Gen 3 sight tool, final design

[epj]

After having had this design floating around in my head for several months, today I built a prototype. I tested it in a 5906 and on a Kimber 1911. Worked as advertised on both.
I keep reading posts from folks who are trying to remove or adjust their sights and cannot budge them with a brass punch. As tight as the ones I broke loose tonight were, it's no wonder. They made a "ping" when they finally moved.
The commercial sight pushers I have seen advertised are all priced north of a C note. It is my intent to manufacture a limited number of these tools and make them available to forum members for around $50. If there is much interest, I may put some on EvilBay as well. Take a look at the pics and tell me what you think. The construction is steel, with a soft aluminum liner which will not mar a stainless finish. The "commercial" models may have a hard plastic liner instead. Keep in mind this is a hand built prototype. The only power tool used was a drill press. The next ones will be prettier. Obviously, on most of the S&W models, the safety/decocker levers will have to be removed. This is about a 30 second task each way.

Here's the pics of the latest and "final" design. Final at least for this week.

A couple have been ordered and are ready to ship. I'll be interested to see what the purchasers have to say about them.

 

[ajpelz]

Brilliant!

 

[ab4ka]

I think I'd definitely be interested.

 

[bad_man_ one]

Great job,
I love American ingenuity.

Just a thought,
you might want to put a brass pad (bumper) on the load bearing end (rotating frictional contact) of your pusher bolt so as not to mar up the "blueing" on the sight.

Regards,
BM1

 

[dcbridgwater]

Looks good, can't wait to see the " prettier ones". I second
bad_man_ one's suggestion of a brass pad (bumper).

Dale

 

[Ranger98]

where can we sign up ?

 

[epj]

where can we sign up ?

I'll let you know in the next day or two.

 

[epj]

Great job,
I love American ingenuity.

Just a thought,
you might want to put a brass pad (bumper) on the load bearing end (rotating frictional contact) of your pusher bolt so as not to mar up the "blueing" on the sight.

Regards,
BM1

Yeah, I need to work out something for that. Actually, the test model really doesn't do that much to the sight, but some way to address the issue would be nice. I'll have to think some more on that one.

 

[qncygnnr]

I just used the EPJ Version 1 (Bench Vice Model) today to push the dead tritium night sights (front & rear) out of a 5946 ... worked perfectly. Version 2 looks to be very user friendly and superior in every way to a bench vice, brass punch and mallet for an amateur gun mechanic (gunsmith would be a stretch). Thanks for sharing the concept ... all the other posts about 3rd Gen sight removal were a little on the scary side for somebody who has never done this before.

 

[epj]

I just used the EPJ Version 1 (Bench Vice Model) today to push the dead tritium night sights (front & rear) out of a 5946 ... worked perfectly. Version 2 looks to be very user friendly and superior in every way to a bench vice, brass punch and mallet for an amateur gun mechanic (gunsmith would be a stretch). Thanks for sharing the concept ... all the other posts about 3rd Gen sight removal were a little on the scary side for somebody who has never done this before.

Glad it worked for you. Version 1 took the sights off several guns before I got around to doing Version 2.

 

[snowman.45]

Sight Tool

Very nicely done. I've been considering a modification of one of my sight tools, but you gave me some new ideas.

 

[blujax01]

A ball and socket pad would fix any chaffing problems. I wonder if you could adapt one from a C-Clamp ...

 

[10ring]

I would be interested. I have been looking without success for a 3rd gen-specific tool.

 

[epj]

A ball and socket pad would fix any chaffing problems. I wonder if you could adapt one from a C-Clamp ...

That was the first thing I thought of. Not sure how to adapt it. Dealing with a very small surface.

 

[epj]

After considering all manner of schemes to add a brass tip on the screw, the answer became obvious: a brass bolt. Readily available in many different configurations. I will begin this week to assemble materials to get the first batch going.

 

[SMSgt]

Where there's a will, there's a way...

Maybe round the end of the pusher bolt to minimize the contact area?

 

[epj]

All the materials have been collected and I have started production of the Mkll Mod l sight pusher. Will have some pics tomorrow. As soon as I have a few assembled, I'll post an ad in the classifides.

 

[bad_man_ one]

EPJ,
Just found this:
An Affordable Pistol Sight Adjustment Tool
Regards,
BM1

 

[VTHokiesDuckHunter]

I just saw the same one in todays "Guns America" newsletter that Bad Man mentioned.

The OP's model looks to be a little better in some ways.

Maybe there are some additional ideas from this second model that can be designed into the 2nd generation model the OP is designing. Besides the brass contact point/bolt; compacting the size to make it easy to carry in a range bag, and also possibly a leather surface or polymer on any faces that could possibly come into contact with the gun would be nice.

I would probably just add some padded tape or similar material to it.

 

[epj]

EPJ,
Just found this:
An Affordable Pistol Sight Adjustment Tool
Regards,
BM1

I saw that one a while back. It is a nifty idea, and easy to make. Just saw off a section of square tubing, drill a couple of holes and you're almost there. The only known drawback is that this design and similar have been reported to have issues with difficulty with really stubborn sights and perhaps some durability issues. Lots of chatter on the 1911 forum about folks breaking pushers that use this basic design principle. (Not necessarily this particular brand)
I tested my design on my Kimber Pro Carry. Kimbers are known for really, really tight fitted sights. I had tried repeatedly to move the rear sight with a brass punch and hammer, to no avail. The tool moved it with ease.