Shotgun Bead sight replacement

[Mills]

Gents, I am looking at replacing the bead sight for my neighbor on an old Stevens model 107B single shot 12 gauge. The issue is that it looks like a 3-56 thread, .125" shank bead will not thread in there. The hole is just a tad too big.

I see that on Brownells, they have a kit that has a 6-48 thread bead sight with the bit, tap and sight all in one. It does not have a diameter of the bead sights that are included, however it comes with a #32 drill bit which if I am not mistaken is just under 1/8". So this product looks good on paper, just wanted to get some feedback from you guys who may know more about this type of operation than myself.

http://www.brownells.com/shotgun-par...px?mc_id=50000

[craigepo]

I think they have a correct fit from Midway USA.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/569...125-shank-gold

I assume he is just wanting to refurbish the gun. I kind of like the true glow-type beads for hunting situations.

[Mills]

Originally Posted by craigepo

I think they have a correct fit from Midway USA.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/569...125-shank-gold

I assume he is just wanting to refurbish the gun. I kind of like the true glow-type beads for hunting situations.

Yeah, He wants to keep it stock.

I was hoping to find something like that brownells convenience kit that comes with everything so that I could tap it. As the hole has already been drilled out with a larger bit. I tried to insert a 7/64 bit into the hole and it wouldn't fit. So that does tell me that anything that comes with a #32 bit to drill it out with should work.

Am I tracking, or way off?

[MR2]

Duct tape...

[BryanK]

If the kit won't work would he be satisfied with the stock bead ground down to the base of the bead and then brazed on? You could use a setscrew (dummy screw) to fill the hole and red loctite it into place, then braze on a ground down original bead if the situation gets dire.

Numrich has the bead in both sizes and colors for $3.50 here: Bead Sight

[Snaquebite]

Originally Posted by MR2

Duct tape...

BB and superglue

[Rob_Frey]

Originally Posted by Mills

Yeah, He wants to keep it stock.

I was hoping to find something like that brownells convenience kit that comes with everything so that I could tap it. As the hole has already been drilled out with a larger bit. I tried to insert a 7/64 bit into the hole and it wouldn't fit. So that does tell me that anything that comes with a #32 bit to drill it out with should work.

Am I tracking, or way off?

I believe the correct drill size for 6-48 is #31.

[Mills]

Originally Posted by Rob_Frey

I believe the correct drill size for 6-48 is #31.

Just going by what brownells sells as a kit.

Being that the hole is already there, I am limited on options. As long as i have to drill out with at least a 7/64 bit ( or 32 / 31 metric) I should be good to go with tapping new threads in there for the new sight.

[Rob_Frey]

I used to work as a gunsmith and have drilled and tapped hundreds of these for shotgun beads. I'm surprised they shipped the kit with a #32 drill bit. This is their chart for their sight kits, and as I remembered #31 is the correct size.

SHOTGUN SIGHT KIT "A" CONTAINS: NO. HEAD DIA. SHAFT/THREAD DRILL/TAP SIZE COLOR
1 .067" 3-56 No. 45-3-56 Gold
2 .130" 3-56 No. 45-3-56 Gold
3 .175" 3-56 No. 45-3-56 Gold
4 .175" 6-48 No. 31-6-48 Gold
5 .067" 3-56 No. 45-3-56 White
6 .130" 3-56 No. 45-3-56 White
7 .175" 3-56 No. 45-3-56 White
8 .175" 6-48 No. 31-6-48 White


I think it will be tougher to tap with the smaller hole, #31 = .1200 and #32 = .1160. You might want to use some tapping fluid to lube for tapping the hole with it being smaller than the ones I tapped.

Good luck.

ETA: You will probably need to grind/sand off the bottom of the bead to make it flush with the surface of the bore.

[Mills]

Yeah, thats what someone else was saying.

Never the less, the #32 worked out fine with said tap and bead sight.

Thanks for the info guys.