Defensive Carry banner

Does anyone use a Sylvan Sight Pusher?

6K views 19 replies 14 participants last post by  yooper71 
#1 ·
I am looking at options that will allow me to do sight swaps on my own, without the need to take the gun into the gunsmith. I do have a hammer and brass punch, which works fine with some applications, but the majority of the time when I want to change sights, it is to add night sights and I don't really feel like smacking those with a hammer & punch. This tool currently has my attention: Fisher Solutions - XL Tool - El Cajon, CA

The price of the kit on Amazon means that it would pay for itself with 1-2 sight sets, based on what I have paid gunsmiths in the past. The tool seems fairly simple, if I knew someone with a machine shop, they might be able to build something similar for less, but the cost of this unit is within the realm of what I consider reasonable. I know that there are a lot more complex sight tools out there, that cost into the hundreds of dollars.

I am mostly curious if anyone has/uses one of these, and what your experiences are with it? Have you had any problems with it? Are there other similarly priced alternatives (lets say <$100) that you would otherwise recommend?
 
#5 ·
I managed to bugger up the pusher block on mine quite quickly. The blocks are made of soft aluminum and don't handle really tightly fit dovetailed sights well. For light duty they work ok, but for heavy duty use no. The Jennings Machine and Tool one is a excellent one for about $100. No matter which one you choose you will need a strongly mounted heavy duty vise to hold it while using it.
 
#12 ·
I managed to bugger up the pusher block on mine quite quickly. The blocks are made of soft aluminum and don't handle really tightly fit dovetailed sights well. For light duty they work ok, but for heavy duty use no. The Jennings Machine and Tool one is a excellent one for about $100. No matter which one you choose you will need a strongly mounted heavy duty vise to hold it while using it.
Not with the B&J 500 Pro, I've been using, although it comes with spacers to mount to a vice I haven't had to use them yet, and that includes an XD and an M&P. My review here:

http://www.defensivecarry.com/forum...00-sight-tool-goodbye-hammer-brass-punch.html

Little expensive at just shy of $300, but has worked on every pistol I've tried it on, front and rear sights. Really makes it easy to "zero" compared to my old "hit too hard or not enough" back and forth with hammer & punch method.

Chuck
 
#6 ·
I have one like is in your link. I managed to jamb it up somehow. I can't turn the nut/bolt or whatever in either direction. I'm not sure what happened, but trying to line everything up (I used blue tape to prevent marring) was a pain in my butt. It's in the back of the drawer and I don't miss it.

A vise, hammer and a series of punches in different widths, a flat side on some, has worked on every sight I've come across. Including tritium sights.
If you're afraid of whacking the sight too hard, check to see it isn't loctited, has a roll pin through it, or try knocking it in the other direction. Sights are generally fit to go in and come out on the same side, not push straight across the dovetail. Securing the slide so it doesn't move is also key. The better it's clamped, the less force to move the sight.

IMO :smile:
 
#10 ·
They haven't failed me yet and if and when they do I'll let the local gunsmith do his thing.:embarassed:
 
#8 ·
My LGS will just do it for me...

$100 bones if you don't have that option (and you change out a lot) seems reasonable...to me.

You figure most probably charge $25 (just for the service call), so if you do it four times it pays for itself...
 
#9 ·
If you have really tight factory sights to remove pull up tention and then tap the bottom of the pusher block with a 3/8" diameter drift and small brass hammer . The tap will loosen the sight with messing up the sight or puller . Use anti seize on treads to keep from galling them and freezing up your pusher .

The fisher sight pusher works well for most needs . I use leather instead of cardboard .
 
#13 ·
I've been trying to decide whether to buy something like this. I've got several pistols that could use some minor sight adjustment, and I just haven't been able to bring myself to take a hammer and punch to them. I guess I could try it, but I'd like a pusher of some sort. Thanks to all for the links and comments.
 
#14 ·
I've got a 4" vise mounted on my workbench, so having something to hold the slide steady while I work isn't too much of a concern.

Consensus around here seems to be that the hammer and brass punch will do it just fine.
 
#15 ·
I use brass sometimes, but I also have a nylon tipped drift (replaceable tips) and a length of round aluminum rod that I bought at the hardware store that I use a lot more. I got the alum rod idea from a youtube vid on replacing/fitting sights... Dawson Precision I think if you want to try to look it up...

Like I said earlier, I shape them as needed. I also put a couple pieces of masking tape on the alum drift, but probably don't need to since it's softer that an iron sight. Still, I haven't marred anything yet. I also bought some 1" alum flat bar that I cover the jaws of the vise with. I've never needed any more than the first two pieces I've cut. I put fresh tape on them before clamping a slide, in case there is metal shavings stuck on them from other things.


ETA: and don't be afraid to use a small ball peen hammer. You really have more control rather than using a small typical, gunsmith's hammer. Should be no problem to drift them just the width of a pencil line, .030 or so.
 
#20 ·
My Fisher tool arrived 2 days before this thread was started. I held off from posting until I actually used it.

Used it today to remove the rear sight on a Springfield Loaded 1911. I wanted to replace it with an adjustable from Dawson Precision.

When I tried to remove the rear sight with the aluminum punch that came with the sight and a hammer, it was a no go. The aluminum punch was starting to distort and the sight did not move. That's when I ordered the Fisher. I purchased the model with the grade 8 bolts.

I used the Fisher tool today and it worked well. I actually used the pusher block backwards as the angle of the pusher was different from the sight and I didn't like the limited contact. I had a small plastic shim between the pusher and the sight. I went slow and tightened the pusher up to the sight to the point I would have had to really crank on it to move the sight. I let it sit that way for about 8 hours before I went back to it. I was then able to push it out. Every turn becoming easier.

Things I recommend. Obviously, protect your slide and sight with something. I used leather and plastic. Go slow and keep checking to make sure the bottom of the pusher is not going to drag across the sight cut as you go. Use a 3/4 inch box end wrench, not a adjustable or a socket. I feel this gave me more control. And finally, there was no way this sight would have come out without the Fisher tool being held in a vise.

I did watch some YouTube videos before I used it. Some were good, one it was clear the guy had no idea how it should work.

Good Luck!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top