Mini-14 front sight won't come loose!

FiveForSure · November 5, 2009, 06:25 PM

I'm trying to take the front sight off my ranch rifle to replace it with winged front sight & flash hider. However, no matter what I do the front sight does not want to budge. I got the pin out fine, but the sight itself might as well be welded to the barrel. Any tips on getting this dang thing off?

NESHOOTER · November 5, 2009, 06:44 PM

Spray some penerating oil on the sight and have it pointing down in a dish so the excess can drain through it then get some soft wood 2 pieces and 1/2 rounded to fit the barrel put in vise and gently use to in back and forth motion the sight should come off with ease.... the heating up of barrel and moistier has gotten between the two pieces and now it a bogger to loosen be sure to use plenty of the penerating oil not wd-40 good luck

FiveForSure · November 5, 2009, 07:16 PM

Absolutely zero results so far! This thing is unbelievable.

NESHOOTER · November 5, 2009, 07:27 PM

five.... you may have to hold on a bit the penerating oil will take some time to do its job when i also had a stuck sight on my mini- let it soak overnight in the liquid penerating oil then the next day it solved all of my grief and was able to get my barrel threaded i did the same as you put the winged sight instead of the blade style good thing take time and then no marks or frustation on my part. by the way I picked my oil at the local ace hardward store....

FiveForSure · November 5, 2009, 07:32 PM

I have PB blaster, it's the most penetratingest thing I have around here.

NESHOOTER · November 5, 2009, 07:39 PM

I would think any good penerating lube would work just give it a little time and when you get it off tape off the barrel and use some scotchbrite pad to clean the area b4 you install the new sight...

Dfariswheel · November 5, 2009, 08:44 PM

Ruger Mini-14 front sights were designed to never come off or get knocked out of line, so they were pressed on TIGHT, and I mean TIGHT.

Usually, when called on to remove one, I had to destroy the sight to get it off. Sometimes, no amount of pounding with a hardwood block and mallet would move it.

The method I finally settled on was to use a slightly dulled cold chisel to cut a groove the width of the sight band on the underside of the sight.
The idea is to dull the chisel enough that instead of cutting through and into the barrel, it actually swages a groove in the band.
This actually stretches the band and allows it to be easily tapped off with the hardwood block or even a large nylon or brass drift.

KMO · November 6, 2009, 08:09 AM

NESHOOTER's advice is good, and it should work. Those sights are stubborn, but they will come off. After soaking one of mine in Liquid Wrench overnight (muzzle down in a small container of LW), I then had my wife hold the rifle down while I drove off the front sight with a piece of 1 x 2 hardwood and a shot-filled mallet. It took a few swings, and it didn't budge on the first couple, but it finally flew across the garage when it came loose. Be patient...it'll come off...

FiveForSure · November 6, 2009, 10:27 AM

Progress report... there IS no progress. I let it soak in the PB blaster overnight.... put it in the vise today, and whacked at it with what I would describe as possibly a little more than reasonable force (especially the last few frustrated whacks). It has not moved from where it started by so much as a hair. Unless someone comes up with a fantastic magic trick between now and tomorrow morning, I'm going to have to take it to a gunsmith.

Scorch · November 6, 2009, 03:08 PM

DFariswheel gave you the right method for removing it. Clamp it in a vise and peen the metal on the bottom of the sight until it stretches and lets go of the barrel. No amount of "whacking" it will fix it or cause it to move. The only other ways I have ever seen work are a caping chisel, a hydraulic press, or a cutting wheel.

FiveForSure · November 6, 2009, 04:09 PM

I got it off at last with a mix of chisel, grinder, and hammering. Now I've created another minor problem. I went a little TOO far on the grinding, and made a small (1/2" wide") flat spot on the barrel. It's not deep at all, should I worry about it or just throw the new flash hider over it?

Dfariswheel · November 6, 2009, 08:21 PM

Just install the flash hider.

KMO · November 6, 2009, 08:57 PM

Quote:

Just install the flash hider.

...and tell anyone you scarred up the barrel underneath it...we will try to forget you told us about that.

FiveForSure · November 6, 2009, 09:21 PM

Quote:

we will try to forget you told us about that.

I don't know what you're talking about, I got it with that flash hider on there.

November 5, 2009, 06:25 PM	#1
FiveForSure Member Join Date: May 22, 2009 Location: Boston Posts: 95	Mini-14 front sight won't come loose! I'm trying to take the front sight off my ranch rifle to replace it with winged front sight & flash hider. However, no matter what I do the front sight does not want to budge. I got the pin out fine, but the sight itself might as well be welded to the barrel. Any tips on getting this dang thing off?

