August 27, 2012, 09:15 PM | #1 |
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Join Date: December 7, 2008
Location: Los Angeles
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Pinned front sight
Hi, I have a S&W Mod 60 with a pinned front sight that I want to replace. The research I've done shows the correct way to do it is, remove pin, remove old sight and install new sight and clamp down, then with a hand drill, drill a new hole in the new sight using the existing pin holes as a guide for the drill bit. My question is will using the existing holes as a guide enlarge the holes? What else can go wrong? Like drilling crooked. Will marking the holes and then drilling on a drill press with the sight removed from the gun be a better way to do this? What are the pros and cons of either of these techniques? Thanks in advance for any help.
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August 28, 2012, 01:34 AM | #2 |
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Join Date: December 7, 2008
Location: Los Angeles
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Yup, the information I came across was just as hard to get. Another gunsmithing mystery.
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August 28, 2012, 09:44 AM | #3 |
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The clamp is to make sure the sight is seated all the way down. Start the hole with an undersize drill ,then redrill with one that will require light tapping to seat the pin .Then it's there properly.
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August 28, 2012, 11:08 AM | #4 |
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If you're concerned that your drill bit will enlarge the existing holes in the rib/ramp, you can consider the drill bit used a "sacrificial lamb", and utilize it's shank (ground to length) as the "new" pin.
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August 29, 2012, 12:49 PM | #5 |
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Join Date: January 19, 2007
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Here's how I did it: Securely clamp the two front sights side by side, and drill through the old pin hole to make your new pin hole. This preserves the tightness of the pin hole in the barrel.
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