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I got a box of Beretta goodies from Wilson today and long story short my pride and impatience got the best of me and I screwed up the front sight install. It went almost all the way and then stuck. I kept hoping just a bit more would get it there and I just screwed the pooch. I’m guessing the sight is toast but maybe with a pusher I could get it out, re-shape the dovetail, and push it in to center?
Any recommendations? God I feel dumb.
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Wow! Looks beyond repair, hard to tell in the photos.
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I use a padded BIG vise and alloy punches from Dawson (covered in masking tape)
I am assuming you mean to redress the sight base and not the slide dovetail cut.
Big padded vise, alloy punch from the other side to tap it out.
Is it a one way dovetail or a dimensional issue ?
It’s an improper install issue.Quote:
Originally Posted by HCM
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I get that but what specifically ?Quote:
Originally Posted by crossrifles
The two things I have seen cause that in the past are oversized dovetails needing fitting/filing like Dawson sights, and trying to go the wrong way in one way dovetails.
When the dovetail install stalls it is usually one or the other.
I would assume based on his post impatience and a big hammer.Quote:
Originally Posted by HCM
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Some sights, such as traditional SIG P series have one way dovetails, alao knkwn as tapered or directional dovetails. The taper helps secure the sight but if you try to install from the wrong direction you get a sight that goes halfway in and looks a lot like the OP’s. I’m wondering if Berettas are the same way.Quote:
Originally Posted by crossrifles
First off... deep breath. Beretta dovetails are usually pretty tight. The slide can be recovered, but the sight is a lost cause at this point.
I've always had to file dovetail sights for a proper fit when installing with a punch/vice. Sight pushers/presses are a different story.
What type/material of punch did you use? Did you put the slide in a fixture/vice?
Generally, sights and pins are driven OUT from left to right, and IN from right to left... but a caliper is needed to be sure of a dovetail cut before swinging John Henry's hammer.
I don't even try to drift a sight without a delrin or brass punch. I made the mistake once a decade ago and had to fix the issue by sending a slide for a Novak cut.
I was using a Dawson aluminum punch with masking tape. Everything I read said Beretta dovetails were right to left to remove and that’s how I took out the factory sights. Reverse for install. Slide held in a vise with chamois cloth padding. Brownells 4oz brass hammer.
I was able to remove the sight, dress it with some needle files and then re-installed it going much slower and test fitting/removing material as necessary. It’s what I should’ve done the first go round. It’ll work and shoot fine even if it looks a little stubby on one side of the dovetail.
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