Removing 03A3 rear sight

[dubber123]

How do you get these @*#($*&@(#&( things off! I finally got to try some cast in my SC 03A3, and I'm very optomistic about is cast boolit future, but I need to change out the rear sight. The only damage to this rifle is a ding to one of the rear sight ears, that makes horizontal zeroing near impossible. In addition I have boogered up the windage screw trying to do so. This is a nice rifle and it looks especially bad on it. I have an origional rear sight assembly in cosmoline, but I can't get the origional off. It appears to be simply dovetailed in, but a couple pretty good whacks with a hammer and hardwood block did nothing.:( Any tips? Thanks.

[Ricochet]

A cutting torch will get it off quickly.

Might take a look at the recent thread about shooting off padlocks.

Wonder if that thing has a hidden setscrew?

[Larry Gibson]

Ricochet's attempt at humor may have been correct, unfortuneately. There is a set screw as you can see in the picture. It is in the upper right corner of the sight base. Hope you can shift the windage far enough left. If not a little judicious sawing with a hack saw through the windage screw on each side of the elevation slide should get it out of the way to remove the set screw.

Larry Gibson

[dubber123]

Aah, now I see the little bugger! I may have to go for the hacksaw deal, windage turns VERY hard right now. Thanks alot. I'll let you know how I make out.

[dubber123]

Well I hacksawed through the windage screw on both sides, removed the guts, and hey, NO set screw! I think I'm back to beating it with a hammer.

[Scrounger]

Here is a link to some discussion on removing the '03a3 rear sight.

http://www.odcmp.org/new_forum/topic.asp?ARCHIVE=true&TOPIC_ID=5703

[dubber123]

Here is a link to some discussion on removing the '03a3 rear sight.

http://www.odcmp.org/new_forum/topic.asp?ARCHIVE=true&TOPIC_ID=5703

Thanks Scrounger, I guess mines one of the peened in ones. The " Remove from left to right" is helpful.

[dubber123]

Rear sight is off. I tried a hardwood block for a punch, and no dice. I finally just taped up the action well, and went at the sight base with an Estwing. The correct application of brute force and unbridaled stupidity was all that was needed. The receiver had a series of grooves milled into the dovetail, and the peened in area of the rear sight base locks into them. Low tech, but very secure. I have to go de-cosmoline the new one, and try my hand at reassembly. Thanks for your help guys.

[Ricochet]

Ricochet's attempt at humor may have been correct, unfortuneately.
The last line about the hidden setscrew was a serious suggestion. I've run into those with Mauser front sights. Glad you got it out OK!

[dubber123]

All back together, man they weren't afraid to cosmoline their spare parts years ago! It went back on the dovetail pretty snug, but I blue loctited it also. Works so smooth, the other one bound up so much you couldn't feel the clicks. Kinda surprised me when I first turned it! I have another question, does anyone make a smaller replacement aperture for these? The stock one is "generously sized". Thanks.