5906 front/rear sight replacement
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JohnHL
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Front and rear sights push out left to right and push in right to left.
I use a drift and hammer to drive sights in and out but most folks use a "sight pusher" which is a dedicated tool for the task.
John
I use a drift and hammer to drive sights in and out but most folks use a "sight pusher" which is a dedicated tool for the task.
John
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JohnHL is correct, but remember that's looking at the slide from the rear.
Sight removal problems!
Well I tried to remove the front and rear sight but things did not work out. I had previously added some Kroil to the sights as well as the hex screw on the rear sight and waited a day for the Kroil to soak in. When I tried to remove the hex screw from the rear sight it snapped and stripped the hex sides in the screw so now nothing will fit into the screw to turn it. I tried to use a nylon tipped punch with a hammer to try and remove the rear sight anyway and after hammering on the punch for so long that the nylon head on the punch was destroyed the rear sight did not even budge. I tried to remove the front sight with an aluminum punch designed for front sights and after hammering on that till the tip of the punch was deformed the front sight did not budge either. Not sure what to do at this point as it seems both sights are stuck where they are at.
Well I tried to remove the front and rear sight but things did not work out. I had previously added some Kroil to the sights as well as the hex screw on the rear sight and waited a day for the Kroil to soak in. When I tried to remove the hex screw from the rear sight it snapped and stripped the hex sides in the screw so now nothing will fit into the screw to turn it. I tried to use a nylon tipped punch with a hammer to try and remove the rear sight anyway and after hammering on the punch for so long that the nylon head on the punch was destroyed the rear sight did not even budge. I tried to remove the front sight with an aluminum punch designed for front sights and after hammering on that till the tip of the punch was deformed the front sight did not budge either. Not sure what to do at this point as it seems both sights are stuck where they are at.
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You might have to carefully drill the set screw out. Try a drill small enough to leave the threads but allow an ezy out or screw extractor*. Some folks use Lok-Tite on those and use the wrong product. Some carefully applied heat can break the thread locker loose.
BTW, if no one told you, the spring loaded plunger for the magazine safety and probably the firing pin safety plunger are under the rear sight. Beware of flying parts.
*You do NOT want to break a screw extractor off in the hole. If all else fails and you're gonna scrap the original sights, you can VERY carefully cut down through the sight body with a hacksaw to release pressure on the dovetailed part. Cut at right angle to the slide, you don't have to cut all the way to the bottom of the dovetail to release the pressure. Once the cut is made, a couple whacks with a center punch and a hammer to drive the dovetail part of the sight away from the sides of the dovetail cut are in order before removal.
Back when I ran a shop I ran into a couple of cases where factory sight removal involved a milling machine. I'd have loved to see how those were installed.
BTW, if no one told you, the spring loaded plunger for the magazine safety and probably the firing pin safety plunger are under the rear sight. Beware of flying parts.
*You do NOT want to break a screw extractor off in the hole. If all else fails and you're gonna scrap the original sights, you can VERY carefully cut down through the sight body with a hacksaw to release pressure on the dovetailed part. Cut at right angle to the slide, you don't have to cut all the way to the bottom of the dovetail to release the pressure. Once the cut is made, a couple whacks with a center punch and a hammer to drive the dovetail part of the sight away from the sides of the dovetail cut are in order before removal.
Back when I ran a shop I ran into a couple of cases where factory sight removal involved a milling machine. I'd have loved to see how those were installed.
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That particular tool was originally designed for the 3rd Gen S&W 's.
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And it may work well if:
1. The set screw has been backed off on the rear sight.
2. No Lok-Tite or similar products were involved in installing the sights.
3. The dovetail cuts are the correct size/the sights are the correct size (remember tolerance stack).
My comments on using a milling machine didn't involve S&W products, but I expect the factory in question would claim the sights were drift adjustable.
1. The set screw has been backed off on the rear sight.
2. No Lok-Tite or similar products were involved in installing the sights.
3. The dovetail cuts are the correct size/the sights are the correct size (remember tolerance stack).
My comments on using a milling machine didn't involve S&W products, but I expect the factory in question would claim the sights were drift adjustable.
