What size Allen wrench for rear sight adjustment?
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S&W Customer Support
I just called Jeff in S&W Customer Support with this question. His answer,"Well, it's less than an 1/8, so it must be 1/32 or 1/64." Where do they get their employees? The answer must be recorded somewhere at S&W. An engineer designed it and someone ordered a bijillion from somewhere. Why is it not in the manual? Is it a trade secret or is S&W Customer Support always this inept?
I just called Jeff in S&W Customer Support with this question. His answer,"Well, it's less than an 1/8, so it must be 1/32 or 1/64." Where do they get their employees? The answer must be recorded somewhere at S&W. An engineer designed it and someone ordered a bijillion from somewhere. Why is it not in the manual? Is it a trade secret or is S&W Customer Support always this inept?
bigchuck83
Member
unless a different size is used for different calibers of pistol it is 1/16th. mine is.
tgmorris99
Member
The M&P Armorer's Manual clearly calls it out as 1/16"
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You could also just buy a $3 set of allen wrenches and use the one that fits. It doesn't require posting on a message board and calling customer service. Who knows, maybe someday you will use one of the other 8+ sizes that will come with the set on something else. Also remember, "righty tighty, lefty loosey."
I bought a set of allens and uses the 1/16th and it didn't fit it was to small and Nxt size up was 2 big. I still haven't got it off , imma try a star Nxt.
funny
I had the same problem about the screw so thought I'd check here to see if any info....someone posted here its 1/16 and that it's in the manual. I must have two poor allen wrench sets because one was too big, one was too small from both metric and standard. I actually committed a sin and stripped mine, Ugh. Had to drill it out...then I put in my firesightes/adjustable...and now I realize I don't have the tiniest allen wrench in the world to fit its screw. Guess that's life. Tomorrow, a couple new sets of allen wrenches are coming home. Hope some can relate and I just don't look like a moron. Good luck guys. Oh, the tips on putting slides in freezer....I think worked for removing the sights.
I had the same problem about the screw so thought I'd check here to see if any info....someone posted here its 1/16 and that it's in the manual. I must have two poor allen wrench sets because one was too big, one was too small from both metric and standard. I actually committed a sin and stripped mine, Ugh. Had to drill it out...then I put in my firesightes/adjustable...and now I realize I don't have the tiniest allen wrench in the world to fit its screw. Guess that's life. Tomorrow, a couple new sets of allen wrenches are coming home. Hope some can relate and I just don't look like a moron. Good luck guys. Oh, the tips on putting slides in freezer....I think worked for removing the sights.
WilsonFlyer
Member
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Like most tools, cheap allen wrenches ain't good and good allen wrenches ain't cheap. You get what you pay for. That's probably why he's having problems.
A good ball-end and case-hardened allen wrench is worth its weight in gold when you have to have one that really works.
I find myself asking that question every time I get off the phone with them
joestacey06
Member
Agree 100%. Everything on our equipment at work is held together with allen head bolts. I use allen wrenches, short and long, ball end and regular. 3/8" allen sockets, short and long, ball end and regular. Also use 1/2" drive impact allen sockets.
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smokindog
Member
I'm not a BIG fan of single purpose tool kits but this may be something handy to have, if you don't have the tools and want to ensure you have the right tool for the M&P. IF the tools are a decent quality, it's not INSANELY priced 
Smith & Wesson® Armorer Tool : Cabela's
Smith & Wesson® Armorer Tool : Cabela's
Bkreutz
US Veteran
I'm not a BIG fan of single purpose tool kits but this may be something handy to have, if you don't have the tools and want to ensure you have the right tool for the M&P. IF the tools are a decent quality, it's not INSANELY priced
Smith & Wesson® Armorer Tool : Cabela's
Dang, and I just made a Cabela's order yesterday. Coulda saved myself some shipping.
Rastoff
US Veteran
The "Wish List" is your friend. Put it on the wish list and add it next time.Dang, and I just made a Cabela's order yesterday. Coulda saved myself some shipping.
I have good (not cheap) allen (hex) wrenches in various styles including ball-end and case-hardened and they all fit loose in the screw on my M&P Pro. The loose fit and red Loctite from the factory is a problem. I knew that if I just applied brute force I would strip out the screw. I used a propane soldering iron with a tip that just fit into the hex on the screw and heated it up. It came out without any problem when I got it hot enough.
I ordered new screws and they have the same loose fit as the factory.
1/16" is the correct size but be careful and don't strip the nut.
Rastoff
US Veteran
This is why I keep a set of SAE and Metric Allen wrenches on my bench.
Let's face it, these set screws are not high dollar items. It's highly likely that the quality control is not great for them. So, 100 might be a perfect fit for a 1/16" wrench and the next might not fit at all. Plus you have the problem of "stacking tolerances." If your wrench is on the small side of the tolerance and the set screw is on the large side of the tolerance, the wrench will fit loose.
Often times a metric wrench will fit better when the SAE is loose.
That is one of the brands I tried, also older Craftsman, Proto. I tried Ball end, socket hex. I tried everything I had. I did have one Bondhus screw driver type hex that fit a little tighter but not much. They all fit loose. Heat was the solution for me to prevent rounding out the head of the screw. Like others have said, tolerance stack, foreign made screws are part of the problem.
As a side note to this discussion. The screws are #5-40 X 3/16" Cup Point Socket Set Screws. #5 is also called 1/8" by some manufactures.
