# Gun shop marred my new sights.



## Usafammo3 (Jun 8, 2020)

I was in a local gun shop the other day and noticed they had some sights I would like to try. Went to my car and safed my gun. Gave it to them to swap the sights. Got it back and holstered it. When I got home, I noticed that the sights looked like a toddler had attacked them with a nylon hammer. The only reason I let them do the sights (other than convenience) is that I assumed they had a good pusher and could do a better job than I could with a vice and nylon punches....now I have one of my favorite guns with the sights I want finally on it and they look like hot garbage...


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## VAMarine (Dec 25, 2008)

Lessons learned and all that.

It happens I sat and watched a guy do that to....I don't remember what gun. Hk45 maybe? The sight got it and it was done for free and the guy has probably saved me $1k in transfer fees over the years so I just let it go.

Right after that I invested in a better sight pusher.


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## Shipwreck (Jan 26, 2006)

My local shop uses a hammer and punch. They do not have a sight pusher. Once, I had a new gun with uncentered sights. They centered them, and all was fine.. But I had a punch mark on it after that. For just a tiny movement, it is not a big deal. But, I would never get them to install new sights for me...


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## pic (Nov 14, 2009)

Usafammo3 said:


> I was in a local gun shop the other day and noticed they had some sights I would like to try. Went to my car and safed my gun. Gave it to them to swap the sights. Got it back and holstered it. When I got home, I noticed that the sights looked like a toddler had attacked them with a nylon hammer. The only reason I let them do the sights (other than convenience) is that I assumed they had a good pusher and could do a better job than I could with a vice and nylon punches....now I have one of my favorite guns with the sights I want finally on it and they look like hot garbage...


Should have inspected the work before holstering and leaving. 
I don't really know what marred sights look like. Could it have happened when you holstered the gun?


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## VAMarine (Dec 25, 2008)

pic said:


> Should have inspected the work before holstering and leaving.
> I don't really know what marred sights look like. Could it have happened when you holstered the gun?


No.

What hes talking about is punch marks, indentions, dings in the sights from being smacked by a punch and hammer.

You don't get that by holstering a pistol.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk


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## pic (Nov 14, 2009)

VAMarine said:


> No.
> 
> What hes talking about is punch marks, indentions, dings in the sights from being smacked by a punch and hammer.
> 
> ...


OMG , Glock 21 barrel scratches, sights dinged up, lol.
I feel bad. 
You legitimized your past experience very well. I would have done the same, if it was my go to guy who's taken care of me $.


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## Goldwing (Nov 5, 2014)

I install my own sights and always have. I quickly learned that dovetails on guns aren't perfect, nor are the sights.
Some have a slight taper in one direction, some do not. I measure the male and female dovetails for taper and for actual size before installing so i can do it the easiest possible way.
If the female dovetail is too tight I just use abrasive (crocus cloth) attached to a flat surface and remove material from the bottom of the male dovetail until I can slide the sight 1/3rd to 1/2 way in. I can then use my nylon punch to center them up without marring them.

GW


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## Rock185 (Oct 26, 2012)

I feel your pain. Years ago, I wanted night sights on my new SIG P-220. Went to a police supply, I think it was, bought them and had them installed. The guy used a sight pusher, but managed to scrape the top of the slide on my new 220 anyway.

Since then, although most needed fitting, I have installed most of my own sights


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## Slowalkintexan (Feb 6, 2007)

Ask, first!,if they use a site pusher.
\Second,inspect, inspect carefully when you pick it up//?? Any problems? Now is the time to address them.


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## denner (Jun 3, 2011)

Usafammo3 said:


> I was in a local gun shop the other day and noticed they had some sights I would like to try. Went to my car and safed my gun. Gave it to them to swap the sights. Got it back and holstered it. When I got home, I noticed that the sights looked like a toddler had attacked them with a nylon hammer. The only reason I let them do the sights (other than convenience) is that I assumed they had a good pusher and could do a better job than I could with a vice and nylon punches....now I have one of my favorite guns with the sights I want finally on it and they look like hot garbage...


Can you post pics?


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## Shipwreck (Jan 26, 2006)

Usafammo3 said:


> When I got home, I noticed that the sights looked like a toddler had attacked them with a nylon hammer.


Those WERE Toddler Hammer Sights dude. You got the wrong sights


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## Usafammo3 (Jun 8, 2020)

Ended up taking high temp spray paint and spraying a puddle into a paper cup. Then used a model paint brush to paint it onto the sights. First try isn't perfect but looks much better and almost matches the black ceracote on the slide. At a glance, it looks fine. I'll prob redo it to get a smoother coat. They needed paint anyway because the slide is black ceracoted and the new sights were that standard gray metal.


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## Usafammo3 (Jun 8, 2020)

pic said:


> Should have inspected the work before holstering and leaving.
> I don't really know what marred sights look like. Could it have happened when you holstered the gun?


Its white marks from where the nylon punches contact the sights when they are hammered. Imagine if you touched metal with chalk dust on your fingers. Not a terribly huge deal but when you are intimately familiar with EVERY mark on every one of your guns, its irritating. Especially on a LTT 92g Elite that you've spent hours customizing and tuning.


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## pic (Nov 14, 2009)

Usafammo3 said:


> Its white marks from where the nylon punches contact the sights when they are hammered. Imagine if you touched metal with chalk dust on your fingers. Not a terribly huge deal but when you are intimately familiar with EVERY mark on every one of your guns, its irritating. Especially on a LTT 92g Elite that you've spent hours customizing and tuning.


Yep, totally understand


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