Gunsmithing question...easy fix: re-locate front sight base?

[saddler]

Ok.

Got a nice old Winchester 9422 last year.

Minor issue: the front sight base is NOT at the correct "12'o'clock" position on the muzzle...more like 11 of the clock.
The previous owner(s) "fix" was to bend the front sight blade by about 30-deg.
As the plan is to fit an aperture sight on the receiver I asked an RFD/gunsmith to unbraze the base & relocate it in the correct position.
His suggestion was to fit a scope instead!

Anyone done many of such jobs?
From in-depth research (YouTube) it's not too difficult to do, so am I missing something?

[ovenpaa]

Easy enough to remove, clean and re-fit with hard solder however it will probably mean the barrel will need re-bluing, mostly because of the original job being out of line plus you cannot hard solder onto a blued surface so the new location will need to be prepared (You can use this to your advantage when soldering)

[Rarms]

I had a local smith solder a new sight base on my Model 94 when I had it threaded. But that is a little offset too as the rear dovetail is a little off and I wanted them to be on the same plane, even if at about half eleven as opposed to 12 o clock on the barrel.

Make certain your rear sight base is bang on 12 o clock, before you 'fix' the front sight :)

[safetyfirst]

May I recommend you fit the aperture sight to the rear first as it may change the height of foresight you require.

I got one of these for mine and it's beautiful.

http://skinnersights.com/rimfire_groove_sights_25.html

[safetyfirst]

Can I ask for a picture of the front of the rifle now it's threaded? Did you shorted the magazine and re-cut the locking slot?

[saddler]

Can I ask for a picture of the front of the rifle now it's threaded? Did you shorted the magazine and re-cut the locking slot?

I've not threaded it...

[saddler]

Make certain your rear sight base is bang on 12 o clock, before you 'fix' the front sight :)

Gunsmith thought the barrel was not aligned, but the rearsight notch matches the receiver grooves.
Strange that it was allowed out of the factory in that state!

[safetyfirst]

Sorry, that was aimed at Rarms, though perhaps his rifle isn't a 94/22?

[FredB]

I have some sympathy with your gunsmith. If the sight is brazed on, then to remove or move it, the end of your barrel--inside and out-- with be heated to bright cherry red.
It will have any locked-in stresses removed and may not finish up straight. If the sight is soft soldered on, then no problem, but I doubt that this is the case.
I would look into the possibility of cutting the sight off and using a shrunk on ring mounting----sounds horrible but it can be made to look quite attractive.
Alternatively, thread the end of the barrel over the damaged area where the sight has been removed and add a small barrel weight. Cut a dovetail in this and use it to mount the front sight.
Fred

[breacher]

Make certain your rear sight base is bang on 12 o clock, before you 'fix' the front sight :)

Gunsmith thought the barrel was not aligned, but the rearsight notch matches the receiver grooves.
Strange that it was allowed out of the factory in that state!

Thinking laterally would it be less work to rotate barrel in receiver ?