installing sights

[cangler]

anyone installed sights with a vice and brass punch route? I'm thinking about getting some other sights but really don't want to have to get a sight tool if it's not completely necessary.

[Tilos]

If you're talking dovetail type sights, easy enough with the right tools.

I never use a round punch but use a flat bladed screw driver, with the handle cut off and a piece of electrical tape over the blade.

It will give way more contact with the sight dovetail and not dimple it.
I also use a small drill press type vise to hold the slide, and place it on the flat anvil part of a BIG bench vise.
Covering the slide with blue painters tape works well for protection.

Where most go wrong, is not using a solid surface to tap/drift the sight but rather something like sitting on a desk, that's sitting on carpet... way too bouncey.

just sayin'
Tilos

[jocko]

anyone installed sights with a vice and brass punch route? I'm thinking about getting some other sights but really don't want to have to get a sight tool if it's not completely necessary.

sights on kahrs move right off with no issues, some seem "welded" on and without a good sight pusher, u might do some damage.

Without the proper tools, I would let a smitty do it or just send the slide to who ever is selling the sights and let them install it. Pay the price and get it done professionally. Might be the best bucks u ever spent.:israel:

[lkgmadmax]

sights on kahrs move right off with no issues, some seem "welded" on and without a good sight pusher, u might do some damage.

Without the proper tools, I would let a smitty do it or just send the slide to who ever is selling the sights and let them install it. Pay the price and get it done professionally. Might be the best bucks u ever spent.:israel:

I wound agree, I ordered a set on-line for my Glock and had a local gun shop do it for 25.00. Local shops around here normally do it for free if you buy the sights from them.

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[Tilos]

lkgmadmax:

From what little I think I know, I sight pusher is for ADJUSTING a sight, not for installation.

Did the smith let you watch the install?
Usually they send you away to come back tomorrow and have the sight changed, using a punch, before you get out of the parking lot.
Tilos

[JFootin]

Someone posted here about putting the slide in the freezer for a while before removal. Really seems to help. Do a search on slide and freezer.

[Bawanna]

lkgmadmax:

From what little I think I know, I sight pusher is for ADJUSTING a sight, not for installation.

Did the smith let you watch the install?
Usually they send you away to come back tomorrow and have the sight changed, using a punch, before you get out of the parking lot.
Tilos

From what little Tilos knows I agree that a sight pusher is for ADJUSTING as sight. They on occasion may help crack a tight sight loose but if you can't move it with a hammer and a good solid punch your pusher ain't gonna do it either.

I took half a dozen Berettas to a smith, called himself the sightman. They were bloody hard to get out, I did one myself. He never touched or mentioned a pusher. He did have the biggest vise I've ever seen and the smallest hammer. I learned alot from that guy.
Still can't install sights worth a damn but I know how he'd do it.

[Tilos]

Yup, and the reason they tell you to come back tomorrow is you'd whine about the $25 for 10 seconds of work.
You are paying for the know-how...not the time of labor, but some just don't get it.

I worked in a bike shop that charged $5 for a tube and $10 to change the tire.
I told the whiners to just buy the tube and do it themselves.
They'd go to Walmart and buy a tube and were back a day later, and of course instead of telling them to come back a 5, we'd tell them to leave it and come back tomorrow.
We sent them away and had the tire changed before they got out of the parking lot:D.

[lkgmadmax]

lkgmadmax:

From what little I think I know, I sight pusher is for ADJUSTING a sight, not for installation.

Did the smith let you watch the install?
Usually they send you away to come back tomorrow and have the sight changed, using a punch, before you get out of the parking lot.
Tilos

Yep I watched him, he used a vise type tool clamp and turned the knob pressing the rear sight out of it's track. He pressed in the New one and installed the front sight, the sighted it in using a bore laser.

Also keep the liability part in mind, if the dealer screws up your slide or it's finish it's on him, if you do it and screw up it's on you :) 25.00 could be a bargain.

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[jocko]

naw u can use a sight pusher to install sights. A good Smitty doesnt need a pusher to install sights but nrmally does to remove sights so as to not damage a slide or the sights if they are going to be used again. Most new sights are not made to just slip right in or evento be pushed in, not all dovetails are the exact same either, so partial fitting is required and then normally a new set of sights goes in pretty easy. Indeed if u can't do it, I would suggest letting the sight maker install them. They will noramally do it for a charge but it is well worth the down time. A "GOOD" Smitty should be able to do it with ease, but know the person doing it..

[wyntrout]

The dovetails are usually narrower on one side and the sights are removed and inserted on the other side. It's harder to go the wrong way. Be sure you're doing it correctly.

Look in the Yellow Pages or Online... $25 or $35 is cheap on your pistol. The "C" models have the disposable front sight and the rear may be easier, but the... AHEM... quality models have two dovetails and the front seems to be harder to remove.

Go with a person who does this for a living.

My 2¢ worth.

Wynn:D

[ArmedProgrammer]

As I just mentioned in the general forum, I just picked up a GREAT sight pusher for $60 at sightpusher.com. I am not in any way affiliated with them. I just was in this same bind and found that tool to be VERY good and way better priced than Brownell's, etc.

[FLBri]

I also purchased a tool from "sightpusher.com"

I also sent him a 'Laserlyte' laser sight to template so I can use it to install the laser sights to test on one of my Kahrs.

He took the laser sight and made a template for an alternate pusher for it.

This is a simple and effective tool at a great price with great service.

[muggsy]

lkgmadmax:

From what little I think I know, I sight pusher is for ADJUSTING a sight, not for installation.

Did the smith let you watch the install?
Usually they send you away to come back tomorrow and have the sight changed, using a punch, before you get out of the parking lot.
Tilos

Sight pushers are used to adjust, remove and install sights. They can be removed or installed with a brass punch, but that isn't the preferred method. There are far to many guns are disfigured by ham handed fools who think that they are gunsmiths than by any other method.

[muggsy]

naw u can use a sight pusher to install sights. A good Smitty doesnt need a pusher to install sights but nrmally does to remove sights so as to not damage a slide or the sights if they are going to be used again. Most new sights are not made to just slip right in or evento be pushed in, not all dovetails are the exact same either, so partial fitting is required and then normally a new set of sights goes in pretty easy. Indeed if u can't do it, I would suggest letting the sight maker install them. They will noramally do it for a charge but it is well worth the down time. A "GOOD" Smitty should be able to do it with ease, but know the person doing it..

Jocko, you sound like a man who has been around the block a few times. I like your style.

[NM0]

This thread is great. Really debating giving that sight pusher a try. Want better sights on my MK and have a few XD's that need updating too. LGS's are 50+ miles away...been doing everything on mine own since I started back up with the gun addiction.