Stock Extender Peep Sight Done

[TJNewton]

It's been a while since I started this but it was a lot of research and thinking and fitting.  I got a folding stock extender from the Czech Republic on Ebay, and a UTG low profile aperture sight off of Amazon.  I made a bracket out of black powder-coated metal and attached it to the stock extender with bolts and nuts.  I put a 3-slot picatinny rail on the bracket and the aperture sight on to that.  I little cold blue here and there.  Blue Loctite on everything including the windage and elevation screws for the sight.  I haven't shot it yet, but it should be close as I lined it up with the front sight and factory ladder sight peep I made before I removed the latter. 

The sight picture is about the same size as the ghost ring setting on an AR15 sight.  I would have preferred a smaller opening, more like the 300 yard AR15 setting, but it should be fine for this application.  As it's close to the eye, it does focus the sight picture and improve the depth of field, which the peep way out on the ladder sight did not.  I might have to experiment with other options, including William and Skinner aperture sights, although those don't have protective wings. 

The stock extender was about 50 bucks, the sight 25, and hardware was about 5.  I'll give a report after I go to the range.

[TJNewton]

I went to the range today to the 50 and 100 yard lanes.  The new aperture sight worked great.  I removed the factory ladder sight and reinstalled the leaf spring with a fabbed cross pin.  That really opened things up as the back of the ladder sight, even down low without the slider, filled the bottom half of the sight picture.  Now it's open and looks exactly like an AR15 sight picture.   

I was shooting Wolf WPA.  At 50 yards I didn't see any improvement, about 1"-2" groups, probably as my eyesight is good enough to register the target at that distance even with the ladder sight peep.  But at 100 yards my groups were cut in half with the new sight.  I used to get 8" groups, mostly because the 10" target at 100 yards was a blur.  Now, with the aperture close to my eye, I could clearly see the target, including it's perimeter, and was getting groups of about 3"-5", which seems to be approaching the potential of the rifle.  I did get a few 1 1/2" groups of 3 or 4 with a flier, but 4" groups were more common.  I may just need more practice.  The rifle may indeed by capable of the smaller groups, especially with better ammo.

[RSR]

Looks great and am sure it's solid.  Peeps also help to reduce red dot blur for those of us w/ astigmatism -- especially if you want to use red dot for more precision-type work at range.

[TJNewton]

Thanks!
 
You're right about the astigmatism.  I have a red dot on an AR and if I flip up the rear aperture it focuses that bunch of glowing grapes into a clear, precise dot.

[TJNewton]

A question:  I removed the rear ladder sight and have the leaf spring held in place with a notched cross pin.  The leaf spring covers most of the space, but there is some gap at the sides and the front of the spring.  I was thinking of blocking that off with a flat piece of metal placed under the spring, but was wondering if the opening under the spring, the slot that reveals the piston and piston spring, needs to be left uncovered.  As the designers took the extra effort to machine that opening, I wonder if it has some purpose, such as venting or something like that.  The factory ladder sight would prevent debris from getting in there, but would also allow venting, if that is the opening's purpose.

Should I cover that opening to prevent the possibility, however small, of gunk getting into the piston channel, or leave it alone?

[RSR]

Czechpoint's kit includes a filler: https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2018/06/19/back-up-rear-sight-mounted-on-vz-58-stock-adapter/





Personally, and with as cheap as they can be had, I'd look at buying a surplus rear sight and cutting it down to match the side profile and a little JB weld beneath to level it out -- shaped/filed to fit. 

Do you need it?  Probably not if just for range.  But if running it outdoors or for self-defense, it's a lot cheaper mod than many others you could do.  The extra space towards the front is where I'd be most concerned w/ that spring higher than normal w/ the removal of the sight -- the JB weld/thickness of Czechpoint's at rear looks to just be to level the plug for aesthetics.

[TJNewton]

I was originally going to do something to plug that up, whether with a flat piece of metal under the spring or by cutting down another sight as you suggested.  I was however concerned that the opening served a specific purpose and was hesitant to close it off.  Why would have that extra effort been taken?  I can only think that it's either some kind of venting as even in the factory configuration there's enough space to allow the escape of gases.  Or, it could be some kind of anchor point necessary during the manufacturing process, a place for some kind of clamp to hold onto while the area around it is formed.  I don't think it was made to access to the spring and piston as the front opening is plenty big to allow that.

Thanks for the insights.

[RSR]

It's probably to ensure air doesn't get trapped in that channel which could potentially restrict movement if a lot of grease, etc, created an air seal -- or might be for lightening reasons.  I suppose you could lock back the bolt carrier and hand cycle the piston to see if any airflow is felt around your spring.

[TJNewton]

Found a simple fix.  I fabbed a piece of metal about the same thickness and exactly the width of the leaf spring and about 2/3 as long, just enough to cover the opening.  It extends a little forward of the leaf spring up to the surface of the sight block.  I bent it to the same curve of the leaf spring, placed it inside the sight block first, then the leaf spring on top of it, then compressed the leaf spring and inserted the cross pin.  The gap is now covered, and with the metal and the spring curved upward, there's enough space underneath to allow venting, if that indeed was the purpose.