I have a problem...

[EllasPapa]

well, many of them, but besides being too old, lazy, broke, retired...wait, THAT'S not a problem, the retirement thing...

Anyway, I digress. I have a problem trying to change rear sights on my Ranch Hand. How in the HECK did Rossi install
them, welding??? Now, I'm no gunsmith, but I figured I'd change out the rear for a Skinner peep sight, which was an exercise in patience,
trying to get it through Canada Customs. I've only changed irons on a couple of guns over the years, and my recollection of the process in past has been along the lines of take a drift punch, apply it to the dovetail of the sight, bang on that bad boy with a hammer until you drifted (see what I did there?) it right out of the dovetail.

Problem I'm having is that DANG thing will NOT move! Do I;
- Get a bigger hammer?
- try and freeze it to shrink it enough to move?
- try to heat it off? ( I dunno...covering all the options I can think of...)
- dynamite???
I'm seriously wondering if I woke up stupid today, or stupid & weak, or...???

I'm hoping one of you folks with vast amounts of experience has a suggestion, or do I just keep beating on it until my arm gets (really) tired?
In all seriousness, I've never seen a dovetail sight this unwilling to budge. I'm using a brass drift punch & light hammer to try to minimize damage to the buckhorn, but I don't know it'd move with a good wallop from a 2lb. deadblow hammer.

Any tricks or suggestions will be GREATFULLY received!

[DerekP Houston]

From what I read and my experience with the rossi 92 38/357....you can't use a light hammer. I tried that method at first and made no progress. it took a solid hard whack with a larger hammer and punch for me to get it loose. Light hits just won't do it. I thought mine was glued in/welded in at first too.

[John Boy]

I have a problem trying to change rear sights on my Ranch Hand.New Rossi M92 in 39Spl ... rear sight 'slid' out! Front sight - tighter than bung drum

[izzyjoe]

If it's a dovetail sight, and it won't move with a good rap from a hammer and brass punch, you need a bigger hammer. I'd spray it good with penetration oil, and man up on it! When you install you're new sight you can sand the bottom of the dovetail if it fits too tight, but go slow, cause its easy to remove metal, but harder to put it back!

[GhostHawk]

Double check for a screw!

Just drifted my Ruger Mk III 22/45 rear sight out for a dovetail rail so I could mount a Red Dot.
Mine is one of the old ones before they were all d/t for scope bases.

Also if you have been trying right to left try the other way.

[tdoyka]

If it's a dovetail sight, and it won't move with a good rap from a hammer and brass punch, you need a bigger hammer. I'd spray it good with penetration oil, and man up on it! When you install you're new sight you can sand the bottom of the dovetail if it fits too tight, but go slow, cause its easy to remove metal, but harder to put it back!

use kroil penetrating oil. i had to take out the screws from a 1898 springfield armory rear sight and it took me a few days until the kroil did its work. i couldn't even budge them, then about day 2 or 3 they came out of the gun with no problems, like taking candy from a sleeping baby.

[Mk42gunner]

I've never removed a sight from a Rossi, but in general here are a few tips: 1. Hold the gun solidly, either in a vice or on a bench block. 2. Use a big enough hammer. If it doesn't move with a light one, get a bigger one. You shouldn't need to beat on it, a solid blow with a two pound hammer will do wonders in moving a dovetailed sight. 3. Most sights are meant to be driven in from the right side of the gun and removed from the left.

Always fit the least expensive part. In your case that means if any filing needs to be done; file the new sight, not the barrel.

Robert

[EllasPapa]

Thanks everyone, for all the suggestions! I thought I should update you on the great saga. I FINALLY got it out, but man, what a painful process!
Mk42gunner, I think your "remove from the left" is what finally did the trick, with a lot of help. After the first aggravating day, I gave it a treatment of penetrating oil. Day 2, nothing...no change. Same with day three, until I swaped sides and commenced to bangin on the left. It moved a few thou, then bound up.
a bit more oil, then this morning I got a can of Dust-off compressed air. I warmed the barrel up with my wife's hair dryer, then froze the sight dovetail with the compressed air; it did the trick. I could actually hear a slight "tick" when the sight base shrunk enough to release the bind.
It still took a hellofa thump, actually a couple of them with a 2lb deadblow hammer to get it free. I cleaned all the oil off of it, and the Skinner peep went in without any drama.
The good news is, I got the back one changed out. the bad news? The front blade is every bit as snug as the rear...
I've had enough frustration right now; I'm going to the range tomorrow and see where things are with a peep and the original blade. Fingers crossed, I won't need to change out the front after all.
Nah...I'm never THAT lucky.
Thanks again!

[Mk42gunner]

Glad I could help, and good luck on the front sight.

Robert