Drifting BPCR front sight

[guninhand]

Hi folks. I need advice on how to drift a Browning BPCR front sight. If I tap it with a punch the glass of the bubble level might break. I have a Williams front sight pusher but it needs a base to work on and the BPCR sight is dovetailed directly into the barrel. I've tried to push it with a modified C clamp and clamping the rifle in a rifle rest, that didn't work.

[C A Plater]

If you have access to an arbor press you can do it with that. You will need to clamp the barrel down so it does not move on the base. You will also need to make a pusher point to fit against the sight. Mine has a threaded hole and I will grind a bolt to fit the part I need to move.

[montana_charlie]

If I tap it with a punch the glass of the bubble level might break.
Can you not unscrew a cap and remove the spirit level vial from it's tube?

CM

[guninhand]

Closest thing I have to an arbor press is a drill press. Don't know if the arms have enough mechanical advantage. Clamping down the barrel could be a tall order, as it would want to rotate. I'd have to use several pipe clamps with suitable shields to avoid marring, all secured to a rigid item then secured to the drill press table.The drill chuck would take a suitable brass punch. Definately an idea with potential. Thanks.

[Chill Wills]

Can you not unscrew a cap and remove the spirit level vial from it's tube?

CM

Maybe.
That is what I would try too, but I have or had a number of them and have had need to remove the glass level too. What I found is that the end caps are glued with something harder than woodpecker lips. You will bugger up the caps if you are tempted to use any kind of tool like pliers on them. First, try heating the caps with a lighter and turning the cap off while still hot. They do have threads; it is not a press fit. Then if you do this you will have to get them back on with glue. That is what I had the most trouble with, got it done but it was a pain.

On the other hand, you should be able to tap it over. Give it a try. If you get to the point you are beating the sight harder than you are comfortable doing, you can stop and try to remove the level.
Good Luck

[C A Plater]

The drill press would likely not have enough oomph to do the job. I'm assuming that you have a round barrel to contend with. V blocks will help with clamping and I've made them out of hardwood so the don't mar barrels but removing the tube sounds like a better way.

[guninhand]

I've already had problems with the end cap. They are snap on and one came off on its own several years ago. Calls to Browning customer service were ignored. Finally I stumbled across the outsourced manufacturer being named on a gun forum, contacted them and got the new endcap. which I epoxied in place, not wanting to trust snap on only. In the meantime the glass level stayed put in the sight all the time, despite lots of use and shooting ( about 3 years) so I suspect it's glued in there somehow anyway. There's no telling how little tapping it might take to break the glass if I tried just the hammer and punch method.

P.S. maybe I am mis remembering as to wether the end caps are screw or snap on, in either case I used epoxy on the one that was replaced.

[OuchHot!]

Can you make a wood saddle to support the bottom and one side of the barrel in a bench vise and fix a pin to the moving vise jaw. Sort of a bubba sight pusher? I've done this successfully but it did take 3 and a half hands.

[Tatume]

I've removed several front sights from Miroku 1885 rifles. Sometimes they are fairly easy to drift out, and sometimes they are hard, hard, hard! If your's is like some, you will certainly break something if you drive it out. My suggestion is to try a few light taps with a brass drift, and if it doesn't move readily, take it to a machine shop and pay the shop rate to set it up in an arbor press.

[texasmac]

Guys,

I've removed (driven out) the front sights on several Browning BPCR with the glass vial. Haven't broken one yet, but the end caps on some will pop off in the process. I use a delron rod rather than a brass punch. In fact, the end caps have fallen off on a few rifles I've purchased for resale. Apparently, AMT the sight supplier, did not do a good job on gluing some in place, or the glue breaks down over time. In any case the adhesive AMT used is 380 Black Max, manufactured by Loctite Corporation. When replacing the caps ask yourself, if you epoxy the caps back in place will you be able to remove them if the vial is ever broken. By the way, if the caps do fall off or are removed, the vial will usually stay in place because some of the Black Max has usually found its way between the vial and housing.

This and a much, much more is discussed in my book on the rifles, including how to refill a leaky vial or replace a broken vial. For an overview of what's in the book and how to order a copy, go to to www.texas-mac.com. While there check out the several articles I've written and posted and some of the other stuff at the site. You guys have a great Christmas and New Year.

Wayne