Does anyone have or can I "rent" a sight pusher for 4006?

[BullittBoy]

I took my 4006 to adjust the sight and the local gunshop "whacked" on my rear sight to adjust it because it doesn't fit in the standard sight pusher tool with the slide decockers (now it shoots too far the other way-sometimes I can't win).
Does anyone have one specific to Smith's or one I could rent or borrow to make an adjustment?
Man those factory sights are IN THERE TIGHT, I tried oiling it up and putting it in a vice and using a punch and no dice-very tight fit.
Or are you supposed to just adjust the front one-is that easier?
I may just change out the sight too and put some Meprolite sights on it.

 

[Stevenas]

me too!!

I don't mean to hijack your thread but I'm looking to change my Novak sights on my newly acquired 4006 too.
Replacing them with brand new night sights.

I have been searching for info on how to remove the sights but no luck!

Anyone?

Thanks!

 

[blueknight7]

To remove the sights, you drive them toward the ejection port. Yes, they are more than tight. No, they don't need to be that tight. Yes, if you get them out, you might work on them SLIGHTLY, with emery cloth, or a needle file.

Smith and Wessons idea of snug, is a bit over done, on the fixed sights of their autos. Gunsmith, Armorer adage: work on the cheapest part, i.e. the sights. You don't want to buy a slide.

Sight pushers are kind of on again, off again. I have not really found one that I am very fond of. A brass drift, a good padded vice, and about a 12 oz. ball peen hammer, should do it. Aim well, if you miss, your may cause your thumb to explode.

 

[Stevenas]

Thanks

Thinking...to hell with it, I'll pay a smith to do the job.

Sounds too difficult for me, I'll probably screw something up!

 

[CL21376]

Did your 4006 have white dot or factory night sights?

If it had night sights, call Trijicon and they can re-lamp them. My 4006 is there right, $54 + shipping them the slide.

 

[KurtC]

S&W installs the factory sight with some sort of arbor press. I have yet to find a portable sight tool that can move them.

The usuall method involves a padded vise, lots of masking tape, a brass drift and a massive hammer. The sight usually gets damaged in this process.

The best gunsmith to send the slide to is the factory. Tell them your sighting problem, or include the new sights you want installed.

If you are installing new sights, fit them by running the bottom side across a mill file or emery cloth. Do not remove material from the side of the dovetail, and never make modifications to the slide itself.

 

[BullittBoy]

Thanks for the replies, this is the first pistol I have had issues with the sights moving, I may try another smith, I was thinking of putting the Meprolites on it as I have them on my SIG and Kimber and I love them.

 

[Wee Hooker]

FWIW, It might be worth a purchase. Brownells has one ( P500 universal). that works decent for $130.
After trying to borrow a sight pusher for a while, I bought the P500 with the intent of selling it after I used it for one gun. Now 5 sight jobs latter, I can't imagine not having one around.

p.s. I think what you'll find is that they are hard to rent/borrow as they would not be a hard tool to break/loose parts too.

 

[W.E.G.]

Read the reviews on the "universal" sight pushers before you drop a lot of $$$ on them.

 

[blueknight7]

Yeah, I have busted one Brownell P500 on a 3rd generation S&W. I got that one when, at my price, I think they were $65 bucks. The next one I got works on Colts, Rugers, Sigs, CZ's, Beretta's, and just about everything else. I will never put it on another Smith.

On S&W fixed sights, its a brass drift, large hammer, padded vice, and drive towards the ejection port. And be mentally prepared for a very bad time.

 

[S&W247]

I've had success with the brass punch / hammer method although I'd recommend a 4lb engineer's hammer. Just kidding, but you do typically need a good size ball peen hammer; you can forget the small nylon and brass headed gunsmith hammers. Man up and hit the thing!

I haven't done the math on thermal expansion, but if you have access to extreme cold it seems to help. When all else fails, I've chilled a few slides down to -40 degrees and then drove the sights out. Dry-ice at Kroger might be cheaper than your local gunsmith. An then you can also say you have a cryogenically treated slide if you believe that BS.

S&W definitely went crazy on the press fit. Makes you wonder why they bothered with the set screw.

 

[epj]

I made a sight pusher for the gen 3 pistols using a bench vise and some 1/4"X1" flat bar lined with thin aluminum so it wouldn't mar the slide. It is necessary to remove the safety/decocker levers if so equipped. I believe this rig would work on most 1911 sights as well, but I haven't tried it on one yet.

The sights I have removed really popped when they broke loose. They were REALLY tight.