Ahoy there Gents,

I'm going to do my best to be civil here because when I see stuff like this, especially on an irreplaceable PC gun, it just makes me mad. And it's not even my gun.

So the story goes... Our good friend 18DAI takes his shooter grade Shorty45 mk2 to a local 'gunsmith' to have the sights swapped over to a standard Novak low mount set. The completed job resulting from an alleged professional is, shall we say, less than optimal. Today it arrived in my mailbox to get sorted out.

Gentlemen attend.....

That front sight has clearly been run through the ringer:


You know, One is not supposed to beat on the sight blade when installing these things. kinda beat into a shallow 'S' curve here and knocked past the midline.


Wait... is that? No it can't be... Yup it's black paint


Oh, that's a nice scratch there


The backsight fared a little better but not by much. Both sides are beat to hell and dented in.

And...


Today I detail stripped the slide pulling every part off. There will be some media blasting in a day or so and that grit gets into everywhere so we strip her down to the bare bones to facilitate proper cleaning.

Now with the sights off we get a better view of the slide damage:


Fortunately no metal removed from the dovetail cut:


Got a divot back here too. Presumably from when the original backsight was driven off:


Pulled the bushing in prep for blasting:


I stopped at that point for today...Deadlift training on the schedule for today, can't be missed Tomorrow I'll break out some files and stones and do what I can to mitigate the damage done then mask off a good portion in prep for abrasive blasting most of the top flat and shoulders.

You know the fellow who did this could have avoided all this had he just used a big fat brass drift punch instead of whatever chunk of steel was used. These days I even use a copper hammer with my brass drift to install sights. I started using the copper mallet after having to fix dings from slipped hammer blows on two occasions, one was on a customers gun I was mortified. Nowadays if I have a missed or slipped blow the worst I have to deal with is wiping off a copper 'crayon' mark with some Hoppe's copper solvent.

That's all for now... More to follow tomorrow sometime.

Cheers
Bill

__________________
Because they don't make a .46

Since I'm in the same general vicinity as he, I hope 18DAI will let me know which local "smith" does such admirable work. I've got a terribly buggered rear sight on a 659/6590 transition gun and I'd like NOT to take it to that guy.

Thank you for fixing it BMCM!! Much appreciated.

When Bubba brought it out to me, were I not a Judicial Official - and the pistol "shooter grade", I'd have grabbed a handful of his red neck.

I appreciate your kind assistance! I will be sending work to you from now on. Best regards, 18DAI

__________________
7 +1 Rounds of hope & change

Oh my! What DID you say to that “gunsmith”? I don’t know quite how I would react to seeing my PC pistol bruised up like that. If I had a PC pistol anyways


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Not too bad for a 2nd grader.........That Bubba sure gets around, why some of his work even shows up here in Montana!

Randy

Ah yes, I've heard stories about Bubba's Gunsmithing and Discount Credit Dentistry Salon. That's over there on Wackum Road, isn't it?

I learn a great new idea every time I visit the forum. This may be one of the best.

That's hard to look at. What's worse is a set of Brownell's dove tail sight punches is only $22. Add the cost of a Shooboy hammer at $40 with brass face and it's a small price to pay for any gunsmith.
I wonder how many sight installation he's done. I would think it would be a common job and the number would at least warrant the cost of brass punches or even a high dollar sight pusher.
I hope you got your money back and at least it's in good hands now.

Pitiful.

Just pitiful.

John

Good lord, that’s terrible! That’s even worse than the goobered up sight install on my M&P22C that I posted here a while back. Can’t wait to see what you do with it, you did a wonderful job with my 4013 10mm conversion. Always enjoy seeing your work here!

I knew I sent my CS40 to the right place ! You take great pride in your work , and it shows .

That's the $#!++yest job I think I've ever seen. How can someone keep beating on a part that won't go into the dovetail like that? I sure hope 18DAI informs everyone in his area about this so called gun shop. Please show this pistol when it has been fixed properly.

The very first time I did my own sights, I used google to discover the brass punch method. Even Bubba should know this! I watched a video of Dave Dawson installing sights. I place the slide in my vice with strips of leather to protect from the vise. I used some electrical tape over the brass punch and also used an old brass hammer. I filed just enough so the sight went into the dovetail by hand as Dave Dawson does. I didn’t make a single mark on the gun or the sights my VERY FIRST TIME. This is not rocket science, and I can’t even believe this guy calls himself a professional! THIS is why I eventually learned to do most gunsmith work myself. Granted when I started I already had general mechanical knowledge, good tools, and skills. Only thing I don’t mess with now is frames and slides, and finish. Best for me to leave that to the real pros like BMCM. It’s like the difference between rough carpentry and finish carpentry. I just don’t have the expertise or the tools to do the finish work right. I would love to learn and be able to do it all some day though


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Bill - you are the one to handle tough jobs like this around here! Thanks, again, for your great work on my 3953 slide ...

