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SA front sight dovetail cut?

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29K views 22 replies 15 participants last post by  John Harrison  
B
#1 ·
Ok. I give up. Can't find the info anywhere.
I'm wanting to install a Brazos f/o front on my PI9134L (loaded 9mm)

Does anyone know the front sight dovetail cut dim. Springfield uses on there slides? I here it's not the same as others.

Thanks, Bill
 
B
#5 ·
William:

You really need to measure the dovetail on your Springfield to make sure you get the proper sight. If the width looks to be around 0.300, then the Kimber/Novak cut will work. If so, take a look at the "standard" model. It uses 0.060 fiber that is not preformed. Because the fiber is mushroomed to hold it in place, the size of the dot effectively is more like 0.090 wide. The Dawson sight you're currently using takes 0.040 fiber.

Thanks,

Ingi Londrigan
Brazos Custom Gunworks
254-622-2245
http://www.brazoscustom.com
_____________________________________

This is the reply I got from Brazos, so I assumed they didn't know either :scratch:

Guess I'll call SA. They are slow to reply to my emails.

Maybe it's there rear sight cut that is different, and not there front. I may have been wrong.

Thanks to all

Bill
 
F
#8 ·
I am having a similar problem. I want to install a gold bead front sight on my SA PX9151L (loaded 45ACP), and I couldn't find a definitive answers on what front sight brand / model would fit my SA slide cut, so I called Springfield Armory customer service, and I asked for the front cut dimensions (for the PX9151L - models other than the “loaded” may or may not be the same). Their answer: the cut is 0.330 wide, 60 degrees, 0.78 deep, and 0.180 tall.

My loaded model came with Novak brand rear sight, but the front sight seems not having a Novak cut although close (Novak is 60 degrees, and I think 0.75 deep). As usual, it was a pleasure to talk to SA. I have this 1911 SA for arround 3 years now, and I have called SA just 2 or 3 times since, and they always took the time to listen and help me the best way they could. I am happy with the gun and with the company.

I them called Novak asking for a drop-in front sight replacement for my SA loaded. According Novak, SA does not use Novak (brand) front sights in theirs guns, only rear sights. Novak would reshape the front sight cut to Novak dimensions and also would install a new front sight for $69.95 + $12 S&H + new sight price. Very nice people too. This was the first time I contacted them.

Is there anybody out there who got a drop-in (or semi drop-in) front sight for a SA loaded? I do not want to send the slide out to install the front sight, if I do not have to. It does not have to be a gold bead sight.
 
I
#9 ·
Well I went to Midway USA.com and picked up a Champion brand Fiber optic front sight. You can still get a gun smith to do it for you. Mine is not pretty at all because the sided of the sight are not flush with the slide, they are squared. Also the sight I got is not good for concealment. It is a snag monster on my clothing. I lost two shirts to that front sight. Midway has a lot of sights that will fit.

http://www.midwayusa.com/esearch.exe/search

Good luck
 
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#10 ·
IMChuc9775 said:
Well I went to Midway USA.com and picked up a Champion brand Fiber optic front sight. You can still get a gun smith to do it for you. Mine is not pretty at all because the sided of the sight are not flush with the slide, they are squared. Also the sight I got is not good for concealment. It is a snag monster on my clothing. I lost two shirts to that front sight. Midway has a lot of sights that will fit.

http://www.midwayusa.com/esearch.exe/search

Good luck
Click to expand...
any pics of that sight? the HiViz sight i have was also machined very square, and thus i took a file to all of the edges to round/smooth the over. now it dont snag my clothing and does not hang-up in the holster.
Image
 
B
#13 ·
GI sights

They have alot to be desired. Heres what I did with mine. Took a dial indicator to the rear sights and marked off 90 thousandths from the edge of the sight gap on each side. Then I took a small drill and started a pilot recess, followed by a little larger drill bit and put dots on it. Then I filed off the incline on the front site flat until it reached the peak of the sight which left a ledge. Then I carefully started with a Small bit, then the next size up, and had another centered smaller dot on the front. I can see the silver dots much better now and you can put Dura coat glow paint in them for night sites. Sure helps my old eyes, and my groups. They are still low profile. Gitter done. :D
 
R
#14 ·
Why don't you guys just send your Springers to Springfield themselves, OR a custom gunsmith, and have a Novak dovetail cut and be done with it???? OR a Heinie??
These are TOP of the line sights, for a gunsmith to do it, doesn't cost all that much... PLUS, you'll have a PROPERLY machined/dovetailed slide that looks professional, as it should....


bucky said:
They have alot to be desired. Heres what I did with mine. Took a dial indicator to the rear sights and marked off 90 thousandths from the edge of the sight gap on each side. Then I took a small drill and started a pilot recess, followed by a little larger drill bit and put dots on it. Then I filed off the incline on the front site flat until it reached the peak of the sight which left a ledge. Then I carefully started with a Small bit, then the next size up, and had another centered smaller dot on the front. I can see the silver dots much better now and you can put Dura coat glow paint in them for night sites. Sure helps my old eyes, and my groups. They are still low profile. Gitter done. :D
Click to expand...
 