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Obviously the set screw must be loosened, or preferably removed. Often the set screw has been Loctited. A bit of heat will loosen the loctite. On third gen guns I have frequently found the carbon steel sight rusted on the bottom. While the stainless slide shows no sign of corrosion, the rust on the bottom of the slide will lock it in pretty tight. Again, a proper sight pusher will usually prevail.
Damn. Is this a newer production 5906 with the Novak style Low Mount rear sight? If so, at least the tolerances might be better for both the sight base and the dovetail cut.
I remember chuckling when I once read of a comment attributed to the owner of a well known custom shop who made sights for the 3rd gen S&W's. Basically, when using a heavy ball peen hammer and a brass drift, some of the older rear sights, especially those on the older early 3rd gen's, required beating on them with a hammer like the wrath of God in order to remove them.
Having removed and installed some of them myself on the older guns, myself (as old as the late 80's/early 90's), I can't say I'm inclined to disagree.
Even after I finally decided to spend the money to order the right sight-pusher from S&W, I was told that I'd still likely have to occasionally whack the handle end of the pusher with my ball peen hammer, whenever it got too tight to turn the handle, to "break" a stuck sight loose and keep it moving. That guy wasn't kidding.
The presses used at the factory were a lot stronger than my simple 2oz or 4oz ball peen hammer and brass drifts.
Also, as has already been mentioned, some care is required to prevent losing the springs for the nylon and steel plungers during disassembly, and even more care to avoid bending, tweaking, kinking or even shearing off the "top" of the coils when installing the sights.
I remember feeling a certain amount of joy when I first encountered a .45 slide that had an oval spring plate that fit inside a recess, covering the springs, making it easy to protect the springs and keep them held down for rear sight base installation.
OP, at this point it might be prudent to have a smith familiar with the S&W guns remove the set screw and drift out the sight base. If you've already removed the manual safety assembly and firing pin, you can clean out the firing pin channel and make sure no shavings or odd bits have migrated into the firing pin or plunger channels.
I remember chuckling when I once read of a comment attributed to the owner of a well known custom shop who made sights for the 3rd gen S&W's. Basically, when using a heavy ball peen hammer and a brass drift, some of the older rear sights, especially those on the older early 3rd gen's, required beating on them with a hammer like the wrath of God in order to remove them.
Having removed and installed some of them myself on the older guns, myself (as old as the late 80's/early 90's), I can't say I'm inclined to disagree.
Even after I finally decided to spend the money to order the right sight-pusher from S&W, I was told that I'd still likely have to occasionally whack the handle end of the pusher with my ball peen hammer, whenever it got too tight to turn the handle, to "break" a stuck sight loose and keep it moving. That guy wasn't kidding.
The presses used at the factory were a lot stronger than my simple 2oz or 4oz ball peen hammer and brass drifts.
Also, as has already been mentioned, some care is required to prevent losing the springs for the nylon and steel plungers during disassembly, and even more care to avoid bending, tweaking, kinking or even shearing off the "top" of the coils when installing the sights.
I remember feeling a certain amount of joy when I first encountered a .45 slide that had an oval spring plate that fit inside a recess, covering the springs, making it easy to protect the springs and keep them held down for rear sight base installation.
OP, at this point it might be prudent to have a smith familiar with the S&W guns remove the set screw and drift out the sight base. If you've already removed the manual safety assembly and firing pin, you can clean out the firing pin channel and make sure no shavings or odd bits have migrated into the firing pin or plunger channels.
Thanks for the feedback on this everyone!
I have stopped attempting to remove the sights as I don't want to damage the slide. This slide and its frame is in mint condition so I want to keep it that way. I have taken the slide to a local gunsmith and they just got back with me to let me know they were able to remove the setscrew without drilling it out and they are proceeding to replace the front and rear sights for me. It looks like I will soon have my 5906 back with new sights on it.
I have stopped attempting to remove the sights as I don't want to damage the slide. This slide and its frame is in mint condition so I want to keep it that way. I have taken the slide to a local gunsmith and they just got back with me to let me know they were able to remove the setscrew without drilling it out and they are proceeding to replace the front and rear sights for me. It looks like I will soon have my 5906 back with new sights on it.
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