This morning I safely tucked my 908 in it's factory box and then I put it in the trunk before work to do a bit of plinking when I got off. At 2pm after baking in the sun I retrieved the pistol and opened up the box. The plastic rear sight had almost fallen off the gun in the box, I cleared the gun and pushed the sight back into place, it slid very easily. I went to reinsert the magazine and the plastic mag release button had popped off. I found the spring but the button is AWOL. So with my range time cut short I drove home cursing my blunder of letting the pistol bake in the trunk. I ordered a new button from Brownells with the pistol on my desk in the cool AC, the rear sight is now tight again and I can not move it with my fingers as I could when it was warm. Lesson learned, don't keep guns with plastic bits in your trunk on 90+ degree days.

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Regards,
Guy-Harold Smith II

Thanks for the heads up. That scenario would never have occurred to me; that a part of my firearm might melt in the car.

Hope that plastic guide rod is still straight...

I don't think I'd want to keep any gun in a trunk that hot for very long. I'll bet my Glocks would melt entirely! Same with my S&W plastics!

In any case, you have reminded me that someday I should replace all the rear sights on my value line guns. Now I know how to get them off easy and without a struggle.

Replacing the rear sight on my SD40VE was cheap, simple and easy. I just used an M&P rear sight (available for cheap from a local dealer). Are metal replacement rear sights readily available for my value line 3rd Gens? I'll admit that it isn't something I've looked into yet as it is very low on my priority list.

Sorry for you misfortune.........That's another reason I don't own pistols mad of plastic or plastic parts.

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S&W Accumulator

Plastic pistols also give off a lot of vibration when fired as well. The plastic sides will flap around and pass the vibration off into your hands. No Thanks, I already have 6" scars on both wrists from severe Carpal Tunnel damage already. I don't want to destroy what little grip I have left which is not very much especially on my left hand. Less then 4lbs. I already have to two hand my M41 and M46 let alone my 45apc.

Readily available? Pretty much, but they are Trijicon night sight sets, so not cheap (and not at all fun to install the front sight ). XS Sights also makes a set for the 910 that I believe would also work for the 908, and they have models that would fit the various Chiefs Specials as well.

As far as metal non-night sights go, I think the dovetail is different from the regular 3rd Gen lineup. There was a member here who I sent a 3913 sight to, and he said he had to do a good bit of shaping on the rear sight base to make it fit his CS9. I like night sights so I've never tried myself.

Models like the 908/909/910 also have a plastic front sight to consider (and I think the 410 too). The later Chiefs Specials are the only ones that they made metal sight sets for, as far as I know.

Oh man! Not what I wanted to hear. Later this coming week when I get some time, I'll pull them out of the safe and take a much closer look. Like I said, this is not high on the priority list at all. In fact, it was second from the bottom until I read the top post. And being a world class procrastinator, I have a very, very long list.

The Trijicon front sight install require some metal to be filed off, I failed to do so, got the sight installed, but it jacked up my $200 sight pusher. I have NO plans to ever replace that sight!

Not a gun to fight a war in a tropical environment. . .or so it seems.

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Dr. B

After TercGen's wake-up call above, I did some quick research today and I guess my brilliant idea to replace the plastic sights on my value line 3rd Gens someday, strictly for increased durability, is officially dead and gone. Mama Mia!

I guess I better look after those plastic sights very carefully. This is what I get for assuming that a swap on my value line 3rd Gens would be just as simple, easy and cheap as the swap I did on my two SDVE's.

Oh well. Live and learn. I've got bigger problems to address up here in moonbat Massachusetts anyway where I just became an instant "Felon in Waiting" overnight for simply owning a MA-compliant AR and a MA-compliant AK. Prior to becoming a felon, I never even spit on the sidewalk nor returned a library book late... so yes, I am still very much in shock at my newfound major criminal status.

I'll treat those plastic sights right and I'm sure they will last me fine the rest of my felonious life.

One thing to consider TTSH - I believe the rear sights for models like the 908, 910, and CS9 are all the same, with the same dovetail. So, I do believe the metal rear sight for the later CS9's can be used for these other models as well. What that means with no replacement for the plastic front sight I don't know, but I'll throw it out there anyhow.

The XS 24/7 sights are less expensive than the Trijicons, and I have a set of Big Dots on my 457 that I like a lot.

Sorry again about the travesties that are going on for gun owners in your state.

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A Country Boy Can Survive

That's nothing. I forgot an left my 39 in the glove box one Texas summer. This is what I found when I opened the door:

Thanks very much for the tip. I'm not seeing where the rear sight you've described is available anywhere on-line, but I haven't called the mothership. Too much going on here in MA right now to worry about my plastic sights.

jdh: looks like your Model 39 was the least of your losses. What happened to the car?

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Southern Comfort
Retired USAF