Replacing Front Sight

[LHB1]

Anyone tried to replace the front sight on a Marvel Unit One conversion unit? I did this afternoon and before it was over, I sincerely wished that I had paid someone else to do it. The task required three hammers (6 oz, 1 lb, 2 lb), 2 hex screw drivers, heavy duty Wilton vise padded with leather strips cut from an old hat, sturdy oak strips of wood, 1/4" flat faced metal punch, GunScrubber, Loctite, sharp pick, flashlight (to find lost screw), air compressor, Weapon Shield lube, some strong words of exasperation, more than a little luck, and a final act of desperation to get the new front sight fully seated flush with front of slide. I will be going to the range tomorrow morning to try out the new, thinner front sight. All I can say is "THAT SIGHT BETTER WORK" cause there is NO WAY that it will come off as long as I own the unit. And I really thought this was going to be a simple little five minute task. Too soon old, too late smart!

 

[308nato]

Good luck at the range and I will keep my fingers crossed that it din't fall off after the first 6 rounds.

 

[LHB1]

Good luck at the range and I will keep my fingers crossed that it din't fall off after the first 6 rounds.

Improbable things have happened before, but at one point I tried to remove the new sight and go back to the old sight. I could NOT get that sucker to move backwards so had to keep working, pounding until I got it fully seated. Didn't think it was going to go that last 1/32".

 

[LHB1]

All that hassle and the narrow front sight does not work for me. My eyes have had too many birthdays and have trouble controlling elevation with the narrow sight. It looks OK but in actual shooting I have more fliers out the top and bottom of bullseye. Switched to a .45 with wider front sight and the shots started chewing up the X ring again. Now to see if I can get that tight fitting sight off and the original wider sight back on. RATS! Another life lesson learned.