I got XS DXT2 sights for Christmas.

I have watched the videos from XS on how to change the sights on the M&P. They show using a punch and tapping them out.

Other forums etc state the sights should be removed (looking from rear of slide as if aiming) to the left (remove by tapping on the right side and sight comes out the dovetail on the left). And insertion of the new sight the reverse. That is insert after fitting as necessary (by dragging the bottom of sight alternative directions along a file face) by starting it on the left and tapping it into position towards the right.

Anyhow. I securely and safely put the slide into a vice. I used a punch I put a few layers of masking tape over so not to mare things.

I attempted to remove the front sight. I say attempted because I pounded very hard. Harder than I really even wanted to and that dang sight did not move an iota!

I also tried using a soldering iron to heat up the front sight. All with zero success. The punch a couple of times slipped off the top edge of the sight.

I finally gave up as I did not want to hit it any harder or cause any damage.

What the hell? Does the factory use locktight when installing the sights?

All the videos I saw on line and YouTube etc none of them had to even come close to hitting the sight as hard as I was to remove the sight. They removed them pretty easily.

I hate to have to take this simple procedure and pay someone. But I may have no choice.

Why the hell does S&W insert these sights with apparently a hydraulic press? It is ridiculous!

Any suggestions? Should I put the slide into the kitchen oven to heat it up to soften any locktight? If so what temperature?

The front sight on my shield was super tight also. I had to heat up good and beat the heck out of it with a punch. I dinged up my sight pretty good but it did eventually come out. If you dont want to beat on it anymore take it to your local shop and have them use a press out tool. Good luck!!


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Although I know there are people who recommend driving sights to the left, be aware that for at least the 60 years I've been tinkering the advice has usually been the opposite -- drive in from right to left, out from left to right. In fact, a lightning search of YouTube and a look at the first 4 videos to show up shows the left-to-right recommendation.

This is because dovetails used to be tapered, wide on the right side and narrowing to the left. Nowadays, they may or may not be.

__________________
Pisgah

It's better have sights mounted really hard than arguing they move during shooting.
If tapping them out didn't work, use sight pusher or pay $20 to gunsmith to have job done in 10 minutes.

I've been seeing same models with different approach that had to be done to replace the sights.

Good luck.

I banged them off my old Shield the Tru Glows went on a little easier. My newer 2.0 took to the gunsmith $35. He said sights weren't going to budge so I left slide to soak with oil for a few hours.

I bought a used M&P40 with burned out NS, rear went off left to right with sight pusher easy peasy.

Front I just dabbed with whiteout.

I don’t get the need to “ customize” and the last thing I’d do is beat on any gun part, so either buy a pusher or learn to love stock sights.


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Well I took the slide in. And with a heavy duty professional site pushed. The man had to use every ounce of his strength to get the front sight out.

There is no way in hell that any hammer or punch would have moved that sight. The rear was not much better. But they are off!

The new XS rear slides in actually too loose as far as I would prefer. Glad it at least has a set screw to hold it in addition to the locktight. The front site will have to be ground down to fit snuggly.

Glad I brought it in because no way even a modestly priced sight pushed would have budged that front sight. Not a chance!

I bought a $140 sight pusher from Brownells, and it did fine for sights that were barely in, but wouldn't even begin to budge any M&P sights.
So I ended up getting the sights out with a brass punch and hammer.
You aren't going to hurt the slide, provided you are careful to hit the sight with the punch and not the slide.

The front sight on my .40 Shield was so tight I had to give up on the punch and resorted to drilling the stubborn sight out.
That did it, not like I wanted to keep the stock sight anyway.
If you buy a pusher buy a good one, I've heard the MGW one is good.

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U. S. Army Veteran

If I read the OP's original post correctly, I removed the rear sights on my Shield Plus and M&P 2.0 45, and others, to install dovetail plates by pushing the thing in the other direction, where it comes out on the side the ejection port is.

When installing the plates from that side, they go in far enough to hold in the cap and spring for the striker safety before needing to use the sight pusher to get them all the way seated.

MGW indeed makes a good pusher. Last I saw, they were $384. I make one that handles very tight sights that can be had with all necessary attachments for not much over $100. They can be found in the forum classified section.
Here is a link to a post in the notable thread index. Some good general information on changing sights. Note that some equipment pictured has been superseded with newer designs.
Shield sight change Picture heavy