Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 29

Thread: Dan Wesson 1911 front sight attachment?

  1. #1

    Dan Wesson 1911 front sight attachment?

    My DW Specialist (full size) has Ameriglo front and rear sights. The rear looks like a Novak style slide cut. The front is a typical dovetail, not sure dimensions. There is a vertical hole on the front edge of the sight that appears to line up with a hole drilled through the slide. There is no pin in the hole which blocks the hole. You can see light through the hole and there is nothing protruding down through the slide that would hit the barrel bushing if it protruded past flush with the slide. Is this merely an alignment hole for installing the sight in the dovetail? My pistol is new but I have seen some pre-2015 pistols that had a pin in the hole as a shear key. And there was guidance to not let the pin go through that might contact the barrel or bushing. Is there supposed to be a pin there? I suppose it’s possible there is a hollow roll pin in the hole as it appears the light you can see is slightly smaller than the hole drilled in the slide. But if there is a roll pin it does not make it to the inside edge.

  2. #2
    there is no pin in it that I recall. I replaced mine with a fiber sight from dawson and ignored the hole.

    Going to need your own topic section here on the forum for when you start using a magnifying glass to find stuff and ask about it

  3. #3
    Well I was wondering if I wanted to replace it you need to know if there is a pin in there?

    So it’s just for alignment? If I look at the sight from the side, I see light between the rear of sight and slide, but it’s almost touching the slide. On the front of the slide I can see light between the sight and the slide about halfway, moving toward the muzzle. But it almost looks like the sight is touching the slide on the end. It can’t be or it would scratch the slide when pushing it in? Was your easy to push out and did it scratch the slide? I guess DW is not using a pin anymore and it is an alignment aid to center the sight.

  4. #4
    All my DW’s have had roll pins in the front sight. 1/16” x 3/16”, if I remember right.

  5. #5
    Mine is empty. I can pass a thin safety pin thru the hole. Mine was made this year. Wonder if a change? Do you just drive the pin in until flush with top of sight and assure it won’t hit the barrel bushing? I guess it taps straight thru into the slide if you want to remove the sight?

  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by Rmiked View Post
    Mine is empty. I can pass a thin safety pin thru the hole. Mine was made this year. Wonder if a change? Do you just drive the pin in until flush with top of sight and assure it won’t hit the barrel bushing? I guess it taps straight thru into the slide if you want to remove the sight?
    When I’ve installed new pins, they’ve been a little long and I just filed them down, flush with the top of the front sight. Like you said, you just have to make sure it’s not sticking out the bottom of the slide.

  7. #7
    And to remove them you tap them thru. It’s just a slight interference fit but it will drive thru. There is no access from the bottom.

  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by Rmiked View Post
    And to remove them you tap them thru. It’s just a slight interference fit but it will drive thru. There is no access from the bottom.
    Yep, just tap it through.

  9. #9
    One last question: Are the pins solid or are they split roll pins?

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by Rmiked View Post
    One last question: Are the pins solid or are they split roll pins?
    Split roll pins.

User Tag List

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •