XD sights: L-R or R-L?? - XDTalk Forums - Your HS2000/SA-XD Information Source!

Myk9noseknows · 05-08-2007, 02:42 PM

I know the XD is notorious for having stubborn sights. I have the Midway sight pusher and it worked great on my Kimber, (kimber is also notorious for being immovable). The front sight actually came off Smooooooooth.

Before I put all my elbow grease into the XD sight, I wanted to check and see if they needed to be removed from a certain direction? I'm not desperate enough to go cut them off with the dremmel, so I wanted to ask people who have removed their sights, (or you gunsmiths out there, Scott!!), which direction to push them out.

Removed right to left, or left to right? Or on the XD, does it really matter?

I put some Remington oil w/ Teflon on them overnight to help the process.

bward76 · 05-08-2007, 02:45 PM

I couldnt measure a difference in each side of the dovetails with my micrometer to 1/1000th of an inch. I just banged them out from passenger to drivers side and installed in reverse. but I dont think it would have mattered either way. I have an xd40SC.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Myk9noseknows

I know the XD is notorious for having stubborn sights. I have the Midway sight pusher and it worked great on my Kimber, (kimber is also notorious for being immovable). The front sight actually came off Smooooooooth.

Before I put all my elbow grease into the XD sight, I wanted to check and see if they needed to be removed from a certain direction? I'm not desperate enough to go cut them off with the dremmel, so I wanted to ask people who have removed their sights, (or you gunsmiths out there, Scott!!), which direction to push them out.

Removed right to left, or left to right? Or on the XD, does it really matter?

I put some Remington oil w/ Teflon on them overnight to help the process.

DNM · 05-08-2007, 04:18 PM

Ditto... when swapping some sights on mine we went R to L uninstall and reverse (L to R) install.

Boricua · 05-10-2007, 03:22 PM

I pushed mine out from the ejection portside to the opposite side, right to left. Back when I was asking around the people who know seemed to agree with this. But I have also heard all the othere ways as well.

leeindy · 05-10-2007, 03:24 PM

doesnt matter either way

Myk9noseknows · 05-10-2007, 09:13 PM

Well I gave it my all on my new XD45 Compact. Tightened the sight pusher, tightened the vice around the pusher. Tackled it from every direction.
Wouldn't budge, not even a millimeter. the Slide started to get marred because the damn thing wanted to twist up under the pressure of the pusher rod. I was so desperate I tied the slide down with zip ties to keep it from moving,,,din't work. Good thing I'm gonna do a color job on it...that should touch it up

I'm sending it to Springer Precision for a trigger job and he's gonna remove the sights for me. I almost got out the dremmel with a cutting wheel and figured I'd let it be his problem, (sorry Scott, i know you're used to it by now).

I'd recommend the sight pusher for any 1911, the thing can grip the slide no problem and took off and put on a great set of nights. But since the XD slide is tapered bottom to top, the tool shows it's flaw.

I would have taken pictures, but who needs to see a picture of sights that don't move

. I guess a pic of my slide in a vice and sight pusher with 12 zip ties holding it down would have been humorous

Chewie146 · 05-10-2007, 09:20 PM

I used a 32 oz ball peen hammer and a steel punch. If you do what I did, be careful not to mess up the slide/finish with the steel punch. I then installed XS sights. They haven't moved, but were much easier to put in.

leeindy · 05-10-2007, 09:56 PM

heat the slide from underneath. dont want to heat the sights too.

rgeliske · 05-12-2007, 09:43 AM

One thing that helped when I removed the sights from my XD9SC was to use a block of oak with a hole drilled the size of the punch. Use the wood block to hold and guide the punch jus clamp it to the slide and beat away. It seems to work better than trying to hold the punch with one hand and the hammer with the other. I had to do some fitting of the TFOs to get them to install smoothly but the rear has a set screw so you can tighten it after installation. The front I left a little snug and used more force installing it. TFOs work great on a SC I think better than they do on a Service model.

05-08-2007, 02:42 PM	#1
Myk9noseknows XDTalk 1K Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 1,739	XD sights: L-R or R-L?? I know the XD is notorious for having stubborn sights. I have the Midway sight pusher and it worked great on my Kimber, (kimber is also notorious for being immovable). The front sight actually came off Smooooooooth. Before I put all my elbow grease into the XD sight, I wanted to check and see if they needed to be removed from a certain direction? I'm not desperate enough to go cut them off with the dremmel, so I wanted to ask people who have removed their sights, (or you gunsmiths out there, Scott!!), which direction to push them out. Removed right to left, or left to right? Or on the XD, does it really matter? I put some Remington oil w/ Teflon on them overnight to help the process.

