or no benefit. If the brass bead is the problem with NCOWS, I would simply order a stock front sight from a 73 rifle and put it in the existing dovetail.

Paladin UK · September 29, 2008, 01:37:02 PM

Pettifogger says.....

Quote If the brass bead is the problem with NCOWS, I would simply order a stock front sight from a 73 rifle and put it in the existing dovetail.

Bloody Brill Answer!!

Paladin (What hopes BP gets the right result

) UK

Black Powder · September 30, 2008, 06:59:54 PM

I believe I am mistaken on the configuration of the carbine sights as offered in the day. Tip of the hat to Irish Dave. I'd only seen them with the sight on the barrel band and just assumed that's the way they were. Worth doing some research on. Maybe I'll pull out the old Dremel and reshape a perfectly good Grabber sight...

BP