Crappy front sight tool problem SOLVED!

Claven2

Claven2

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What do you guys think? Old crappy cast pot-steel tool with "ersatz" repair to stop it bending so badly on the right, new mega-robust tool on the left.
DSCN1111.jpg


Details on how to make one here:

http://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?p=112265#post112265

Oh the joys of a Saturday afternoon in the shop :)
 
Curtton said:
definitely robust .

not all cheap tool bends, some are well built .

http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=366950&highlight=
Click to expand...

Buying the purpose-built tools is like roulette. I've owned and bent three now, including ones that looked beefier. You can squeeze them back in a vise, but only a few times before they weaken to the point of uselessness. Th screw mod above works, but is NOT elegant and you risk the threads marring up your sight base. The fundamental problem is that they aren't billet. They are made of (probably recycled) cast steel that is then machined, belt sanded and blued. Without additional heat treating, cast steel = crap in this application. Barely better than white pot metal.

Honestly, I'm surprised nobody already makes one like the one I made yesterday. It's far superior and the only real detractors are that you have to slip it over the sight instead of around it and it's a little heavier. Not a big deal at the range. Also, the brass pusher is, IMHO, a great addition to prevent finish damage to the rifles.

I have no proof, but I'll bet smiths that work on a lot of these rifles are not relying on the craptacular chinese tools.
 
The problem with the C-type is they tend to work great on most rifles for a finite amount of time. Then you get one stubborn gun (usually a painted VZ58 type or a Norinco SKS) and it bends.

Will it happen to you? Who knows. Depends what gun you have, how often you use the tool, etc.

Do I recommend everyone make a tool like this? Obviously not. You need the machines, the free time and desire to do so, and you need to have an expectation of doing enough shooting with enough guns to require a more robust tool.

I also doubt there is a market for these when cheap tools are $10 and even if I got these series produced, they are machined from billet steel they'd likely cost $30-50 each. Most people are too cheap to pay the difference, regardless how much better the tool is. That $20-30 difference is an extra couple boxes of ammo or whatever.
 
That's probably true, but now you are bringing an extra clamp and crescent wrench to the range vice one properly built tool.

Honestly, does anyone think there would be a market for these for under $50 each but over $30?
 
Claven2 said:
Honestly, does anyone think there would be a market for these for under $50 each but over $30?
Click to expand...

In Canada? Hard to say, given how cheap we generally are. You'd have to keep it real close to $30 because I can order one of these for that plus a few bucks in postage.

AKFST-1.jpg
 
That's the Magna-Matic one. They also make a really heavy-duty sight tool and some AR carbon removal tools. I met Dan who owns the company at SHOT and handled the sight and other tools he builds. Very nice stuff.

magna-matic-defense.com
 
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Stevo said:
That's the Magna-Matic one. They also make a really heavy-duty sight tool and some AR carbon removal tools. I met Dan who owns the company at SHOT and handled the sight and other tools he builds. Very nice stuff.

magna-matic-defense.com
Click to expand...

Yeah, their "Gunsmith Edition" sure does look robust.

For the discerning gentleman who will accept nothing but the very best:

http://www.magna-matic-defense.com/Unbreakable-AK-Front-Sight-Tool-GUNSMITH-EDITION-p/akfst-gs.htm
 
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