F
#15 · (Edited)
razorhunter said:
Why don't you guys just send your Springers to Springfield themselves, OR a custom gunsmith, and have a Novak dovetail cut and be done with it???? OR a Heinie??
These are TOP of the line sights, for a gunsmith to do it, doesn't cost all that much... PLUS, you'll have a PROPERLY machined/dovetailed slide that looks professional, as it should....
Click to expand...
razorhunter,

we really appreciated if you could share with us your personal experience working with gunsmiths. Gunsmiths, or custom shops, like any other professional work vary in price and quality, and I do not mind pay for what needs to be done, the way it should be done, but I do not make concession on quality. Maybe you could suggest a gunsmith who would put material back in the slide, as you have noticed, the Springfield cut is deeper than the Novak cut. I have discussed the front sight replacement with both Springfield and Novak. Of course, Springfield is able to do the job but they do not have the sight blank I want. Novak can do the job, but I doubt they are able to duplicate the Springfield finish if they use an oversize front sight.

Do you know that the most common way to finish a front sight is to sand it on the slide so they will be in perfect level, and it will require re-bluing the gun, but mine is not blued, it is SS. If Novak uses their standard Novak sight size, it will be 0.003'' deeper than the barrel, which would be an unacceptable finishing. There is nothing like "just cut a Novak dovetail" and the end result could be something like this:

http://forums.1911forum.com/showthread.php?t=11297
http://forums.1911forum.com/showthread.php?t=86176
http://forums.1911forum.com/showthread.php?t=48639
(and much more - not everything is bad, there some are also good stuff out there)

If you have pictures, please post it too,

Thanks,
 
C
#17 ·
Springfield Inc said:
The standard front dovetail size of the Springfield "Loaded" models is .330 x 60 degrees.

Deb, Custom Shop Coordinator
Springfield Custom
Springfield Inc.
customshop@springfield-armory.com
Click to expand...
So where do I get any sort of sight that will fit my front dovetail?

I wanted an SDM gold bead front, but everyone makes a 65d not 60.

I may just chuck the rear Novak knockoff night sights in the garbage and bash out the front tritium vial and install a gold bead in the hole left over from the vial...
 
C
#19 ·
No, I think I WILL, not MAY because the Novak cut is not the same. I am at a point now that since it's warming up and I'm losing park on the tip of the lower right rear of the grip that I may just be ready and willing to DC in black.

If that's the case, then I can install and blend and refinish my own front sight.

I'll just pound the bead in after it's all finished and refinished.
 
J
#20 ·
Dawson has it right!

I dug this out of a search on dovetail cuts. The factory Springfield sight I removed is .340 at the base, I can't confirm the angle. I called Dawson Precision, and they came up with the same thing. My Loaded Fullsize is an 07 build if it matters. I see a Spec of .330 X 60* given by Deb in the custom shop, in a thread here, and was wondering what she was talking about. Wish Novak ment Novak cut, this ordeal would have been a simple swap. The only thing I dont like about the Dawson sight, is the squared off base, the factory night sight I removed had a nice blended fit. Too many dovetails diamentions, to keep track of, wish every manufacturer would get on the same page. Fits Kimber, Colt, Springfield & Para my a$$!
 
J
#21 ·
It's one thing for various front sights to have similar or close to similar dovetail dims, but the equally important thing to ask is what is the dim from the DT center line to the front of the slide.

Yes, the Springfield DT is nominally .330" wide, but the angle and depth are different to real Novak specs and the spacing from the front of the slide is less than real Novak, so a real Novak sight will hang off the front of the slide slightly on some guns. And remember what "nominal" means. Nominal does not mean absolute.

I keep saying "Real Novak" because not everyone that makes/sells a Novak sight is a stickler about adhering to Real Novak" dimensions.

Bottom line is if you need a Springfield front sight, buy a Springfield spec front sight, not a Novak spec. If you've gotta have radiused dovetail ends, you've gotta make it or buy a Springfield sight.

Dawson uses a small bevel on the ends because you really need to be able to put your punch against the end of the dovetail to drive it in. If you have a radiused DT, you have to drive against the sight blade and the failure rate for tritium lamp breakage and broken blades goes way up.
 
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