Sight pusher.
- Thread starter BigTex308
- Start date
g.willikers
New member
A clever design, but kind of pricey, unless it gets a lot of use.
A brass punch and wooden mallet is usually all that's needed.
Or a bigger hammer.
A small vise can be drafted, too.
But having the exact tool for the job is very nice.
A brass punch and wooden mallet is usually all that's needed.
Or a bigger hammer.
A small vise can be drafted, too.
But having the exact tool for the job is very nice.
I like them !!
I have an old one that fits most but not all. If you are handy, you can make your own. ....
Be Safe !!!
Not this particular one but one that works in the same manner. Generally, I prefer them to the mallet and brass drift. This type will give you better control. Last week, I saw an excellent Winchester that showed hammer dings at the front sight. ...
I have an old one that fits most but not all. If you are handy, you can make your own. ....
Be Safe !!!
firebird74521
Inactive
I wouldn't buy one but if I was a gunsmith I might. It would have more control for very fine adjustments. I only ever had to drift one sight in the last 30 years. They don't usually move unless loose or bumped hard.
I change sights out for a few people. I'm not a gunsmith but I do lots of small jobs like AR builds, sights installs, optics mounting etc.
Figured a sight drifter would be a nice addition to the bench.
Ike
MarkDozier
New member
Seen the professional version used a few times at the range.
That looks like the one I bought on eBay a couple years ago. WORST $60 I ever spent, but I think the concept is ok. I would be surprised if this is different since it is the same price and design.
Compare it to the ones at Brownells and you will know why it is $60.
My issues were binding of the pusher on the bolt, binding of the bolt in the hole....and lack of support for the slide.
Oh yea, I can get any sight I want out with a hammer and punch.
Compare it to the ones at Brownells and you will know why it is $60.
My issues were binding of the pusher on the bolt, binding of the bolt in the hole....and lack of support for the slide.
Oh yea, I can get any sight I want out with a hammer and punch.
I have the one for Sigs. Runs about $150. Works good but those sights often take a lot of pressure to move. With rare exception the factory sights are spot on quality FAs. Most sight problems are attributable to user error. Focus hard on your sights with a good trigger press and see if you really need the push.
I own the one in the OP's link. I bought it because I thought I'd end up with a variety of different handguns and the "universal" nature (and $60 price tag) appealed to me. In actuality I've only used this on Glocks and now wish I'd have just bought one of the more expensive dedicated Glock sight pushers. The tool being discussed in this thread is well made, but I've run into some issues with the design...
- You need to wrap leather or cardboard around the slide when you clamp down on it to avoid marring the finish. As per the instructions, be careful not to clamp down too tight or you can bend the slide in, ruining your firearm.
- You need to use a few coins to raise the slide in the clamp so the "pusher" contacts the sight at the correct height. This is tedious and fiddly.
- You need to add another small piece of leather/padding between the pusher "pin" and the sight or you will marr the finish on the sight
- When you begin to apply pressure to the sight to drift it in, it will try and torque the slide up and out of the clamp. This may require you to reseat the slide in the clamp and reset everything (and you might have to do that more than once depending on how tight the slide-to-sight fit is)
- The pusher really only works in one direction, so if you drift too far you'll need to unclamp the slide (leather, coins, etc) and reverse the whole setup
In short, it works well enough that I'll continue using it (swapping sights on yet another Glock tonight actually). If you use the leather to protect the finish of your firearm it's capable of a professional job (ie you can install the sight correctly without any marks in the finish to show for it)... but it's harder than it needs to be and can be a bit of a PITA.
If you suspect you're going to do this any more than once or twice on a specific make of firearm, I suggest buying a dedicated sight pusher for that brand of gun. In retrospect, that's what I wish I'd have done.
- You need to wrap leather or cardboard around the slide when you clamp down on it to avoid marring the finish. As per the instructions, be careful not to clamp down too tight or you can bend the slide in, ruining your firearm.
- You need to use a few coins to raise the slide in the clamp so the "pusher" contacts the sight at the correct height. This is tedious and fiddly.
- You need to add another small piece of leather/padding between the pusher "pin" and the sight or you will marr the finish on the sight
- When you begin to apply pressure to the sight to drift it in, it will try and torque the slide up and out of the clamp. This may require you to reseat the slide in the clamp and reset everything (and you might have to do that more than once depending on how tight the slide-to-sight fit is)
- The pusher really only works in one direction, so if you drift too far you'll need to unclamp the slide (leather, coins, etc) and reverse the whole setup
In short, it works well enough that I'll continue using it (swapping sights on yet another Glock tonight actually). If you use the leather to protect the finish of your firearm it's capable of a professional job (ie you can install the sight correctly without any marks in the finish to show for it)... but it's harder than it needs to be and can be a bit of a PITA.
If you suspect you're going to do this any more than once or twice on a specific make of firearm, I suggest buying a dedicated sight pusher for that brand of gun. In retrospect, that's what I wish I'd have done.