Webley MK3 Rear Sight Loose

[ChAoS]

Dear All,

I have a Webley MK3 air rifle in pretty good condition but I have a small problem: the rear sight is loose in its dovetails. Can someone please advise me how to tighten this up so that I can actually *use* it again?

In addition, has anyone a fool-proof method for stopping 'scope creep? (The only marks on the gun are from my use, long ago, with a telescopic sight; the marks are the results of the scope creeping all the way back until they marked the end of the cylinder.)

Thanks.

Regards,

Mark.

[I. J.]

To stop the open rear sight moving try using Locktight Bearing fit (it comes in a variety of strengths - someone will be along and recommend which one) or remove the sight and give the dove tail a tap with a hammer.

ATB
Ian

[The armourer]

Another way you could tighten the sight, you get hold of some thin brass sheet, its a bit thicker than cooking foil and put that under the sight, that way you can use it and move it a little if you wanted.
Hope this helps.
The Armourer

[edbear2]

Similar to the above....get some imperial feeler gauges from a carboot, and then cut to suit in the thickness you need, also you can blue the steel so its not so noticeable.....648 is the locktite for bearing fits although 270 is up to the job...I personally loctite the shim in place, then fit the sight dry as this lets you adjust it to zero in...

[ChAoS]

Thanks for the replies.

I had already come across the "wacking it with a hammer" solution but didn't want to risk damaging my "baby"; I have, after all, owned it for nearly forty years and it'd be a pity to scratch the blueing *now*.

I had considered shimming and, at present, that is my favoured approach. I was hoping that someone'd come along with something that I hadn't even *considered*.

It has to be said that the gun ain't very accurate but, in its defence, I have to admit that when I were just a nipper, the "normal" maintenance procedure was to pour oil down the gun's barrel until it dripped into the cylinder. (D'oh!) So, it don't shoot straight anymore but, on the other hand, there's not a speck of rust on it.

By the way, I broke a cleaning rod off inside of it and took it apart to get the rod out. When I put it back together again, it no longer cocked. I sent it to those nice people at Webley and, FOC, they fixed the problem *and* straightened the 'scope rail out. (Again, this was when I were still young 'n' foolish and I'd done the mounting bolts up a wee bit too much...)

Again, thanks for all the replies and apologies for the tardiness of my response but I still don't have broadband and only "blink" every 24 hours.

Regards,

Mark.

[MarcDV]

Hi Chaos,

Dismantle by removing the screw, the slider and the spring (over a stoppered bath is favorite), Then, degrease and clean the dovetailed flats on either side of the body of the sight with Wet & Dry paper. Next, build the cleaned flats up carefully, but confidently with silver solder. Don't braze it since the temperature can effect the steel (if it's the original low carbon steel) and the blueing. The secret with silver solder (and brazing for that matter) is to flux well and heat the part up quickly and do the job quickly). Try not to get the part too hot. Silver solder is done below red-heat. Then with some careful filing by hand, fit it to the barrel dovetail. File a little, check a lot. Then when you have a start to a snug drift fit, re-assemble the parts. The blueing should still be intact. if the silver solder shows touch it up with modeling enamel. A professional result, hopefully.

Good luck,

Marc.

[coburn]

Of course you could just forget the rearsight and get a Parker Hale PH17B aperature sight. (that auction site is the place to start mine cost £27) and either drill and tap the trigger block yourself or get the local gunsmith to do it for a few quid.

Either way its going to be better than the original rearsight or any scope that the scope rails will support.

[ChAoS]

Dismantle by removing the screw, the slider and the spring (over a stoppered bath is favorite), Then, degrease and clean the dovetailed flats on either side of the body of the sight with Wet & Dry paper. Next, build the cleaned flats up carefully, but confidently with silver solder. Don't braze it since the temperature can effect the steel (if it's the original low carbon steel) and the blueing. The secret with silver solder (and brazing for that matter) is to flux well and heat the part up quickly and do the job quickly). Try not to get the part too hot. Silver solder is done below red-heat. Then with some careful filing by hand, fit it to the barrel dovetail. File a little, check a lot. Then when you have a start to a snug drift fit, re-assemble the parts. The blueing should still be intact. if the silver solder shows touch it up with modeling enamel. A professional result, hopefully.

I was looking for a quick kludge. to be honest...

Of course you could just forget the rearsight and get a Parker Hale PH17B aperature sight. (that auction site is the place to start mine cost £27) and either drill and tap the trigger block yourself or get the local gunsmith to do it for a few quid.

I really didn't want to modify the gun in any permanent way. I do, however, like the idea of using iron sights. (Mind you, I've got a couple of old(ish) telescopic sights that I used to use on it, so I suppose that I *could* put them back on.)

Either way its going to be better than the original rearsight or any scope that the scope rails will support.

I tried puting a modern red-dot sight on it but I was too worried about bending the rail again and so that, too, crept. Perhaps I should just hang the damned thing on the wall and stick to playin' with me BSA Ultra.

Once again, thanks for the replies.

Regards,

Mark.