Poor man's gold bead front sight

[TucsonMTB]

Although I don't believe the cleaners I use are unusually strong, the front white dot on one of my PM40s has worn away twice. I painted it once but would like a more permanent solution to this very minor problem. Besides, my wife is away for the weekend, so playing with pistols is in order. ;)

There were some cheap gold plated beading pins with 2 mm heads on eBay last week. Guess what size the white dot is . . . yep! 2 mm.

Here are the pictures to document the 30 minutes this project required.

http://viewsfromtucson.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/3-Drill-Hole.jpg
Drilled a hole using the depression for the white dot as a pilot. Not shown here is the subsequent grinding of the opening to reach 2 mm in diameter.

http://viewsfromtucson.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/4-Hole-in-Sight.jpg
Here is the hole after a quick touch up with cold blue on a Q-tip.

http://viewsfromtucson.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/5-Pin-Head.jpg
This is the cheap, gold plated pin after cutting to length to fit in the hole.

http://viewsfromtucson.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/6-Test-Fit1.jpg
Test fitting the pin in the drilled front sight. Not bad. :)

Next, I put a small glob of good old JB Weld in the hole, coated the pin shaft with it, and popped the pin into the hole.

http://viewsfromtucson.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/8-Sight-Picture.jpg
Here's the resulting sight picture. I used the slow hardening JB Weld. It should be ready to test tomorrow morning at the range.

This is one dot I don't expect to rub off. :D

[Bawanna]

Beautiful! Looks great and should last forever. Did you cut most of the shaft off so its basically just the ball glued in the drilled hole.

Great idea.

[TucsonMTB]

Thanks for the kind words, Bawanna!

Yep! As you might be able to tell from the picture of the pin, the remainder of the shaft is about 4 mm long. It reaches to the bottom of the hole and holds the bead a little higher than it would be if it just fell into the hole.

Hopefully, the shaft will also provide enough surface for the JB Weld make a strong bond. We will know tomorrow. :rolleyes:

[CJB]

Innovative! I like it!~

[KMA]

That was very nice! You did a great job. Congrats.

[JFootin]

That's really neat! :)

[Bill K]

I like it.

Did you do something else to get so much light to the left and right of the front blade or is that just an illusion due to the way the photo was taken?

[TucsonMTB]

I like it.

Did you do something else to get so much light to the left and right of the front blade or is that just an illusion due to the way the photo was taken?
Thanks!

Other than drilling for the dot, the sights are unchanged. As you surmised, the camera's perspective is different from our eye's making the rear notch seem large relative to the front sight. If you hold you pistol close enough to your face, you can duplicate the image, realtime. ;)

[hpg]

Looks great

[TucsonMTB]

Thanks for all the kind words, guys!

The good news today is that nothing fell off while firing 100 rounds this morning. Gotta' love that J-B Weld. :)

[wyntrout]

Thanks for the post... Great Idea! I was considering having Novak Sights do that to my P40, but the gold bead front sight was $119.99, depending on gold prices and installation was more... and milling, if necessary, even more! I might try that and use a small file on my rear sight's aperture and save a whole bunch of money.

Ha! Ha! I just Googled "2mm gold bead pins" and your entry here is the first thing listed.

Wynn:)

[gb6491]

Very ingenious, well done sir!http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-signs107.gif (http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys.php)http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-signs154.gif (http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys.php)
Regards,
Greg

[TucsonMTB]

Very ingenious, well done sir!http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-signs107.gif (http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys.php)http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-signs154.gif (http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys.php)
Regards,
Greg
Thanks for the kind words, Greg! Coming from you, they mean a lot to me. :)


Thanks for the post... Great Idea! I was considering having Novak Sights do that to my P40, but the gold bead front sight was $119.99, depending on gold prices and installation was more... and milling, if necessary, even more! I might try that and use a small file on my rear sight's aperture and save a whole bunch of money.

Ha! Ha! I just Googled "2mm gold bead pins" and your entry here is the first thing listed.

Wynn:)
Awesome, Wynn! This must be my 15 nanoseconds of fame!? ;)

If you try this, be sure to use a sharp drill bit. I started thinking I would use my Dremel tool with a carbide burr, but a new drill bit in my cordless worked much better. It turned out to be surprisingly easy to drill the hole. :o

[jocko]

my opinion: We have just to much ingenious people on this forum. That is not good work, IT IS EXCELLENT WORK and the though process behind it makes it so easy for us diys guys. Actualy a nice simpl,e process when u explain it.

Very very nice Tucson. U get my vote.

[TucsonMTB]

my opinion: We have just to much ingenious people on this forum. That is not good work, IT IS EXCELLENT WORK and the though process behind it makes it so easy for us diys guys. Actualy a nice simpl,e process when u explain it.

Very very nice Tucson. U get my vote.
Thank you, sir! Just trying to give back after all the good things I have learned here. This is truly a great forum. :)

[jocko]

SIR, I kind a like that!!! very proper for a guy like me to..???

[cesande]

I can see the wife's face when I order THIS....

http://www.ebay.com/itm/14KT-Solid-Gold-Nose-Bone-Stud-Ring-2mm-Ball-22-Gauge-/150728260842?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_2&hash=item23181abcea#ht_5586wt_901

Still think I will go XS here soon...

CTD has them for the p380 for $75 and I have a sight pusher to get the factory ones off.

[knkali]

Great work. Did you roughen the pin shank before the JB weld? If not. I would rec that for others that attempt this

[TucsonMTB]

I can see the wife's face when I order THIS....

http://www.ebay.com/itm/14KT-Solid-Gold-Nose-Bone-Stud-Ring-2mm-Ball-22-Gauge-/150728260842?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_2&hash=item23181abcea#ht_5586wt_901

Still think I will go XS here soon...

CTD has them for the p380 for $75 and I have a sight pusher to get the factory ones off.
Good planning, I believe. Wish the rear sight had some illumination.

Still, your solid gold part is very nice! :)


Great work. Did you roughen the pin shank before the JB weld? If not. I would rec that for others that attempt this
Thanks for the kind words! :)

Good thought. Unlike the finely polished shaft on the "jewelry" that cesande chose, the cheaper, plated pin I used already had plenty of texture. ;)