November 6, 2009, 08:09 AM	#8
KMO Senior Member Join Date: January 13, 2008 Location: Northern Arizona Posts: 949	NESHOOTER's advice is good, and it should work. Those sights are stubborn, but they will come off. After soaking one of mine in Liquid Wrench overnight (muzzle down in a small container of LW), I then had my wife hold the rifle down while I drove off the front sight with a piece of 1 x 2 hardwood and a shot-filled mallet. It took a few swings, and it didn't budge on the first couple, but it finally flew across the garage when it came loose. Be patient...it'll come off... __________________ *"In God We Trust"*

November 6, 2009, 03:08 PM	#10
Scorch Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2006 Location: Washington state Posts: 15,248	DFariswheel gave you the right method for removing it. Clamp it in a vise and peen the metal on the bottom of the sight until it stretches and lets go of the barrel. No amount of "whacking" it will fix it or cause it to move. The only other ways I have ever seen work are a caping chisel, a hydraulic press, or a cutting wheel. __________________ Never try to educate someone who resists knowledge at all costs. But what do I know? Summit Arms Services

November 5, 2009, 06:44 PM	#2
NESHOOTER Senior Member Join Date: October 16, 2009 Posts: 517	Spray some penerating oil on the sight and have it pointing down in a dish so the excess can drain through it then get some soft wood 2 pieces and 1/2 rounded to fit the barrel put in vise and gently use to in back and forth motion the sight should come off with ease.... the heating up of barrel and moistier has gotten between the two pieces and now it a bogger to loosen be sure to use plenty of the penerating oil not wd-40 good luck

November 5, 2009, 07:16 PM	#3
FiveForSure Member Join Date: May 22, 2009 Location: Boston Posts: 95	Absolutely zero results so far! This thing is unbelievable.

November 5, 2009, 07:27 PM	#4
NESHOOTER Senior Member Join Date: October 16, 2009 Posts: 517	five.... you may have to hold on a bit the penerating oil will take some time to do its job when i also had a stuck sight on my mini- let it soak overnight in the liquid penerating oil then the next day it solved all of my grief and was able to get my barrel threaded i did the same as you put the winged sight instead of the blade style good thing take time and then no marks or frustation on my part. by the way I picked my oil at the local ace hardward store....

November 5, 2009, 07:32 PM	#5
FiveForSure Member Join Date: May 22, 2009 Location: Boston Posts: 95	I have PB blaster, it's the most penetratingest thing I have around here.

November 5, 2009, 07:39 PM	#6
NESHOOTER Senior Member Join Date: October 16, 2009 Posts: 517	I would think any good penerating lube would work just give it a little time and when you get it off tape off the barrel and use some scotchbrite pad to clean the area b4 you install the new sight...

November 5, 2009, 08:44 PM	#7
Dfariswheel Senior Member Join Date: May 4, 2001 Posts: 7,484	Ruger Mini-14 front sights were designed to never come off or get knocked out of line, so they were pressed on TIGHT, and I mean TIGHT. Usually, when called on to remove one, I had to destroy the sight to get it off. Sometimes, no amount of pounding with a hardwood block and mallet would move it. The method I finally settled on was to use a slightly dulled cold chisel to cut a groove the width of the sight band on the underside of the sight. The idea is to dull the chisel enough that instead of cutting through and into the barrel, it actually swages a groove in the band. This actually stretches the band and allows it to be easily tapped off with the hardwood block or even a large nylon or brass drift.

November 6, 2009, 10:27 AM	#9
FiveForSure Member Join Date: May 22, 2009 Location: Boston Posts: 95	Progress report... there IS no progress. I let it soak in the PB blaster overnight.... put it in the vise today, and whacked at it with what I would describe as possibly a little more than reasonable force (especially the last few frustrated whacks). It has not moved from where it started by so much as a hair. Unless someone comes up with a fantastic magic trick between now and tomorrow morning, I'm going to have to take it to a gunsmith.

November 6, 2009, 04:09 PM	#11
FiveForSure Member Join Date: May 22, 2009 Location: Boston Posts: 95	I got it off at last with a mix of chisel, grinder, and hammering. Now I've created another minor problem. I went a little TOO far on the grinding, and made a small (1/2" wide") flat spot on the barrel. It's not deep at all, should I worry about it or just throw the new flash hider over it?

November 6, 2009, 08:21 PM	#12
Dfariswheel Senior Member Join Date: May 4, 2001 Posts: 7,484	Just install the flash hider.