Mywifesgunakillme Posted December 29, 2015 Report Share Posted December 29, 2015 I am wanting to replace the late war "L" style Lyman sight with an early style adjustable sight. Is this a task that can be done by just about anyone, or does this require the skills of a professional? Any specific tools required? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief762 Posted December 29, 2015 Report Share Posted December 29, 2015 What version of TSMG do you own? All the receiver holes for all versions line up for all the types of sights that were used. If you have an original wartime gun with an original 'L' sight, I might hesitate to swap because that's not how it was issued. If it's just a shooter or a WH, rock on. I put one on my Westie, after removing the crappy WH adjustible sight it came with. Both Doug Richardson and Paul Krough sell the correct rivets, but installing them correctly will be a pain unless you have access to some machine shop equipment. A machinist pal of mine fabricated a tool to hold the rivets in the correct position to peen them. Hope it works out.Chief 762 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnshooter Posted December 29, 2015 Report Share Posted December 29, 2015 (edited) If you have some experience in bucking rivets, and the correct rivets, and the correct tools, you could probably do a satisfactory job. But, if you're already good enough to make it look like a factory job, you wouldn't even be asking about it. So, a well intentioned and accurate answer is: to do the job (perfectly) requires the tools, skill, and experience you will find with PK, Reconbob, Deerslayer, and the uppermost devoted hobby gunsmiths on the board. I have seen several self-installed Thompson rear sights, and beauty can definitely be in the eye of the beholder. Edited December 29, 2015 by mnshooter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief762 Posted December 30, 2015 Report Share Posted December 30, 2015 I certainly agree with everything that mnshooter said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reconbob Posted December 30, 2015 Report Share Posted December 30, 2015 I agree. Replacing the sight and properly riveting it is not easy. Of course in the productionenvironment when the guns were originally made they had specialized tools and pressesto do this quickly and efficiently. Here we are 75 years later... The rivets have to be held and supported from the bottom so that pressure great enoughto deform the head of the rivet and press it into the recess in the sight base can be appliedfrom the top. I do not thinkit is practical to do this any other way than one at a time. The setup must be sitting onsomething very solid to resist the force of deforming the rivet. Even a sturdy workbenchwould not be solid enough. On the rare (thank goodness) occasions when we do this herewe set it all up on the table of a milling machine which is very heavy and solid and does not "give"at all. There are many Thompson fix-its that can certainly be done in a home workshop, butI would say this is not one of them. Of course, add to all this that you don't want to makea mistake and damage your gun... Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldrat Posted January 11, 2016 Report Share Posted January 11, 2016 What size were the original screws that went in th adjustable sight anyone know? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shadycon Posted January 11, 2016 Report Share Posted January 11, 2016 Screws????? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buzz Posted January 11, 2016 Report Share Posted January 11, 2016 (edited) The adjustable rear sight is a Lyman people generally call it a "ladder sight" It was attached with rivets, same as the M1 model. same hole size and spacing some replica guns have the sight attached with screws, but not any original production pre 1945 guns Edited January 11, 2016 by buzz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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