1911 auto sight staking tool drawing?

[danski26]

Does anyone have a measured drawing for a 1911 front sight staking tool? Or could someone possible draw one up for me?

[RayO]

Here you go.

http://i.imgur.com/k8aBMl.jpg (http://imgur.com/k8aBM)

http://i.imgur.com/3XSAbl.jpg (http://imgur.com/3XSAb)

http://i.imgur.com/kz7mll.jpg (http://imgur.com/kz7ml)

[arjacobson]

excellent-I was looking for the same thing!!!

[danski26]

Thanks Ray!

[Dale53]

This is a bit off point...

However, during my IPSC days, we were required to shoot heavier loads than what is now required (we had a power factor of 180,000). You don't have to do the math, just think military hard ball level (I used 200 gr bullets at 900+fps to make the grade). There was no fudging as we had a ballistic pendulum set up before you shot.

We had an extremely difficult time keeping front sights on 1911's. At that time, no one was putting dove tail sight bases on their guns. Staked, the sight would actually break, regardless of how well they were installed. My solution was to use a jewelers torch and silver solder the sights on. I did a number of them as did other area pistolsmiths (I am not a pistolsmith, just a tinkerer, but others were bonafide smiths). To the best of my knowledge, we NEVER had a failure with a silver soldered sight. The jewelers torch was used to localize heating so as not to damage the bluing. I used "low temperature" silver solder.

I do believe that a dove tail sight base is the best solution but not everyone has a milling machine and the proper skill set...

Just a thought...

Dale53

[Char-Gar]

I have used a King arsenal type staking tool on my 1911 pistols. I also use some red Locktite. If done correctly a front sight so installed won't jump off or get loose.

[MtGun44]

Use a dab of JB weld to fill the gaps, and make sure you have a good chamfer on the
square hole on the inside of the slide. I then just clamp the slide in a vise, with wooden
inserts, and with the front sight being compressed gently into the slide by the wood, and
pick away at the sight tennon with a SHARP prick punch until it is widened out like a rivet
head, about three different points front to back on the tenon works. Then a flat punch to
really work it flat, clean up with a round file. Never had one come loose. JB Weld to take
up the slack, plenty of chamfer and careful riveting are the keys. I use a tiny brass hammer
for lots of tiny blows, too.

Bi

[nicholst55]

Take your Dremel with a carbide burr, and cut a small depression inside the slide where the sight tenon protrudes. This gives the metal from the tenon somewhere to displace into, or 'fill up.' It makes the installation a lot more likely to stay put.

When you think about it, the method used to install stake-on sights is a recipe for failure. First we stake the sight in place and swage the tenon out, then we grind off all that metal that we just swaged out! Make sense?

[MtGun44]

Yep! Think of making a countersunk rivet, this is what you need to do. Make a squarish
countersink cut. The JB Weld to keep the sight snug helps a lot, too.

Bill

[mtgrs737]

I am with MtGun44, you have to have a good countersink area for the tendon to swage out into or you will not be able to keep the sight blade on. Aircraft would come apart in flight if not for this very principal.

[danski26]

Thanks for all the answers guys. The pistols owner has changed his mind and wants a dovetail now. Oh well....better now that after I had done any work.

[Char-Gar]

For the record, I also cut a countersink inside the slide as a place for the tenon to expand. I have not had any loosen up with red Locktite, but I can see how J.B. Weld would also be as effective if not more so.

[dragonrider]

Millette sights makes a front sight installation tool, a pair of modified vise grips, a drill and a drill guide, and a reverse coutersink. the sights have two round posts. They work very well and stay tight. I bought one years a go and have installed a bunch of sights with it.

[jlsmith1000]

Thanks for those drawings! They came in handy, with a couple minor modifications.

868668686786868

[QUOTE=RayO;1215447]Here you go.

<drawings removed>