Is there a simple hand vise type of tool to push out this old dovetail so I can push in a different one?



And then I might want to adjust the windage at the range.

__________________
Buy American
Vote Responsibly

Brownells have several...

http://www.brownells.com/search/inde...tool&ksubmit=y

__________________
Nationality: Confederate

I have put the gun in a vice, I do wrap the gun in leather. use a brass punch to drift to site or remove it. use a plastic or brass hammer and use light taps to move the sight. There is a direction for removing and right putting it back on. I don't recall the directions.

__________________
Carpriver.

I was able to knock the rear dovetail sigh out without hurting the barrel.

But I am hesitant to bang at the muzzle end.

Unless there is a simple hand vise I will ask my gunsmith to swap in the new front sight and I will adjust the windage via the rear sight at the range.

I might also be able to use a windage/height adjustable tang mounted sight

__________________
Buy American
Vote Responsibly

The "Brownells Tool" is a tool like you want! However the price might not be! I have used the "Drift" method many times, and a few times right on the shooting bench right at the range! (Padding is advised!) Ivan

Definitely! No damage from banging the sight and more precise adjusting for windage if necessary.

I think this is your best bet. Buying a sight pusher only makes sense if you do a lot of sight replacements. Personally I think windage adjustments should be made at the rear sight anyway.

Measuring the dovetail slot tells the story-but as I recall, viewing from above, the right side is wider, left side is narrower, thus you tap toward left to insert, toward right to remove and as said not to adjust but rather to remove.

Tool
Williams sight tool is well worth the money if you fool with guns all the time.
This tool only works on ramp type fronts. Some front ramps are screwed on.
Unsupported hammering can pull threads, then you have a problem. For
regular barrel brass punch and hammer are the ticket.

Most of the dovetail sights can be removed from left to right for removal and right to left for assembly looking from the rear to front of the barrel. Make sure there isn't a screw holding the sight before you begin to remove it. I would soak it in Kroil, over night if hard to drift, and use a non maring punch. Start with a nylon punch and if you can not budge it, then remove it with a brass punch. I would use a 4 oz hammer to drive the punch. Set the barrel in a padded vise to hold it. I have a front sight tool removel but have not used it since I purchased it. The other comments about the purchase of a sight removal tool is not worth the money unless you use it frequently on sight removals. Good Luck.

Nick

__________________
NRA Instructor\GCA Gunsmith

I've used nothing but simple punches and hammer for all my years doing this.
They've never failed. You do have to be careful not to damage things but that's all part of the game.
Brass, copper, hard wood block, even a rawhide mallet work well. Steel punch on the very stubborn and it can be used w/o damaging the sight if done right.
The bbl,slide ect must be locked up solid w/no vibration. Can't be hanging out off the end of the vise and expect the hammer wacks to have much effect other than doubling back and damaging the part.


I did try a sight pusher once that was loaned to me along with a slide with the offending stuck sight. The pusher didn't budge it either. A solid hit from a punch moved it on it's way.
They do work I'm sure with a nicely fit dovetail and part, But not all are so.
Some of those dovetailed sights can be really stuck in there.
Looking from the back of the gun,,,right to left to install the sight. Left to right to remove. But never doubt that someone before you has done it their own way and used anything from lock-tite, solder, shims, iodine (to rust it in place), super glue, epoxy,,all sorts of stuff.

One trick I use as a sight pusher on a ramp front sight and I think it may only be screwed/soldered to the bbl and striking the dovetailed sight may loosen it. For this I use the bench vise itself.

It makes a great 'pusher'.
Use the smooth steel jaws in the vise,,which you should have in place anyway not those toothy pipe jaws.

You have to make one small mod to one of the vise jaws first.
Remove one or the other,makes no difference which and cut a relief cut in the top edge of the jaw big enough to accept any dovetailed sight that you might encounter with enough room to spare.

With the jaws in place and to remove a sight,hold the bbl w/ ramp upside down on the vise with that relief cut opposite the sight and the ramp up against the face of the jaw. Now close the vise slowly on the ramp sides.
The vise will push the sight from it's dovetail over into that relief in the jaw.
It won't remove it completely, but a simple push or light tap will take it the rest of the way.
No damage to anything. You can place a piece of paper around things if you want, but clean smooth surfaces can result in no damage.

Use the same set up to press the sight back into the dovetail. This time you can set it exactly where you want with the vise pressure,,no hammer & punch work needed.

I've used a Nylon tipped punch and a hammer with much success over the years. A couple of times did I have to go to a Brass punch but with a piece of tape over the sight base, but no marring was done. The sight pushers are very nice tools and if one was a Pro or did a LOT of sight changing it would probably be the way to go. For the once in a while I have to move or replace one, the Nylon or Brass punches work very well.