I'm pulling my hair out tring to get the elevation dial to end up in the correct location when turning it clockwise to seat the sight assembly itself. So whats the trick? I know I'm missing something because I know trial and error would take the factory forever to build them.

First off, what type of base is it?

Or just try this, put your springs in the drum, set the berings on top (the berings should sink in about a quarter of the way, if not trim the spring), useing a flat top screwdriver push the bering in while at the same time sliding it into the slot, (if there are markings on the drum, lign up the (z, 3/8, or the 6/8) markings on the left side), then start your sight base in the hole, when it makes contact adjust the drum to the base so it will slide into the drum, then rotate the drum to bring the sight base all the way in, pin it, and there you go.

That should put the sight base flush with the zero markings back on the left side of the rifle.

Happy shooting.

Pat

This needs pics and a tack.

Quoted: This needs pics and a tack.

R2K,

There is a little setscrew that holds the elevation index to the elevation knob.  Turn the knob until the setscrew is visible outside the receiver.  Loosen it so that the elevation knob moves independently of the index.  Move the elevation knob to wherever you think it should be, then tighten the setscrew, locking the elevation index back to the knob.  There is still some guesswork involved in this, but it is alot better than guessing while installing the sight assembly.

You'd think this would be covered in an M16 tech manual somewhere.  I'll take a look later, but damn I hate spending time in those, they are a very hard read.