What can cause a front sight to fall off
- Thread starter Gahaha
- Start date
lee n. field
New member
Melt? unlikely.
Loose dovetail. Hit it with the appropriate loctite, or contact the manufacturer.
Loose dovetail. Hit it with the appropriate loctite, or contact the manufacturer.
Bill DeShivs
New member
Just give the dovetail a very slight tap with a small hammer to tighten it.
johnwilliamson062
Moderator
Bend the top of the dovetail?
I've always been to lightly peen the base of the dovetail or sight.
Pictures here:
https://www.ar15.com/archive/topic.html?b=6&f=1&t=334984
They suggest bending the sight edge of the dovetail. That might be the best solution. As noted, that is the cheapest part. May not work well with plastic.
To be clear, are we talking about a metal or plastic sight?
For a metal one (and it should also work with plastic) the fix for a loose sight, (other than some kind of glue) you remove the sight and use a center punch on the bottom of the dovetail slot, raising a burr, which will make the sight fit the slot tighter when (Carefully) reinstalled. This method doesn't show.
Alternately you can stake the front sight in its dovetail from above. This definitely works, but does show. Bending the edge of the dovetail slot slightly also should work, but it needs be done carefully.
For a metal one (and it should also work with plastic) the fix for a loose sight, (other than some kind of glue) you remove the sight and use a center punch on the bottom of the dovetail slot, raising a burr, which will make the sight fit the slot tighter when (Carefully) reinstalled. This method doesn't show.
Alternately you can stake the front sight in its dovetail from above. This definitely works, but does show. Bending the edge of the dovetail slot slightly also should work, but it needs be done carefully.
There's an old gunsmith trick of center punching a couple of "dimples" in the base of the barrel sight cut. It raises a Small high spot and tightens up the sight when you re-install it?
Adding a bit of lock-tite don't hurt either!
*this came from my gunsmith cousin, gone this many years!
Adding a bit of lock-tite don't hurt either!
*this came from my gunsmith cousin, gone this many years!
polyphemus
New member
Fair to assume that it's no longer under warranty.
You can buy a new sight and get a nice tight fit,you can cut a shallow recess in
the old sight's base,fill it and adjust the fit or you can try punching dimples in it.
But don't take a hammer to the slide.
You can buy a new sight and get a nice tight fit,you can cut a shallow recess in
the old sight's base,fill it and adjust the fit or you can try punching dimples in it.
But don't take a hammer to the slide.
Jim Watson
New member
Agree, work on the cheap part.
Punch marks on the bottom of the dovetail will tighten it up, but it might take more dings than you expect.
Punch marks on the bottom of the dovetail will tighten it up, but it might take more dings than you expect.
Be glad its a dovetail and you still have the sight to deal with. 
I lost more staked in 1911 front sights to the netherworld than I care to remember. Dovetails are one of the best things to happen to 1911's.
Ill throw in for the "dimpling" the dovetail too. That, and a drop or two of "blue" LocTite should solve the problem.
I lost more staked in 1911 front sights to the netherworld than I care to remember. Dovetails are one of the best things to happen to 1911's.
Ill throw in for the "dimpling" the dovetail too. That, and a drop or two of "blue" LocTite should solve the problem.