Removing the rear sight

K

Kcode98

Well-known member
Please correct me if any of this is wrong. All you have to do is punch out the front pin from right to left and it just comes off?
 
Kcode98 said:
Please correct me if any of this is wrong. All you have to do is punch out the front pin from right to left and it just comes off?
Click to expand...

After the pin is out, you need to depress the sight into the sight base spring at the sight base hinge, while pushing rearward (towards the bolt) on the sight. It takes a lot of force with your thumb, but I have never been able to do this with a padded clamp. Place the rifle on a bench, and secure with the barrel facing you (obviously should be clear before you do anything). Then press down and rear-ward on the sight, into the base. It should come off the base once it gets past the base "ears".
 
I looked last night and it didn't seem like a pin was in there. In another rifle I could look straight through a little hole there and nothing was there in the center. But the sight rail was solid on the sight base. Any help would be great. :facepalm:
 
To remove the sight leaf from the base can be aggravating.
First, notice the "hinge" on the front of the sight leaf.
The larger round "hinges" are trunnions (lugs) on the leaf. DON'T try to drive it out, it isn't a pin.
There may be a much smaller (1/16") safety pin through the hinge trunnions (lugs).
Drive the smaller pin out if there is one.
Look between the front of the sight leaf and the sight base, and you can just see a flat spring under the sight.
Press down HARD on the spring while sliding the entire sight leaf assembly to the rear and out of the base.

The K98k rear sight leaf actually pivots on two trunnions, they look like pins to the uninitiated.
Some rear sight leaf trunnions have a "safety pin" hole, some do not.

Rb.
 
Kcode98 said:
I looked last night and it didn't seem like a pin was in there. In another rifle I could look straight through a little hole there and nothing was there in the center. But the sight rail was solid on the sight base. Any help would be great. :facepalm:
Click to expand...

The ramp is held in place by the screw at the rear of the sight base, and the pressure from the sight and spring on the base ears. You need to remove the sight before removing the sight ramp. The spring is very tight on the base. I have read where some have recommended using a clamp to press the sight down enough to get underneath the retention feature of the sight base, but I have never been able to move the clamped sight rearward at that point. I have only ever been able to do this by hand (both hands, and hurts your thumb). After you get the sight off, remove the small screw at the back of the sight base, and lift out the ramp. Don't start using a lot of metal tools or you will certainly damage the sight or the barrel or something. If you need to use a tool, use hardwood dowel or something.
 
connors29 said:
The ramp is held in place by the screw at the rear of the sight base, and the pressure from the sight and spring on the base ears. You need to remove the sight before removing the sight ramp. The spring is very tight on the base. I have read where some have recommended using a clamp to press the sight down enough to get underneath the retention feature of the sight base, but I have never been able to move the clamped sight rearward at that point. I have only ever been able to do this by hand (both hands, and hurts your thumb). After you get the sight off, remove the small screw at the back of the sight base, and lift out the ramp. Don't start using a lot of metal tools or you will certainly damage the sight or the barrel or something. If you need to use a tool, use hardwood dowel or something.
Click to expand...

Oh yeah, if you can look through, there is no pin. I have an RC with no pin. The arms of the sight still engage the sight base ears.
 
So drive out the small pin in the middle, lift the leaf/slide/sight whatever up, press down on the bar looking thing with a piece of wood, and then pull back (or up?) at the same time?
 
Thanks for the links. I don't know what is going on but the RC K98 in question does not have a pin in the front of the sight. It is just all solid. ???
 
Yes, some rear sight trunnions were solid and had no provision for the "safety pin". I could be wrong, but you probably have a late war rear sight leaf.

Rb.
 
Yes, that is the procedure. You might find a padded C clamp and small piece of wood that fits in the spring recess helpful in compressing the rear sight spring. Some of the sight leaves are a real pain to remove...

Rb.
 
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