What's the quickest, simplest path to changing a 1911 pinned

by rob @, Sunday, November 17, 2013, 16:50 (3967 days ago)

front sight to a dovetailed front? IIRC, maybe Novak and a few others will machine your slide and install a set of sights. Any recommendations or personal experience would be greatly appreciated.

The problem is...

by rob @, Sunday, November 17, 2013, 16:58 (3967 days ago) @ rob

The front sight on my Colt is drilled slightly to the left. It's still on the little flat they cut under the sight but it's to the extreme left of it, rather than properly centered, and thus the rear sight has to be a bit left of center in the dovetail and I'm sorta picky about stuff like that. Trying to decide if I just want to dovetail the slide and put Novak or some other sights on it or do I want to just send the whole gun to someone for sights, beavertail grip frame and combat type hammer. The grip safety is still a bit rough on my hand but a bit more rounding and smoothing would probably solve it.

send the gun off

by Miles Fortis ⌂ @, CIVITATES AMERICAE, Sunday, November 17, 2013, 17:04 (3967 days ago) @ rob

A good smith should be able to do all you want.

Be specific about it And put what you want in writing.

send the gun off

by Cherokee @, Medina, Ohio, Sunday, November 17, 2013, 18:41 (3967 days ago) @ Miles Fortis

I had my local Gunsmith (happens to be Andy Horvath) change the front sight to dovetail for me. Good 'smith should be able to do whatever you want, get it all done at once.

Definitely the way I'm leaning....

by rob @, Sunday, November 17, 2013, 20:44 (3967 days ago) @ Cherokee

Don't want much (main reason I started with a plain GM Colt), grip safety/hammer, dovetail sights, slight dehorn job. Not sure who I'll send it to yet but there's time to figure that out.

Is it Staked in? I used a mill to cut off several 1937 front

by Rob Leahy ⌂ @, Prescott, Arizona, Sunday, November 17, 2013, 17:13 (3967 days ago) @ rob

sights and then milled a done tail and inserted Wilson Front sights some of his cheesy "Night Eyes" (They last about 2-3 years at best) and his fine black front posts.

--
Of the Troops & For the Troops

Yep, it's staked.

by rob @, Sunday, November 17, 2013, 17:15 (3967 days ago) @ Rob Leahy

.

Wilson sights

by Catoosa, Sunday, November 17, 2013, 19:54 (3967 days ago) @ Rob Leahy

The Commander I bought a few months back has Wilson sights mounted. I always thought a dovetailed front sight wouldn't "look right" on a 1911, but I barely notice it now. The dots had faded until they were barely visible (one reason I got a deal on the gun) so I put a drop of white Testors appliance epoxy paint in the rear holes using a toothpick tip, painted the rear face of the front sight white and put a drop of orange in the hole. They don't glow in the dark any more, but they sure do shoot good in anything less than total dark.

Just got a call from my buddy who lives down the road. He killed a nice nine-point off of his front porch just before dark. That makes seven nice bucks he has killed from either his front porch or bathroom window in the last few years. And he's gonna SELL his place and move to town! I told him he was nuts, but he too is getting up in years and that place is more than he can handle by himself.

We don't spend too much on fancy deer stands around these parts.....

I gotta place in town I'll trade him!

by rob @, Sunday, November 17, 2013, 20:47 (3967 days ago) @ Catoosa

You're right, that's nuts...that sounds like my dream home:)

Check with Colt

by Slow Hand ⌂ @, Indiana, Sunday, November 17, 2013, 18:06 (3967 days ago) @ rob

I was looking to get the front strap of my stainless Gov't checkered and Colt's custom shop was te best prices out of the ones I looked at.

Advanced Gun Works in Roanoke did my commander

by MR, Sunday, November 17, 2013, 18:49 (3967 days ago) @ rob

Dave did an excellent job.

They are still in their small space. About to start the big one.

http://www.advancedgunworks.com/

I'll have to look their sight over this evening...

by rob @, Sunday, November 17, 2013, 20:40 (3967 days ago) @ MR

Pulled it up and looks good. Thanks Mark

Pinned? Do you mean Staked in?

by Rob Leahy ⌂ @, Prescott, Arizona, Monday, November 18, 2013, 11:12 (3966 days ago) @ rob

.

--
Of the Troops & For the Troops

Yeah, staked in place...

by rob @, Monday, November 18, 2013, 20:12 (3966 days ago) @ Rob Leahy

Not sure why I said pinned....Im still trying to recover from the week before last, never mind last week. I'm surprised anything I say makes sense.

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