Gunsmithing Looking for sight pushing tool.

pmclaine

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  • Nov 6, 2011
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    Was up at Sig yesterday and they want $399 for their sight pushing tool.

    I got one pistol I "need" this tool for but want something to have on hand to use with 1911, Sig, and S&W pistols.

    Made in USA matters.

    Saw this guy...


    Need to see what MGW offers.

    Will need to do fronts and rears in dovetail.

    Any great tools that won't break the bank?
     
    Universal sight tools in general for pistol sight removal are junk; don't fit well, have coarse threaded bolts which lack precision movement.
    The real problem with their use is that when the lateral force is being applied to sight base the slide wants to move up / down out of alignment with the force application...that's the moment the slide / sight slips and $crews up your gun art. The Pro Sight has two large lateral supports, a top support and a fully supported internal slide support ("shoe") which allows all the sight tool face force to bear on the sight.

    MGW Pro-Sight is worth buying once; huge selection of specific "slide shoes" for various model pistols. Before the Pro-Sight
    MGW pistol specific sight tools were the best, unfortunately now they are just expensive paperweights.

    Shown: A Sig front sight easily removed, right to left.
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    I have never found anything in this category both cheap and good. Ebay is a good place to pick up used MGW for less.

    Go cheap and you may break sights, damage dovetails, etc.

    Universal usually isn't, especially with suppressor height and night sights that can break and lose glow easily.

    I don't have any experience with the MGW universal, but my understanding is it is basicly modular. Buying plates to fit the various rails instead of a tool for each.

    I used to gunsmith and saw plenty of guns with the dovetails messed up so the sight wasn't held firmly.
     
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    I think the Sig tool they sell in their Pro Shop is made by MGW.

    The manager of the shop was in the class I took and I couldn't help asking if it was solid gold under the anodizing.....


    They had another model that was north of $500 I didn't even look to see what it was like.
     
    To save money, nothing wrong with using punches and a good vise to remove sights, just need to tape protect everything and use precision punch faces to do it like a professional.....and don't forget to loosen the set screw if present.

    Patience and some KanoKroil prep are useful tips.
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    It's not like I haven't tried those universal style pushers. This one is a B&J piece of junk....to many unsupported moving parts.
    The difference between a firearm specific sight tool and a universal tool is similar to using a crescent wrench when a proper size
    wrench gives the better fit and avoids rounding off bolt face edges.

    I fashioned a plate to support the top of the slide, which worked but then the pusher hardened tips were not properly shaped and they would slip off the sight base and destroy my finishes.

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    Saw this recently. Pretty universal and good price

     
    man i just throw the slide in a vise and then use a 1/4" or so hardwood dowel and a hammer, easy peasy done it with at least a dozen handguns.
     
    I have the wheeler sight pusher. Similar design to the mgw but it doesn't have slide specific shoes and I'm sure the tolerances aren't as good.
    It has worked fine for me on a handful of m&p and Glock slides
     
    i have the wheeler and it works fine. avid makes one that pushes on the foot or blade, so it might work better.
     
    Was up at Sig yesterday and they want $399 for their sight pushing tool.

    I got one pistol I "need" this tool for but want something to have on hand to use with 1911, Sig, and S&W pistols.

    Made in USA matters.

    Saw this guy...


    Need to see what MGW offers.

    Will need to do fronts and rears in dovetail.

    Any great tools that won't break the bank?
    My lord...would figure an ancient person like yourself would know about this but you can thank me later

    Wyoming Sight Drifter

    Works on everything and it is WAAAY cheaper than the ripoff artists in NH
     
    My lord...would figure an ancient person like yourself would know about this but you can thank me later

    Wyoming Sight Drifter

    Works on everything and it is WAAAY cheaper than the ripoff artists in NH


    Had a local guy that is touted as a highly respected former Pachmayer gunsmith use something like that to install Trijicon on my 1911.

    Gun came back with brass marks all over one side of the sight and the Trijicon markings were obliterated.

    Can't do it.
     
    Had a local guy that is touted as a highly respected former Pachmayer gunsmith use something like that to install Trijicon on my 1911.

    Gun came back with brass marks all over one side of the sight and the Trijicon markings were obliterated.

    Can't do it.
    Well all I can say is it wasn't this tool.

    I am sure I know the gunsmith you reference as he always uses the Pachmayr name to tout his capabilities. If it is who I think it is, I would be surprised if he returned a pistol to you in that condition. I'll leave that there as I met Frank at an IPSC event prior to when he built me my Colts.

    Have used this on many a pistol including my custom Colt 1911 made by Frank Pachmayr himself. Also used on my Sharps rifle with never a mark or issue.

    But to each his own...
     
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    Had a local guy that is touted as a highly respected former Pachmayer gunsmith use something like that to install Trijicon on my 1911.

    Gun came back with brass marks all over one side of the sight and the Trijicon markings were obliterated.

    Can't do it.
    Gunsmiths use brass tools so they don't damage things. A little blue tape in the area prevents brass "transfer" Mark's, but if not it is usually easy to clean them off. Everyone has there favorite method, some use a pink artist's eraser, I like CLP and bore patch. Some use bore solvents like no9 or WD-40. If you get stubborn bits in pores you can use brass black to hide it or cold blue.

    It should have at least been cleaned up though. I see how the writing can get rubbed off or maybe he used a solvent that took it off.

    I like the screw type sight adjustment tools. We used ponch and vice in my shop, but when tritium sights became popular in the 90's we were damaging the glass viles on occasion and quite. I can't imagine any gunsmith today not having adjustment tools for popular slides like 1911, Glock, M&P, Sig, etc.
     
    The MGW universal tool isn’t cheap but it’s an investment. You won’t fuck up slides or sights unless you actually try to. If/when you buy a different pistol down the road all you buy is another adaptor plate for a little over $10 and you’re good to go. If you order direct they’ll usually do 10% off too and save you a few bucks which is only $20-$30 more than used ones typically sell for since they don’t lose much value.
     
    The MGW universal tool isn’t cheap but it’s an investment. You won’t fuck up slides or sights unless you actually try to. If/when you buy a different pistol down the road all you buy is another adaptor plate for a little over $10 and you’re good to go. If you order direct they’ll usually do 10% off too and save you a few bucks which is only $20-$30 more than used ones typically sell for since they don’t lose much value.
    If I didnt already have a bin full of MGW model specific tools, I'd go this route.
     
    I got this one.

    I cannot NOT recommend it enough. It's ok-ish.

    ETA: if you only want to adjust your sights without breaking out your punches, it will do that. So $30 for a limited use tool.
     
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    Not really wanting to spend $300 or so on a pusher that will get limited use I checked Sig Sauer site as I think they charge $40 or so to drift in sights.....but than I saw this...

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    Never should a gun smith advertise their services with a Dremel prominently displayed.

    @strikeeagle1 ......maybe you have a Sig P320 specific pusher that has become a paperweight you are looking to sell or perhaps you want to get my sights and stripped slide in the mail to wrap in painters tape and perform your magic on at a fair price?
     
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