Loose Dovetail on Rifle

[MJD]

I did some clean-up work on a Winchester Model 60 (single shot 22 from the 1930s) that has been in my wife's family for years.

As part of the breakdown, I drifted out the rear sight (the correct direction) to get the junk out that had accumulated in the last 80 or 90 years. I cleaned out the debris in the channel and reinserted the rear sight. It is now easy to move the rear sight with a bit of finger pressure. It's not going to just fall out, but the sight would probably drift just bumping around in a rifle case on the way to to the range and I'm looking for solutions to fix it in place after zeroing.

Any recommendations on how to fix this? My first thought was to use some Loctite or something similar.

 

[troy fairweather]

Make a shim

 

[Fine Figure of a Man]

You could use some JB Weld. If you want to be able to move the site easily and if there is room to do it, you can tap the rear sight for a small setscrew.
Another option would be to fill the dovetail with a little bit of solder And then file it to fit the site.

 

[hdbiker]

I had that happen once, I took a sharp prick punch and lightly penned the bottom of the slot. Tighten up good and holding zero. hdbiker

 

[earlthegoat2]

I had that happen once, I took a sharp prick punch and lightly penned the bottom of the slot. Tighten up good and holding zero. hdbiker

This is the generally recommended method.

 

[MJD]

Thanks all for the suggestions.

 

[Alaskan Ironworker]

A cheap automotive feeler gauge works good, you can cut a strip off whichever thickness you need, and have plenty left for other projects.

 

[MJD]

I was just thinking about how to fashion a shim, good call on the feeler gauges....

 

[Rule3]

LOCTITE 262

https://dawsonprecision.com/loctite-adhesive/

Easier than the "larger hammer" approach!

 

[Fyrstyk]

Take a socket that will span the dovetail, lay it on the dovetail, and give it a good smack with a hammer. This will push the "ears" of the dovetail slot down a little so that it will grab the "male" sight and hold it tight.

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

I wonder if some of the Accumulated debris wasn't a previous fitters' liquid shim?

As to peening, should it come to that, I like to smooth/bevel the initial contact point of the peen *crater* as well as running a stone on the entire sharper lip of it.

If tightening is accomplished on the small surface area of the lip, it is often later undone.

In any case, I'd first try your preferred color of *loctite* or as the old timers did.... nail polish.

Todd.

 

[MEHavey]

First (before pricking, peening or slicing up a feeler gauge. . . .

Cut a thin (1/8" wide) strip out of an aluminum can and use that as a shim.
(the thinness lets it 'squish' out a bit to accommodate required tension)

 

[doubleh]

First (before pricking, peening or slicing up a feeler gauge. . . .

Cut a thin (1/8" wide) strip out of an aluminum can and use that as a shim.
(the thinness lets it 'squish' out a bit to accommodate required tension)

That's one of the best solutions offered. I keep a supply of coke can shim stock in a drawer on my work table. If it's a bit too tight of a fit hammer it a little thinner until you get it right. I keep a #5 anvil on my work table and it and a small jeweler's hammer I made work great for thing like this.

 

[243winxb]

Shim in bottom of dovetail. Use aluminum foil. Use as many layers as needed. Fit by trial & error.

Holding for about 40 years on my Ruger MK1. Could have been done neater.

 

[SGW Gunsmith]

There are several approaches that work well to tighten up loose dovetail sights. The procedure I like, and use, has worked very well over the years and still allows drifting of the sight for windage adjustment. Apply several dimples with a "center punch" on the bottom of the sight base. This action will raise up metal around the dimple to get the sight fitting more securely, once final position is achieved:

 

[MJD]

So thanks again one and all for the many good suggestions.
I decided to take the most basic approach first and attempt a small shim underneath the sight, courtesy of a thin piece of aluminum from a sacrificial donor soda can.
It's tight enough that I cannot move it with substantial pressure. So if something strikes the sight hard enough to move it, I probably have bigger problems!
Thanks again for all the input. We'll see how this goes.