Removing very,very tight dovetailed rear sight

[lental]

My new RIA .38 Super arrived yesterday and after firing it today, I found that it fires tight groups six inches low and four inches left. Having just fixed an almost identical problem on my Llama Extra with a Springfield Armory adjustable rear sight, I plan to use that sight on the RIA and retire the Llama.

After getting back from the range, I attempted to remove the blade sight from the RIA and found it exceptionally tight. In fact, after tapping it multiple times with successively harder blows from a lightweight brass hammer, the sight has not moved at all. I've got bigger hammers and punches but before I move to brute strength, I'd like to hear some suggestions from some of you who do this a lot. This will be the fourth time for me, but I've never had a sight that was this tight in the dovetail before. Thanks.

Len

[Smoke4320]

put slide in a plastic bag and put in freezer for 2 to 3 days take out and remove sight within 15 minutes

[lental]

Smoke -- That's really interesting. It's in the freezer now. I'll give it a shot on Friday or Saturday. Thanks

Len

[MtGun44]

I'd cool the sight with water on a sponge after warming the slide with a torch to about
250-300F, above water boiling point but not a lot.

Clamp slide in vise (padded) and warm the slide with propane torch, test with
very wet sponge. Once it is really sizzing, apply the wet sponge to ONLY the sight
and then IMMEDIATELY, while the temperature differential that you have created
still exists, drive out the rear sight.

I can't see how a steel sight in a steel slide will change at all if you cool both
at the same time. Both shrink the same and stay as tight as they were, just colder.
If it works, I will be surprised, but will note it down in the 'book of tricks".

Bill

[waksupi]

I would check with a gunsmith, and see if they have a sight pusher.

[nhrifle]

Look carefully for small set screws that may be holding it in place.

[Bullshop Junior]

You could run a current of electricity through the sight to get it to warm up without heating the rest of the gun as much as the sight, although a torch will work. When metal heats it expands, so in the dove tail it will usually expand up and out the ends (not enough to see) so then when it cools and shrinks it will be loose and you can usually push it out with your finger. The torch would work fine if you focused on heating the sight. I say electricity because we have used big diesel power welders to run electricity through broken off bolts on a D8 and after cooling they were just finger tight.

[akajun]

two things, one, check for a small set screw, second, it may very well be "glued" in place with some sort of loctite or epoxy. Some acetone and judicious use of a heat gun will break that bond.

[Smoke4320]

I'd cool the sight with water on a sponge after warming the slide with a torch to about
250-300F, above water boiling point but not a lot.

Clamp slide in vise (padded) and warm the slide with propane torch, test with
very wet sponge. Once it is really sizzing, apply the wet sponge to ONLY the sight
and then IMMEDIATELY, while the temperature differential that you have created
still exists, drive out the rear sight.

I can't see how a steel sight in a steel slide will change at all if you cool both
at the same time. Both shrink the same and stay as tight as they were, just colder.
If it works, I will be surprised, but will note it down in the 'book of tricks".

Bill

I have used this trick repeatedly on factory Springfield XD sights which are notoriously extremely tight..
did this after breaking a very hi dollar sight pusher .. all I can say is it works on XD's
but can see the same thing with heating it up ..
Just hope its not a duracoated slide !! as RIA has some from the factory

[lental]

I really appreciate all the interesting suggestions and after hearing them, I think the smart move would be first to contact Armscor and see if they will fix the problem under warranty. I read somewhere that a guy had a similar problem with his RIA and shipped it back to Armscor at their expense three times before they finally replaced the gun. They also gave him 200 rounds of ammo to compensate him for what he shot up trying to get the gun on target. Hate to send it back but since it's a Christmas present from my wife(way early), If I have it shooting well by then, there's no foul. I got it now because it was available and there's a rumor floating around the RIA has stopped producing the .38 Super. When I called eSarco about ordering from them, they were out and said they didn't know when they would get any more.

[lental]

Smoke -- please tell me about the Duracoat finish. The catalogue picture showed this gun as having a parkerized finish but the finish on parkerized guns that I've handled were much grainier than than the finish on the RIA. This finish is the color of parkerized finishes (kinda greenish, greyish brown) but has a fairly smooth finish with some grain. It appears to be fairly tough. How can I tell if it's duracoat and if it is, what are the problems I might run into working with it.

[lental]

Guys -- Thanks for all the suggestions but Mtgun44 and Smoke4320 win the ceegars.

I tried the freezer suggestion but couldn't budge the sight. After the pistol came back from Armscor who found no problems with accuracy, I decided to put the adjustable sight on it. After heating the slide and blade then cooling the blade, the sight moved on the first blow and was out in three hard whacks. This method really works well. Thanks for the help. The new sight is in with no dings on the slide and I hope to get to the range to try it out next week. I really appreciate all the imput here.

Len

[GT27]

Heat works every time I have seen on these!

[MtGun44]

Another winner. Glad it worked for you, too.

Bill

[Ben]

Bill,

Good of you & Smoke4320 to try and help Len.

I've always had great respect for your views on this forum.

Keep up the good work.

Best to you ,

Ben

[MtGun44]

Thanks, Ben. I have learned a couple of things over the years, happy to pass on. I have
also learned a LOT here over the years.

Seems right to pass on knowledge that will help someone.

Bill

[MtGun44]

Just did the calculation - if you can get the slide 200F hotter than the sight, and the sight
is 0.5" long - the dovetail increases in size by almost 0.001" - which takes a lot of the tension
off of the interference fit. This is what you are trying to do by heating the slide and cooling
the rear sight - develop a temp difference enough to open up the dovetail a bit.

Bill