Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Rear Sight for the Slavia ZVP

Well, I finally finished the Slavia ZVP...

This was my first attempt at making a rear sight. Apparently tempered blue shim steel does not like bending.

I printed up a sticky label with the sight laid out on it and sawed the shape.

Sawn out.

I centerpunched the hole locations.

Bent easily as it was annealed stock. Not sure what alloy as it was from my pile of random steel. I refined the shape with files.

Looks like a sight.

Finding the edge of the dovetail piece.

Drilling.

Milling to thickness.

Felt tip marker applied to the edge.

Milling the dovetail. The angle seemed imprecise on the pistol...

I filed it to be a sliding fit.

Not full dovetail contact though, someone peened the slot earlier, most likely to avoid having the original sight slide out and become lost. They failed.

Tapping #2-64.

The parts attached with #2-64 screws. I wasn't going to spot weld it. I can live with it not being a perfect reproduction.

Turning the height adjustment screw.

Using the tailstock chuck jaws to align the die stock. I need to make a die holder for the South Bend...

Knurling.

All done. I heated it up cherry red and quenched, then tempered it for springiness. Then I cleaned it, cold blued all the parts and assembled.

Here's a shot of the Slavia ZVP with my Diana Modell 5. Neither of them are particularly accurate and the Diana gave me a surprise that I'll discuss later on...

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wavy parallels in the vise?

Nick Carter said...

Yes they are. I never understood how great they were until I started using them. A nice range of graduated heights and the waviness means you can set them up to clear through holes. If they're under a bit of tension they don't fall over either.

Les T. said...

Nice work. Just picked up a Diana Model 5, minus the rear sight. What format is your pattern in? Would like to try making the rear sight like you did, but don't have an original for a pattern.

Nick Carter said...

It's a Rhino file but I can export it as just about anything.

Anonymous said...

how much to buy one from you,

Hynda said...

Hi Nick,
are you able to share the pattern you have used? I´d like to make the rear sight but missing the original...
Could you send me meassage to hynda_p@email.cz

Many thanks
Hynek