Replacement of rear sliding sight and spring.

[opos]

I'm just having a bit of trouble...may be late in the day and I'm riddled with arthritis so that may be the issue. I bought a 91-30 with a really funky $6 scope mount on it..finally got it loose from the rear scope base in the rifle...Picked up a leaf spring and the proper slider for the rear sight as well as the little pin to tie it all toghther...I place the spring in the base with the little "dimple" down into the base on the barrel...I lay the slider over the spring...I do everything humanly possible to compress the spring at the end where the pin slides through to tie the slider and spring into the base....and man I'm not getting anywhere...it almost looks like having the spring sitting under the slider with the pin slipping in through the holes in the slider is impossible....looks like there just isn't room. Hope I'm being clear...it seems like it should be a no brainer but I've not been able to squeeze the assembley together tightly enough to slip the pin through the base and alider.....is there a secret or do I need to go find some big tough kid? Sorry to be a pest on something that should be so simple but I finally just set it on the bench and figured to ask for some direction...thanks
opos

[Shepard]

Use a small c-clamp to compress the spring. It'd be best to pull the barrel out of the stock.

[DevilDog]

Ya, the C-Clamp is a must. You may need to make a base for under the barrel from a small block of hardwood with a U-channel.

[kermit]

if you live near san diego,i can fix it for you. my wife goes in for knee replacement and i have free time as i am retired.

[opos]

if you live near san diego,i can fix it for you. my wife goes in for knee replacement and i have free time as i am retired.

Many thanks...I'm down with a really nasty cold or flu right now and have just been puttering in my hobby room at home...I'd think you don't want germs with an ailing wife...I had a knee done about6 years ago and best decision I ever made...took some "getting over" time but after a few months things got back on track and I've never looked back. Best of luck to her...I'll be in touch when I am over this but I bet you will be pretty busy helping out for a while....You were going to help me head space one a while back and it turns out a man I know has some of the little gauges that can be used without taking the extractor off and both guns headspaced perfectly as well as the firing pin dimension just right....

I'll try the c clamp situation if I feel perky today and let you all know what the outcome was....

Thanks again for the offer of help and I may get in touch and see how you folks are doing...
opos

[opos]

The c clamp with a piece of leather under the bbl did the trick...got both of the Mosins headspace checked, checked the firing pin protrusion, did some added cleaning with a 20 gauge bore brush around the chamber and did a major clean on the bolt assemblies...everthing works slick as a whistle and nice and clean....I used the Smith and Wesson gel to clean the bores and it's great stuff...Thanks for the help on this thread and on others....going to shoot both of them this weekend up at my buddies place and then leave one with him for the ability to use his property for the Mosin and for my big bore handguns...