Canted front sight Winchester 94

[rhtwist]

My 79ish Model 94 has a canted front sight ramp and thus the sight blade. Is this a costly gunsmithing repair? With receiver sight and a taller front sight, the blade is clearly leaning to the left.
What is the fix for it?
Thanks

 

[#1buck]

The dovetail can be trued up by a good gunsmith. Considering your thread on the loose handguard, look at a few things first.
Look at the extractor cut and make sure it's aligned with the extractor and breech block.
Disassemble the magazine assembly and put the gun in a gunvise. Use a non-marring synthetic strap wrench and make sure the barrel isn't loose. I've seen it before.

 

[rhtwist]

Thanks for things to check #1buck!! As a quick check the extractor looks very well centered in the extractor cut..I will look up about how to remove the magazine. If the extractor lines up though wouldn't that be an indication that the barrel was aligned in the chamber area? I didn't think to check to see if the front sight ramp was screwed on or soldered.
Are there any problems with my shooting accuracy since the sight is tilted, that you can think of?
Regards

 

[BBBBill]

Are there any problems with my shooting accuracy since the sight is tilted

Groups will not be affected, but POI may not match POA very well. For example if the front sight is leaning to the left your group would likely impact to the right of your point of aim. The longer the range the further off the POA/POI. Just depends on your particular gun.

 

[4v50 Gary]

Old screw hole needs to be plugged.
New screw hole drilled and tapped. Sight reinstalled.

Dunno what a 'smith would charge you but it's an easy job.

Or are they silver soldered on? I don't have a '94 so I dunno.

 

[#1buck]

If it looks good at the extractor then removing the magazine won't be necessary. It's likely just the sight. Fixing a screw on base is simple as the post above stated.

 

[rhtwist]

Okay, then I can just sight it in and be good enough until I get a repair.
Thanks

 

[rhtwist]

Hello 4v50 Gary. Thanks and that doesn't sound too bad. From parts diagram, I see that it is reputedly screwed on. Can't tell on mine??!!?!??

 

[rhtwist]

Okay #1buck, thanks! Waiting to hear back from local gunsmith.

 

[#1buck]

OP can you post a pic of your front sight?

 

[rhtwist]

I can try. Will try to find instructions on pictures on this site. It has been awhile!

 

[#1buck]

Take a picture on your phone.
Hit this button


Then choose the picture from your files and follow the prompts.

 

[rhtwist]

Hey thanks again, I have a windows phone. I did find the picture posting thread!! Hope to get a good picture soon@

 

[rhtwist]

Have not been able to photograph the front sight adequately to share. After more careful examination, it appears to me that the ramp is centrally located on the top of the barrel, but the dovetail and the top of the ramp are off and this tilts the sight blade. When looking through the peep sight of the Williams FP receiver mounted sight you can see the tilt to the left. Also to get the windage adjusted to to near the center (was shooting high and right), the aperture is about three lines to the left of center. The .500 beaded blade sight I installed, seems to aggravate the symptom. I need to go back out and sight it in better for now. The sight blade I bought is incorrect as it is too wide for the ramps width.To confirm my adjustments, should I initially make sure the blade is centered over the ramp and the barrel? Plus my gunsmith is unavailable.

 

[BBBBill]

it appears to me that the ramp is centrally located on the top of the barrel, but the dovetail and the top of the ramp are off and this tilts the sight blade.

Are you saying that the sight base was incorrectly machined with the top surface not correctly oriented to the bottom? It happens, but not that often. Replacing the base is best in that case. Re-cutting the dovetail to correct the angle is doable, but will inevitably widen and deepen the cut so a larger sight will be required. Finding one will be the hard part.

When looking through the peep sight of the Williams FP receiver mounted sight you can see the tilt to the left. Also to get the windage adjusted to near the center (was shooting high and right), the aperture is about three lines to the left of center.

​

That is as I noted in my post above.

The .500 beaded blade sight I installed, seems to aggravate the symptom.

Taller sight? It will hit more to the right, but lower.​

The sight blade I bought is incorrect as it is too wide for the ramps width.

Can be narrowed by filing, but it won't do anything to correct the problem with the base.

To confirm my adjustments, should I initially make sure the blade is centered over the ramp and the barrel?

The blade does need to be centered, preferably by accurately measuring its position, but a calibrated eyeball is often enough along with a little fine tuning.

 

[rhtwist]

Hello BBBBill,
I will try to get a picture so that a picture and a thousand word thing! The peep sight was bottomed out and it was still shooting high.It seems to be doing the trick. I still have to fine adjust it after I figure what I am going to do about the front sight. Too wide and okay for now. About centering the sight blade, thanks. Then I can continue shooting and adjusting.
Bit by bit, I will deal with it.
Need the trigger smoothed also and lightened if possible. That will come after working out the front sight!

 

[4v50 Gary]

If the dovetail is just canted, it's no big deal to recut the dovetail to make it flat. Easy to set up on a milling machine or if you have a "safe" triangular file, to do it by hand.

 

[rhtwist]

The dovetail is canted, at least to my eyes. I am the one who needed receiver peep sight [-) Should be able to get it to the gunsmith tomorrow.