Colt XSE rear sight fell off while shooting

[uneasy_rider]

I was out shooting my new Colt XSE lightweight commander for the first time. After the 2nd magazine, the rear sight fell off. It is the Novak type site that is dovetailed and then held in place by a screw. The screw does not thread into the slide, it looks like it must just hold the rear sight in with friction as it is tightened up against the slide. The rear sight itself moves through the dovetail very easily with almost no friction.

I think I can just put the sight back in place and tighten up the screw to hold it in the dovetail.

Should the rear sight be a loose fit in the dovetail without the screw, or should there naturally be some tightness and friction between the sight and the slide even without the screw?

 

[wally]

I'm of the opinion there should be enough friction in the dovetail to hold it in place for a few shots as you adjust.

You can use loc-tite to hold the set screw and sight in place, but for the price you paid, I'd insist they make it right.

--wally.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

I had a SIG 1911 with a similar sight setup. The sight also loosened up and shifted to one side. With the set screw loosened, the sight would move with my fingers, but it took some effort. Put your set screw in snugly, get the sight adjusted where you want it, remove the screw (while keeping the sight in place) and put a drop of thread locker on it, then run it back in tight. It should stay put after that.

 

[Majic]

You can take a punch and raise the metal on the sight to make it fit tighter in the dovetail. Then loc-tite the set screw.

 

[hhb]

When you determine where the set screw will sit, remove the rear sight, and drill slightly into the slide to create a shallow well for the set screw to anchor in. Should be solid.

 

[Canuc Shooter]

I've had to do that same procedure with my EAA Witness shortly after I purchased it about 15 years ago. Have never touched it since.

 

[DJW]

Had the same problem on my XSE Commander as well. Hard to adjust something that moves that easily though. Finally got it just about right and used loctite on threads to keep it there. Good idea to use punch to tighten up the sight in the dovetail though. Didn't think of that. Agree that it should not move that freely as it makes adjustment a pain.

 

[uneasy_rider]

You can take a punch and raise the metal on the sight to make it fit tighter in the dovetail.

I am not sure how you do that. Could you expalin? how do i raise the metal with a punch?

 

[DJW]

I think the idea is to take a pointed punch and use it to make indentations in the bottom of the sight which will raise "ridges" of displaced metal which will increase the overall "height" of the sight, thereby making it fit tighter in the dovetail.

 

[uneasy_rider]

Update:

I just screwed the back sight in tighter, and that solved the problem for a while... After a few hundred rounds though the screw had loosened up and the sight started to move.

So I tightend it up a little more, but unfortunately boogered up the contact points for the allen wrench. Now I need a new screw. Does anyone know what screw I need for the novak style sight on a colt xse lightweight commander?

I think if i get a new screw and lock tite it, I will have fixed the problem.

 

[JustinL]

Same problem with my blued XSE, only it took 100 rounds for the screw to work its way lose. I was warned about it and simply used my finger to screw it back in. The fix is working for now, but I doubt it is permanent. I would love a Commander.

 

[DJW]

not sure what thread is on that screw. also noticed that none of my allen wrenches really fit just right......probably a screw supplied from pakistan or
some other outsourced low bidder. otherwise the pistol has performed very
well indeed.

 

[RRTX]

Put some red loctite on the dovetail and let it soak through, when it dries the sight won't go anywhere. I recommend not putting it directly in the set screw hole, if you ever need to adjust it again or change sights the tiny screw will be very hard to break loose.

 

[uneasy_rider]

I called Colt today and they are sending me a replacement set screw for the rear sight.