If you are trying to adjust or remove the XDM Factory sights... then you are not going to be very successful with that tool. I know, I have that tool and 2 others. All I wound up doing was scratching the hell outta my slides. (3.8 and 4.5) Then sent them both to James (xdman.com) for a refinishing and installation of TFO's.
Learn from my mistakes ( I am a DIY'er by nature ) as well as many others on this forum. The Factory Sights are installed so tight that it's as if GOD himself installed them.
Do yourself a favor and send it to XDMAN.com and he can have it turned around back to you in just a matter of a couple of days.
Again though, I had a nice 1/2" long scratch (not deep - just finish) and I could not stand looking at my slide.
The slide will try to twist and contort sooo much that it is un-nerving. I even soaked the slide upside down in KROIL, then tried to freeze and you name it, every trick I ever read. SUCKED!
Send your slide to James! Everything I have read (here & elsewhere) tells me that messing with SA XD sights is not DIY, there are plenty of creditable stories of even gunsmiths messing up SA XD sight installations.
Everything I have read indicates James is quick and reasonably priced. I am very competent in many things mechanical, but for sights, my stuff goes to James.
Yes, and no cardboard or tape in the WORLD on the slide is enough.
I promise you.... that the front sight is on that tight. It's totally crazy and unreasonable sounding I know.
Of'course, feel free to purchase and try. Then you too can get an AWESOME refinish and sights installed. lol
And like you, I read, read, researched, and decided to do it. Ordered 3 sight pushers. And the Hillwig tool was the only one that I respect. VERY HEAVY duty. Now my Glock - rear sight came out in seconds. No prob.
My sights installed and new finish on my 4.5..... I love showing her off!
Now watch that vid, and see how much of the slide is held? It will still try to twist, buckle, rise trying to combat the force of pushing against the sights.
I know of no other way to describe it, except x10 on the other sight tools.
I don't have either one of those sight pushers. My sight pusher is James (ajamesp51 - xdman.com). He has installed all of the sights on my XDMs and XDSs. For $25.00, you can't beat his workmanship and customer service. My slides come back to me within a week, and that includes two to three days of Priority Mail each way.
To me, it's not worth potentially scratching my slides, when James does such a great job. Plus, if anything happens while he installs the sights (the new sights break while being installed, etc.), James makes it right. You'd never know he had to replace your sight. Also, if you order your aftermarket sights from him, he'll install them free.
I agree with Torked. Trying to get my rear sight centered at 2 shops broke 1 brand new meprolight sight pusher and the other one, the guy just gave up for fear of his breaking (not sure of the brand). I sent mine to Springfield. When I'm ready for new sights, my new XD is going to James.
Sparx, I'm sure James does great work but don't be discouraged about doing it yourself. I have the Fisher tool with the XDm blocks. Just this past Saturday I removed the factory sights and installed TFO's.
I am not a gunsmith and this was the first time I had ever attempted installing sights on a pistol. They are on tight but not that tight. I hit them with penetrating oil the night before and they came right off the next morning. Wrap your slide with several layers of masking tape, take your time and line everything up and you'll be fine.
Due to the bevel of the XDm slide there were two VERY small marks left by the aluminum clamp blocks but they buffed completely away with a bit of Frog Lube and about 3 minutes each with a copper brush.
There's also the additional benefit of being able to take the tool with you to the range in case the rear requires minor tweeting. It would suck to have to send the slide somewhere again to have it adjusted .010 inches.
Please buy the one you posted, and post pics of the removal. Both before and after.
*** now of'course since I just said that, yours will come off like soft butter. :lol: .
Isn't that the way it always works? Tell some 'piece of cake, no problem' and it turns into a nightmare. Tell someone 'that's a really though job' and it turns out to be a walk in the park!
My vote still goes to NO DIY, I like my slides neat, clean, no scratches or gouges, etc.
I did the front sight on my wife's XD with a hammer and punch. It wasn't that hard for just the front sight but if I was doing both I would send it to James.
There are 100s of youtube videos of guys swapping firearm sights with nothing more than a punch and hammer.
But xd stock sights are know for being VERY tight.
I'd only use a dedicated MGW pusher on any XD/XDm/XDs, but that is just me..
Here is how NOT to do it..
There are also many a pic on the internet of a botched up sight installation..
I do most of my basic gunsmithing myself, but I'm no gunsmith.
I couldn't take a hammer and a punch to any handgun sight of mine.
A man's got to know his limitations...:mrgreen:
I installed a few sets of sights on a few pistols, but once I screwed up that P239 slide, I sold the pusher and bought the MGWs for Glock and Sig..
I mostly own Glocks and Sigs, so I have that covered.
Anything else goes to James..
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