03a3 rear sight problem.

[jeffj]

I noticed my rear sight on my smith corona has no clicks when moving side to side and tips up and down without much resistance.
I think its got missing or broken parts, but I can't find pictures or exploded drawings of it to see whats amiss.
Anyone know where I can find pics or drawings?

[John Beard]

The rear sight part around the outside with the protective ears is called the base. The inside part that the aperture slides up and down in is called the yoke. The yoke has a small hole in the bottom at the rear. A tiny coil spring and plunger fit in the hole to push up on the rear of the yoke. Even though the yoke can tip front-to-rear against spring compression, the spring and plunger should always push it back up at the rear and return it to the same position.

The windage knob has a flat leaf spring behind it. The leaf spring has a dimple in it. The dimple produces the windage clicks. If the spring is missing, the windage knob is not properly seated, or the shaft is bent, then the clicks will not be present.

The windage knob has a tiny set screw in it. The set screw is sometimes staked in. The set screw is pointed and the point fits in a dimple in the shaft. If you significantly loosen the set screw, you should be able to remove the knob and inspect the spring.

Hope this helps. Good Luck!

J.B.

[jgaynor]

Follow this link:
http://photos.imageevent.com/badgerdog/generalstorage/dutchmansmanuals/TM9-1270-1903-Springfield.pdf
then scroll down to page 64.

Regards,
Jim

[Randy A]

Are the ears bent inward? That will relieve the spring tensoin on the windage knob.
By the way Jim, I tried to pm you, but mailbox is full:)
Randy

[jeffj]

OK, first thanks for the great information.
It looks like the little spring and plunger that are supposed to be in the back of the yoke are completely missing and the detent spring for the windage clicks is broken on one side.
Can I get these parts somewhere or do I need to by a complete rear sight and use the parts I need?

[M1Garandy]

The yoke spring and plunger and the windage click spring are out there but they are getting tougher to find. Numrich is showing all three as sold out.

[John Beard]

Your best bet is to buy a complete rear sight and remove the parts you need. I am aware of a dealer who lists a complete rear sight for $32. PM if interested.

Hope this helps. Good Luck!

J.B.

[jeffj]

Your best bet is to buy a complete rear sight and remove the parts you need. I am aware of a dealer who lists a complete rear sight for $32. PM if interested.

Hope this helps. Good Luck!

J.B.

Thanks, Yeah i found that, that's why I was thinking its probably just as cheap and looks like its available.
Thanks again.

[Randy A]

I got a whole box full of 03 and A3 (mostly A3) front and rear sights that came from an old gunsmith, he sportered tons of those rifles. Some on the A3s have the dovetail slightly messed up from being removed but are otherwise fine. If you don't have any luck, send me a PM. I've been thinking of getting rid of all my parts lately,, gotta start sometime.

[Emri]

Here is a picture of the parts; not shown in the TM link above.

http://www.vishooter.net/m1903/a3_rear_sight.jpg