# Changing sights on Kimber 1911



## smitty2908

Hi,
I wanted to see if anyone out there could help with changing sights on a Kimber. I have night sights on a Custom II and standard sights on a Pro Carry II. The back sight does appear to a problem remove the screw and it should come out but how do I go about changing the front sight?
Any help would be appreciated.


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## cruzthepug

smitty2908 said:


> Hi,
> I wanted to see if anyone out there could help with changing sights on a Kimber. I have night sights on a Custom II and standard sights on a Pro Carry II. The back sight does appear to a problem remove the screw and it should come out but how do I go about changing the front sight?
> Any help would be appreciated.


Did you ever get your sights changed? I just bought a set of night sights and I'm trying to decide if I want to try to tackle putting them on myself, letting the guy at Gander Mtn do it, or sending the slide to Kimber and having them do it.


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## DevilsJohnson

The front site is in a dovetail mount on that model is it not? if s there's a set screw to remove then you need to push it out while not tearing up the site..You might want it later. They sell site tools for a dovetail mount but I just usually use a small hammer and piece of wood and tap them out.


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## cruzthepug

DevilsJohnson said:


> The front site is in a dovetail mount on that model is it not? if s there's a set screw to remove then you need to push it out while not tearing up the site..You might want it later. They sell site tools for a dovetail mount but I just usually use a small hammer and piece of wood and tap them out.


They are dovetail and that's what I thought I would do, use a brass punch and just tap them out. But, after researching online, it looks like Kimber must press in their sights and they are very, very tight. Guys are using heat guns and several distructive methods to remove the sights and I don't want to get into something like that. The only "gunsmith" around Huntsville that I know of is the guy at Gander Mtn. I've sent a couple of emails to some shops in the Nashville area to get a price and lead time. The shop was closed a Gander yesterday when I went by but the guy at the counter quoted $45 for the front and "quote" for the rear. Seems like a lot to tap out the sights and reinstall? If he's got all the right tools how long can it take?


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## VAMarine

Kimber front sights are very, very tightly fitted, if your changing out a tritium front, you really should use a sight pusher as to not break the vial by pounding on it with anything.

Total time for a sight change is about half an hour if the the guy has the right tools. 

Most of the time is making sure that they are centered correctly and you want the guy to take his time with that as you don't want to come back and have the front sight adjusted again and again if he misaligned the sight the first time.

You should be able to do the rear your self as those aren't that much of a PITA, but the front is always a bear, even with a sight pusher, you can buy your own sight pusher, but that would be more than what the guy at Gander is going to charge for the service, it's up to you but if you plan on doing this again I'd buy the tool and it myself to save me the travel time, wait time, and gunsmith fees.


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## cruzthepug

I called the gunsmith at Gander and he told me $35-$60 for the set. For that I wouldn't mess with it. Only problem is the lead time is 3-4 weeks.


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## VAMarine

cruzthepug said:


> I called the gunsmith at Gander and he told me $35-$60 for the set. For that I wouldn't mess with it. Only problem is the lead time is 3-4 weeks.


That's crazy, you could send the gun out and have new sights added and returned in less time.

3-4 Weeks? They must be backed up something fierce...

The last time I had sights changed, I had a guy at a gun shop/range do them. Are there any shops/ranges in your area that might have a sight pusher and the willingness to change sights?


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## cruzthepug

VAMarine said:


> That's crazy, you could send the gun out and have new sights added and returned in less time.
> 
> 3-4 Weeks? They must be backed up something fierce...
> 
> The last time I had sights changed, I had a guy at a gun shop/range do them. Are there any shops/ranges in your area that might have a sight pusher and the willingness to change sights?


I'm going to check with the shop where I bought my Ultra Carry to see it they might know somebody. I also talked to Kimber this afternoon, you can send them your slide, the Meprolight sights $105 + $30 labor + $7.50 return shipping = $142.50. I forgot to ask the turn around time :smt021 but I couldn't imagine it would be more than just a few days.

If I hadn't already bought a set of Trijion sights off ebay it would be a no brainer to just send my slide to Kimber. I guess I could still do that and then I can either just re-sale the Trijion's or put them on my other Kimber.


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## cruzthepug

I found another local gunsmith that will install the sights for $20-$25. Two weeks lead time.


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## cruzthepug

The local guy never panned out. I had sent out a couple of emails and got a response back for Franklin Gun Shop in Franklin, TN (just outside of Nashville) thats about 70 miles from my house. In the email they said it would take about a week, so I drove up Satuday and had planned on going back next Saturday to pick it up. When I arrived they weren't that busy and after talking to the gunsmith he said "just do some shopping and I'll throw them on". 20 minutes and $50, I was out the door.:smt023


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## VAMarine

cruzthepug said:


> The local guy never panned out. I had sent out a couple of emails and got a response back for Franklin Gun Shop in Franklin, TN (just outside of Nashville) thats about 70 miles from my house. In the email they said it would take about a week, so I drove up Satuday and had planned on going back next Saturday to pick it up. When I arrived they weren't that busy and after talking to the gunsmith he said "just do some shopping and I'll throw them on". 20 minutes and $50, I was out the door.:smt023


There ya' go. Bummer about the 140 miles round trip, but at least you got your gun back the same day. :smt023


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## cruzthepug

VAMarine said:


> There ya' go. Bummer about the 140 miles round trip, but at least you got your gun back the same day. :smt023


Not a bummer. Well worth the trip, this is great shop and will probably get more of my business. They had just about anything you would want in stock. Not just handguns and long guns but everything that goes along with it. I was like a kid in a candy shop, needless to say the $50 for the sights was not all I spent :mrgreen:

About any handgun you would want to fondle, they've got it. Everything from the smallest .22 to a .50 Desert Eagle. One case for just Sigs, one for HK's and the list goes on. One case just for 1911's, lots of Kimbers, Springfields, Para's even had 4 different Wilson Combats in stock.

:drooling::drooling::drooling:


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## GURU1911

If you do not have the proper "sight pushing tools" to remove or install, contact "novaks guns" on the internet & let them take care of the chore for you. Guarantee you will be happy with the results.


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