Rossi 92 Sight issues

[Aeroscout]

So I recently picked up a Rossi 92 in 45 Colt. It is a 24 inch octagon barrel with case color hardening. The first thing I did was order a Marble's Peep Tang Sight for it. During my initial attempts to sight it in just plinking around in the field I found that I had to move the rear sight way over to the left to get it centered on paper....which of course I was not happy with. So I took it to the range today and fired from a proper bench with rest. I centered up the rear tang and proceeded to drift the front sight over so that my peep would be more centered up once zeroed. I had to push the front quite a bit to the right. It is still snug in the dovetail, but it sure looks goofy being that far over. To the point of I don't want to move it any further for fear of knocking it completely out of the dovetail.

That being the case, I still had to move the rear sight quite a bit to the left to hit center.

With the front being so far right and the rear being so far left, it sure seems that I have things out of sort.

Am I doing something wrong?

[NEKVT]

Try putting a shim under the right side of the tang sight base adjusting thickness until you can sight in with both sights centered.

[Aeroscout]

Is this a typical issue?

I can try what you mentioned but I am pretty sure I would have to remove the sight and take some material off of it to install a shim. It is quite tight.

I already know I want to replace the front sight as it is a quite thick and blocky post. The idea I had going in was to shoot it, get it zeroed and then once completed and I knew where things were, order the correct height front post that is thinner and has a gold bead. This is really throwing a monkey wrench into the plan.

[Handloader109]

I assume an older gun as rossi hasn't made a color case hardened gun in many years. I've one that I changed to a peep sight that is a 2017 or 2018 model and it lined up fine. The type I used went into the buckhorn sight groove.

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

[Aeroscout]

I am not sure about how old it is but it looks like it spent most of its life in a safe (Came with the box and papers also). It looks brand new with hardly a scratch or ding on it and the CCH is still very bright and crisp. I find it rather disappointing that the sights are so crossed up from front to rear. I switched to some rounds during my range session that my Dad had picked up that were coated with some kind of black powder coat looking substance and from there my groups started to scatter. I suspect that my barrel is also now leaded which is adding to the frustration. I am going to scrub the barrel out and load up some of my goto rounds of 255 SWC behind 9.0 grains of unique and try it again.

I need to figure this out because I want to get solid consistent and repeatable results before making a front sight change.

Is there a typical front sight that maybe a "goto" that folks use with the Marble's peep tang on a 24 inch octagon barrel Rossi?

[FergusonTO35]

Maybe a dumb question, but is the front sight leaning in one direction or the from vertical when you sight the rifle? Sadly, all the levergun makers periodically forget how to cut straight dovetails and clock barrels to receivers correctly.

[HWooldridge]

Try using the existing rear barrel sight. If the primary sights are good, then you may have a tang sight that is out of sorts, i.e. bent, cocked, etc.

[Hootmix]

Ferg's right, most frnt. sights are factory bent or the dove tail slot cut at an angle. As far as the front sight being "too fat- wide", most Rossi rifles have the wide frnt. sights, "BUT", if you learn to use the post frnt. (Centering the bull above the center of the post), you can see the target better ( works for military ). I purposely make my front sights wide, center them & back sight on the barrel (measured), shoot 3 rds., then file the front sight on the side in the direction i want to move the bullet, if the rifle shoots right, file the right side a few strokes, fire 3 more rds. repeat), when you get close to POA, you may have to move back sight to the left some. Of course, i'm old and have weak eyes, don't see thin sights very well, and "beads" hides the target (for me).

coffee's ready, Hootmix.

[veeman]

Is this a typical issue?

I can try what you mentioned but I am pretty sure I would have to remove the sight and take some material off of it to install a shim. It is quite tight.

I already know I want to replace the front sight as it is a quite thick and blocky post. The idea I had going in was to shoot it, get it zeroed and then once completed and I knew where things were, order the correct height front post that is thinner and has a gold bead. This is really throwing a monkey wrench into the plan.

NEKVT is saying putting shim under the tang sight base. Loosen the mounting screws, and slide the shim under the side needed. I've done this on my 76 rifle and it works great. I had some shim stock from work but other material can be used, folded paper, folded tin foil, things of that nature. Be sure to re-center your front sight.

