using a punch to install/uninstall night sights....

hoytinak · February 26, 2010, 11:45 PM

Is it possible (I'm sure anything's possible but, so how bout likey) to break the glass tubes in night sights while using a punch to install/uninstall them? I used a punch for several years before getting a sight pusher and never had any problems myself. I ask cause I know a guy that refuses to use a punch on his sights, not for fear of scratching the sights/slide but for fear he'll break the glass tubes. Is this really a problem, was I just lucky?

drail · February 27, 2010, 05:02 PM

If you hit it hard enough it will break. If the dovetail is so tight that a lot of force is required to break it loose and move it there is a good chance. A sight pusher would be better but most of the ones I have tried to use are basically junk if the sight is in there really tight. I would maybe try a nylon punch with gentle taps with the slide secured in a heavy enough vise that it cannot move. At all. You might get lucky. I have installed a lot of sights on pistols but always turned down requests for night sights. I feel they are overpriced and too fragile. If it is so dark that I cannot see metallic sights I would either point shoot or don't take the shot.

guncrank · March 2, 2010, 03:15 PM

My sight pusher is a two ton arbor press with a hardend steel pusher that I made on lathe.
It will remove or install night sites with out damage to slide or sight.
It will only do slides with flat side not the newer Bretta slides which have a slope.
But I am going slide holder like a commercial pusher.

Yes striking a night site can break the seal.
CEW

goodspeed(TPF) · March 2, 2010, 06:55 PM

Yes it's really a problem. Do NOT use a hammer and punch to install night sights.

Dedicatedshooter · March 6, 2010, 12:49 AM

We use a hand crank style sight pusher at the shop, I don't know who made it but I know it was expensive. It works great and takes less than 5 minutes on most sights. Plus, all the parts that touch the gun are made of polymer...maybe delrin but I dont know...so there are never any marks on the slides. I'd be a bit apprehensive about a hammer and punch, esp. if the sights are hydraulically pressed in at the factory, like the springfield XD sights...good luck getting those out without screwing up your slide.

Scrapperz · March 6, 2010, 01:18 AM

I gave my 8040 Cougar to a so called gunsmith to have a set of Trijicon night sights installed only to have the whole gun replaced. They not only used a punch they must have used a hardened steel punch. Then of course the punch must have been jumping around and nicked up the slide real good, warranting replacing the whole gun. Also the steel punch indented the side of the rear sight so deep I think it cracked the vile in the one side. It was a mess and I went against my better judgment, I was going to buy the tool from MGW and do it myself. At least I would have stopped cause I know better than to beat on delicate things.

Although I'm happy now I got a new gun and can start over.

February 26, 2010, 11:45 PM	#1
hoytinak Senior Member Join Date: July 5, 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 5,721	using a punch to install/uninstall night sights.... Is it possible (I'm sure anything's possible but, so how bout likey) to break the glass tubes in night sights while using a punch to install/uninstall them? I used a punch for several years before getting a sight pusher and never had any problems myself. I ask cause I know a guy that refuses to use a punch on his sights, not for fear of scratching the sights/slide but for fear he'll break the glass tubes. Is this really a problem, was I just lucky?

March 2, 2010, 03:15 PM	#3
guncrank Senior Member Join Date: July 15, 2006 Location: Fern Creek ,KY and Metro Louisville at large Posts: 430	My sight pusher is a two ton arbor press with a hardend steel pusher that I made on lathe. It will remove or install night sites with out damage to slide or sight. It will only do slides with flat side not the newer Bretta slides which have a slope. But I am going slide holder like a commercial pusher. Yes striking a night site can break the seal. CEW __________________ Republic Arms and Armaments 07 1-502-231-1118 Machine Shop and Finishing Services to the trade and public

March 2, 2010, 06:55 PM	#4
goodspeed(TPF) Senior Member Join Date: January 19, 2009 Location: WI Posts: 1,162	Yes it's really a problem. Do NOT use a hammer and punch to install night sights. __________________ It's a trick. Get an axe. http://www.thepiratefleet.com/index.shtml

March 6, 2010, 12:49 AM	#5
Dedicatedshooter Member Join Date: February 16, 2010 Posts: 34	We use a hand crank style sight pusher at the shop, I don't know who made it but I know it was expensive. It works great and takes less than 5 minutes on most sights. Plus, all the parts that touch the gun are made of polymer...maybe delrin but I dont know...so there are never any marks on the slides. I'd be a bit apprehensive about a hammer and punch, esp. if the sights are hydraulically pressed in at the factory, like the springfield XD sights...good luck getting those out without screwing up your slide. __________________ .308 Remington 700 SPSV - AICS - Nightforce - 168g SMK Handloads 1/2 MOA .223 Remington 700 VS - 55gr VMAX Handloads Sub-1/2 MOA

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February 27, 2010, 05:02 PM	#2
drail Junior member Join Date: February 2, 2008 Posts: 3,150	If you hit it hard enough it will break. If the dovetail is so tight that a lot of force is required to break it loose and move it there is a good chance. A sight pusher would be better but most of the ones I have tried to use are basically junk if the sight is in there really tight. I would maybe try a nylon punch with gentle taps with the slide secured in a heavy enough vise that it cannot move. At all. You might get lucky. I have installed a lot of sights on pistols but always turned down requests for night sights. I feel they are overpriced and too fragile. If it is so dark that I cannot see metallic sights I would either point shoot or don't take the shot.