Installing a front sight on old original Govt. Mdl. 1911

[duke133]

I have to install a front sight on an Old original Government Model 1911. The original is missing. The post on the sight sticks down into the barrel channel. I need to find out the best method of cutting the post down and then, how do I attach the sight permanently to the slide? A friend told me silver solder will not work. I do not want to mar the finish on the slide. Anyone been through this before?
Thanks.

[Scott Wilson]

The front sights were designed to be staked onto the slide. You will need a staking tool and the proper vise to do the job correctly. Once the sight is tightly staked you carefully grind off any excess metal. Try looking at YouTube, there are an amazing number of really good instructional videos there that are related to pistolsmithing.

[Richard H Brown Jr]

http://www.restigouchegunclub.com/Fi...Kuhnhausen.pdf Download and use a .pdf reader to go to page 37, that shows

how to remove the old one and install a new front sight.

RHB

Do you know what gun parts are made from recycled farm machinery?

Extractors of course. 8*)

[duke133]

Guys,
Thanks for the info. I'll check out the link and the youtube stuff to see if I can do it myself without screwing up the slide. I don't have to remove the old one, it's just gone and the hole is clear of anything that would indicate the sight was broken off.

[Guamsst]

Check out my post RE: How does bubba install a front sight. Good info on the basic process. Since yours is not a modern econo gun you may want to pay a gunsmith (find a competent one).

[duke133]

Guamsst,
Those pics on your post did clarify a bit for me. After reading Kuhnhausen's info from RHB and checking out some of the Utube stuff Scott referred to I should be able to do this. I have the necessary items to both hold the slide in place without scratching it along with the blade. I do need a few attachments for my Dremel which shouldn't be hard to find locally. This pistol was given to a smith years ago by my Dad for some work. I guess somewhere after that the sight fell out. The hole is conical when I look at it VERY closely on the inside of the slide with he widest part of the cone on the inside. I'll clean it up first, very gently then see what I have. If it appears I cannot do this I will seek out a smith, just not the one Dad used back in the 90's if he's still in business.

[Guamsst]

In the end mine was ever so slightly loose. It was very hard to keep it all in place and straight working with the little vice on my coffee table. I put a glob of epoxy on it and it seems solid enough. Silver solder after peening it will not be GI correct....but it should be some unseen extra security.....or just epoxy it too.....or don't...LOL

[duke133]

Guamsst,
I was heading out yesterday to pick up some extras for my Dremel but my wife told me not to since Father's Day is coming up. Guess I'm getting a gift card since she would have no idea what I need. I anticipate trying to do this in about a week. Right now it's sitting in pieces on my bench. I'll let you know how it turns out. I was told instead of epoxy use Locktite Red. Any thoughts on that? A Marine now a jeweler friend told me silver solder wouldn't hold up. He said it's too soft.

[Col. Colt]

Gentlemen, the very best and permanent way to install a conventional 1911 front sight (Learned from Jim West of Wild West Guns years ago) is to:
1.) After removing the existing front sight (many just twist off a loose one with ViceGrips) clean and degrease the area. Using a Dremel type tool with a ball shaped cutter, create a "divot" or "hemisphere" directly around/under the sight slot. This makes a place to create a large enough "rivet' to hold permanently.
2.) Clean and degrease the area and parts. If you wish to use Red Loctite, have it ready, although done correctly it is unnecessary.
3.) USE THE RIGHT TOOL - OR TAKE IT TO A GUNSMITH THAT HAS ONE - the TA03 Trijicon 1911 Front Sight Swaging tool, or the very similar one by Miniture Machine, uses a wedge forced through the tool against the front sight "tail" to swage a "rivet" into the opening you created with step one. It will NOT come loose - even on a 10MM!
Anything less is not a solid, mechanical connection between the two parts. Could a GI style tool/punch work? Of course, but this is even more certain. If you need loctite, it isn't right!

Done this way, the original design front sight with the large tenon is superior to a dovetailed sight. CC

[Bill E]

Thanks much for the info on the Trijicon tool.