M28 Finn shoots crooked.......

[3006guns]

Many moons ago, I picked up an M28 Finn with a very nice bore but never got around to playing with it. I finally hauled it out, ran a patch through and headed for the range. I noticed the front sight was drifted all the way to the right so I left it like that until I determined what needed to be done.

It wasn't hard to determine.......the rifle shoots a good 8" to the right at 100 yards, so it's pretty obvious its previous owner had the same result. I haven't pulled the action out of the stock yet, but I can't see how any wood rubbing on the barrel could throw it THAT far out. By squinting down the bore and establishing a shadow line the barrel looks straight. Crown looks good too.

I'm stumped. Has anyone else had a similar problem and how did you solve it? I like the gun enough to NOT weld another front sight on the SIDE of the muzzle!:veryconfu

[Dan Cash]

If the front sight is mounted perpendicular to the bore/receiver, the barrel is likely bent. I have a bubba sporter SMLE that suffered the same problem only worse. Looking down the bore at a plumb line in a bright light showed where the bend was. I marked it, stuck it in the receiver hitch on my truck and bent it back. Took two tries but the front sight is centered and it shoots to point of aim.
Dan

[Le Loup Solitaire]

I've got the same problemo with an M38/6.5 Swede that is shooting 6-8 inches left even with the front sight tapped as far as it will go in an attempt to correct it. Did the same check for bend with shadow. Have been told that it is the wood which when tight in place is pressing on the barrel. Haven't had a chance to work on relieving the wood, but will do so as there does not seem to be any other possibility. Swedish rifles with their brass accuracy disk never got by any type of quality control by shooting around corners so the wood must have shrunk or expanded somewhere along the line---and the barrel at some point. A small woodworking gouge that is honed sharp should be able to do the job...slowly and carefully. What might help is to rub some soot or fine charcoal along the barrel to start and see where/at what point it shows up on the wood and then work from there/that point...until after some wood removal no more traces of soot/charcoal showing up. Then off to the range to see whats what. LLS

[3006guns]

Thanks guys.......I'll look at both approaches. One of the reasons I thought the barrel was still straight is that it's much heavier than a Russian MN, but I'd better check it again along with any stock rubbing. The bore on this rifle is too nice to just give up on it!

[Larry Gibson]

Most common cause of that is the front or rear sights are not square/plumb with the bore center line. Front sight being off is most common.

Larry Gibson

[Piedmont]

The whole front sight apparatus is silver soldered on. It can be heated and turned, or heated and driven forward, rotated, and driven back if your barrel is not bent.

[3006guns]

I examined my Finn closely this afternoon and found two things that I should have spotted right off......

1.) The front sight is canted ever so slightly to the left when viewed from the muzzle. Easy fix.

2.) While looking at the sight, I realized that the forestock is pressing hard against the left side of the barrel. That would explain why I thought the cleaning rod was bent. It isn't, just looks like it from the wood misalignment.

So I had both scenarios going at once.

The whole gun will come apart this weekend and some changes made. I'd do it now, but my stepson is rebuilding the Yugo M48 I gave him and taking up all my work space!

Thanks again for the suggestions.......the obvious is always the best choice.

[milsurp mike]

Did you have any Problems with getting your front sight on your m28 to move?Mike

[Link23]

alot of M28s had a sleeve put in them, so maybe it was off?

[madsenshooter]

What Larry said. When I first got my Madsen the front sight was tapped all the way over to one side. Besides that, a set screw underneath the blade was loose. Even after tightening the set screw, it shot to one side. In time I noticed the rear sight had a lean to it, in relation to the receiver. Put a level on a flat portion of the reciever, which a MN has also, and leveled up the rear sight too. After that I was able to reposition the front blade to about center.