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Things not to do with a new pistol

4028 Views 14 Replies 11 Participants Last post by  matthewd5
Don't try and change sights unless you really know what you are doing and have all the right equipment. Tried to remove the front sight from a new pistol a couple days ago and could not get it all the way off using a general purpose one size fits all sight pusher. Made the mistake of putting it in a vise and even though I had it padded and thought I had everything under control ended up cracking the lower left portion of the slide. The story continues as I took it to a gunsmith and had the sight removed and the new one put on as I did not realize at the time that I'd already cracked the slide. So as a result of wanting to be an amateur gunsmith to save a few bucks the cost of the attempted savings is $40.00 to put the new sight on and $350 for a new slide with night sights. A costly folly on my part that taught me a good lesson. Let the professionals do it.
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camper said:
Don't try and change sights unless you really know what you are doing and have all the right equipment. Tried to remove the front sight from a new pistol a couple days ago and could not get it all the way off using a general purpose one size fits all sight pusher. Made the mistake of putting it in a vise and even though I had it padded and thought I had everything under control ended up cracking the lower left portion of the slide. The story continues as I took it to a gunsmith and had the sight removed and the new one put on as I did not realize at the time that I'd already cracked the slide. So as a result of wanting to be an amateur gunsmith to save a few bucks the cost of the attempted savings is $40.00 to put the new sight on and $350 for a new slide with night sights. A costly folly on my part that taught me a good lesson. Let the professionals do it.
Oops! I have to give you credit, camper. I think there are alot of us out there that would not have the kahunas to admit a mistake like that. I guess the main thing is you learned a lesson, and with you sharing that with us, hopefully we have also....thank you!
Regards,
Mike
That is why I am scared to do anything with my guns. I will do whatever with my friends.
camper said:
Don't try and change sights unless you really know what you are doing and have all the right equipment. Tried to remove the front sight from a new pistol a couple days ago and could not get it all the way off using a general purpose one size fits all sight pusher. Made the mistake of putting it in a vise and even though I had it padded and thought I had everything under control ended up cracking the lower left portion of the slide. The story continues as I took it to a gunsmith and had the sight removed and the new one put on as I did not realize at the time that I'd already cracked the slide. So as a result of wanting to be an amateur gunsmith to save a few bucks the cost of the attempted savings is $40.00 to put the new sight on and $350 for a new slide with night sights. A costly folly on my part that taught me a good lesson. Let the professionals do it.
not sure what kind of site tool u were using. but I have the P500 universal sight tool sold by brownells for $130.00. a vice is not needed with it, no way you can damage the slide. One of the best site tools for the money. I can move front and rear site with ease and if you expect to be doing this with different gun, indeed get a good tool It took me years to finally buy the damn tool but my sites don't look like they have been through a war either and I have been able to install new sites myself without the help of a smity. a great tool and for every shooter, probably a tool that should be on ur want list.
Jocko, I was using a P500, but the sight did not want to go more than halfway and could not get a good position even using shims inside the base of the tool for the slide. That's when i took it out and put it in a small very padded vise to use a dowel to tap the sight with. This was when I cracked it. Have returned the P500 as I don't plan to go back into the sight pushing business. They are sending the old slide assembly back to me so I'll have some spare parts for this pistol.
Got the new slide back Monday. Checked the night sights and the front NS was dead in terms of illumination. Got an RMA from Sig yesterday and sent it back for a new front NS.
I have been debating on getting some adjustable sights on my Smith & Wesson Sigma .40. After reading this post I think I will just wait and try a few more different types of rounds before I try to correct my sights. So far I have used about a half a dozen brands and they all seem to go just left of center. I don't think its the brands because they all seem to do the same thing to the left which is why I was thinking about an adjustable sight.
I know what you mean, bunko. Tried to take my new Mark III Hunter apart, ended up creating a stainless steel burr, took it to gunsmith, he can't put it together, picking it up tomorrow to send off to Ruger. No way I will take that gun apart again.
The slide is due in on the UPS truck with the new front sight today. Sure hope they did it right this time!
2gnt97gs said:
I have been debating on getting some adjustable sights on my Smith & Wesson Sigma .40. After reading this post I think I will just wait and try a few more different types of rounds before I try to correct my sights. So far I have used about a half a dozen brands and they all seem to go just left of center. I don't think its the brands because they all seem to do the same thing to the left which is why I was thinking about an adjustable sight.
You might want to correcting your finger/grip:

Left at 9:00=Too little trigger finger.
Left at 8:00=Tightening fingers.
Left at 10:00/11:00=Pushing (anticipating recoil) or no follow-through.
Got the slide back from Sig a few minutes ago. The front NS now works as it should. Hitting the range with it and my new Sig P6 in the morning.
drs1457 said:
I know what you mean, bunko. Tried to take my new Mark III Hunter apart, ended up creating a stainless steel burr, took it to gunsmith, he can't put it together, picking it up tomorrow to send off to Ruger. No way I will take that gun apart again.
Ruger Mark I & II are a pain to put back together.
Ruger Mark I & II are a pain to put back together.
[/quote

First Ruger was about 40 some years ago. After that long taking them apart it gets easy. But at first it was hard to get it back together.
it takes me forever to put my markII back togeather also ,it doesnt seem to get easier for me, even after all the times ive done it . now the LCP and SR9 are easy, i have a hard time with the mini 14 to, but ive only done that once
can someone please share some insight in removing the front site from a brand new ruger mark III 22/45

it appears that for the front site i just need to undo the single screw holding it on and then replace in with the hi-viz site that came with its own mounting hardware (hex head thank got)

the problem is the old site has a medium/small screw (NOT phillips) and even using exactly the right sized screwdriver i'm afraid i'm going to strip it!

am i missing something stupid?

the directions go into great detail regarding the rear site replacement but mention not a word about the rear site...

matthew
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