Sight adjustment

[hayhugh]

I have a 1914 Erfurt artillery with the sight adjustment screws really tight. I have been soaking the barrel/receiver in KROIL over night and have just put it back in a zip-lock bag for further soaking. I do have the proper tool for the adjusting. Tried to move the screws and the front screw does turn maybe I/8th of a turn but no more. The rear screw does not turn at all. The ramp does move which it did not before the soaking. Do not want to apply too much pressure but how much is too much? How far does the front blade move when in proper order. Will the blade move all the way out of the ramp when in proper order. Can I take the rear screw all the way out or will it only come out when the assembly is disassembled. Any help will be greatly appreciated as usual. Hugh

Still looking for Erfurt Locking bolt #98

[Lugerdoc]

The rim of the front sight screw is what moves the sight blade, where it engages the bottom of the blade on the right side. Quite often the screw rim gets out of round and will bind up. The German method of repairing these after WW1, was to cut back the barrel at the rear of the sight base and replace the sight with a welded on, fixed broom type sight. Don't attempt to move either screw if tight, with an original type tool. You'll just pull the tool pins out. Best to make a heavy duty tool out of a surplus screw driver for a job like this. TH

[DavidJayUden]

On my Artillery shooter a previous owner had carefully cut a notch across the face of the screw in between the holes, allowing adjustment with a straight screwdriver. Very handy.
dju

[MikeP]

Don't know the condition, but your pistol, a 1914 Erfurt, is something I would leave alone.

Little to be accomplished and a lot to be lost fooling with that screw.

At some point "relic or artifact" comes into view.

Your gun, just sayin.'

[hayhugh]

Hear you Mike, I am moving ahead on a slow bell. Todays examination of the screws shows the KROIL is doing its job. The front screw is moving in both directions about 1 turn. The rear adjustment screw moves about 1/2 turn in either direction. Now I am wondering just how loose should these adjusting screws move. Are they spring loaded (keeps tension on screw so as to not back off?) or will the close tolerance of the parts keep everything in place after sights are adjusted?

[Lugerdoc]

Hugh, I agree with Mike that you don't want to damage an otherwise matching collector grade LPO8 by damaging the fine tune sight screws. Actually, they were designed to be able to turn all the way out. TH

[hayhugh]

OK boys, I'll stop while I am ahead! Just wanted everything to work, but why mess up an otherwise fine piece of engineering. I will probably never shoot it, just bought it because its beautiful.

Sometimes its just healthy to have someone looking over your shoulder. Two heads and all that..........Hugh

[Kitkat041836]

I have come up with the best fine tuned sight adjusting tool
there is. E-Mail me at fatkat1936@comcast.net and Iwill send you pictures of it and tell you
where you can buy one.If you call me it would be even better.
My phone # is 1-(510)-523-6682
Thanks,George
P.S. This is not one of the cheap brass tools that the tips break off of.The original tools that they used 90 years ago don't work, as back then they were not rusted in place like they are now.

[hayhugh]

I have a copy of the original tool, but have decided to give up on the project. Thank you, Hugh