I picked up a Traditions caplock Kentucky rifle kit. Spent the past couple weekends working on getting it all together. Got to the last step tonight of putting the sights on, only to find out that they slide right in without resistance. I figured I'd have to file them down a bit if anything, but nope I can just slide them in by hand, so loose they fall right out.
Anything I can do to solve this? Should I contact traditions, or what can I do?

One other issue. When drilling one of the holes for the tennons, I drilled too low on the stock, right at the bottom of the tennon. I measured 4x and still messed it up by just a fraction. Anything I can do to solve this one? If I fill the holes could I drill higher? I don't know a lot about woodworking.

I appreciate the help. Hopefully I don't just have a wall hanger after all this.

With a hammer peen down the edges of the dovetails.  If you were installing adjustable sights I would be tempted to put them in with a steel epoxy but with traditional sights you will been to be able to drift them in the slots or change them out if needed.

You can also shim under the sight with strips cut from a soda can. I have the CVA version of that and replaced the rear sight with a full buckhorn from Dixie gun works, I just liked the look better than the little nub of a sight that came with the kit. For the tenon problem, yes you can drill higher and then fill the old hole with wood filler. It may leave a small dot that doesn't match the rest of the gun but maybe not. Did you stain and finish the stock yet?

The peening of the dovetails will work very well as will the shimming with the can.Also brass sheet can be bought at several hobby stores (Hobby Lobby) for shim making.

If enough material is available  on the Tennon then it could be worked/filed/drilled to accept the pin?? If not redrilling the hole and filling the old one is always an option.

BTW if you have any sanding left to do save the dust,mix with wood glue to fill the holes....this tends to take the stain and better match the surrounding area.

Good luck and welcome to the "Dark Side"

Thanks for the help! I'll probably have to wait until this weekend to try these out, but it's a relief to know I should be able to make it all work.
I think I'll try to shim the sights first, then peen the edges depending on how the shims work.

For the pin I think I may contact traditions and see if I can get another tenon since the one has a good partial hole in the edge. I should have plenty of sawdust from all the sanding I can fill in the hole and try again. Good to know it can be redrilled. I was worried that the patch wouldn't be strong enough and would fall apart.
Unfortunately I did stain it already, but I can be careful and redo that small area. Maybe I'll get some brass and make disks around the pins.

Thanks again!!

Got a staking punch?

Punch the botton of the rear sight at several places.  I'd put the sight upside down in a vise and then punch away.  This raises the surface and would provide some binding betweent he sight and the dovetail.

I do not have a staking punch, only brass drift punches. I'll have to look into getting one maybe, could be useful to have. I'm going to try the shim method this weekend first, hopefully that works well enough. I'm not worried about this being a show piece anymore, just a good functional rifle.

I already looking into the next build, a true Pennsylvania style rifle. Damn addictions, lol

Did the same peen trick to the dovetail on my traditions KY.

I was thinking about grabbing one of those kits today, which one did you get, the regular kit or the "Deluxe" kit ?