Replacement MC-55 rear sight blades

[metman]

This is a long shot, but I'm wondering if anyone knows of a source for rear sight blades for the MC-55. I haven't found any posts on the topic after searching for some time.

I bought my MC-55 used, with only the pistol and none of the tools or replacement parts shown in the manual. Unfortunately the rear-sight notch was crudely widened at some point and it's too wide for my needs. The pistol shoots superbly and I find it hard to understand how or why the rest of the package - case, tools, parts, manual - would have been lost or discarded. But that's a rant for another time.

I've thought of filling in the rear sight notch and re-cutting it to the width I want, but how to fill it in? I know guys that can do really fine TIG-welding but if something goes wrong I will be in a real pickle.

I have a feeling that in the end I might have to hand-file a replacement rear sight blade, either from metal or maybe acrylic(?). It's a fairly complex shape but I think I could make it. Unless there is a supply of replacements somewhere.....

[dino911]

can you turn it 180 degrees and cut a new notch?

[spektr]

Get some thin brass and make them. Its simple to do
use a small punch to transfer the hole centers to the brass and drill it up.
Scribe the slot from the old one onto the new one. File the slot you want. The hole sets up everything else.
its easy and thin brass can be drilled with a pin vise and files unbelievably easily, so don't over think it. After you get the first one made, all the next ones will be easy. Use Birchwood Casey Brass Blackener spray to make them black when you are done making them.... There's no reason to ever not have a good rear sight when its this simple...…

[metman]

I appreciate the replies. I have posted a couple photos.

The MTs-55-1 rear sight plate is not a flat piece of metal. Turning it over and cutting another slot is not an option, as there isn't enough metal.

The side of the plate that contacts the sight has a transverse ridge with a central slot that fits snugly over the mount that slides left-right. The ridge and slot are cut such that the plate is not flush against the sight body itself, permitting left-right movement. It is quite a complicated design and not one that I plan to reproduce exactly !

A flat plate screwed on directly would bind against the sight body and impede windage adjustment, so a spacer would be needed. If the plate shows signs of wanting to rotate, a couple of little pegs soldered/screwed onto the plate beside the hole would maintain alignment.

It would be nice to have a spare screw or two... the thread is incredibly fine. I'm not sure my local hobby shop carries anything similar.

I do have an ample supply of brass sheeting, brass screws, files, hacksaw blades, vises, etc., etc. , so I guess I will have to just dive in...

[Gwhite]

It looks like something that you might be able to 3D print. I've made small trigger shoes, dry fire plugs, and even the little plates that go in the bottom of Pardini SP magazines after launching one across my shop one day...

[rmca]

Do as spektr suggested and instead of screwing it in place, just glue it to the original blade.
Or if you want to, solder it in place. Silver solder should be enough. The eletronics kind of solder...

Don't overthing it...

Hope this helps

[metman]

As regards gluing and soldering, I prefer not risking damage or destruction of the original part, seeing as they are so hard to find. Anyway, I spent the afternoon filing an old piece of steel, blued it, and now own a 0.10-inch gap rear sight. The old one was 0.15-inch.

I read somewhere (Igor's toz35 blog, maybe?) that a Steyr LP10 rear sight assembly can be readily fit onto the MTs55. Seeing as I have an LP10, I am going to try that out as well.

[j danielsson]

Solder an extra blade on the back of the original.
Electricians solder is all you need and it is easily removed if necessary.
I have done it on a Toz 49 and it does not seem to fall off.

[stephen_maly]

Please check your private messages.

[metman]

Once again I appreciate the replies but must elaborate on my reasons for desiring not to glue, solder, or otherwise modify my rear sight.

First of all, the MC-55 (or, for the purists, MЦ-55) owners manual shows that the guns were sold with a wooden case, cleaning rod, jags, tools, and spare parts including an assortment of front and rear sights. I can only guess at what happened to it all in my instance. But what is certain is that when I bought mine, the rear sight on the gun had been widened by someone who achieved a lop-sided, uneven cut. It has been modified.

Second, this is the third free pistol I have owned. These days the CM84e is my "main gun", which I shoot weekly. The MC-55 is a "spare" gun that I keep to use in emergency or as a loaner. It has happened at competitions that someone else wanted to participate but for some reason did not have a functioning gun. If I had unlimited resources, my 'backup' gun would be identical to my main gun. Draw your own conclusions.

Third, the places where I shoot (train and compete) have a wide range of lighting conditions: indoors with relatively dim lighting, and outdoors with conditions varying from overcast to bright sunshine on the targets. Although I use shooting glasses with iris and filters, I still find that it helps to apply the modern practice of adjusting my rear sight width to lighting conditions: wider gap for dimmer light, narrower gap for brighter light. This is easily done with the CM84e. For my "spare" gun I would thus prefer to have the choice of a couple of different rear sight widths. I do not want just a single "one-size-fits-all" rear sight, since I prefer to adjust rear sight width to match changing light conditions.

[David M]

Once again I appreciate the replies but must elaborate on my reasons for desiring not to glue, solder, or otherwise modify my rear sight.

Then only one thing to do, the perfect excuse for a xmas present..

mini_mill.jpg (20.86 KiB) Viewed 1508 times

[spektr]

By all means get a mill.
Its an absolutely perfect desktop mill part

That said, its brass and once you get a hole in it, everything else is 5 minutes with a vixen file and a quick mill file finish....... You can whip it out that way far easier than doing 3 ops, 2 sine plate moves and a cutter change from a fly cutter to a flat bottomed end mill........

[metman]

By all means get a mill.
Its an absolutely perfect desktop mill part

That said, its brass and once you get a hole in it, everything else is 5 minutes with a vixen file and a quick mill file finish....... You can whip it out that way far easier than doing 3 ops, 2 sine plate moves and a cutter change from a fly cutter to a flat bottomed end mill........

Looks like a fun toy. Maybe one day when my mortgage is paid off.