Trick To Installing Pre-64 M70 Front Sight Hood
I have a Pre-64 Winchester Model 70 in 338 Win Mag that is in 98% condition. Other than a few gun safe bumps, its only major flaw is a missing front sight hood. So, I bought an original NOS sight hood at a gun show this past weekend thinking I could easily rectify my rifle's only significant issue. Easier said than done. No matter how I try, I cannot get the base of the hood wide enough to slip into the tracks cut into the front sight ramp.
OK, the hood is held on with tension alone and, as the hood slides onto grooves in the ramp, front to back, a small notch in the hood slips into a detent in the rifle's ramp. Seems pretty simple, but it's hard to do with finger power alone. Seems to me there has to be some method to get this done without requiring Hercules hand strength or a hammer. I don't want to bugger up the ramp or the hood by trying to force the thing on and, as I said earlier, I just cannot get the base expanded enough to fit into the tracks. So, is there a technique to expanding the hood's base and getting it to slip into the tracks?
Before anyone asks, yes, it's an original hood for a Pre-64 Model 70--exactly the same size and shape as the hoods on my other Pre-64s.
Thanks in advance for any advice or suggestions.
OK, the hood is held on with tension alone and, as the hood slides onto grooves in the ramp, front to back, a small notch in the hood slips into a detent in the rifle's ramp. Seems pretty simple, but it's hard to do with finger power alone. Seems to me there has to be some method to get this done without requiring Hercules hand strength or a hammer. I don't want to bugger up the ramp or the hood by trying to force the thing on and, as I said earlier, I just cannot get the base expanded enough to fit into the tracks. So, is there a technique to expanding the hood's base and getting it to slip into the tracks?
Before anyone asks, yes, it's an original hood for a Pre-64 Model 70--exactly the same size and shape as the hoods on my other Pre-64s.
Thanks in advance for any advice or suggestions.
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Snap ring pliers that expand when you squeeze.
http://www.amazon.com/TEKTON-3576-Internal-External-4-Piece/dp/B000NPR2P8/ref=lp_553326_1_2/190-3330428-0310936?s=power-hand-tools&ie=UTF8&qid=1462296605&sr=1-20 -
they are ment to be very tight so you do not loose them 0 -
Charlie is absolutely correct, a pair of outside snap ring pliers.
W.D.0 -
Take some heavy weight fishing line (monofilament type 20 lb test or greater) tie loops in two ends and slip over the bottom lips of the sight hood. Wrap towels around your hands and pull on the line ends, which should expand the bottom gap between the lips, as you slip the hood lips onto the front sight rails. This has worked for me without the possibility of marring the hood or the front sight ramp. 0 -
These are two good suggestions. I wish I had heard them when I tried to reinstall a front sight hood on a model 70 in the past. 0 -
Thanks for the advice. Snap ring pliers worked like a champ. 0
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