Removing Rossi Sights

[Black River Smith]

Which direction are the Rossi M92 sight drifted out?  From Left to Right like American?  Or the other way around?

Also, are they glued in by chance?

Cannot get movement either direction on the new to me SS 24" octagon barrel.

[Kent Shootwell]

They are machine made as well as the dove tail. Either way is fine then replace them from the side they came out. No glue on ones I've worked on.

[Black River Smith]

Kent,

Thanks for posting a reply to my question.  But, I do not understand your comment.

Are you stating that because the sights are factory installed, the dovetail slot in not tapered nor the actual sight.  I did not state, that I wanted to remove the existing sight in order to replace with a new marble sight.  So, are you say just punch it out from left to right (standard approach) then taper the dovetail with file a little, then slowly work the new sight to fit the new dovetail taper.

Sorry about this, not use to working with this type issue.  Even Uberti rifles have an existing taper.

[Kent Shootwell]

BRS, my back ground is primarily a machinist with some years as a custom gunsmith building Sharps rifles. Dovetails are machined into a barrel straight across and the sights that are machined are made straight as well. I worked at Shiloh Sharps in New York and observed these being made and my part while there was finish assembly. It's popular opinion about the taper but a precision machine cut require no taper. It's a press fit that allows a sight to be drifted both ways without it coming loose if moved to the open end of a taper.

[Black River Smith]

Kent,
That I do understand.  Thanks for the details.  Press fit explains the tightness.  More questions then, if you do not mind.  What are people doing when they 'do replace' these sights?  A lot of people state they do, but no one has a video posted of that process.  Also until I get it off I won't know the actual size of the slot.  Some older barrels had a 0.400 instead of 0.375 and even now this barrel dovetail may be 0.385.  I will never 're-get the press fit' sizing.  Do they just smear the new sight base to fill the existing slot and hope the sight does not move?  For a larger 0.400 slot, I read people use a 0.010 shim under and over the angle of the new bases.

Thanks for the help.  I know you where some form of gunsmith.  I watched your Sharps build done in the BROW forum.  You are talented.

[Kent Shootwell]

Thank you.  I won%u2019t say what most people do but for me doing it right is foremost. I%u2019ve run into many sights that were installed in clever ways that offend worked short term. For a permanent job get the correct sight and pare it to a matching dovetail. It may take more effort but well worth it. Shims, crimps, glue and such are up to the individual.
If it comes to altering a part do the minor part (sight) but do it even not tapered.

[Black River Smith]

Thanks for the advice Kent.  I will try my best to correctly fit the available options to the dovetails.  Since I am going to make my own Sporting front sight that will not be an issue.  The rear sight will all depend on the general availabilities of makers.