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Author Topic: The dreaded 4-48 front sight screw  (Read 1437 times)

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Offline Doublebass73

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The dreaded 4-48 front sight screw
« on: August 20, 2012, 11:15:26 AM »
I ran into a couple of snags searching for a replacement front sight for my 357 Max (1983 serial number). I'm looking to get something taller so I can install a front fiber optic sight with rear peep sight.
1st snag is Williams discontinued the 20 gauge shorty ramp (.690 I believe) which would have worked nice on the approx. .710" muzzle diameter of the 357 Max.
 
2nd snag is I took the front sight off last night and it has a 4-48 tapped hole for the front sight. I can probably make this work once I find a dovetail ramp if I can find a 4-48 screw of the correct height.
 
What else is out there for dovetail ramps that would work with a .710" muzzle?
Thanks,
DB73
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Offline quickdtoo

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Re: The dreaded 4-48 front sight screw
« Reply #1 on: August 20, 2012, 01:19:19 PM »
Midway has a bunch of ramps, that would be where I'd look first. FWIW, I've used the 3-56 screw with Williams shorty ramps instead of the included 6-48, so the 4-48 may work too. One of the Marbles' .687" ought to work.

Tim

http://www.midwayusa.com/find?newcategorydimensionid=1051&
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Offline Doublebass73

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Re: The dreaded 4-48 front sight screw
« Reply #2 on: August 20, 2012, 02:24:37 PM »
Thanks Tim, the .687 looks like it will work just fine.
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Offline gcrank1

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Re: The dreaded 4-48 front sight screw
« Reply #3 on: August 26, 2012, 05:14:11 AM »
IIRC I got my 'little' screws at Fastenal; check their online catalog.
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Offline Doublebass73

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Re: The dreaded 4-48 front sight screw
« Reply #4 on: August 26, 2012, 04:02:40 PM »
Thanks, I ordered the Marble's ramp so I may end up needing a different length 4-48 screw.
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Offline nanuk-O-dah-Nort

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Re: The dreaded 4-48 front sight screw
« Reply #5 on: August 26, 2012, 09:35:26 PM »
on my 45/70's the front sight screw hole is shallow, and on one, perhaps 2 threads grab..... 

POS if you ask me.   I'm seriously thinking of getting it d&t'd for something heavier.

ridiculous that they would use something so fragile as to be knocked of by a stiff breeze!
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Offline Doublebass73

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Re: The dreaded 4-48 front sight screw
« Reply #6 on: September 08, 2012, 04:54:08 PM »
I checked Numrich, Brownell's, Midway, McMaster, MSC, etc. and nobody has a good selection of 4-48 screws.

Fastenal carries the screw I need but doesn't have any stock, I even called them - http://www.fastenal.com/web/products/detail.ex?sku=0176753

It's a #4-48 x 1/8" countersunk machine screw.

Does anyone know of a source for these?
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Offline quickdtoo

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Re: The dreaded 4-48 front sight screw
« Reply #7 on: September 08, 2012, 05:07:02 PM »
Amazon Supply (smallparts.com) has some ½" slotted flat heads, ya have to buy 100 tho. You can easily cut one off, drill and tap a 4-48 hole in a piece of metal, run the screw thru and cut it off, then file the end flush so the screw ends up the correct length, when removed it cleans up the threads. I may be able to buy them at the local bolt supply, I can check on Monday.

Tim

http://www.amazonsupply.com/dp/B000FN3U2C/ref=sp_dp_g2c_asin
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Offline gcrank1

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Re: The dreaded 4-48 front sight screw
« Reply #8 on: September 09, 2012, 03:36:42 AM »
Is that the 'local' Fastenal doesnt have them in stock or that all of Fastenal? Did you ask about other lengths on stock that you could shorten?
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Offline SEK_22Hornet

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Re: The dreaded 4-48 front sight screw
« Reply #9 on: September 09, 2012, 03:46:06 AM »
Looks like McMaster-Carr has a selection of 4-48 in socket head cap screws of various lengths and several the head styles in stainless steel.  Otherwise, MSC shows flat head socket screws in a few different lengths as well.  Shortest I saw was 1/4". All of these are sold by the hundred, but my experience with my local Fastenal has been they will order something for you if you will take the whole box of 100, so take your pick. Your local Fastenal may not require you take the full 100.
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Offline casper_zip

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Re: The dreaded 4-48 front sight screw
« Reply #10 on: September 09, 2012, 03:51:01 AM »
Go to Frugal Outdoorsman on the internet. Junior has a huge selection of screws, taps, etc. and really good prices, cheap shipping and he will sell in small amounts. By the way, he is really good at writing articles you will enjoy, too.
Good fellow to do business with.
Best,
casper_zip
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Offline cwlongshot

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Re: The dreaded 4-48 front sight screw
« Reply #11 on: September 09, 2012, 04:30:52 AM »
Quote from: SEK_22Hornet on September 09, 2012, 03:46:06 AM
Looks like McMaster-Carr has a selection of 4-48 in socket head cap screws of various lengths and several the head styles in stainless steel.  Otherwise, MSC shows flat head socket screws in a few different lengths as well.  Shortest I saw was 1/4". All of these are sold by the hundred, but my experience with my local Fastenal has been they will order something for you if you will take the whole box of 100, so take your pick. Your local Fastenal may not require you take the full 100.

