Front sight on 14-4 “bubba’d”

[selmerfan]

So I purchased a used 14-4 8 3/8" from a Guns International seller. Blues condition is pretty good and it was advertised as a shooter and not a collector, which is what I wanted. I took it out today for the first time at the range with my daughter shooting my 1948 K38 6" (she has claimed this gun, which is why I went looking for another). I couldn't hit jack. Everything shooting high. And the front sight just didn't look level. Now, I'm recovering from rotator cuff surgery on my shooting arm, so I was shooting left-handed. But I've been shooting left-handed for a while and I wasn't THIS bad. So I finally grabbed the K38. On steel every shot. So I compare them side by side. I wasn't crazy. The front sight on the 14-4 has been filed down. And not level. [emoji2359] So I buried the top of the front sight in the rear notch and I was ringing steel again. Is this a common thing or did some idiot own this previously? I can see using it as a strategy for bullseye shooting - putting the front sight in the bottom of the rear notch and putting the bullseye in the center of the notch. That's what put me back on target, but I don't know how common it is. Thoughts? And can I obtain a Patridge sight for this gun still?

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[selmerfan]

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[RWPBR]

isnt the rear adjustable for elevation?

 

[Old_Cop]

I had a K22 with a filed down front sight which I had replaced with a used one from ebay. May be you are right about the BE sight picture. There was not enough rear sight adjustment to make it right.

 

[selmerfan]

isnt the rear adjustable for elevation?

Yes. I haven't tried to adjust the elevation to compensate for the sight filing. And I need to level off the front sight because a diagonal front sight will drive me batty


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[StrawHat]

Yes. I haven't tried to adjust the elevation to compensate for the sight filing. And I need to level off the front sight because a diagonal front sight will drive me batty


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That slope would present a great sight picture! I am not fond of the normal ramped sight because of the poor sight picture they present.

Kevin

 

[jimmyj]

The K-22, K-32,and K-38 were target models used for bullseye target shooting along with the M1950 and Model 1955. Normal sight picture was at six o'clock on the bullseye.

 

[Krogen]

Looks like there's a lot of downward travel still available on your rear sight. That might fix the issue, especially with the long sight radius. Might be enough even when you level the bubba file work. You can probably get a sight blade from Numrich. I bought a 16-4 a few years ago and it shot high. No evidence of bubba-work. I bought two sight blades of different heights to get it dialed in. Alas, I haven't gotten to it yet.

 

[ameridaddy]

Big question is whether that front sight is pinned in place or cast all one piece with the barrel?
I can't see a pin, and if there is not one, a gunsmith will have to mill the sight off and then mill a radiused slot to receive the new Patridge sight.
The machine work cost me about $150 three years ago.

 

[Pine_Worker]

Replacement front sights are available from Numrich and will a gunsmith to install.

 

[DCWilson]

My parents, who were not shooters, had an older friend who taught me basic safety and gave me some shooting tips with a .22 rifle way back when. He said he preferred a sight picture with the top of the front sight just barely visible at the bottom of the rear notch. I was too timid to ask him why, but he's the only person who ever told me he liked sights on his guns adjusted that way.

 

[lrrifleman]

From the looks of that front sight, it looks like "Bubba" filed off a good eighth inch! The blades are pinned in place, it's just that the pins tend to "disappear" with the way they are installed and the beautiful, even blueing Smith applied to the K Masterpieces!

 

[GerSan69]

Big question is whether that front sight is pinned in place or cast all one piece with the barrel?
I can't see a pin....

The pin is quite visible - it's that "circle" in the rib, below the ramp.

 

[flagman1776]

Back when officers could bring our own guns to the Service Center, I had a patridge sight swapped for a ramp on my 25-2. The pistol smith sheared the pin to remove the original sight. The remains of the pin were returned to me with the original sight.
The replacement pin stands slightly proud of the sight base now.

Suggest you buy a pin with the sight.