Thoughts on replacing .055" front sight pin on a 617

[Gadgetmonster]

I am getting ready to install a HiViz green fiber optic front sight on my 617. I read that you can drive the pin out with a .050 pin punch, and then remove the front sight blade with padded pliers. The replacement HiViz sight is not pre-drilled. I will drill the new sight a couple thousanths smaller than the pin.

I can envision everything except press fitting the pin back into the side of a small odd shaped piece. Arbor press it? Tap it in with a ball peen? What works best?

[andyo5]

Unless you have done this before and have a vertical drill press, you might want to entrust this job to a good gunsmith. I have had the painful experience of having screwed one up. You don't want to go there.

[mistergizmo]

I did this conversion some time ago on my M16. What you need to do is put a very slight bend in the 0.055" sight pin, essentially making it larger in diameter. It'll still fit in the sight base hole. I happen to have parallel-jaw pliers which I used to squeeze the pin into the sight base and through the hole you've drilled in the sight blade.

A drop of red Loc-tite wouldn't hurt.