P-17 front sight removal

[dryheat]

I don't own one but a buddy at work has one and wants to get the front sight off. He got the blade off but wants to remove the base and it won't budge. He was wondering if its silver soldered. He whacked it with a block of wood but nothing yet. Is there a trick?

[Dan Wilson]

A couple of things he may want to try, first is take a scribe or any other really pointy thing and run it around the barrel where the front of the sight base sits, sometimes 90 years of crud has it "glued on" at this point.

If he's using a rubber mallet to hit the wood with, dont. Get a big hammer and if he is using a hammer, move up to a small hand sledge.

Lots of folks will say "soak it in kroil" but I don't have any idea how its going to actually get down deep where its really stuck at.

Try heat, start small like a heat gun and work up to a propane torch to get it nice and warm (but not red hot!!) and once he gets it hot whack the hell out of it.

Worst come to worst, use a dremil or rotozip to slice the bottom of the sight base lengthwise to get it off and just buy a replacement for a couple of shekels.

(oh, he DID take the retaining pin out didnt he?)

Good Luck

Dan

[chuckindenver]

340134023403likely it will have to be cut to be removed,,assuming he removed the pin..and tried to drive it off..
ill post some pics of how this is done..
tools youll need. dremil, damascus cutting wheel, black electrical tape..BBH..{Big Badass hammer} safety glasses.
first, remove the rifle from the stock, tape the bands close to the receiver so they wont slide down in your way.
clamp the barrel in a soft jawed vise, if you dont have some soft jaws, a worn out old leather glove will work.
wrap tape before and aft the sight,{you will slip} with the dremil and cutoff wheel, cut a notch almost all the way through the sight on the bottom side, careful dont get carried away and go too deap.
after thats done, remove the front tape, put the muzzle down on a piece of wood, or wooden bench, and with the BBH, hit the sight, on the top, it will come right off.
then clean up the barrel, with steel wool, and then light oil, then replace with a new sight.

[dryheat]

Well, that pretty much covers it. Thanks.

[Bill]

One suggestion: purchase the new sight first. Don't get the old one off and then discover that you cannot find a sight.

[chuckindenver]

i have more then a few 1917 and P14 front sights available. if needed.