meprolight sights and installation

[springmom]

I'm going to put night sights on my Kimber Ultra Carry II, so I called my local gun shop. They don't carry them, but they will send it to their gunsmith (not in house) and I can get them in a week. But they're $150, installed.

Is this something I can do by myself? The sights themselves are about $70-75, so that's about $80 for installation, which seems a tad steep.

Any feedback is welcome.

Springmom

 

[DoubleTapDrew]

Is the slide already dovetailed for sights from the factory? I think all or at least most Kimbers are. I haven't installed meprolights on my kimber yet but plan to.
Kimber only charges $30 to install a set so I'd say it's just a press-in job. The 1911s that don't have dovetails require one machined in which I'd definitely pay someone else to do.

This isn't a good sign, but who knows if it's really necessary: Sight Pusher

 

[springmom]

Hmmm. A $50 tool to push some other tool....

Maybe the gunsmith's price isn't too bad.


Springmom

 

[DoubleTapDrew]

I've pushed Glock and XD sights around with a brass punch, so I don't know if that pusher is necessary.
At least you hopefully aren't looking at this

 

[springmom]

No, the cuts are there; the current sights are seated in them.

Arghhh; I don't want to mess up my favorite gun! I may let it go the gunsmith out of sheer personal cowardice

Springmom

 

[AK103K]

Personally, I think the tool is the only way to go for night sights. I wouldnt want to be hammering on them with a punch. The tool also makes installing and zeroing very easy.

 

[Onmilo]

Don't hammer on Kimber factory sights.
They are not near as hell for stout as they appear and will deform under the hammer.
A sight pusher is the only way to properly remove them..

Meprolights average about $115.00 retail for a set, front and rear, more if they are adjustable.
If you can buy a full set for $75.00 retail, with an $80.00 installation charge, chances are they are old stock and the gunsmith is kicking back to the shop owner.

$30.00 to $50.00 is a much more realistic installation charge.

 

[AK103K]

I've bought a couple of sets of Meprolights (SIG's), dated the same year, for about $70 a set.(Arizona Gun Runners) I also sold the old Trijicons that came off on EBay for about $40 a set, so you can make some of your money back.

 

[Correia]

A sight pusher is a wonderfull tool. Doing it with a punch is dang near impossible on some guns because of the tightness of the dovetail.

 

[Kimber1911Fan]

If you do it yourself, don't forget...

That the plunger spring sits under the rear sight!


K1911F

 

[MisterPX]

Whilst I've hammered/punched normal sights, I would not do that on nightsights. I'd go with a pusher for those.

 

[DoubleTapDrew]

You might want to contact the Kimber custom shop if nobody in the area will do it for a reasonable price and see what their turn-around time is since they show installation for $30 on the website (factor in shipping of the slide though, and make sure you can send them the sights since I'm sure they charge more than $75 for a set).

 

[springmom]

Thanks, all. One person PM'd me and reminded me that I might be able to borrow a pusher from someone in the area. I may ask my acros-the-street neighbor if he has one, as he's the only other gunny on the block that I know.

I hate to buy the tools as I don't know that I'll be doing this very often (ever again). I want those sights on THIS gun because it's my bedside table gun and it makes sense to get them. But doing it often enough to buy the tools? Eh, maybe.

(Of course if I buy the tools, I'd probably be tempted to use them on everything in sight, LOL).

Many thanks, all.

Springmom