Sight Problem, 1911-A1

[keano44]

Last week I purchased my first 1911 handgun, a "new-to-me" Springfield Armory 1911-A1. It is one of the "Loaded" models. Over the weekend, shooting it for the first time, I had a problem with the Novak rear sight "walking" as I shot. It is dovetailed into the slide, with a setscrew to lock it down into place. When the setscrew came loose, the sight was very easy to slide in and out of the dovetail notch in the slide. I tried to tighten it, but didn't have the correct allen wrench, as I tightened, the wrench would slip; but, it was tight enough to where I couldn't move it by hand. Then, firing the next magazine, it worked itself loose again, almost falling off.
My questions are: Is the setscrew the only thing that is supposed to hold the sight in place, or should there be a tight friction fit of the sight in the dovetail?
What would be the proper fix; besides tightening with the proper size allen wrench?
Some sort of Lock-tite or compound in the threads and on the mating surfaces of the dovetail?
Fitting a new sight?
Thanks in advance for your help, experience, and expertise.

 

[stans]

A little bit of blue Locktite on the screw threads will hold it tight and that is probably the simplest approach. Otherwise, you could remove the sight and use a punch and mallet to upset some of the metal on the floor of the dovetail, this would increase the friction of the sight within the dovetail.