Help with 10/22 rear sight

[Deviate]

Hello,

I own a couple Rugers, and have been a lurker when looking for information, but finally joined because I need a little help.

I feel like this is a stupid question, but I'm a bit confused. I have an older 10/22 Carbine, and a few months ago removed the fold-down rear iron sight due to clearance issues with a scope and medium rings. All I did was tap the pin out and remove the fold-down sight itself. No big deal.

Well I had some issues with the scope and I just want to go back to the iron sights. (Or at least until I pick up a different scope and possibly even the high rights that allow use of the iron sights through the bottom.

When tapping the pin back in through the sight base and the fold down part, it's extremely loose now, and just easily flaps up and down. Where as before it was snug and would stand up firm, and required a good push to fold it down.

This sounds silly, but am I missing something? Or have I somehow damaged the sight by removing the pin? Or is there some trick to this?

Any advice is appreciated.

Thanks,
Matt

 

[rugerguy]

Matt, welcome to the Forum.......the sight is composed of a 'base' with a dished, curved center and a pin goes through and engages the sight blade,which has a flat spring under it, for "tension".... usually if one hits & misses the sight body they break off one of the base,pin hole studs, but sounds like yours came loose in the center..I've taken broken ones out ,but never tried to "rebuild" one, usually just have spares around and put in another,same goes for the two tiny screws that hold the adjustable (elevation) blade..........."maybe" if you remove it and send it to Ruger , they might send you another after seeing it came 'loose' never know never hurts to "try"....................and yes over the years, these sights and bases have varied ever so slightly that the "blade" from one vintage does NOT fit into the body,slot, of another one...go figure ( different vendors my guess)
also the letter "R" on the sight body goes on to (faces) the 'right' side ,looking at the gun from the FRONT, not the shooters end????always thought this was a bit odd,but then again, I'm left handed 8)

 

[Deviate]

Ugh, I guess this isn't looking good then. I never noticed the flat spring at all. It just looked like there was only the pin to me.

Is this something that a local gun shop or gunsmith should be able to replace rather than shipping it to Ruger? Assuming it's a minor and not a very expensive ordeal?

Thanks.

 

[DeltaRose]

You can purchase the entire rear sight at the ShopRuger.com site for $12.07...

http://shopruger.com/B-76-10_22-Rear-Sight-Assembly/productinfo/60044/

 

[rugerguy]

it would be a "piece of cake " for ANY gunsith to do, and not that hard to do your self,but must do it "correctly"...gun locked "firmly" in a well padded vise ( do it on the barrel, less 'bounce'...)
you must use a proper fitting brass or other NON metallic 'punch' to drift out the sight 'body' from the barrels 'dovetail slot'...it should be flat, not round so as to NOT acccidently hit the sight blade, and of course screw up or break anything...............you can "practice" on the old one, its already "boogered", so no harm can be done....practice going out as well as back in, use a big enough hammer, so you do NOT have to "tap, tap, tap", with a small one and make it MORE likely to "miss" or put marks in the sight body......they say you should go from right to left ( out of the dovetail to the side that the ejection port is on ,right side looking at it from the REAR , shooter end)
when you put the new on in, make sure the end with the "R" goes in first as the sight should tilt DOWN to the front ( forward) I 've seen guys do wrong!!!!
good luck, and if any doubt , have a gunsmith or one who is "profficient" (sic) at this sort of then, stay away from back yard gun plumbers..... 8)

 

[Deviate]

Thanks guys. I may just bring it to the next local (big) gun show in a couple weeks to see if I can pick up a new rear sight there have it replaced by one of the smiths that are usually onsite. I'd try swapping it myself, but the rifle is in great shape and I don't want to risk marring up the barrel.

Thanks for the help!

 

[rugerguy]

Hey, you can always fly me down to Florida,I'll bring my tool box AND parts, I DO make house calls...shouldn't take us more than a week ,ten days to 'git 'er done........ 8)

 

[blume357]

I know it's not returning the gun to factory specs. but I think I would just put tech sights on it.

