P320 front sight
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Dovetail sights are pretty much the same. Heavier duty sights can be drifted in and out of their dovetails with a punch, with the slide held in a padded vise. More fragile sights, such as Tritium, is best to use a "Pusher" style tool, so as not to possibly damage the tritium gas filled capsule, causing the sight to go "dead".
The higher priced "Tools" hold the slide a little more securely, to prevent movement, while pressing in, or out, the sight blade. Insuring the sight will not bind up is also necessary, as the dovetail should easily move at least 1/2 the way across the slide. Narrowing the sight, and not widening the slide's dovetail cut.
There are tools in the $100 range that will work fine, you need to insure you have the slide secured, to prevent movement. They normally use padded clamps to hold the slide. The Cross Ram is adjustable for height, to contact the sight as low as possible to the slide. Ideally it contacts the dovetailed portion of the blade itself, to prevent snapping the blade off, at the dovetail.
Many here use the Wheeler Sight Tool, or the similar Lyman unit. A little better would be the MGW Rangemaster ($200) or the MGW Sight Pro ($300), which is top of the line.
Depending on how many different models of firearms you have, the Rangemaster and Sight Pro use "shoes" which can rigidly clamp the slide to the tool. These shoes are around $15-$20 each per model, the Sight Pro accomodates longer slides, with longer "chins" for like 5" or longer barrels.
The higher priced "Tools" hold the slide a little more securely, to prevent movement, while pressing in, or out, the sight blade. Insuring the sight will not bind up is also necessary, as the dovetail should easily move at least 1/2 the way across the slide. Narrowing the sight, and not widening the slide's dovetail cut.
There are tools in the $100 range that will work fine, you need to insure you have the slide secured, to prevent movement. They normally use padded clamps to hold the slide. The Cross Ram is adjustable for height, to contact the sight as low as possible to the slide. Ideally it contacts the dovetailed portion of the blade itself, to prevent snapping the blade off, at the dovetail.
Many here use the Wheeler Sight Tool, or the similar Lyman unit. A little better would be the MGW Rangemaster ($200) or the MGW Sight Pro ($300), which is top of the line.
Depending on how many different models of firearms you have, the Rangemaster and Sight Pro use "shoes" which can rigidly clamp the slide to the tool. These shoes are around $15-$20 each per model, the Sight Pro accomodates longer slides, with longer "chins" for like 5" or longer barrels.
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I have an MGW Pro sight pusher and it pushed the stock SIG front sight out with no issues.
It was pushing against the blade (like many do) which was a little counter-intuitive for me.
The replacement sight was a fiber optic which has a more "delicate" blade.
A No-Go IMO, to put the pusher against it.
I drifted it in with the Brownell's small size brass Dovetail Sight Punch.
It's important to fit (read file/stone) the sight so it pushes on to the halfway point with hand pressure.
Then you are ready to install with whatever method you choose.
It's also important to know which way to push the sight.
It doesn't matter with some dovetail cuts.
Mine (P320F) wanted to push off from Right to Left.
Measure to dovetail with your calipers if in doubt.
It was pushing against the blade (like many do) which was a little counter-intuitive for me.
The replacement sight was a fiber optic which has a more "delicate" blade.
A No-Go IMO, to put the pusher against it.
I drifted it in with the Brownell's small size brass Dovetail Sight Punch.
It's important to fit (read file/stone) the sight so it pushes on to the halfway point with hand pressure.
Then you are ready to install with whatever method you choose.
It's also important to know which way to push the sight.
It doesn't matter with some dovetail cuts.
Mine (P320F) wanted to push off from Right to Left.
Measure to dovetail with your calipers if in doubt.
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