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I was shooting at Shiloh tonight (great range btw) and the front sight flew over my right shoulder as the weapon was cycling.

It looks as if it fractured right off. Is this an easy fix or is it a tricky issue? I can post pics in a day or two. There is no dovetail to just slide it out, it appears as though the front sight is embedded into the slide somehow.

This is my favorite handgun as it was tricked out and passed down to me by my dad. I'd like to get it back up and running soon.

Thanks for the help fellas.

-nick

You have a staked on front sight. Its not terribly difficult to replace yourself, but it's not nearly as easy as a dovetail.

Brownells has a front sight staking tool you can use, and you would of course need the proper sized sight. Depending on when yours was made, you'll either need a "wide" or "narrow" tenon sight (depends on when it was made). You place the slide upside down in a fixture to hold it (vice, make something out of a couple of 2x4s, whatever), then place the sight in the channel (optionally with some red locktite), then place the staking tool on the sight, and proceed to whack it with a hammer and spread the tenon out.

Or for a more permanent fix have a gunsmith cut a standard dovetail into the slide and install a dovetail sight.

The only drawback is that the gun won't look original anymore. If that is important to you, have the staked sight replaced.

But this is a well known weak spot on these guns (all Colts) so don't be surprised if you have to do it from time to time. I had to replace the front sight on my Gold Cup (Series 80) once. (The factory sight flew off just like yours.)

Thanks for the replies guys. I'll just have a smith replace it with with as close a match as the existing one.

I wouldn't mind doing the custom work, but since its an heirloom of sorts, I'll get it back as it was.

Thanks again for the help.

If you're taking it to a gunsmith, you may as well have him replace the roll pin in the Ellison rear sight while you're at it. If you shoot anything other than light Bullseye loads, the roll pin is very likely to shear off.

Chas.

gigag04 wrote:I was shooting at Shiloh tonight (great range btw) and the front sight flew over my right shoulder as the weapon was cycling.-nick

Another good reason that shooters and spectators should always wear eye protection.

Charles L. Cotton wrote:If you're taking it to a gunsmith, you may as well have him replace the roll pin in the Ellison rear sight while you're at it. If you shoot anything other than light Bullseye loads, the roll pin is very likely to shear off.

Chas.

Excellent suggestion! The roll pin has broken on my Gold Cup once already. If you have it replaced, have the 'smith use a heavy duty type pin.

They are available from McMaster-Carr, a large industrial supply house. They will sell and ship to anyone, and they take credit cards.

When looking thorugh their online catalog I noticed that roll pins came in two grades - standard and heavy duty. The heavy duty ones have a larger wall thickness, making them stronger.

And they still look original.

Any recomends for a good 'smith in the Woodlands Spring area to handle a precious 1911?

Thanks,

nick

Great people who do great job on 1911

Operators Edge
26728 I-45 N
Spring
TX 77386
US
http://www.operatorsedge.com

866-457-SWAT / 281-465-0444