1970's 10-22 front sight loose and needs windage adjustment

I recently bought a 1975 (114-) 10-22 that was reported to me to be unfired from a friend. I cleaned the rifle before shooting and found powder residue, and then found it appeared someone had tried to drift the front sight before me considering the condition of the right side of the sight. All that's really here nor there, but just background to my real problem.

Took it to the range and point of impact was about 2" left at 25 yards.

So I grabbed my plastic covered hammer and brass rod out of my range bag to do a Bubba windage adjustment to the front sight.

Low and behold when I grabbed the sight with my fingers it moved easily. It might have been willing to slip all the way out towards the left side of the base.

I messed with it and got the windage spot on, and taped the front sight in place.
It no where centered now. It's moved a little less than the width of a dime off center to the left.
R
What's the solution?

I really wanted a second older 10-22 to go with the 1977 rifle I bought in high school, so each daughter could have one.

This new gun shows some safe dings and I paid $300. Just the gun, no box or papers.

I'm a little picky and don't like my stuff messed up. The rifle however ate several kinds of cheap ammo with complete reliability and point of impact didn't seem to vary with different ammo. So I hate to get rid of a good shooter.

I don't want to add optics either.

So.... How did I do on price and any thoughts on a fix for the loose and windage off front sight.

Sorry for the novel, and thanks in advance.

Emory

the price is what they be running around here, new and used.....

as for the front sight, take the "blade" out of the sight 'body' and put the barrel of the gun in a well "padded" bench vise, you can use an 'old belt' to protect the barrel, get the front end up as close to the vise as possible, you do NOT want it too move any at all when you do the next step......take a "sharp" (pointed) punch, if need be you can make one from a nail 'set' ( the tool for counter sinking nails) anyway, it needs to have a "sharp point" and tap a few "divots" into the flat of the dovetail of the sight body, this will "raise' a bit of metal to "fill in and make the dovetail "tighter", do not need a lot of them, a few will do, you'll find out real quickly "how tight" the sight blade will NOW be.....tap in the blade, use a brass ( bronze?? ) NON metallic flat punch to push the sight blade back in , or as we do, use a brownells sight adjustment tool/jig, BUT no need to go out and by ANY Jigs" or gimmicks to do the job,,,,take care, neatness counts !!! hope this helps.........

remember after you have the front sight "tight" ( and centered) you can "adjust" the rear sight for windage also.........I prefer to keep the front sight "centered",just LOOKS better ( neater)

Thanks Ruger Guru.

I just looked at the rifle again.
The rear sight is adjustable by drifting the base? Is that correct? I tend to be all thumbs and want to get it right the first time.

After reading your reply I feel much better about my new purchase.
I'm an older fella (52) but my daughters are only 9 & 11.

They're showing more interest in shooting lately and it's a lot of fun. It's also a great excuse to double up on some of my collection, as I set them both up with what I think are the essentials of a firearms battery

Emory

yes, that is correct, and most likely, ever so slightly, and AGAIN, if you try and "tap" any bases, back or forth in a dovetail, use a 'flat ,narrow' brass or other NON metallic punch, and the guns BARREL ( not the wooden stock), needs to be firmly mounted in a well padded bench vise, prefer 'leather' pieces/pad, on either side of the barrel in the vise....this is so the barrel does NOT 'flex or 'bounce' when you tap on the sight base, be very careful on the rear sight that you stay below the sight blade and NOT let the punch "slip" up or break the blade...this happens ALL too often for folks, especially when they try to hold the gun on their lap or flat on a table and pound away !!!!

If it were mine, I'd use "Green" Locktite, the penetrating type.

I know this was to have been "new and unfired" but based on no box or papers, I'm suspect that this gun has seen some range time. But you did by it for a shooter so that is neither here nor there. My point is check to make sure the barrel lug is tight. Then center your front sight on the bore and adjust the rear sight to get your adjustment. The above solution to lock the front sight in place is a good suggestion. Older 10/22 don't normally have these issues so I suspect this one has been monkeyed with at sometime.

APEXDUCK

Brass and Bronze ARE metal.... NON-FERROUS, but METAL. Also, the correct term for a shrp pointy punch is a "center" punch.

Pardonez moi............I am NOT a "machinist", not a "metallurgist", nor a "technical manual" editor, but do it our way, we were taught by some of the "best" back in the 60's and 70's and you will NOT have any problems, it works............ :roll:

I was thinking the same thing as Richbaker when reading your advise rugerguy.... but I don't like to correct folks here.... been corrected many times myself and often it is just someone being petty. The advise was pretty good by the way and I personally learned from it. Thanks.