Peening Dovetail front site on Inglis HP clone

[Scorpion]

Took out my latest acquisition a Inglis HP clone mfgd. in India for their military from Canadian Inglis tooling. Anyway I it out this morning for after shoot cleaning, as I pulled it out of my shooting bag and was in the process of making sure it was unloaded b4 stipping it down the front sight just fell off onto the table. It was not damaged it just fell out of the dovetail. I placed it back in the dovetail and was able to push it completely through and out the other side. It had no resistance what so ever. On closer inspection I didn't really see much in the way of peening marks. I pulled my Inglis out to compare and it has "healthy" peen marks. rechecking the Indian it has very lite peen marks almost unnoticeable. I've never done any peening so any suggestions regarding repeening the front site back in place is appreciated. I've got drift punches only. Figure I need something specific for setting the site in properly. Thanks in advance.

RC

 

[Tom2]

Quick fix

Why not just degrease the dovetail slot and the front sight and locktite it in place for the time being? Then you can at least testfire it. I don't know how they peen a Hipower, but on a Mauser rifle I just use a sharp punch to peen in a small spot just in front of the sight blade. Wonder if the cut is too big or the sight base is too small? Maybe braze or solder onto the bottom of the sight to build it up a little?

 

[mete]

The best method is to use a centerpunch and punch the bottom of the dovetail a number of times .This usually works and will not show.The other method is to peen the top of the dovetail [sight removed ]on both sides until the sight has to be put in with a drift punch.A small ballpeen hammer is used though a drift punch would also work.With careful work it won't be noticed .