Folks, I'm at a loss. I'm attempting to remove the factory rear sight on a ~2018 Colt O1991 Government Model. Even with my MGW Sight Pro 1000, I can't get the rear sight to budge in either direction. I've applied oil to the sight and cranked the tool to the point where I had difficulty backing off the screw handle. I've used the Sight Pro many times (CZ-75, SIG P-Series, P238, P365) with great success. This Colt however is busting my ass. I've read where freezing the slide may help by slightly contacting the steel. Has anyone had success with the freezing method? The hammer & punch method is well outside of my comfort zone and I'm reluctant to clamp the base of the sight tool in a vise for fear of damaging the tool before the sight pops. Thoughts? Thanks!

Been there. Recently bought a used Colt Defender in .45 ACP. It was printing to the right. Not a lot, an inch-and-a-half of so at ±7 yards, but I wanted it fixed. My LGS could not budge the sight. I could not budge the sight. Finally took it to a smith on the other side of town that's older than dirt and perhaps the most respected smith in my area. He got it to move, but he had to put the gun in a gun vise and hit it with a steel punch to do it.

Yes, that mildly marred the side of the sight. Don't care. Using a laser trainer round to check it at the store I had him do a second time what he did the first. Now it's dead nuts on

The smith remarked at the time there wasn't a sight pusher made that was gonna move that sight.

On several hard to remove sights I have put the slide in a plastic bag and froze it for several hours. The sights were much easier to remove after that.

Freezing may work, if it does, remove the sight, and clean your DT with a triangular needle file, and dust a little off the sight, front and back, to make it easier to re-install with the pusher. Grease your DT and sight, before you start.

Orrrr... drill a 1/8" divot, near the base of the sight on the LEFT SIDE. Freeze for a couple of hours. Put your slide in a big and/or solidly mounted vise, and use a steel punch and a 20 oz hammer to drive it out.

I've changed quite a few dovetailed sights over the years. Haven't tried freezing yet, but maybe next time if it's one of those hellishly tight ones. I always lube around the sight base with a fine or penetrating oil. I have secured sight pushers in the vise, in order to apply more torque. Alternatively, I'll tape up the slide to prevent marring before securing it in a padded vise. Then I start with a nylon drift, and work my way up through aluminum, brass and as a last resort a steel drift, if the sight won't move with one of the gentler drifts. If the sight is so tight that I have to use a steel drift, the sight will likely be damaged and replaced. I like Rob1972's suggestion of the 1/8" divot prior to using a steel drift. Before reinstalling, I stone or use a diamond or fine Swiss file to slightly relieve the bottom of the sight, then lube sight and dovetail to ease reinstallation.

Hate to mention it, but I've had a couple dovetailed fronts that could not be moved by any method I tried, and I ended up milling them out and replacing the sight. I recently removed the sights from a 1995 production pistol. Thought the sight pusher might break first. I did put the sight pusher in the vise, but at least didn't have to mill them out

Good luck in your efforts.

quote:

Originally posted by rock185:
Before reinstalling, I stone or use a diamond or fine Swiss file to slightly relieve the bottom of the sight, then lube sight and dovetail to ease reinstallation.

Hate to mention it, but I've had a couple dovetailed fronts that could not be moved by any method I tried, and I ended up milling them out and replacing the sight. I recently removed the sights from a 1995 production pistol. Thought the sight pusher might break first. I did put the sight pusher in the vise, but at least didn't have to mill them out

Good luck in your efforts.

Faaaar too many of the younger generation of gun plumbers (can't call them smiths) believe that sight installation means cutting the slide to fit the sight, not the other way 'round. It is much cheaper/easier to do a bit of fine filing on the sight than trying to fix an oversized DT cut because the "smith" got an oversized sight last time, and opened the slide up.

I had one ape peen the bottom of a BHP rear DT to make his oversized milling work. Anyone familiar with the BHP knows you're also moving metal in either the firing pin channel, or the transfer bar slot(or both!). That was the last time I've taken anything to someone else for work.

I have removed a couple of sights with a cut off wheel, (XD and I think a sig). It is not fun but I have no casualties
to show for it.

quote:

Originally posted by Trader:
I have removed a couple of sights with a cut off wheel, (XD and I think a sig). It is not fun but I have no casualties
to show for it.

I have heard of that being done on XD's, and while I've done a bunch of them I've never had to resort to that. But after the first few I just went straight to the steel punch

quote:

Originally posted by Chris Orndorff:
But after the first few I just went straight to the steel punch

Can you describe your technique for using a vise and punch?

I know that’s (usually?) your preferred technique, but I’m not sure I’d do it right myself.
I have a large vise and punches, but right now I’m limited to clamping the vise to a bench rather than screwing it down to something appropriate. Also, when you clamp the slide in the vise are there are concerns about too much pressure and distorting the slide? How do you pad it from the jaws?

Your punches: Just regular round like a 1/4" Starrett or do you have square/rectangular punches to fit the dovetails? I have punches like that, but only copper and bronze, nothing steel.

quote:

Originally posted by Rob1972:

Faaaar too many of the younger generation of gun plumbers (can't call them smiths) believe...

They are parts installers. I wouldn’t even call them gun plumbers.

quote:

Originally posted by sigfreund:

Can you describe your technique for using a vise and punch?

I know that’s (usually?) your preferred technique, but I’m not sure I’d do it right myself.
I have a large vise and punches, but right now I’m limited to clamping the vise to a bench rather than screwing it down to something appropriate. Also, when you clamp the slide in the vise are there are concerns about too much pressure and distorting the slide? How do you pad it from the jaws?

Your punches: Just regular round like a 1/4" Starrett or do you have square/rectangular punches to fit the dovetails? I have punches like that, but only copper and bronze, nothing steel.

I have a fairly heavy duty vise bolted to a very heavy duty bench. I used rubber-faced jaws that I got from Brownells.

I set the slide as deep as I can into the vice while still allowing access to the sights and I clamp as high as I can on the slide. This way I'm clamping on a supported/substantial part of the slide.

I have a LOT of punches; brass, nylon and steel. I use the largest diameter punch that will safely fit in the slide dovetail.

When removing a "normal" sight, I will try a nylon punch first, then change to brass if necessary. I grind/file/sand the brass punch to fit the dovetail as necessary. I also use a heavy hammer