Colt Sights

[melissa5]

I took the new to me Colt OACP to the range and ran a box of WWB through her. Somewhere around the 100 mark, the front sight flew off to never be found again. So, what replacement sights are ya'll using on your Colts?

One other thing....the trigger is kind of gritty. What might I need to do to it? Or have a professional do to it.

[CJB]

The OACP has two things to mind with a front sight.

First - its a large post type. Colt has small post and large post types. Older ones small, newer ones are large. They changed... in the mid 80's. I think the re-introduced old model Colts are still using the smaller sights. To the best of my knowledge all OACP's have large posts.

Second - on an OACP, the slide is thinner than a Govt or Commander, to accommodate the larger bushing diameter. Makes dual-crimp or dovetail after the fact... trickier.

I prefer a plain ol' stake on sight, and made a staking punch out of a Craftsman cold chisel (using a grinder and dremel). Works great, but you have to clamp the slide to a metal plate once the sight is fit, and whack the whole affair while the plate is on something sturdy - I have a column of 8" blocks set on a slab for fits the bill for that purpose. It helps if you Dremel out a small relief on the inside of the slide. The hole for the sight is suppose to have a taper, being larger inside than outside, but sometimes there's hardly any taper at all. The relief cut (a small crater) will allow the sight to upset into that space as well. If you do that, they dont tend to shoot off. I like good clean metal-to-metal, no glue, no Loktight, no nuthin but squashed metal pushing against squashed metal. Done.... a few dozen that way, including the last three 1911's I just completed. They're tight.

Standard Colt sight, or other large post sight of the same elevation is what to use.

OR

You can have the slide dovetailed.

OR

Use a Millett dual-crimp

YMMV, I like the post.

[melissa5]

I'm thinking about XS express 24/7 standard dots. I like dot-the-i sights.

[Bawanna]

I'm thinking about XS express 24/7 standard dots. I like dot-the-i sights.

You really know how to turn a mans head. XS sights would be totally wicked cool on that OACP. I'm not real sure how that will happen. I suspect it will require a dovetail cut, hence a trip to XS or a Smith. I'm not sure if XS does machine work or maybe they have a stake on version but let your fingers do the walking and give em a call.

I think it's a great choice for that size gun, either in big dot or standard dot. Either would work just fine.

[CJB]

Their website says they have a staked on.


(later)

I went thru their sight selector... they say staked, but then say - no, its dovetail, and requires 'smithing.

[melissa5]

Their website says they have a staked on.


(later)

I went thru their sight selector... they say staked, but then say - no, its dovetail, and requires 'smithing.

Damnation! :( I'll call them and then call my gunsmith and see what he'll charge to make it work. I really like the sights but it may not be worth the cost.

Edited to add that the total would be $169 if I sent the slide to XS to install the sights.

[jeepster09]

Almost All my guns have the XS Big Dots, my gunsmith has charged me $30 to cut slide with dovetail.

http://i691.photobucket.com/albums/vv276/jeepster09/IMG_0854.jpg

[Bawanna]

Damnation! :( I'll call them and then call my gunsmith and see what he'll charge to make it work. I really like the sights but it may not be worth the cost.

Edited to add that the total would be $169 if I sent the slide to XS to install the sights.

Actually including the sight set thats not all that bad a price really. I put adjustable XS sights on my full size double stack Para and it was over 300 as I recall.

Jeepster I think thats the first set of wood grips I've seen on any of your guns. Nice. Those look perfect on that gun.

[jeepster09]

I have wood on several of my guns......

http://i691.photobucket.com/albums/vv276/jeepster09/IMG_1157.jpg

[TucsonMTB]

Wow! I'm not really into shotguns, but that is beautiful wood. :)

[melissa5]

As much as I like the XS sights, I decided to put on another $10 stake on from Brownell's. Maybe for my birthday next year...

I also located a couple of highly recommended gunsmiths in the area to look at the trigger. I probably need that more than night sights at the moment.

[gb6491]

As much as I like the XS sights, I decided to put on another $10 stake on from Brownell's. Maybe for my birthday next year...

I also located a couple of highly recommended gunsmiths in the area to look at the trigger. I probably need that more than night sights at the moment.
Brownells is one of my favorite places to do business with. They are knowledgeable, ship fast, and do refunds/replacement without hassle; totally professional. My OACP popped a front sight a couple of years ago and Colt sent me the wrong replacement. Brownells came through with a correct set of Milletts (stake on front, not the dual crimp version) for me. It's too bad that Millett seems to have gotten out of the iron sight game: I really like them on my OACP and have their plain adjustable rear sight on several other guns.
http://i36.tinypic.com/svgtbs.jpg

http://i34.tinypic.com/10qe1bd.jpgRegards,
Greg

[Bawanna]

Plus a big one on Brownells. They have everything. If they don't have it you probably don't need it.

I nearly always have an in progress order and let the officers at work know I"m ordering so we can combine stuff and get it all shipped together.

They have good references, stock factory parts for many brands and ship fast. Seldom have to back order either. They got it.

[CJB]

Sometimes Brownells, sometimes Midway. Midway will usually offer a slight discount, and its the same item, and Midway's sales and coupons can make the savings on parts even better.

Neither of those two places has much in the way of rimfire match rifle parts and components, but there are specialty houses that have those items.

[jeepster09]

I have found Brownells and Midway to be high priced, however they usually have what you need. Also check "Cheaper Than Dirt", if they have it the price and customer service has been good.

[melissa5]

Midway gave me a certain % off of one order for my birthday. I don't remember the percentage. Even with that discount, the Lee equipment was still less from factorysales.com even though they charged more for shipping.

[CJB]

This all just re-enforces that it pays to shop around!~