Picking up where we left off....

I noticed something else examining the take-off parts.

On the banged up sights I see where some fitting was performed however it looks to have been done with sandpaper instead of a file. The camera doesn't really capture this but the bases of each dovetail are somewhat convex especially so at the corners. If the fitting was done properly on a file the bases will be perfectly flat.


Meanwhile over at the mill... Mounted the two axis vise and did a quick 'n' dirty adjustment to set the fixed jaw parallel with the quill.


Then we stick an indicator in there and tram the fixed jaw parallel with the X. We are going the do a tiny bit of trimming... VERY tiny


Took a few passes here to clean up the dents then shaved the other side in equal measure so the cut remains symmetrical.


Smooth out the milled area with a 3 cut pillar file and a small ceramic stone


Blended into the factory carry bevel up front.


Back here I lightly stoned the lifted up burr flat.


Not much more I can do there though... there appears to be a tiny tear in the metal and that spot is rolled inward into the recess for the cover plate. I'm not inclined to mess with it further.


The slide is now soaking in some degreaser while I go grab a bite to eat. Once it's clean and dry and I'm fed...I'll mask off most of the slide leaving the muzzle face and the top exposed then head for the blast cabinet.

Be back later.

Cheers
Bill

__________________
Because they don't make a .46

Alrighty... De-greased, squeaky clean and dried off. Lets apply some masking.


Vinyl electric tape work great for this... So long as the pressure is kept to a reasonable limit, the abrasive grit just bounces right off the tape. Both flats and all the shiny bits protected.

And...


Noted some booboos back here from running into the levers so I hit those with a stone to smooth the dings over a tad before heading out to the blast cabinet. Gotta be careful when putting your slide back on


Ok then... Time to fire up the compressor, be back in a little while.

Cheers
Bill

__________________
Because they don't make a .46

All done out in the shed.

This looks quite a bit better eh?


And this spot back here...


And back up front at the pointy end


Methinks I shall put this thing back together this evening.

Cheers
Bill

__________________
Because they don't make a .46

She looks GREAT!! Thank you VERY much BMCM!! Much appreciated! Best regards, 18DAI

__________________
7 +1 Rounds of hope & change

Now THAT is some nice work


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

From the Masters hands.......Absolutely equisite!!

Randy

Where was I .... Oh yeah

New front sight fitted & installed. I applied a bit of Loctite 290 (wicking grade medium strength) to seal up the joint. Keeps moisture out of there to prevent corrosion welding.


Once the adhesive has cured I'll clean up the excess then use some copper solvent to wipe away the brass marks.

In the meantime...lets get the Briley bushing installed.

I noted some hairline scratches on the face of the bushing so I took it for a quick spin on the bench lathe for a 600 grit polish.


No more of that green wicking grade nonsense, now we use the serious stuff. This is Loctite 272 (high strength & high temperature threadlocker).


And just screw the bushing in taking care to align it across 3 & 9 o'clock. Conveniently you use that little gold nitrided ring as the wrench to install it Looks like we have good penetration with the adhesive.


Yeah this bushing ain't going anywhere.


I'll set this aside for a while to allow plenty of time for the goops to cure while I file/fit the backsite. Be back later.

Cheers
Bill

__________________
Because they don't make a .46

Picking back up where we left off... Now that the adhesives are cured, cleaned up the excess goo and wiped off the brass marks on the front sight.


All these little bits cleaned and stuffed into their respective recesses.


Backsight fitted and driven in place.


Got all the rest of the little bits back where they belong , and.....we're done!


Gotta go package this up for her trip home. Later Gents

Cheers
Bill

__________________
Because they don't make a .46

Thank you for letting us tag along for this ride...

No steak and lobster dinner would be enough gratitude for me for what you were able to accomplish and in such a spectacular and graceful manner!
What a credit to your skills and desire to make it right...REALLY right...
WOW doesn't seem to say enough...........
Randy

Wow. The first pix were horrid, and I would not let that butcher cut a loaf of bread. I say this from the perspective of a artistically and mechanically challenged "form follows function" kind of guy who is not easily wound up about most things cosmetic.

