Gun Sight Removing tool

[Raidingtime]

Hello,

I recently traded for a Glock 19 Gen 4 with factory night sights. Unfortunately, the sights seemed to have lost their youth and need to be replaced with fresh night sights. I keep adding night sights to my firearms and figured it's time to start doing it on my own. What I'm asking:

- recommendations for site pusher tools
- even better, if anyone lives within SE Portland could I borrow your sight pusher?

Thank you,

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[Stomper]

I do the same thing as you're doing, and all I've done is tape the jaws of my vice so it doesn't mar the slide, use a pencil to mark the existing zero of the rear sight, then use a drift punch (use plastic or brass... Harbor Frieght) and a small hammer to remove and replace. You WILL need a thin-walled 3/16" nut-driver to do the front sight.

You can find good deals on eBay for the front sight tool and a sight-pusher if you don't want to fiddle with the vice (and such). I got a combo front sight tool that had a magnetized thin walled nut driver on one end, a grippable section in the middle, and Glock take-down tool on the other end.

 

[Raidingtime]

I do the same thing as you're doing, and all I've done is tape the jaws of my vice so it doesn't mar the slide, use a pencil to mark the existing zero of the rear sight, then use a drift punch (use plastic or brass... Harbor Frieght) and a small hammer to remove and replace. You WILL need a thin-walled 3/16" nut-driver to do the front sight.

You can find good deals on eBay for the front sight tool and a sight-pusher if you don't want to fiddle with the vice (and such). I got a combo front sight tool that had a magnetized thin walled nut driver on one end, a grippable section in the middle, and Glock take-down tool on the other end.

I tried that on my SW Shield and got worried that I would end up harming the slide so I took it to Oregon Timberwolf. The business is awesome and has great prices on great quality of work. The drawback is that it's about an hour drive from where I live and the wait time can be considerable.

I have successfully done that method on my .38 special LCR. Maybe the Glock is easier than the Smith?

 

[Stomper]

Glocks may ascetically look like a couple of 2x4's slapped together, but the slide is nice in a vice (that rymed... LOL) after you take the side off.


There's something to be said for a lack of pretty contours and such.

 

[Certaindeaf]

If I got some fancy tritium sights I'd be tempted to not pound on them.. but I don't.
You'd think that one could take a fired straight walled case like a .357, fill it with hard lead (or even a hardwood dowel), drill a hole in a 2x4 and use your reloading press to push the sights.
If you had to, you could center a smaller diameter brass rod in it and nail it down with molten lead.. it'd be smaller, harder and allow more reach.
patent pending!

 

[Stomper]

....very crafty.

 

[Sgt Nambu]

I was thinking along the same lines as, Certaindeaf!
Support the slide and use a rod chucked into a drill press!

 

[spookshack]

<broken link removed>

Though it is not as refined as I would like, I'm glad I got it.
Hope to put it to use again this weekend.

 

[jrprich]

I usually just use my vise and an aluminum punch made from aluminum rod. I do add rubber jaw pads to my vise so as not to cause damage.

http://www.amazon.com/Bessey-BV-NVJ-Multi-Purpose-Vise-Jaws/dp/B0057PUEZO

 

[BigNashty]

I used a sight master sight pusher that i order online. It works great for taking off old sights and installing new ones. The great thing about them is that they work on almost all slides as long as they are flat on the sides (For example:Glocks, 1911's, and Sig's). If you have a gun with an irregular shaped slide, I believe you can order special jigs for them. For what you are getting the price really isn't that bad compared to a lot of other similar tools.

You could also use brass or another soft metal punch but there is a chance or damage to the sights (especially tritium) and the slide. Plus it is kind of hard to sight your gun in on the range with a punch set.

 

[Raidingtime]

Hmmm, Glock introduced the Gen4 Glock 19 in the middle of 2010, that isn't long enough for quality tritium sights to lose their luster. Are you sure they are just a little crusty with dust?

They're clean. Perhaps the tritium is defective? They're really dim. However, I am comparing them to the TFOs I have on my shield. Maybe the tritium in the TFOs is of better quality and or design than factory glock night sights? I purchased the TFOs already and have them ready to put on.

I found a sight pusher on Amazon for $40 that I think I'm going to buy.

 

[spookshack]

I was reading A-H at Freddy's this evening and saw an article that mentioned this sight pusher tool here:

<broken link removed>

I might have to break down and buy this and see how
is compares to my Fisher Solutions sight pusher....

 

[spookshack]

At $65.00, it's not a terrible price either.

 

[Ura-Ki]

They're clean. Perhaps the tritium is defective? They're really dim. However, I am comparing them to the TFOs I have on my shield. Maybe the tritium in the TFOs is of better quality and or design than factory glock night sights? I purchased the TFOs already and have them ready to put on.

I found a sight pusher on Amazon for $40 that I think I'm going to buy.

Make sure it has clearance for your slide! Some I have seen didn't have enough clearance to push a rear sight on a Glock or other Brick size slides!

 

[Raidingtime]

This is the one that I have in my Amazon cart right now

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...ue&ref_=ox_sc_act_title_1&smid=A3VYO94AVW7NU6

 

[SoberPoster]

Springfield XD's are NOTORIOUS for tooooo tight steel sights; rumored to BREAK most sight installation/pusher tools. They do sell such a tool so I would buy
one from them. Any other known options???

Just got a message from Springfield Armory: They never sold such a tool;
cute but I know I saw it there three years ago. Keith's Sporting Goods will
not allow you to use their tool (free use to customers) as SA XD's sights will
"Break" it.

Several have posted links to D.D.Machine - Amazon Marketplace;
I sent several messages thru Amazon about this issue:

#### swpost10 ###########################

I saw your "Handgun Sight Tool Universal for Front
or Rear Dovetail Sights", plastic Glock sights are
one thing BUT will it work with STEEL Springfield XD
sights, and without breaking after a few of them!

#### D.D.Machine - Amazon Marketplace############

yes and no ,,, some of the Springfield sights are safe
to push out and other ones are in so tight they need to
be machined out then have the new sights FITTED and
pushed in ,,,, bottom line is yes its a good tool ,,
but Springfield can have their sights in so blasted tight
you can bend or crack the slide trying to get them out ,,,
if your having to ask about it I would say send your slide
back to Springfield and make remove them ... I have talked
to a "LOT" of guys that have screwed up their slides trying
to remove the stock sights ,,, thanks Duffy

###### swpost10 #############################

I actually had a Gunsmith replace these sights with Tritium
night sights on all my guns. Doesn't that change the issue??

###### D.D.Machine - Amazon Marketplace#############

yes he should have fitted and have the sights on right ,,,
its the stock sights that the factory pushes in that are super
hard to get out ...

******************************************************************
Bottom line is: no sight pusher tool will simply get STOCK XD sights out; unless
you are too cheap and just try it and maybe screw up your slide.
Cost me $50 to have gunsmith on Stark replace them with Tritium night
sights; NOW that sight tool will work, per D.D.Machine.

 

[oreoismydog]

I'm in Portland and I have the sight pusher tool I can lend you. Just PM me. I used it to install rear tritium sights on my glock 17

 

[Raidingtime]

I'm in Portland and I have the sight pusher tool I can lend you. Just PM me. I used it to install rear tritium sights on my glock 17

I wish you had replied sooner! I purchased the above pusher off of amazon. It works great and now I'm lending it out to friends.

Thank you for the offer!

 

[oreoismydog]

No worries