Installing a Stake-on Front Sight.

[Dave Waits]

asked me to post this for you guys who haven't done it before. It's really not hard to do and you don't really need an expensive Staking Tool you'll probably never use more than once or twice.

Okay, what do you need?

Not much really, this is one of the extremely few times you get to use a powertool in a 1911. You'll need either a Dremel, a Foredom or a small battery-powered drill. A 1/16th.Metal ball cutter. A 3/8th dia.barrel stone fine, a cone-shaped stone, A 1/16th" Long punch, A1/8th" long punch, a small hammer, a tube of red Loctite, A jewelers' triangular file, and a small source of light.

Okay, first things first; Removing the old sight. Alot of guys just use a small pair of vise-grips, grab the front sight from the top of the slide and twist hard. Well, it works but, you take a chance of scratching the top of the slide and/or damaging the Tenon-hole.
Here's how to do it better

Turn the disassembled slide upside-down, install the 1/16th Metal ball-cutter in the dremel and slowly insert it into the slide. You target is the Tenon just inside. Turn it on and start cleaning out the tenon from the inside, taking care not to damage the cupped Tenon-hole. When you've gotten as much of the old Tenon stake out that you can, Take your right hand with the 1/16th. Punch, lay the tip of the punch in the center of the Tenon-hole, front sight overhanging your work block, rest your right hand on the slide to hold it in place and give the punch a good rap with the hammer.

This will drive the old front sight out with minimal damage. now, turn the slide over and check the tenon-hole. dress any burrs or ridges created by removing the old Tenon-stake.

Okay! Now we're ready to install the new front sight.

First insert the new front sight into the slides' Tenon-hole and tap it into place. Make sure it's square to the slide and seated all the way on,with no gaps at the bottom. Turn the slide back over and look inside the slide. You'll see the new sight Tenon sticking up. Take the Ball-cutter out of the Dremel and install the barrel-stone.

Now, gently grind down the top of the tenon until it sticks up just above the surrounding slide. Shut off the Dremel and put it away, you're done with it. Take your tube of Red Loctite and put a small drop onto the Tenon and let it sit for a minute.

Next, take the 1/8th" punch, place the slide sight down on a hard surface with something behind the sight to hold it level, place the tip of the punch as straight up as you can on the Tenon and give it a good whack with the hammer. This will give it the initial set. Now, start moving the punch tip around on the Tenon and hitting it with the hammer until you pretty-much fill the cupped area.
Okay, take a look inside again paying attention to the bushing slot. You don't want any part of the tenon interfering with bushing installation so, if any part of the Tenon is sticking up file it down with the Jewelers' file.
Now, simply turn the slide back over and visually check to make sure it's seated and straight, you're done!

[CalWhit33]

Thank you!! Came just in time, if I remember I'll post a few pics of the sight swap I'll be doing in a week.