I have a pre '89 6904 with a broken rear sight, and have a set of Trijicon SA05 sights. Should I try to install them myself or go to a gunsmith? My skill level is such that I have dissassembled and reassembled the lower, except for the trigger assembly.

No.

It is NOT something you can do or you would not have asked this question.

However....

If you make the investment in time and effort, you WILL acquire the skills needed to do this job, just like the rest of us mere mortals who didn't know how before we learned.

BTW...

I ran motorcycle dealerships and service departments for 40 years and was often asked this question, i.e. "Is this a job I can do myself?"

The above was typically my answer.

John

P.S. If you are comfortable using drifts, hammers, pushers, and pullers, learning how to replace sights will come much easier for you.

Ha! Thanks! I used to own a '65 Triumph Bonneville, and a '72 MGB. I Learned a few skills with them. What I learned most was Lucas electrical systems are ****, as was the British aluminum alloys.

And, to the point, I know I could drift them out (an observant chimp could do that) but I don't want to foul up the installation. I thought maybe someone may have a tutorial or something.
Apparently, the lesson is, "use a gunsmith."��

If you were closer, I'd show you.

It can be done with punch and hammer. Sometimes. That’s why we have sight pushers.

HCH, I appreciate that, but you ARE a long way from Birmingham.
epj, that "sometimes" is caution enough for me, thanks.

I was really probably referring to the sight pushers that I manufacture. Shameless plug

Changing out the sights yourself can be done, but it will require removing the manual safety body from the slide, the purchase of some equipment, and learning as you go, whether you use a sight pusher or a hammer/punch/vise method.

If you don't plan on doing it again, it might be easier to simply use a gunsmith or send the slide to Trijicon for installation. If you do plan on doing it again, here are a few pointers:

- The sights drift out to the right (ejection port side), and the new ones drift in to the left.

- There are 2 plungers and springs underneath the rear sight that can pop out when removing, and require some finesse to put back in when installing without damaging the springs.

- You will likely have to remove some material from the bottom of the sights to get them to start to fit. Do not remove material from the sides. The sight bases are meant to be tight and are softer metal that will conform a bit to the shape of the dovetail. If you don't remove enough material it's possible to get the sight stuck in halfway. That's a lot of fun.

- You'll want to center both sights in the slide, so having a digital caliper helps.

- Using a sight pusher is safer for the tritium vials and easier to be more precise with the placement of the sight in the dovetail, but more time consuming getting everything lined up.

- A hammer and punch in a padded vise is quicker but less precise, and it is possible to crack the tritium vials with too much force (though I haven't actually done this yet, and I have beat on some night sights). I prefer to use a hammer/punch in a vise with strips of 2-3oz leather on either side of the slide. I use a 36oz deadblow hammer (Estwing Compocast Ball Peen) and a long 1/4" brass rod with a beveled & flattened end for my sights.

This is a big deal without the knowledge and proper tools... once you put a mark on the gun or sights, it will be there forever to remind you...

After watching my gunsmith change the sights on a 915 - basically the same sights as your 6904, I surmised that I could probably do it myself. But, then again, he has to make a living and I would probably mess it up anyway.

Not all sight pushers require that the safety levers be removed. I manufacture one that does not require removal. Works on S&W and Berettas. You can also use the base model, which is somewhat less expensive but you do have to remove the safety levers.

If you have a few handguns or will have a few handguns and want to personalize/customize...you may want to DIY. It isn't hard if you follow directions, have patience and don't do anything rash.

If you think you will only swap out sights on one gun, then you should probably just outsource it.

Check EBAY, A couple of years ago I was able to buy a new slide and barrel cheaper than what new sights would have cost.