Mosin 91/30 front sight won't budge

[ibanez_rocker06]

I picked up a '39 mosin with a pristine bore and has great grouping, however it shoots a foot high and 6 inches to the left at 100 yards. I have a smith sight from my other mosin I'm going to put on but the front sight on this one just won't budge. I let it soak in kroil overnight, pounded it with a punch and hammer on top a block of wood and no go (don't have a vise). Tried to heat it up and pound it and still won't budge. I then bought a heavy duty front sight tool and only bent the screw. I'm all out of ideas, any advice?

 

[Melnic]

I picked up a '39 mosin with a pristine bore and has great grouping, however it shoots a foot high and 6 inches to the left at 100 yards. I have a smith sight from my other mosin I'm going to put on but the front sight on this one just won't budge. I let it soak in kroil overnight, pounded it with a punch and hammer on top a block of wood and no go (don't have a vise). Tried to heat it up and pound it and still won't budge. I then bought a heavy duty front sight tool and only bent the screw. I'm all out of ideas, any advice?

I've not had issues so far but I do tend to use penetrating oil (yellow stuff) on it the night before. Is it heavily staked in? Most of what you have tried is on my list of things to try as well.

I take it that the block of wood was on the hard floor when you were punched at it?

 

[iH8DemLibz]

Just drift/bend the front sight post itself to make the windage correction.

And hold low 12 inches.

 

[Fishguy]

Just aim to the right.

 

[ibanez_rocker06]

Yes the wood was on concrete. I sprayed the heck out of it with ballistol on my first attempt as well. Not sure if it matters, but on my other mosin you can definitely see one side of the base is larger than the other, so to remove it you pound on the smaller side. On this mosin however it appears both sides are the same, but I've hit both sides and it never moved.

 

[iH8DemLibz]

Just aim to the right.

Someone had to say it.

 

[Fishguy]

Someone had to say it.

I take pride in being "that guy".

 

[Melnic]

I'm not an expert on penetrating oil but I don't think ballistol is going to seep into the gaps.
I did thought that Kano Kroil was a good penetrating oil though.

I have a can of PB Blaster is what I use.

 

[clandestine]

Take it to a Smith. You have done enough.

 

[Dave91]

Try it with a bayonet attached and see what happens. That's how they were sighted in. Bending the front sight post in an option. I think you'd be surprised how bendy they are. Shooting high is normal.

 

[iH8DemLibz]

"You won't be able to shoot as straight with that thing on".

Said with a Southern drawl of course.

 

[kmittleman]

Take it to a Smith. You have done enough.

+1. I had the same exact issue with a Polish M44 a few months back. Everyone couldn't believe the sight pusher or brass punch wouldn't work. Tried Kroil, etc. I brought it to the Gunsmith at Clyde's and he took care of it for $25. They said it was rusted on and needed to be heated up to remove.

-K

 

[iH8DemLibz]

Use a tapered wooden dowel and tweak the sight post a little to the left.

 

[ibanez_rocker06]

I'll probably get a smith to take care of it. I really don't want to use kentucky windage since this is the most accurate mosin I've ever seen/shot, hence the only reason I bought it since I already have one. Thanks anyway guys.

 

[amoebicmagician]

I'm not an expert on penetrating oil but I don't think ballistol is going to seep into the gaps.
I did thought that Kano Kroil was a good penetrating oil though.

I have a can of PB Blaster is what I use.

PB blaster works like crazy

I had a padlock that was literally rusted into a solid block

Hit it with the PB blaster, let it soak for a few days, and then did my best to get the sludge out, and sure enough the key turned and I was able to open the thing and clean out the inside of it. It will get in there and loosen it, if it's loosenable.

 

[iH8DemLibz]

I'll probably get a smith to take care of it. I really don't want to use kentucky windage since this is the most accurate mosin I've ever seen/shot, hence the only reason I bought it since I already have one. Thanks anyway guys.

If you use a small jewelers file, you can cheat one side of the rear sight notch to the right some.

Dull the teeth on the left side of the file so it doesn't cut the left side of the notch as you're working.

You'll be golden then. The front post will swing right in and get you back on center.

Just remove a little bit at a time and check shot placement.