Model 14 sight question

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model63
Posts: 5
Joined: Fri Sep 27, 2019 8:03 pm

Model 14 sight question

Post by model63 »

I recently purchased a model 14 in 32 remington caliber. i very much want to use it for the upcoming deer season, BUT, when i test fired it shoots to the left. i have been unable to get the front or rear sights to move or even budge in their dovetails. because of the way the front sight is machined into the barrel the normal sight pusher will not work. I removed the setscrew in the front sight and soaked in gun oil for 2 weeks. but still no movement. Any suggestions on how to get these (either front or back) to budge would be greatly appreciated. thanks!!
nambujim
Posts: 597
Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2006 3:16 pm
Location: Charlotte, NC

Re: Model 14 sight question

Post by nambujim »

I have seen this on a number of rifles I have worked on over the years but in all but two cases was able to get the sight to move. In both cases where the sight wouldn't move, it was the front sight, and I ended up cutting it our with a diamond edge Dremel tool cutter. I cut it in half and the somewhat easily drove the two halves out, they were seriously rusted on the underside.

I have always been able to remove the rear sights but on occasion you need
to use substantial force, you can't be shy when working on these rifles. In this case I put a small brass hammer against the sight base and hit the hell out of it with a 16oz or larger hammer, its the shock that will jar it loose.

If one sight is rusted into place, it would figure that both have the same
malady. These rifles are old and its common to see rust in a lot of areas where the owner just wiped of the outside and put it away. I would be surprised if yours didn't have its share of rust under the fore end and/or on the fore end screws. When I say under the fore end I mean all along the magazine tube and where the tube connects to the action bar.

In some cases it might not be rust holding the sight in place but rather old oil that has dried and turned to varnish, either way it does make it difficult to move the sight. Buying these neat old rifles off auction sites makes it easy but you never know what you are going to get AND many novice owners will attempt to clean/fix them, bad idea!!

I might add that using "brute" force to remove the sight will usually work, the downside is that the metal used in these sights will easily deform. The front sight will deform far more easily than the rear.

Jim Peterson
Charlotte, NC
Jim Peterson
model63
Posts: 5
Joined: Fri Sep 27, 2019 8:03 pm

Re: Model 14 sight question

Post by model63 »

Thank you so much for the response Jim. i will concentrate my efforts on the rear sight. i definitely do not want to damage the front sight. I can switch to a different rifle but have a definite love for the 32. I harvested a nice whitetail buck a couple years ago with a Remington model 8 in 32 rem, and wanted to repeat with a 14. I will keep you posted on my progress. Do you think there is any advantage to applying a small amount of heat to the area or will this damage the blueing? thanks again--joe
nambujim
Posts: 597
Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2006 3:16 pm
Location: Charlotte, NC

Re: Model 14 sight question

Post by nambujim »

Roger all that!

Yeah, you can try heat like a propane torch for no more than a minute.

..............and if you decide to cut it out of there, you can buy a
replacement. I have a bunch of the really low sight in inventory.

Good luck!

Jim Peterson
98 degrees in Charlotte, NC
Jim Peterson
model63
Posts: 5
Joined: Fri Sep 27, 2019 8:03 pm

Re: Model 14 sight question

Post by model63 »

Just wanted to say thanks to Jim for the great advice. Your comments gave me the encouragement to make a brass punch from a 50 cent bolt from the hardware store and using a large hammer i set out to see if i could get them loose. Well, the rear sight wouldn't budge, even after bending the punch. But the front sight popped out!! You were right about the rust and crud. Now i'm off to my dad's to get some needle files to clean up the dovetail and i'm gonna be back in business with plenty of time to get sighted in by deer season! thank you Jim

37 degrees near Green Bay, WI
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