P38 dust cover

[Herk1994]

So after my fix on the rear sight in the last thread, I’m attempting to reassemble my P38. The dust cover was nice and tight, but now it’s so loose it rattles and fails to hold the rear sight all the way down in place properly. I can’t imagine the ears got bent that bad.

Any good fixes for loose dust covers? I know they’re troublesome.

 

[daltrey99]

So after my fix on the rear sight in the last thread, I’m attempting to reassemble my P38. The dust cover was nice and tight, but now it’s so loose it rattles and fails to hold the rear sight all the way down in place properly. I can’t imagine the ears got bent that bad.

Any good fixes for loose dust covers? I know they’re troublesome.

View attachment 246300

Did you re-use the rear sight or change it out? If its a different one, you may have more of a "gap" in the mating surfaces. Try another cover if you have one. I usually have a few on hand and try different ones for a good fit.

 

[Herk1994]

Did you re-use the rear sight or change it out? If its a different one, you may have more of a "gap" in the mating surfaces. Try another cover if you have one. I usually have a few on hand and try different ones for a good fit.

Same rear sight, it's the only one I have on hand.

 

[daltrey99]

Same rear sight, it's the only one I have on hand.

You can try to bend the rear section very slightly so that it will have some resistance at the rear that holds the sight in place. Then snap it into place and see if it seems tighter. If that doesnt work, I would try another cover.

 

[Herk1994]

You can try to bend the rear section very slightly so that it will have some resistance at the rear that holds the sight in place. Then snap it into place and see if it seems tighter. If that doesnt work, I would try another cover.

I tried exactly that with my fingers, it is now fixed completely.

Thanks for the assistance!

 

[daltrey99]

I tried exactly that with my fingers, it is now fixed completely.

Thanks for the assistance!

Glad it worked for you!

 

[Tiger 2 Tank]

I have heard of this being done to “wiggly rear sights”. Are you talking about applying a very small amount of pressure on one where the yellow arrow is showing? Thanks in advance.

 

[daltrey99]

I have heard of this being done to “wiggly rear sights”. Are you talking about applying a very small amount of pressure on one where the yellow arrow is showing? Thanks in advance.

View attachment 246482

Yes on the yellow line in your photo. It kind of gives a little more pressure at the rear sight and hold the cover in better. I love P38's but the cover is definitely the achilles heel on them.

 

[mikep]

Some pf these seem to just give up after a disassembly or two.
Thing to watch for is that they will sometimes spontaneously disassemble when fired.
The related small bits can be projected distances or into impossible clumps of grass or weeds.
after a couple instances directly related to this, I put a small strip of 100 mph tape across the top of the ones I shoot.

 

[MGMike]

Actually the cover locks onto the slide at the front, not at the back. It sounds to me like you didn't get the cover on properly the first time around. The second time you did.

M