 

[rugerguy]

Seriously, send me an e-mail and send me the sight, I will use some of the parts from one of the broken sights here and may be able to repair it??nothing to lose,,,and as noted above, contact Ruger, and do get another one,just don't throw that one away , the base, or any of its 'parts'.........

 

[Chuckfish]

I know it's not returning the gun to factory specs. but I think I would just put tech sights on it.

Just put tech-sights on one of my10/22's I as VERY pleased with this product.

 

[louiethelump]

Where in Florida are you? I am pretty sure I have a sight assembly in my parts box and I can send it to you unless you are really close.

Your error was to remove only the blade. Those are best left together and you drive the base out of the dovetail in the barrel and it is best to then put a metal plug made for that purpose in there to protect the dimensions of the dovetail and to prevent odd barrel vibrations that some folks claim alter accuracy. The sight comes out left to right and goes back in right to left.

Anyway, I am an hour south of Ocala, but can mail you one if it is still in my parts box. Won't cost you anything if I still have it. Or if you are close we can get together and I can put it in for you and then you can do it the next time.

Let me know if you are still in need of one.

Louie

 

[Deviate]

@ Chuckfish: I did think about aftermarket sights or tech sights, but decided against it for now. I'd rather stick with factory irons, and put a slightly different scope configuration on it than what I previously threw together.

@ rugerguy: Airfare is a tad expensive these days, LOL. I would tap the base off, and it doesn't seem extraordinarily difficult, but I'm just not comfortable trying for some reason. I'm afraid I'm going to put a gash in something.

@ louiethelump: I'm in southwest Volusia Co. I will be attending the gun show in Orlando on the 19th if you happen to be attending as well. I wish I woulda known ahead of time before removing just the pin and the blade. But it honestly appeared to be just that simple. So it wasn't something I even bothered to research first. The dovetail itself must be literally just the length of the base, because I can't really even see the grooves. Which is why I wouldn't have even though to tap the whole thing off. Let me know if you do come across the spare.

Greatly appreciate it guys.

 

[M3Stuart]

I had the rear sight on one of my 10/22's break. The kids I teach are forever bumping the guns on the table - even though I tell them not to.

I just ordered a replacement sight from Brownell's (I think). As I recall it's $18 with shipping.

You'll need a small 'brass drift punch' - a couple bucks if you can buy just one. It's usually about 10 bucks for a set of 3 or more - most of which you'll never use.

You tap, or 'drift', it out from the base, then 'drift' in the new one. Note: tap L to R for OUT, then R to L for IN.

It may take you an adjustment or two to get it dead on accurate - but it won't take much.

Personally, I was not aware that the top part could be rebuilt. As others have said; that may be the better option. But I just do not have the vision or finger dexterity to mess with those teeny-tiny parts.

 

[louiethelump]

Matt:

I have a sight assembly that should fix you up. You can have it for the postage and packaging if you want it. Call it $5.

If you want, send me an address by PM. I will send it and if you can use it, send me $5. If not, send it back.

A brass drift works best, but a piece of hardwood will do it too. Really not hard to do.

 

[Deviate]

"You tap, or 'drift', it out from the base, then 'drift' in the new one. Note: tap L to R for OUT, then R to L for IN."

Is that left to right for out from shooters end, or muzzle end?

For some reason it looks like the sight should be tapped forward or backward, and not side to side, which intrigues me a little.

 

[louiethelump]

So we are all on the same page, do you have a sight that is something OTHER than this?

This is a standard Ruger folding rear sight. This is what I have. If you have something different than this, we need a better description.

Louie

 

[Richbaker]

L & R is always from the butt (shooter's) end of a gun..... almost always, anyways. Definitely in this case.

 

[Deviate]

Correct, that is it exactly.

@ Richbaker: That's what I thought but wanted to be certain before I started tapping anything. It's different working with cars because most people say driver or passenger, but some say left and right and mean so from different perspectives. So I always confirm.

 

[louiethelump]

That base slides in the groove in the barrel from side to side. Not sure how you would move that front to back............

I will put on in the mail tomorrow now that we know it is the right part.