Dovetail sight removal?

[Legionnaire]

How does one remove a dovetailed front sight? Is there a special tool for the job? Do you just drift it out with a punch? How do you keep from boogering it up?

 

[Chris Orndorff]

Some guns have sight pushers available (Sig and Glock come to mind). Sights can be removed via the hammer and punch method, although it's not recommended for "night" sights. Use a brass or nylon punch (available from Brownell's), and make sure your'e driving the sight out the side it was meant to come out! On some guns it doesn't matter; on Sigs the sight has to come the left side. A drop of oil on the sight where the punch contacts it will prevent marking up the sight or will make it much easier to remove any mark the punch leaves.

 

[Legionnaire]

Thanks, Chris. Here's the application. I'm interested in replacing the front bead on a Marlin 1894S with one with a tritium insert. I've spoken with Tool Tech Gunsight, and they said, "Send us your front sight and we'll see if we can drill it to install a tritium lamp, or whether a new sight would have to be built." So I need to remove the sight. I supposed I could take off the whole assembly (looks like it screws to the barrel), or order a replacement sight from Marlin (or Brownell's) and ship that up.

However, you see the complication. If they are able to install a tritium lamp for me, how do I reinstall, if drifting with a punch is not recommended for night sights? Inquiring minds need to know!