Lyman 57 sight repair

[bruce drake]

Does anyone know who does sight repairs for Lyman Rear Sights? I have a Model 57 for Lee-Enfield No #4s that I got on E-Bay that I think the quick release for the elevation slide is messed up on as it depresses but doesn't release the slide from the base and neither does it allow the slide bar to go up or down when the elevation turret is rotated.

Thanks in advance for any assistance.

Bruce

[StuBach]

Been a while since I worked on one but I recall mine having a similar issue a while back. Pulling the unit and soaking in good penetrating oil for a little while loosened everything up and got it back working for me. Might just be the sliding release or bar is gummed up?

Alternatively, Williams Gun Sight used to make comparable iron sights and they may have an alternative available.

[samari46]

Is it one of the old steel Lyman 57 sights or a newer one made out of aluminum?. I have a few of the older steel Lymans and use a q tip to lubricate the threads on the windage and elevation threads. Once they are well coated then I run them back and forth to make sure the base for the aperture and internal elevation threads in the sight body are well lubed. I've done this to the two remaining Olympic and International target sights. And when I got my H&R model 12 the first thing is loosen the gibs which are brass. Then well lubricated both elevation and windage threads. The Palma sight I got with the H&R model 12 was bone dry having sat in some wharehouse someplace. Used a moly grease on that one. Stiff as a board until the grease worked its way into the aperture body and steel body of the sight. If your sight is one of the extruded aluminum ones then it really needs to be lubed. Steel on aluminum don't wear so well. Let it sit in a good penetrating oil, I use Kroil. To make sure it gets down into the sight body and aperture slide and work it back and forth. Once the working parts are freed up then any good grease such as moly grease and again work it in. Don't get the moly grease get on your clothes. Stains like crazy and hard to get it out. Frank

[bruce drake]

I got it to work on Tuesday and its installed on the rifle. All it took was a soak in a cleaner/degreasers and the a tap on the bottom of the sight while the quick-release button was depressed fully to get the slide out. I then stripped it of the bluing with vinegar because it looked out of place on the old rifles with its own shiny exterior. The vinegar bath finished with the grease removal and then I used some hi-temp paint that matched the color of the rifle itself (grayish green) to finish its age. and yes, I should have refinished my safety screw. I'll do it this weekend after I do a casting session and are preparing the bullets for PCing so I can layout the entire batch at once instead of consuming extra energy with two cycles of the heater oven...

[samari46]

Glad to hear and see that you freed up the sight. Looks to be one of the older steel ones. Frank