Then wow again - the fixes. And the description is both clear and concise, making it sound like the work "weren't no big thing" ... which is probably true for a master (Master Chief), but a big deal for us mortals.

__________________
NHI, 10-8.

Spectacular work sir. I find it heartening to know there's life after Bubba.

Artistry right there. The "little" details are the mark of the true professional.

God Almighty... ... absolute pure genius. Artistry and skill at a level that stuns me.

But ask me if I am surprised. I'm not!

Magnificent work sir! Thank you very much for your time, skill and craftsmanship! It is much appreciated!

Fellas this is what happens when you get in a hurry and cut corners. I have owned this pistol since 2007 or 2008. I got it out of a pawnshop in CT. It was used, with a ding in the frame, but had the original box and one mag. I got it for a fair price. Back then nobody knew there were only 179 MKIIs made.

I am left handed. So I wanted the ambi safety. And the previous owner had installed Novak Low Mount Night sights on it. Unfortunately he had not installed the proper height front or rear. So while the gun shot 230 grain RA45T into sub 2 inch groups at 15 yards, it put the group about 3 inches low of POA. Kinda frustrating. Then, I saw what the gun was actually worth and decided to park it. It sat in the safe, unused since around 2009.

Recently, working part-time in a LGS, I have found myself in need of a slim light weight 45 pistol. Yes, I have a few of those to choose from but what I was really wanting was a.........3913 chambered in 45. No such beast exists - BUT - the Shorty 45 comes close.

So I dug it out of the safe and recalled the sight problem. I foumd a set of 4516 take off sights and one of the customers in the shop put me on to......"BUBBA" the shadetree gunsmith. You know the rest of the story.

What did Granny say about acting in haste and repenting in leisure?

Thankfully, BMCM took pity on me and was able to repair the damage. Actually, since the frame ding is not visible with the slide on, he has restored it to like new condition.

When the Shorty 45 returns, it will get wrung out at the range to test for function and then will become my daily carry gun at my two jobs. Collectors are weeping in their beer at this point. But I am a shooter end user NOT a collector. As a former founder of the REAL Performance Center once told me; "....use it. Shoot it and carry it. Thats what we made them for. If it saves your life someday, it will have been a very good investment."

I agree. Thanks again BMCM! I will he in touch on those other "projects". Best regards, 18DAI

__________________
7 +1 Rounds of hope & change

Personally, I'd weep if BMCM hadn't been able to rescue that fine firearms.

I'm with you on shooting, carrying, loving the gun. I buy all of my guns with the expectation that I'll carry them someday.

__________________
Can open, worms everywhere.

Thanks for the great post BMCM!!! I think they use to say on LAUGH-IN, "very interesting". LOL

Great job, indeed.

Nice work! Nothing like having the tools to fix something right!

__________________
So many S&W's, so few funds!!

Not just the tools, but also the knowledge and skill. Tools are the easy part.

__________________
Can open, worms everywhere.

True be dat! Too bad for me that I have neither the tools nor the skill to even think about the kinds of repairs that BMCM tackles fearlessly.

I got the top end back a couple of days ago. Thanks again BMCM!!

On duty this weekend and got rained out today on my planned range trip. I will shoot it and post a few pics later this week. Best regards, 18DAI

__________________
7 +1 Rounds of hope & change

I finally got around to shaking down the Shorty 45 MKII yesterday. She shot to POA with everything I used - 230 Speer Lawman/230 S&B/230 RA45T.

Thank you BMCM! I appreciate you! The Shorty 45 is my new carry gun. 8 rounds of RA45T in a 3913 size package. Best regards, 18DAI

__________________
7 +1 Rounds of hope & change

Who carries a 45 anymore??????

Old men who are too tired to tussle and fight and whos knees are too messed up to run. Regards 18DAI

__________________
7 +1 Rounds of hope & change

Great answer. That’s a helluva pistol


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Indeed. Particularly considering it was the answer of a guy about 10 years my junior.

I guess I need a .50.

.45 does make ya feel warm and fuzzy........when will you change that signature to "7+1 rounds of hope and change"???

__________________
witty signature goes here

There you go my friend nocents. Best regards, 18DAI

__________________
7 +1 Rounds of hope & change

Wow. Just wow.

For both the story, and especially the great craftsmanship (and excellent photos!)

Time to update this thread…

I’m now the proud owner of 18’s mk2 and displayed it at last week’s SWCA Symposium. Thank you BMCM and Rest In Peace my dear friend 18DAI.

Great update.... enjoy that terrific pistol and fond memories!

Thank you for the update.

__________________
Can open, worms everywhere.