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Brass punch for gun sights
briguy
Member Posts: 459 ✭✭✭
Can a brass punch be used to drive out iron sights on guns without scratching or damaging the sight?
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the Williams Co. used to make a very handy tool for removing or installing front sights. Maybe they are still available. (a screw mechanism)
Had one, only would work on front sights that were easily accessible. Pretty useless, for rear sights on different handguns.
Brownells sells sight removers, that really work well. But they are very expensive, as they have highly machined parts. This is to adapt them, so that they will work on many different types of guns.
Not cost effective, if don't work on many gun sights a month.
Is that left to right as you are looking from rear of stock to the end of barre?
Well, on automobiles, trucks, and machinery, left/right is always from the operator's station. I would think firearms would be the same. Left/right from the firing position.
Is that left to right as you are looking from rear of stock to the end of barre?
Yes..
Can a brass punch be used to drive out iron sights on guns without scratching or damaging the sight?
Generally, yes. I'm finicky about scratches on nice guns and usually use a brass punch. Sometimes putting a piece of plastic or cardboard between punch and sight but you need to be careful because putting anything between them can lessen the impact or cause slippage, mis-strike.
Brass usually leaves some of itself on the gun but it's easily rubbed off.
There are various "sight pushers" out there but you need to be careful. The driving part usually is a steel point and that can easily leave a mark, especially if the sight is in tight. And lining up the pusher point can be a challenge. Done incorrectly the steel point is torqued against the slide or barrel and you're cranking away on the screw only to find an impression on your slide, usually at the cocking slide cuts. Or you've dug your own version of the Panama Canal across the bottom of the dovetail cut. [:(]
I'd try a punch, nylon, delrin or brass first. If not in a hurry a spot of oil can't hurt.
That said, I ALWAYS use a good quality brass punch, making sure the work piece has a SOLID foundation, and will not move, and use enough hammer so to lessen the amount of strikes needed to get the job done. Too small of a hammer will promote deformity of the end of the punch mating to the sight, and cause slippage, and make the job more stressful than need be.
One more thing to be aware of, is that frequently sights are staked in, and to carefully look for evidence of that before you start the job. A good example of this is on the new S&W Shields. They use a stake punch that is almost the size of the sight tab that is in the dovetail. To overcome that, I use a technique with a little butane torch, then the punch and hammer.
Once again...a drop of good oil, like Kroil always helps during removal, and onstallation of these sights.
Best