Off center middle bead

[jefferyconnor]

Anyone run into this before? How did you correct it? Middle beads have small shanks, so I was considering a larger shank sight like https://www.gunpartscorp.com/products/529330 that would allow the hole to be centered with a needle file and drilled/reamed. The shank looks to be the same di. as a Lyman front bead.

I appreciate your sharing your solution if you have run into this before.

[Craig Budgeon]

If the gun you are fixing is a Parker, the bead should be german silver not brass. Before I tried to relocate the hole I would plug the existing hole with steel so that the cutter stays on location when drilling the new hole.

[Stan Hillis]

Jeffrey, I have fixed two set of barrels in that way. I actually used a Dremel rotary tool with a very tiny diamond coated burr to enlarge the existing hole in the rib, carefully cutting on the side that would move the center of the hole in the direction it needs to be moved. I worked very slowly, of course, until it was centered, and the necessary diameter for the new bead, which, obviously, has to have a larger threaded shank. Note I did no drilling, but enlarged the hole to the correct diameter for tapping, by hand.

Both the replacement beads I bought were brass, but you may be able to find ones of German silver as well. With a bit of "aging" of the new bead it blends right in. IMHO, a replacement bead with a larger than standard shank is much less noticeable than an off center bead.

Best wishes.

[jefferyconnor]

If the gun you are fixing is a Parker, the bead should be german silver not brass. Before I tried to relocate the hole I would plug the existing hole with steel so that the cutter stays on location when drilling the new hole.

My situation is that a Lyman ivory middle bead which has a steel collar was installed offcenter, for sure aftermarket.

[jefferyconnor]

Jeffrey, I have fixed two set of barrels in that way. I actually used a Dremel rotary tool with a very tiny diamond coated burr to enlarge the existing hole in the rib, carefully cutting on the side that would move the center of the hole in the direction it needs to be moved. I worked very slowly, of course, until it was centered, and the necessary diameter for the new bead, which, obviously, has to have a larger threaded shank. Note I did no drilling, but enlarged the hole to the correct diameter for tapping, by hand.

Both the replacement beads I bought were brass, but you may be able to find ones of German silver as well. With a bit of "aging" of the new bead it blends right in. IMHO, a replacement bead with a larger than standard shank is much less noticeable than an off center bead.

Best wishes.

Thanks Stan! Do the sights I linked to from Numrich resemble the ones you used? I was intending to use a press in vs threaded shank sight. Did you use a threaded sight?

[Stan Hillis]

Yes, they resemble them, but without the "flange" at the top of the shank. I was thinking I used threaded ones. Let me look through my stuff and see if I bought any extras, I'll let you know something in a day or two. I'll also see what is in my eBay buying history.