Rock Island Sights

Crapulence · November 16, 2009, 02:08 PM

I recently acquired a basic Rock Island 1911 with plain GI sights. I would like to change these out for some more eye friendly 3 dot sights. The front sight is a staked unit of unknown size, Due to the fact that there doesn't seem to be many competent 1911 smiths in the north Dallas area and this is a pretty cheap gun, I don't think having the slide machined is an option. I am trying to find out what tenon size Rock Island used so I can order a replacement. From the underside it looks to be the narrower of the two options but this is at best an educated guess since its hard to tell how much the swaged area has mushroomed. I was hoping that someone here could easily recall what size front site tenon I would need. I know I could just remove the old one and measure but then my new toy would be out of action until I could get the new parts in. Thanks in advance for the help.

CowTowner · November 16, 2009, 02:28 PM

No competent smith's in North DFW? I would beg to differ. I don't know exactly where you are, but I can refer you to one via PM that is in the Denton area. Larry has done some great work for me and others over the years.

Crapulence · November 16, 2009, 02:38 PM

I came here to edit my post to add that I would be interested in any help finding a good smith in the area. I did not mean to offend its just that repeated googling seemed to bring up many smiths that where no longer in business or post bitching about shoddy workmanship. I live just south of Denton and would appreciate any information you could give me. I enjoy doing things myself but due to my current workload I would be interested in handing this over to qualified persons. I just didn't want to have to drive an hour or more, twice, to have the work done.

CowTowner · November 16, 2009, 04:44 PM

Info provided via PM.

Crapulence · November 22, 2009, 08:16 PM

Thanks again Cow Towner. I have the info saved. I ended up doing the sights myself. I can't say I saved any money after buying a good staking tool and a dremel ( I have 9 routers and 2 rotozips but amazingly have never bought a dremel before). All ended up fine though the rear site took a good bit of fitting. I have a second 1911 that I am trying to acquire that will need some milling. I will leave that up to the competent, I dont thing I could convert it to a novak sight with a dremel, diamond file, and belt sander.

November 16, 2009, 02:08 PM	#1
Crapulence Senior Member Join Date: November 12, 2008 Location: Manly Flower Mound Texas Posts: 126	Rock Island Sights I recently acquired a basic Rock Island 1911 with plain GI sights. I would like to change these out for some more eye friendly 3 dot sights. The front sight is a staked unit of unknown size, Due to the fact that there doesn't seem to be many competent 1911 smiths in the north Dallas area and this is a pretty cheap gun, I don't think having the slide machined is an option. I am trying to find out what tenon size Rock Island used so I can order a replacement. From the underside it looks to be the narrower of the two options but this is at best an educated guess since its hard to tell how much the swaged area has mushroomed. I was hoping that someone here could easily recall what size front site tenon I would need. I know I could just remove the old one and measure but then my new toy would be out of action until I could get the new parts in. Thanks in advance for the help. Last edited by Crapulence; November 16, 2009 at 02:39 PM. Reason: fixed ignorant terminology

November 16, 2009, 02:28 PM	#2
CowTowner Senior Member Join Date: October 17, 2007 Location: Cowtown of course! Posts: 1,747	No competent smith's in North DFW? I would beg to differ. I don't know exactly where you are, but I can refer you to one via PM that is in the Denton area. Larry has done some great work for me and others over the years. __________________ NRA Chief Range Safety Officer, Home Firearms Safety, Pistol and Rifle Instructor *“Today, we need a nation of Minutemen, citizens who are not only prepared to take arms, but citizens who regard the preservation of freedom as the basic purpose of their daily life......”* President John F. Kennedy

November 16, 2009, 04:44 PM	#4
CowTowner Senior Member Join Date: October 17, 2007 Location: Cowtown of course! Posts: 1,747	Info provided via PM. __________________ NRA Chief Range Safety Officer, Home Firearms Safety, Pistol and Rifle Instructor *“Today, we need a nation of Minutemen, citizens who are not only prepared to take arms, but citizens who regard the preservation of freedom as the basic purpose of their daily life......”* President John F. Kennedy

November 16, 2009, 02:38 PM	#3
Crapulence Senior Member Join Date: November 12, 2008 Location: Manly Flower Mound Texas Posts: 126	I came here to edit my post to add that I would be interested in any help finding a good smith in the area. I did not mean to offend its just that repeated googling seemed to bring up many smiths that where no longer in business or post bitching about shoddy workmanship. I live just south of Denton and would appreciate any information you could give me. I enjoy doing things myself but due to my current workload I would be interested in handing this over to qualified persons. I just didn't want to have to drive an hour or more, twice, to have the work done.

November 22, 2009, 08:16 PM	#5
Crapulence Senior Member Join Date: November 12, 2008 Location: Manly Flower Mound Texas Posts: 126	Thanks again Cow Towner. I have the info saved. I ended up doing the sights myself. I can't say I saved any money after buying a good staking tool and a dremel ( I have 9 routers and 2 rotozips but amazingly have never bought a dremel before). All ended up fine though the rear site took a good bit of fitting. I have a second 1911 that I am trying to acquire that will need some milling. I will leave that up to the competent, I dont thing I could convert it to a novak sight with a dremel, diamond file, and belt sander.