[Aeroscout]

Ah.....Light goes off.....I misunderstood. Ok, that sounds perfectly feasible and I will do exactly that.

Thank You NEKVT and veeman. Much Obliged.

[Aeroscout]

Maybe a dumb question, but is the front sight leaning in one direction or the from vertical when you sight the rifle? Sadly, all the levergun makers periodically forget how to cut straight dovetails and clock barrels to receivers correctly.

It doesn't appear to be.

[Aeroscout]

Try using the existing rear barrel sight. If the primary sights are good, then you may have a tang sight that is out of sorts, i.e. bent, cocked, etc.

I have already drifted the rear sigh off the barrel as the peep tang is not usable with it installed. I don't think anything is bent. The tang looks square enough.

[Aeroscout]

Ferg's right, most frnt. sights are factory bent or the dove tail slot cut at an angle. As far as the front sight being "too fat- wide", most Rossi rifles have the wide frnt. sights, "BUT", if you learn to use the post frnt. (Centering the bull above the center of the post), you can see the target better ( works for military ). I purposely make my front sights wide, center them & back sight on the barrel (measured), shoot 3 rds., then file the front sight on the side in the direction i want to move the bullet, if the rifle shoots right, file the right side a few strokes, fire 3 more rds. repeat), when you get close to POA, you may have to move back sight to the left some. Of course, i'm old and have weak eyes, don't see thin sights very well, and "beads" hides the target (for me).

coffee's ready, Hootmix.

I may look into that approach but I have my method so drilled into my head that I would have to really make an effort to stick to it when hunting. I shoot my rifle irons the same way I shoot my pistols. I like my round to strike my intended POI right at the top of the front sight. It is far established muscle memory at this point.

[FergusonTO35]

If your 92 was imported by Braztech, then I would contact them about it. The one time I had to use their service they really took care of me even though the "defect" was probably within spec.

[Aeroscout]

If your 92 was imported by Braztech, then I would contact them about it. The one time I had to use their service they really took care of me even though the "defect" was probably within spec.

Upon closer inspection I believe I can see what the problem is. It appears the front hole for the mounting screw is drilled off center to the right a bit. The rear foot of the tang sight is centered up on the rifle tang, however the front foot of the tang sight is crowded over to the right of the rifle tang. There is clearly more metal of the rifle tang exposed on the left side as there is the right, and the hammer is not in direct line with the forward tang screw.

My understanding is that the 24 inch Octagon barrel models came predrilled for the tang sights from the factory correct? If so, this one is off kilter.

The Rifle was manufactured by LSI....Do you believe I have any recourse?

[HWooldridge]

You could enlarge the thru hole in the sight base and shift it to the left. I have the same sight mounted on my El Tigre 92 and don’t use the front screw; the rear screw holds it fine.

[Aeroscout]

So I called LSI, it is not a Rossi Puma after all, it is a LSI Puma......discontinued in ought 3 and very much out of warranty.

Scratching my head on how I need to go about fixing this. Shim under the right side would work however that is going to cause the POI to move horizontally also when a vertical adjustment is made. So it would appear that the options are warble out the front hole with my dremel to move the front foot over (and that is going to look like doodoo). Or fill and redrill the front hole. My concern is that might jack up the case color hardening. It would be mostly covered by the tang sight, so maybe its no big deal.

Thoughts?

[Aeroscout]

You could enlarge the thru hole in the sight base and shift it to the left. I have the same sight mounted on my El Tigre 92 and don’t use the front screw; the rear screw holds it fine.

Than may be the way I go.....The rear screw only...a little locktite and perhaps cut the front screw down to fill the front hole.

[labradigger1]

My rossi 92 sights were so off it looked stupid off to one side. I blanked the rear sight off and installed a williams receiver peep. Couldnt be happier.

[ulav8r]

Rear screw and epoxy. Use a straight epoxy (no fillers as in JB Weld)after degreasing the tang and bottom of the sight. High strength loctite (stud locker - 680) would probably be the best of the Loctite products.