Could I damage a glock slide with a sight pusher?

[65k10]

I did this a while back, but I was thinking about it tonight and wanted the opinion of more knowledgeable people. I was changing out the sight's on my G17's slide with a MGW sight pusher a while back. While I only used hand strength on the tool, I tried to get the sights to have as tight of a fit as possible, so I might have tried to keep cranking the sight over when I should have instead backed off and did some filing on the sight. My question is due to the nature that the MGW sight pusher holds onto the glock, would it have been possible for me to have damaged the slide rails? The slide looks fine, but I was curious if it would have been possible for me to have caused any damage. If it matters, the sights themselves where a set of defoors from Ameriglow.

[JBP55]

I have installed and adjusted several hundred sights on Glocks using a sight pusher and have never damaged anything.

[GJM]

I have the mechanical aptitude of a sixth grader, but routinely change Glock sights. I start the rear sight with a punch and hammer, and finish with the pusher. If it feels too tight, I have some fine sandpaper, which I haven't needed, to gently rub the bottom of the sight. If this method doesn't sound so swift, I am open to feedback.

[JBP55]

I clean and lube the dovetail, clean and lube the bottom of the sight, start by hand and push in with the sight pusher. I never use a hammer or punch or strike the sight with anything.
If the bottom of the sight is rough or the sight seems overly tight polish the bottom of the sight as needed.

[orionz06]

I have the mechanical aptitude of a sixth grader, but routinely change Glock sights. I start the rear sight with a punch and hammer, and finish with the pusher. If it feels too tight, I have some fine sandpaper, which I haven't needed, to gently rub the bottom of the sight. If this method doesn't sound so swift, I am open to feedback.

I do the same, with a slight edge on a 6th grader.

[66L]

I don't believe you could cause any structural damage to the slide using a pusher. If the sight was going at an angle it might be possible to damage the sight, or the dovetail depending on the sights' material, but functionally the slide should handle it.

[Ben B.]

You mean you guys don't just pound on the sight with a fucking punch?

Just about every used Glock I've laid hands on lately has had hammered mank all over one, or even both, sides of its expesive aftermarket rear sight... It's an epidemic

[SeriousStudent]

Unless you have some new version of the rear sight tool, I think you are safe. The main force on the tool goes against the main body of the slide, and not as much on the rails.

I have installed four sets of Ameriglo's on Glocks, two of them Defoors. Al of them were just a little oversize. Some careful stoning on the sight might help you avoid Herculean feats of strength.

I took a 1000-grit Arkansas knife-sharpening stone, and slowly polished the bottom of the rear sight. Obviously, it's a lot easier to remove than add metal, so go slow. Once you are done polishing the bottom, clean with a shot of non-chlorinated brake cleaner.

I used a drop of Kroil to lube the sight cut, and then slowly moved them into place with the sight pusher. A little more brake cleaner and canned air gets the Kroil out when you are done. i do have a small brass rod and a tack hammer in my big range box, but I've honestly never used it.

Hope that helps.

As an aside, I do like the Defoors on trainers, but have a mix of the Ameriglo Hackathorn and the Warren Tactical 2-dots on my carry guns. My older eyes like the Hacks. But some new shooting glasses make the Warrens just as fast now.

[TGS]

You mean you guys don't just pound on the sight with a fucking punch?

Just about every used Glock I've laid hands on lately has had hammered mank all over one, or even both, sides of its expesive aftermarket rear sight... It's an epidemic

How on Earth did gunsmiths ever get by for a hundred years before people invented sight pusher tools....... :(

[65k10]

Thanks for the info guys. I didn't think i could have damaged it, but I just wanted to be sure.

[TCinVA]

How on Earth did gunsmiths ever get by for a hundred years before people invented sight pusher tools....... :(

If they're like me, they broke some slides.

[NETim]

The 10-8 rear sight I just installed went in so very, very nicely. Just had to tap it in with a nylon drift rod.

Life is good sometimes.

[wyop]

There are some folks who could muck up an anvil with a toothpick, so sure, it's "possible" to make a mess of a slide with a sight pusher. The secret to ruining an anvil with a toothpick is determination.

Don't be one of those of those people who force something to fit when it starts giving indication of not going into place properly and you should be fine.

On some sight bases, there's a slight taper to the dovetail so that it can be started with finger pressure and finished with a pusher. Putting it in backwards usually means mucking up the sight base - the corners of the base get peened as someone tries to start them in.

So just try to put the sight into the dovetail by hand, no pusher, and then try it from the other side and see if it starts more easily. Put the sight in from the side where the sight starts more easily.