Loose rear site

[tallahasseegreys]

Went to the range today. I'm usually pretty dead on, but was shooting left. Figured it was just me. So I get home and prepare to clean the gun. I typically use the plastic handle end of a screwdriver to knock the take down pin out. However today it didn't want to cooperate (I hadn't cleaned the gun in quite a while so wasn't too surprised). So I got a little rough with it and knocked it very firmly. I noticed that the rear site had moved!! I could then slide it either way a couple millimeters!!

Anyone had this happen? What actually keeps the sight in place? Friction? I guess I need to take her to a smith.

[tallahasseegreys]

Oh yeah. K9 Elite 03.

[chrish]

The dovetail has a taper to it wider on the right, more narrow on the left (from the back of the gun). The further you push it to the left (looking at the back of the gun) the tighter it'll get. But some Loctite is necessary to keep it in place where it needs to be to for accuracy. Getting it re-aligned and on target might be a bit of a pain and require some light tapping at the range while you shoot, tap, shoot, tap. Then some Loctite.

What I do is shoot, tap, shoot tap...then when its where I want it, I take a mechanical pencil and draw a mark from the site onto the slide. Then I pull it off, put Loctite inside the dovetail area, slide it back on, and line up the marks I made. Done.

Hope that helps, some other folks might have a better suggestion/technique. But that's what I do.

[Bawanna]

There are several mechanical tricks to tighten the rear sight. You can take it all the way out and take a punch and dimple the bottom of the sight.

You can take a smooth face hammer and smack the top edges of the dovetail a few licks to tighten it up some or dimple the bottom of the dovetail too.

[wyntrout]

The rear sight on my newest P380 came loose and would slide out. I cleaned the residue off the sight and the dove tail, then used Red Permatex to seal it in place. Don't use Red Loctite or the equivalent "permanent" threadblocker on SCREWS that you might want to EVER loosen, though. I just eyeballed the rear sight to center position with my fingers and let it dry overnight.

If mounted correctly, the sights are press-fitted... after removing minute bits with a file or stone until they fit about halfway in. They shouldn't be loose, but it happens... poorly fitted in haste... maybe.:rolleyes:

Wynn:)