installing Trijicon night sights on a S&W M&P

jtheise4 · December 5, 2009, 09:41 AM

Does anyone have any experience installing Trijicon night sights on a Smith & Wesson M&P 9mm? The instructions that came with the sights are very incomplete at best and when I looked on their website, it recommends having them professionally installed. Before I spend the money to have a gunsmith install them, I was hoping to get some feedback regarding how difficult the instillation really is. Thanks.

jon_in_wv · December 5, 2009, 10:01 AM

I installed Ameriglo night sights in my M&P. I you can get your hands on a sight pusher that would be the ideal way to do it. Otherwise you can use a brass punch like I did. The factory front sight was in TIGHT. I had to hammer the HECK out of the front sight to get it out. To install the new sights they might be slightly over size. If it feels too tight then lay the bottom of it flat on a file and file a LITTLE bit at a time until it fits. Don't file the angles or you'll screw it up. Tap them in so they fit snug with your brass punch. The punch will make marks but its just brass transferring onto the steal. You can remove it with a little Hoppes #9.

Also if I'm not mistaken the dovetails are slightly tapered. Remove the old sights left-right (towars the ejection port) and install the opposite way.

Qualifier: I'm not a real smith so if someone smarter want to chime in and correct me go for it. Also, I believe that if you damage the tritium vials using a punch you will void the warranty.

teeroux · December 5, 2009, 11:25 AM

^^^

The only thing I can add is if to file down the the bottom of the new sight I find it is easier to handle and do with a coarse diamond knife stone than handle it on a file. Remember they come on and off the right side of the firearm.

sholling · December 5, 2009, 12:18 PM

They only go in one way but unless you have a sight pusher you're probably going to screw up your finish. Even with a sight pusher it's a pain because they often need fitting. I highly recommend paying the local smith $20-40 to put them on.

BTW if memory serves there is a spring and plunger held in place by the rear sight and if you aren't careful you'll be crawling around looking for it.

jon_in_wv · December 8, 2009, 08:01 PM

I disagree. a brass punch is soft and NOWHERE near the hardness of the slide or the melonite finish. Any marks you leave will be the brass transferring on to the slide and that is easily cleaned off. The only real danger is hammering too hard on the sight causing it to peen or actually damaging one or the tritium vials. I've changed my rear sight three times and front sight twice with a brass punch and the finish is still like new. Believe me, the first time I tried to remove the factory front sight it needed more than a little persuasion to get it out. It was SUPER tight.

I've also used a brass punch on my FEG HiPower with its fine bluing and softer metal with good results also. I do agree with you that if you have a smith locally that is CERTIFIED to do the work with those sights I would let him do it to protest your warranty. If he isn't, I would say you probably have as good a chance as getting it right yourself. I've had bad luck with smiths installing sights on my weapons.

December 5, 2009, 09:41 AM	#1
jtheise4 Member Join Date: April 4, 2009 Posts: 26	installing Trijicon night sights on a S&W M&P Does anyone have any experience installing Trijicon night sights on a Smith & Wesson M&P 9mm? The instructions that came with the sights are very incomplete at best and when I looked on their website, it recommends having them professionally installed. Before I spend the money to have a gunsmith install them, I was hoping to get some feedback regarding how difficult the instillation really is. Thanks.

December 5, 2009, 10:01 AM	#2
jon_in_wv Senior Member Join Date: August 22, 2004 Posts: 670	I installed Ameriglo night sights in my M&P. I you can get your hands on a sight pusher that would be the ideal way to do it. Otherwise you can use a brass punch like I did. The factory front sight was in TIGHT. I had to hammer the HECK out of the front sight to get it out. To install the new sights they might be slightly over size. If it feels too tight then lay the bottom of it flat on a file and file a LITTLE bit at a time until it fits. Don't file the angles or you'll screw it up. Tap them in so they fit snug with your brass punch. The punch will make marks but its just brass transferring onto the steal. You can remove it with a little Hoppes #9. Also if I'm not mistaken the dovetails are slightly tapered. Remove the old sights left-right (towars the ejection port) and install the opposite way. Qualifier: I'm not a real smith so if someone smarter want to chime in and correct me go for it. Also, I believe that if you damage the tritium vials using a punch you will void the warranty. __________________ Why has INTEGRITY become such a rare commodity?

December 5, 2009, 12:18 PM	#4
sholling Senior Member Join Date: May 18, 1999 Location: Hemet (middle of nowhere) California Posts: 4,261	They only go in one way but unless you have a sight pusher you're probably going to screw up your finish. Even with a sight pusher it's a pain because they often need fitting. I highly recommend paying the local smith $20-40 to put them on. BTW if memory serves there is a spring and plunger held in place by the rear sight and if you aren't careful you'll be crawling around looking for it. __________________ Proud Life Member: National Rifle Association, California Rifle & Pistol Association, and the Second Amendment Foundation. Annual Member: Revolutionary War Veterans Association (Project Appleseed) and the Madison Society.

December 8, 2009, 08:01 PM	#5
jon_in_wv Senior Member Join Date: August 22, 2004 Posts: 670	I disagree. a brass punch is soft and NOWHERE near the hardness of the slide or the melonite finish. Any marks you leave will be the brass transferring on to the slide and that is easily cleaned off. The only real danger is hammering too hard on the sight causing it to peen or actually damaging one or the tritium vials. I've changed my rear sight three times and front sight twice with a brass punch and the finish is still like new. Believe me, the first time I tried to remove the factory front sight it needed more than a little persuasion to get it out. It was SUPER tight. I've also used a brass punch on my FEG HiPower with its fine bluing and softer metal with good results also. I do agree with you that if you have a smith locally that is CERTIFIED to do the work with those sights I would let him do it to protest your warranty. If he isn't, I would say you probably have as good a chance as getting it right yourself. I've had bad luck with smiths installing sights on my weapons. __________________ Why has INTEGRITY become such a rare commodity?

December 5, 2009, 11:25 AM	#3
teeroux Senior Member Join Date: December 12, 2006 Posts: 1,512	^^^ The only thing I can add is if to file down the the bottom of the new sight I find it is easier to handle and do with a coarse diamond knife stone than handle it on a file. Remember they come on and off the right side of the firearm.