I have used Fasenall and Granger and McMaster Carr. Hands down McMaster has been faster, cheaper. Literally if you ordered today, before 3P there time, you WILL have it the next day. (Business days of coarse) NO EXTRA SHIPPING FEES!!

Good point on longer screws! I keep most sizes in "stock" (I'm impatient and have more $$ then patience  ::) ) So I keep a few of common sizes in the cabinet. I buy them at least 1/2" long and trim to the length I need with a screw holder and a dremel. A screw holder is simply two, 2"X1/2" pieces of thin steel with a small different sized hole in one end and a rivet on the other. A tweezer of sorts. Now just slide the screw thru the closest hole and pinch. The other side will "clamp the screw, insulating you from heat while securely holding the small screw for cutting.  ;)

On my old maxi I wanted open sites on it for a while... I found that Contender sites worked well with barrel diameters of the H&R. Simple case of drilling and taping some holes and screw them on.




CW
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Offline quickdtoo

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Re: The dreaded 4-48 front sight screw
« Reply #12 on: September 09, 2012, 05:12:55 AM »
Another thought, PM Brian56, maybe he has one left over at the factory.  ;)

Tim
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Offline Doublebass73

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Re: The dreaded 4-48 front sight screw
« Reply #13 on: September 09, 2012, 05:25:06 AM »
Quote from: casper_zip on September 09, 2012, 03:51:01 AM
Go to Frugal Outdoorsman on the internet. Junior has a huge selection of screws, taps, etc. and really good prices, cheap shipping and he will sell in small amounts. By the way, he is really good at writing articles you will enjoy, too.
Good fellow to do business with.
Best,
casper_zip

Thanks, I emailed him to see if he has any.

Tim,

I don't have any 4-48 taps but you got me thinking, if I have to buy some taps then it might be worth it to just drill and tap the existing 4-48 hole for a 6-48 and use the screw that came with the ramp.

It looks like it can be done, from what I found searching it looks like the major diameter of a 4-48 thread is .112" and the body drill for a 6-48 tap is .120". Do you know if I'm correct on this?

Thanks
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Offline quickdtoo

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Re: The dreaded 4-48 front sight screw
« Reply #14 on: September 09, 2012, 05:30:31 AM »
According to my tap and drill guide 4-48 uses a #42 or .0935" drill, 6-48 uses  #31 or .120". You're right, it may be easier to just change the hole size, you'll need a bottom tap also......or a broken/modified taper tap!  ;)

Tim
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Offline Fred243

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Re: The dreaded 4-48 front sight screw
« Reply #15 on: September 09, 2012, 10:15:16 AM »
Brian sent me a PM the other day and said this is a 3-48 screw and the older guns have the 6-48 for front ramp. That's what I'm looking for as well, the front ramp screw.
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Offline Doublebass73

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Re: The dreaded 4-48 front sight screw
« Reply #16 on: September 09, 2012, 02:42:42 PM »
Thanks Tim, I'll probably go that route if I can't find a 4-48 screw.

Fred,

The newer H&R's have a 3-48 and before that they used a 6-48. This rifle is an older model 058 from 1983 and the screw is 4-48 which I've found out is a PITA to find.
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Offline Fred243

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Re: The dreaded 4-48 front sight screw
« Reply #17 on: September 10, 2012, 07:43:56 AM »
Oh okay, I wonder if they know what trouble they are causing their customers. Seems like if they made the hole a 6-48 like they use for the rear sight it would make more sense. One drill size, tap size, and screw size. I need a 3-48x1/8 countersunk flat head for the new ramp I've got, Fastenal has one made of brass and I ordered it but that's the only one I've found.
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Offline gcrank1

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Re: The dreaded 4-48 front sight screw
« Reply #18 on: September 10, 2012, 08:24:33 AM »
Ive filed small screws to get the head I need with a vise mounted drill, drill press, and (lucky me) my lathe. Something to grasp and spin and a file does it.
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Offline Airsporter

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Re: The dreaded 4-48 front sight screw
« Reply #19 on: September 10, 2012, 10:20:43 AM »
I have a model 58 with a 30-30 barrel that is missing the front sight.  After reading this thread, I think I'll just re-tap to 6-48.  ::)
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Offline gcrank1

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Re: The dreaded 4-48 front sight screw
« Reply #20 on: September 10, 2012, 11:28:10 AM »
This wont help for the 4-48, but for the 3-48 its too bad they didnt use the 4-40, commonly available at the hardware store. But maybe you could redo a 3-48 easy enough, they have the taps too.
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Offline quickdtoo

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Re: The dreaded 4-48 front sight screw
« Reply #21 on: September 10, 2012, 11:55:02 AM »
I checked with the local bolt supply house, they don't have anything in 4-48.  :-\

Tim

I found these on ebay....

http://www.ebay.com/itm/100-PCS-4-48-X-1-4-SOCKET-HEAD-CAP-SCREWS-BRIGHTON-BEST-/180971244820?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a22ba0d14

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Offline Doublebass73

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Re: The dreaded 4-48 front sight screw
« Reply #22 on: September 10, 2012, 03:01:14 PM »
Thanks for checking Tim. I ended up ordering a box of 1/2" long ones that I'm going to cut. I have a 100 chances to get it right :)
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Offline gcrank1

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Re: The dreaded 4-48 front sight screw
« Reply #23 on: September 10, 2012, 05:22:06 PM »
Guess you'll be the 'go-to guy' for anybody else needed a couple  ;D
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We are only temporary caretakers of the past heading toward an uncertain future
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