Tweet
Just put in two new Trijicons on two old plain sighted Kahrs, NYPD K9 and MK9.
Getting out the old sights as many have noted is HORRIBLE. I was going to purchase a P500 sight pusher but have heard of them failing when used on Kahrs anyway, so figured I'd do it the old fashioned way. I had to be extra careful on that MK9, as it has a black slide that would really show any marks. Luckily no slip-ups on either gun.
Don't use a round punch of any kind, get a square piece of brass as wide as the dovetail, and regrind it flat every few hammer whacks so it doesn't jump out.
Secure the slide in a massive lead jaw bench vise, the more sturdy the better. Cover slide sides with painter's tape to prevent marring just in case.
Heat the slide up a little to expand the dovetail and defeat any loc tite present, don't go overboard, you don't want to change the temper ect. of course, you don't need it anywhere near that hot. Soaking the old sight in Kroil or something similar overnight probably won't hurt either if you have an old Kahr that was carried and may have rust underneath the sight, like my NYPD gun did.
Use a large hammer, little "gunsmith" hammers won't provide enough impact to your square punch.
Get a proper dovetail file and take a little off the new sight's dovetail, NOT THE GUN'S DOVETAIL. The sights are made oversize and if you manage to get them in without taking a little material off them you'll never be able to adjust them, unless you are starting with a gun that already has a worn dovetail.
If all else fails, tap on the the front sight post until it breaks off and then Dremel a series of relief cuts in the remaining base that are deep but don't go through it to the slide itself. This will relieve pressure on the dovetail and allow what is left of the base to be drifted out hopefully.
Work slowly and very carefully. Do this when the phone isn't ringing and no one is around to bother you or hear your profanity.
If all else fails, Kahr will put these in for you, the only downside is they will probably install them just as tight as the old sights so don't expect to be able to adjust them very easily. The rear sights usually drift easier but not always.
Anyone know of a sight pusher that is tough enough to work with Kahr's super tight dovetails? Would be nice if there was an easier way than my method, though it works well.
Getting out the old sights as many have noted is HORRIBLE. I was going to purchase a P500 sight pusher but have heard of them failing when used on Kahrs anyway, so figured I'd do it the old fashioned way. I had to be extra careful on that MK9, as it has a black slide that would really show any marks. Luckily no slip-ups on either gun.
Don't use a round punch of any kind, get a square piece of brass as wide as the dovetail, and regrind it flat every few hammer whacks so it doesn't jump out.
Secure the slide in a massive lead jaw bench vise, the more sturdy the better. Cover slide sides with painter's tape to prevent marring just in case.
Heat the slide up a little to expand the dovetail and defeat any loc tite present, don't go overboard, you don't want to change the temper ect. of course, you don't need it anywhere near that hot. Soaking the old sight in Kroil or something similar overnight probably won't hurt either if you have an old Kahr that was carried and may have rust underneath the sight, like my NYPD gun did.
Use a large hammer, little "gunsmith" hammers won't provide enough impact to your square punch.
Get a proper dovetail file and take a little off the new sight's dovetail, NOT THE GUN'S DOVETAIL. The sights are made oversize and if you manage to get them in without taking a little material off them you'll never be able to adjust them, unless you are starting with a gun that already has a worn dovetail.
If all else fails, tap on the the front sight post until it breaks off and then Dremel a series of relief cuts in the remaining base that are deep but don't go through it to the slide itself. This will relieve pressure on the dovetail and allow what is left of the base to be drifted out hopefully.
Work slowly and very carefully. Do this when the phone isn't ringing and no one is around to bother you or hear your profanity.
If all else fails, Kahr will put these in for you, the only downside is they will probably install them just as tight as the old sights so don't expect to be able to adjust them very easily. The rear sights usually drift easier but not always.
Anyone know of a sight pusher that is tough enough to work with Kahr's super tight dovetails? Would be nice if there was an easier way than my method, though it works well.
Comment