05-08-2007, 04:18 PM	#3
DNM XDTalk 1K Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Western WA Posts: 1,377	Ditto... when swapping some sights on mine we went R to L uninstall and reverse (L to R) install. __________________ "As I walk down the valley of the Shadow of Death I have no fear because I am the meanest motherfu**er in the whole valley" - General George S. Patton

05-10-2007, 03:22 PM	#4
Boricua XDTalk 500 Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Arizona Posts: 790	I pushed mine out from the ejection portside to the opposite side, right to left. Back when I was asking around the people who know seemed to agree with this. But I have also heard all the othere ways as well. __________________ Make a decision not an emotion!

05-10-2007, 03:24 PM	#5
leeindy XDTalk 2K Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: montana Posts: 2,892	doesnt matter either way __________________ USAF F-15 Attack Control Specialist / Range Officer / Defensive Pistol Instructor "A fear of weapons is a sign of retarded sexual and emotional maturity" Sigmund Freud Anchorage Practical Shooters Club aka ANPRACS ANPRACS Match Videos click here and here USPSA # A-58756 IDPA # A28338 Co-Founder of the OFFICIAL XDtalk Competition League Another good gun forum http://www.nationalgunforum.com

05-10-2007, 09:20 PM	#7
Chewie146 XDTalk 500 Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Los Alamos Posts: 727	I used a 32 oz ball peen hammer and a steel punch. If you do what I did, be careful not to mess up the slide/finish with the steel punch. I then installed XS sights. They haven't moved, but were much easier to put in. __________________ ----------------------------------------------------------- "Beware the man with one gun..." Befriend the man with 30?

05-10-2007, 09:13 PM	#6
Myk9noseknows XDTalk 1K Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 1,739	Well I gave it my all on my new XD45 Compact. Tightened the sight pusher, tightened the vice around the pusher. Tackled it from every direction. Wouldn't budge, not even a millimeter. the Slide started to get marred because the damn thing wanted to twist up under the pressure of the pusher rod. I was so desperate I tied the slide down with zip ties to keep it from moving,,,din't work. Good thing I'm gonna do a color job on it...that should touch it up I'm sending it to Springer Precision for a trigger job and he's gonna remove the sights for me. I almost got out the dremmel with a cutting wheel and figured I'd let it be his problem, (sorry Scott, i know you're used to it by now). I'd recommend the sight pusher for any 1911, the thing can grip the slide no problem and took off and put on a great set of nights. But since the XD slide is tapered bottom to top, the tool shows it's flaw. I would have taken pictures, but who needs to see a picture of sights that don't move . I guess a pic of my slide in a vice and sight pusher with 12 zip ties holding it down would have been humorous

05-10-2007, 09:56 PM	#8
leeindy XDTalk 2K Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: montana Posts: 2,892	heat the slide from underneath. dont want to heat the sights too. __________________ USAF F-15 Attack Control Specialist / Range Officer / Defensive Pistol Instructor "A fear of weapons is a sign of retarded sexual and emotional maturity" Sigmund Freud Anchorage Practical Shooters Club aka ANPRACS ANPRACS Match Videos click here and here USPSA # A-58756 IDPA # A28338 Co-Founder of the OFFICIAL XDtalk Competition League Another good gun forum http://www.nationalgunforum.com

05-12-2007, 09:43 AM	#9
rgeliske XDTalk 1K Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Central Florida Posts: 1,593	One thing that helped when I removed the sights from my XD9SC was to use a block of oak with a hole drilled the size of the punch. Use the wood block to hold and guide the punch jus clamp it to the slide and beat away. It seems to work better than trying to hold the punch with one hand and the hammer with the other. I had to do some fitting of the TFOs to get them to install smoothly but the rear has a set screw so you can tighten it after installation. The front I left a little snug and used more force installing it. TFOs work great on a SC I think better than they do on a Service model. __________________ Sig P220, Taurus PT1911, Browning HiPower 9mm, CZ75, CZ75 P01, S&W Model 60 357, Savage 9317 BTVS .17, Browning Buckmark, Taurus Gaucho 357 (pair), Taurus Gaucho 45LC (pair), Uberti 1873 Saddle Rifle 357, Uberti 1873 45 LC Carbine, TTN 12 Gauge Double, Ruger Bisley Vaquero 357 (pair), Springfield XD9SC, XD45 Service, XD45 Compact Tactical, Glock G35, Taurus 617 357

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