Bsa sight frozen solid

[trajectory]

What a pain.

BSA improved model with a nice rear sight with a wheel that wont turn...?..

Removed the sight block from the barrel, popped it in to soak overnight, fiddly little off centre wheel is difficult to get much purchase on it but I couldn't shift it. Couple more days of soaking, percussed it with brass drift ( that's percussed but precussed might be appropriate too). Still no joy, into an ultrasonic bath. Nope. Heat, quench, nope, heat & drop in dismantling fluid. Nope more heat.......still no go.

Writing this for two reasons, a) any suggestions b) stop me doing something too rash.

I dont think I'm the first to have a go at this as ther is a bit of metal thats been raised on one edge of the wheel & a bit of a mark on the other.
Theres no damage on the blade or ears of the sight block so it's not been dropped or clouted as far as I can tell but it's a darned close fit. It's an area I percussed lightly to try & rattle it a bit with a brass drift shaped to the blades thickness minus a bit.

Just wondering about grinding a piece of saw blade to a very fine wedge & seeing if i can splay the slot the blade runs in, just a smidge in case the mating face of blade & block are locked together. Then close the ears of the block afterwards once it's all in bits. Sound a bit drastic but what do you reckon?

Really dont want to mess it up. Had one a bit like it before but it eventually freed up but this ones showing no sign of willingness to co operate.

Beginning to think it might be time to just put up with it but its niggling me.

[mrto]

Have you considered soaking it in vinegar it does a wonderful job of cleaning rusty components.

[silva]

You have probably already tried it, but sometimes attemping to very slightly tighten it can free it. Heat and diesel might loosen the crud and unseize it. Is it the first pattern sight with the smaller wheel ?

[trajectory]

You have probably already tried it, but sometimes attemping to very slightly tighten it can free it. Heat and diesel might loosen the crud and unseize it. Is it the first pattern sight with the smaller wheel ?

Hi, I did try tightening it a little but I'm afraid there was no sign of it moving rocking between tightening & loosening but a soaking in vinegar sounds worth a go. By the way ever tried molasses solution as a rust remover/ converter? It's pretty good.

I think its the small wheel type. Looking from above the sight blade does not go through the centre point of the adjusting wheel ie the sight blade isn't on the diameter.

[edbear2]

How much heat are we talking?...red hot or hot air out of interest?

Two products you could try are Aerokroil oil, or Dye penetrant as used in checking metal for cracks, both go in like nothing else, even derv.

I can normally shift anything by welding, or point heat with Oxy/Acy, that's the temp needed sometimes.

Or it may have been cross threaded and bodged in, but still should shift.

I had one similar, used good quality (vise grips brand) small locking pliers at the end to get it rocking, and then a needle file to re-do the knurl around the outside I ruined.

The head of the elevation screw should move a tad even if the side parts of the insert are frozen unless all jammed in the lowest position.

ATB, Ed

[trajectory]

How much heat are we talking?...red hot or hot air out of interest?

Two products you could try are Aerokroil oil, or Dye penetrant as used in checking metal for cracks, both go in like nothing else, even derv.

I can normally shift anything by welding, or point heat with Oxy/Acy, that's the temp needed sometimes.

Or it may have been cross threaded and bodged in, but still should shift.

I had one similar, used good quality (vise grips brand) small locking pliers at the end to get it rocking, and then a needle file to re-do the knurl around the outside I ruined.

The head of the elevation screw should move a tad even if the side parts of the insert are frozen unless all jammed in the lowest position.

ATB, Ed

No oxy gear, so I've been using a propane torch, pretty warm but not as hot as oxy. But that's given me an idea : carbon arc pencils.... What do you reckon?

I've not heard of Aerokroil but sounds worth a go. Come across penetrant dye but never had occasion to use it, but once again a good idea. For soaking I've tried diesel & good old Slaks, the one that smells of germolene ointment, usually pretty good but reckon it needs a bit more heat. It seems to be in there square so I'm hoping it's threads haven't been messed up.

Why is it that the 'easy little jobs' turn out to be nether?

Thanks for your ideas.