Hurry Sight Removal Press Machine... AArrgg

[Buzzfuzz]

Until my machine for removing and installing sights is complete, I did one today with a little bit better results. I first made a cradle to hold and have the right level slide in place. Second, I made a heavy Duty Brass punch with little steps to fit perfectly the stock sight tiers of the sights. this was intended to maximize the surface of the punch on the sights??? Who knows? Then I banged them off to the left side... barrel forward. Meaning, right to left... I guess. Look at the pics. Any suggestions until my press is completed?thanks, Buzz.

http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m...06/cradle5.jpg
http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m...decradle-1.jpg
http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m...idecradle4.jpg
http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m...006/slide3.jpg

[tomfoolery]

looks about right....with the help of a friend (ichy_trigger) ive changed the sights on 3 xds, all of which were done similar to that.

a piece of wood and a hammer, or a punch and a hammer

[buzzgreenberg@msn.com]

Hi Buzz,
It is easier to use a Medium size C-clamp and cut a few 1" neoprene plastic inserts for your vice to hold the slide. A brass key or drift rod will push the sight as you snug up the clamp. Drill a hole in the neoprene block level with the sight before you vice the slide, clamp over the block and slide, insert the brass wedge and it will press out the sight as you snug up the C-clamp. It is a bit smoother than whacking on on it with a punch and hammer. Good luck----I believe it is Right to left on the squeeze.....

[Buzzfuzz]

Sounds good, but any chance you could send a PICture. Its worth a thousand words, you know. I can sort of get the idea? I would like to try it... but to be honest, i cant quite picture it? Let em know. Thanks, Buzz

[buzzgreenberg@msn.com]

No camera but a better description .
Drill a hole or cut a slot just larger than the sight in a block of Plastic:

Size is aprox; 5" long x 2" tall x1" thick.
This goes in the vice with the hole at sight level just above the vice top.....This hole is where the sight will be pushed into...
Use a piece of material on the other side of slide flush with vice top.
Vice the slide between the blocks. Taller holed side on side you wish to push sight to.
C-clamp goes over the tall block and slide + open far enough for a drift pin on the top of the (Lower) block of plastic which is flush with the vice top..
You will want to grind a bit off the top (Fixed)lip of the C-clamp to get the drift pin close to the center axis of the clamp (I use a 1" long bronze rod with a flat bottom as the pusher rod)
Put the wobble end of the clamp over the Hole in the Taller Plastic and squeeze the sight off by drawing up the clamp......
Change block for other sight unless you have drilled 2 holes in block
Remember to mark center sight position......
Hammer is fine for tapping solid sights/ you can tap the sight off through the hole. Or clamp and press them out
I use my clamp for installing Trijicons
I used scrap white Marine plastic...... it was just like chopping block material. Very easy to drill and cut.
Hope the description works for you .....
Buzz

[Buzzfuzz]

Thanks, I will try to figure it out. I see that a large C clamp could work.. I thought of that as I have many sizes of old tool steel claps from 40 years ago... I just cannot figure out what goes where. Sorry, I do appreciate you help, just cant quite connect the dots. I will fool around with my vice and QA C Clamp and see if I can figure our the way it would push out. I know the C Clamp would have to have a bit... made for the pusher on the sight. I also can see that something has to brace the slide so you don't crush it. I guess this is where the plastic come in. so one end of the clamp has to stop in something very solid other than the gun slide... then U turn the c clamp and the bit pushes the sight out. This is understandable. But??? Well , I will have to go figure out the rest, very hard with out picture to see the set up. Anyone else willing to take a set up pic, please post . Thanks, Buzz

[Tom Dunn]

I'm trying to talk a machinest friend into making me a brass (or bronze?) drift with the end made to fit the dovetail precisely.....seem like a good idea/bad idea to you folks??????

[Fish609]

That would probably be best.

I tried doing mine and gave up right away.

I took it to have it professionally done. Although, I use that term lightly. They mangled the side of my trijicon on the rear dovetail and put nicks and scratches on the frame next to it.

It was better than I could do, but for the 15 bucks I paid them I assumed they would have taken pride in their work and not screwed the finish as much.

In they end, they are in and they work. I never plan to sell this gun so it doesn't bother me too much. It isn't bad enough to cause rusting or anything like that, but it does look pretty bad.

[Loves2Shoot]

Originally Posted by Tom Dunn

I'm trying to talk a machinest friend into making me a brass (or bronze?) drift with the end made to fit the dovetail precisely.....seem like a good idea/bad idea to you folks??????

Brass "might" last one installation, if you have one that is tight, then it would deform very quickly.

I wouldn't touch one for $15, it is not worth it unless you have nothing better going on, it is barely worth it for double that IMO. If they mangled you sight, most likely they used a punch to set it in. If that was the case, then you are lucky that they didn't break the vial.

[Tom Dunn]

$15 did indeed seem on the low side to me as well.

The quandry for many people is that they are ofter reluctant to ship a gun because of cost/hassle, yet many folks don't have a COMPETENT 'smith within a reasonable driving distance(a distance that shrinks with rising gasoline prices!) so they elect to "give it a wack" figuretly(sp), and literally!