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Browning sa22 rear sight

bandcollectorbandcollector Member Posts: 218 ✭✭✭
edited April 2018 in Ask the Experts
I recently bought a browning semi auto 22 Belgium. Serial dates it at a 1962 model. It came with a scope and the cantilever mount. I would rather return it to open sights. My question is did browning change the rear dovetail size and if so what size would a 1962 model be. I bought a new rear fold down sight browning factory part and it just slides right though the dovetail. There is no damage to the dovetail either. The rifle is in excellent shape.
What rear sight do I need and where can I find one.
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    rufe-snowrufe-snow Member Posts: 18,650 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Probably metric. Measure the internal flat surface, of the dovetail. With the I.D. jaws of a dial caliper. Likely to be over .400. Whereas ours usually is .375 = 3/8".

    FN in Belgium made all their stuff to metric dimensions, as far as I know. Even their allen wrenches were metric. Years ago one of our local fun stores. Were selling a number of H-P Competition Models. They had a integral barrel weight, held on with the metric allen screws. Whoever was the Einstein who worked on them? Couldn't get our allen screws to work. So beat them in with a hammer. They looked pretty bad, on other wise guns that were in excellent condition.






    EDIT #1,

    Some dovetails are tapered,I.E. they will have a different measurement on either end. The older ones are that way. Some of the newer ones are made to be a interference/drive fit. So they won't be so expensive to make. A tapered dovetail. Requires a special tool called a brooch, to cut. Straight dovetail, only requires a finishing pass with a end mill.
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    nmyersnmyers Member Posts: 16,879 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I don't where you can search, but I'm guessing that your rifle was made with a wheel sight. Never measured one, is it possible that the size of the base is larger?

    R-s, Sears used to sell a Craftsman metric allen screw set. If you think that you may have need for one again, I will give you one.

    Neal
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    rufe-snowrufe-snow Member Posts: 18,650 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by nmyers
    I don't where you can search, but I'm guessing that your rifle was made with a wheel sight. Never measured one, is it possible that the size of the base is larger?

    R-s, Sears used to sell a Craftsman metric allen screw set. If you think that you may have need for one again, I will give you one.

    Neal



    Thanks Neal! But I do have Metric Allens. The guy who screwed up those FN Competition H-P's, was the one who needed them. It kind of funny. Some folks here in the States, don't have a clue about anything metric. There philosophy seems to be. Is all you need to make it fit, is a bigger hammer.
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    bandcollectorbandcollector Member Posts: 218 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Thanks for the help, but I just looked up the wheel sight and it looks like my dovetail is to far back on the barrel to accommodate the wheel sight.
    My dovetail looks to be to close to the barrel nut to allow a sight like that to protrude back.
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    HangfireHangfire Member Posts: 3,010 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I was thinking Wheel sight also..But with your last post about distance, metric might be it..Your date is right around the time when Browning went to the folding rear, and maybe the early ones were metric..

    I found this..

    https://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartDetail.aspx/882/1/RS-16-AML
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    TRAP55TRAP55 Member Posts: 8,270 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I've ran into this before, and they are different, and hard to find!
    There is one on ebay right now, and in good condition. Search in their "Vintage Gun Parts" for BROWNING REAR SIGHT Belgium Folding Sight.
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    bandcollectorbandcollector Member Posts: 218 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I just pulled out the calipers and measured the new sight I bought that is to small. It measures .366 from point to point across the width.
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    pip5255pip5255 Member Posts: 1,630 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    it is either the wheel sight that mounts further up the barrel or a flip up sight that mounts further back, I will check my sight boxes I may even still have one, did you measure the dovetail ?
    just because you could doesn't mean you should
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    charliemeyer007charliemeyer007 Member Posts: 6,579 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Slides threw? If its close to fitting you might try peening the sight in the dovetail zone and/or using an automatic center punch to stipple the bottom of the sight.

    added
    OK then bend the tabs of the dovetail on the barrel down a little with a brass or lead hammer.
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    bandcollectorbandcollector Member Posts: 218 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I thought about peening however this browning sight is concave on the bottom its darn near hollow. So peening is not really possible.
    My rifle would definitely use the flip up style sight. There just wouldn?t be room for the wheel sight. My dovetail is cut way to far back.

    I appreciate the responses.
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