Do you use a sight pusher for installing night sights or a punch?

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  • teddy12b

    Grandmaster
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    Nov 25, 2008
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    Every time I consider buying a set of night sights for a pistol, I go through the debate on whether or not to get a proper sight pusher rather than using my old trusty brass punch and gently tapping it into place. For the models that look like they'd work for most pistols I get turned off by the high prices especially when I know I can and have done it without that tool.

    Is there a decent sight pusher out there in the $50 ish range? Am I fine to just keep on doing what I'm doing?
     

    ACC

    Master
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    Mar 7, 2012
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    N. Side of Indy
    If you plan on ever replacing sights on pistols you purchase in the future or to upgrades signts on guns you already have, I cannot recommend highly enough getting a sight pusher. They are really the "correct" way to install sights and I think offer much more minute adjustments.
     

    NHT3

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    Tapping gently will probably work but keep in mind the tritium is in easily damaged glass tubes. Pusher is always the best option when doing night sights. If you have every tried to replace sights in a Kimber or Springfield XD series pistols you will find it takes a little more than "gently" to remove the sights.
     

    bwframe

    Loneranger
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    Feb 11, 2008
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    The sight pusher I had was OK on some guns, but I still had to use brass punch and hammer on some others. There was a lot of fiddling and knobs to turn and you still had to be careful to not ding things up.

    I've switched to Glocks now and they all push just fine with brass for me. Masking tape the slide. Put in vice with TPU jaws. Go to drifting.
     

    tsilveus

    Marksman
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    Jun 4, 2014
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    Get a sight pusher. Punches break the sights and do not give you the ability to position them accurately and efficiently (the pusher allows very small and controlled movement). Awesome investment. Paid $120 for a quality one and have now changed over 10+ sights on guns over the past 10 years with great results. Bought one because I totally screwed up the first sights I tried to do with a punch set. Highly recommend.
     

    churchmouse

    I still care....Really
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    Dec 7, 2011
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    Speedway area
    Beat on the gun if you hate it. It is your gun after all.
    I have 2 different pushers. 1 is dedicated 1911 mainly rear site.
    The other is a more universal tool.
     

    Shooter5

    Marksman
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    Jun 19, 2008
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    Indiana
    Spend the money on a sight pusher. I bought a cheap one first...still had issues. I bought a Wheeler sight pusher for $125 about a year ago. Great investment.
     

    Ark

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    25   0   0
    Feb 18, 2017
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    Indy
    You fancy people with your fancy tools.

    I put the sight on the edge of my steel workbench and smack the slide with a block of wood. :dunno:
     

    Lee11b

    Master
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    Apr 22, 2014
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    North Webster
    Get a sight pusher. Punches break the sights and do not give you the ability to position them accurately and efficiently (the pusher allows very small and controlled movement). Awesome investment. Paid $120 for a quality one and have now changed over 10+ sights on guns over the past 10 years with great results. Bought one because I totally screwed up the first sights I tried to do with a punch set. Highly recommend.
    Totally agree with this :yesway:. Remember you spent anywhere from $500 to over $1000+ on the firearm, and now you want to caveman it in hopes you don't gouge or screw it up????
    Site pusher and a good set of gunsmith screwdrivers is the way to go.
     

    drillsgt

    Grandmaster
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    Nov 29, 2009
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    Sioux Falls, SD
    I've tried different sight pushers over the years and none were very satisfactory, at least any cheap ones. I tend to always default to my brass punch that I just cover with painters tape, I also work the dovetails on the sight with dovetail files to get it started and not have to work that hard to get them tapped in. I've used this method for years and have never damaged a tritium sight. If you are going to get a sight pusher get a good one that really anchors the slide, ones made for a particular gun work best, anything 'universal' tends to do all things poorly.
     

    IndyIN

    Sharpshooter
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    58   1   0
    Nov 8, 2010
    470
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    Texas
    Spend the money on a sight pusher. I bought a cheap one first...still had issues. I bought a Wheeler sight pusher for $125 about a year ago. Great investment.
    I have a Wheeler and I've been happy with it. I use pieces of leather between my slide and the clamps and it works well.
     
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