Do-It-Yourself Beretta sight swap?

[BerettaNut92]

Is it possible to do this with a punch instead of getting that $120 sight adjustment gizmo that doesn't even work on the frontsight?

 

[berettaman]

Skunk,it can be done but it's a real in the heine.In the end,the sights are so tight that you end up beating the old sight into a hulking mass of disfigured metal.Now you have to get the new sights in in the same manor.Spend the money or send it off to Ernest or at least a reputible smith.

 

[10-Ring]

Why not just pay to have someone do it right? Cheaper than buying the adjustment tool & ALOT less frustration than doing w/o it

 

[cool45auto]

I've heard nightmares about trying to do this without the proper tool. My gun shop said they'd do it if I ordered the sights because they have the tool. When I asked him how much he'd charge he said "Get the sights, then we'll talk."

 

[Big Mike]

One of the local gunsmiths in town said he would install NS on my Beretta or SW 6906 for $70-a piece.

Think I'll just send the Brig to LTT. Mike

 

[MLH]

My gunsmith only charged $35

to install NS. Remember, a lot of NS manufacturers only warrenty them if a gunsmith put them on! So check out the paperwork before doing it yourself.

 

[10-Ring]

I've had nightsights installed for free if I bought the sights from the guys installing them...

 

[Steve in PA]

I've taken the fixed sight off of my 92FS and installed an adjustable one. Used a brass tipped drift punch.......not that hard to do. Does take a mighty whack to "break" the sight....but all I got was a small mark on the sight.

 

[dwestfall]

You're going to freak, but I used a dremel cutoff tool to cut the front sight out. I hammered on that sucker and it didn't budge.

Rear sight was not a problem.

This was on an Elite II.

 

[Sberk1]

Skunk, Sent you an email.

 

[doctorhumbert]

It can be done fairly easily if you do it properly.
New sight will almost always will require some fitting. Don't force them in unless they are filed and can be pushed in about 1/6 way in with hand.
I find that thin plastic handled metal nail file (called diamond file I think ) works best. They work well in tight spot between sight blade and dovetail. Buy one with sandpaper texture instead of checkered pattern. It's only about $.99 at wallgreens. Thick metal file will not work.
Slowly file away corner edges, then evenly on the front and back slanted flat surface.
Once filed enough, you should be able to push it 1/4 way in with hand and halfway in with minor tapping. sight goes in from left to right with muzzle pointed away from you. Tap on the base of the sight instead of blade for better leverage.
Finally secure it in the vice (must!), then tap it in with white nylon sight punch ($ 3.00 from brownells). If they don't seem to go in, don't force it in, punch it back out and file slightly more. Anything other than hard nylon, such as brass, seems to ding the sight. Never use a metal hammer incase you miss the punch!
You should buy $4.00 nylon punch, $.99 nail files; and everything else, from nylon headed hammer to vice, can be either borrowed or found in many gun range back room.
This is fairly easy for me, and I do flawless jobs. If you have further questions please feel free to E-mail me.

As for Local Gunsmiths, I don't use them anymore because they:

1. keep the gun for whole week for 10 minute job.
2. Over charge for the parts.
3. Scratch the gun, and don't take the blame.
4. Do a poor job.
5. And when they screw up (which some often do) they do half ed fix, instead of
replacement.

Also, the knowledge gained from doing it yourself is priceless.