Parker Hale PH5C - disassembly of windage screws

Hi everyone,

I don't know if this is the correct forum, but I'll try anyway and wait for feedback.

I have an old PH5C aperture sight that has considerable backlash in the elevation screw. I'd like to take it apart and put in a brass shim. However, I can't figure out how to get the knob off of the screw. I've tried searching CGN and other sites online, there is lots of general information about the sights, but I have yet to come across any clue that would help me figure out how to separate the elevation knob from the elevation screw.

Any help describing the process or pointing me to where I can find the information is much appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Joe.
 
You need some special tools and know how to work on one of these. Sounds like the spring and/or detent ball bearing is missing or damaged. Brass shim won't do anything for your issue. Ron
 
I made a tool to unscrew the nut, will take a picture of it on the next day or so, if I can find it. Sometimes the screws that hold the yoke that carries the windage screw come loose and tightening them up does a good deal to improve things.
 
Thanks to both of you. I've never seen the inside of one of these sights, so didn't know that shimming wasn't the solution. I'll look for a missing detent ball as well as a broken or worn spring. Just need to get into the innards to see what's wrong.

I look forward to seeing a picture of the tool for disassembling the knob from the screw. Am I correct in believing that the adjustment knob and the inner nut with the two holes on the perimeter are simply locked against each other to prevent them from unscrewing because of vibration? Or is the knob held in place by some other creative mechanism?

Thanks,

Joe.
 
Maybe I'll get round to making a more polished version one of these days. Allen screws with the end turned down. Hold the outer knob with pliers etc., and unscrew the spanner nut. Note how much it is tensioned - do it up again too tight and nothing can turn.

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The inner nut must be loosened with tool with a pair of prongs that fit the holes in the retaining nut. Hold the adjustment know with a retaining tool or pliers. If using pliers wrap the knob with electrical tape so it doe not mark. I work in a box so that the small detent ball and spring does not go missing. There could be missing parts or just an adjustment in backlash. Be very careful as it is very easy to break the windage lead screw...if you do it's a very pricey repair. Ron
 
Thanks again, to both of you, for all of the information. It turns out that the detent ball had been lost and, even worse, someone butchered the elevation lead screw by grinding away all but the left-hand thread. Then they epoxied everything back together. So now I'll have to make a replacement lead screw or find one, if they can be had without custom machining. I've attached a picture of my cleaned up lead screw ... pretty useless!

My%20PH5C%20elevation%20lead%20screw%20Feb%2015%202015%20%28small%29.jpg


The quest continues!

Joe.
 
Windage screw is not an easy remake. You however can repair. Cut off the projection; drill a pilot hole in the remainder of the lead screw. Remake just the threaded part that you cut off and then fit for length and silver solder. you should be Ok as I've seen may repairs done this way. If you can find the real deal that would be a lot less work however will do some damage to your wallet. Ron
 
I think I have a baggy of parts for those sights. I had to replace that screw myself a few months back when someone broke the knob off. The only thing I found was that all (except one) of the replacement shafts had a larger thread on the knob end. Not sure if you were supposed to upgrade the knobs by drilling through and tapping them larger, or if there were different size knobs for them.

I'll take a photo of some of the parts I have for them. They were part of a large purchase of parts I bought from the estate of a retired weapons tech/DCRA shooter.
 
Here are photos of the few parts that I have. There are a few bits mixed in there that may not be for the target sights, but until I disassemble a sight completely, I won't know.

As I mentioned above, the threaded portion is too large for the knobs. Does anyone have an idea what they might be meant for, or were the threads recognized as a weak-point so a larger diameter was retrofitted? It would require the drilling and re-tapping of the knobs.



 
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