I've looked at my Hi-Viz one and it's got a cool internal spring that retains the rod (which is stepped for the flat spring) from moving rearward under recoil. Also the front hole in the sight is smaller in diameter than the rear (which prevents the rod moving forward under recoil)
Problem: I bought an Advantage Arms fiberoptic front sight for my 1911 Commander kit (which I love).
The old front sight is retained in its dovetail by a roll pin vertically through the front portion of the sight, down through the front of the slide.
I drove out the roll pin top to bottom (only way).
I drifted off the old sight.
New sight looks like this, without the fiberoptic tube installed.
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The passage/hole for the fiberoptic rod is the same diameter front to back.
I drifted in the new fiberoptic sight, and lined up the roll pin hole with the hole in the slide.
I tried to install the new roll pin top to bottom. I can't get it started while also holding the punch and the hammer and the slide. I spend $50 on a set of roll pin holders from brownells. I wait a couple days.
I use the smallest roll pin holder to start the pin... worked like a charm.
HOWEVER.
I can't get the roll pin down far enough. It's now mushroomed at the top from my ham-fistedness. But it's flush with the top of the sight. Yes, I'm using roll-pin punches.
Which means:
the horizontal front-to-back hole through the sight is now blocked by the pin. So I just spend $30+shipping for a front sight that is no more functional than the plain black original one, and looks stupider.
I tried drilling through the pin from the front to allow the rod through, and to transmit light, but broke 3 drill bits (tiny ones).
Judging by the picture I must assume that the roll pin is meant to be driven all the way down PAST the channel for the fiberoptic rod.
So my questions are:
1. IF I were somehow able to drive the pin down further, what would retain the rod? Am I meant to trim the oversized rod at both ends and melt over the ends or something? There are no notches or enlarged ends or anything. Nothing I can see would retain the rod under recoil.
2. Anything sharp enough to cut through hardened roll-pins?
Problem: I bought an Advantage Arms fiberoptic front sight for my 1911 Commander kit (which I love).
The old front sight is retained in its dovetail by a roll pin vertically through the front portion of the sight, down through the front of the slide.
I drove out the roll pin top to bottom (only way).
I drifted off the old sight.
New sight looks like this, without the fiberoptic tube installed.
The passage/hole for the fiberoptic rod is the same diameter front to back.
I drifted in the new fiberoptic sight, and lined up the roll pin hole with the hole in the slide.
I tried to install the new roll pin top to bottom. I can't get it started while also holding the punch and the hammer and the slide. I spend $50 on a set of roll pin holders from brownells. I wait a couple days.
I use the smallest roll pin holder to start the pin... worked like a charm.
HOWEVER.
I can't get the roll pin down far enough. It's now mushroomed at the top from my ham-fistedness. But it's flush with the top of the sight. Yes, I'm using roll-pin punches.
Which means:
the horizontal front-to-back hole through the sight is now blocked by the pin. So I just spend $30+shipping for a front sight that is no more functional than the plain black original one, and looks stupider.
I tried drilling through the pin from the front to allow the rod through, and to transmit light, but broke 3 drill bits (tiny ones).
Judging by the picture I must assume that the roll pin is meant to be driven all the way down PAST the channel for the fiberoptic rod.
So my questions are:
1. IF I were somehow able to drive the pin down further, what would retain the rod? Am I meant to trim the oversized rod at both ends and melt over the ends or something? There are no notches or enlarged ends or anything. Nothing I can see would retain the rod under recoil.
2. Anything sharp enough to cut through hardened roll-pins?
