I haven’t used Trijicon or XS specifically, but I’ve installed a Kensight tight enough that I think even the loctite was overkill and it certainly didn't need the pin.

As for getting the factory sight out, I used a dremmel cutting wheel to cut into it to get access to the pin and pull it out. Then business as usual. Obviously be careful with how far you go with the cut.

 

I had planned to use a Dremel as well, but simply used a hand drill in the end. Worked fine but certainly had a high pucker factor. I bought an oversize fiber optic sight from Harrison and it hasn’t moved at all since installing. It does take some time to file fit though.

The punch removal method was suggested by a gunsmith friend too, but I was too chicken to try it on my hard chrome pistol.

 

I appreciate the input. Why les decided this was the way is beyond me. Ive never seen a proper fitted dovetail fly off. I get the redundancy ideology, damn atleast drill it through the slide.

 

I took a front sight off without messing with the roll pin. It simply sheared itself off without much force

 

Any scratches to the top of the slide? I guess that's risk with that method regardless. But, I assume the pin is hard enough to be brittle and didn't bend, it just snapped? What "cut" sights or sights in general did you use? No fitment issues?

 

Each of my Baers came with LBC's EXCELLENT front fiber optic sight.

Extremely well protected with the "cage" yet allows ambient light to hit the fibers to provide a bright sight.


I believe these may be my favorite front sights of ANY 1911.
LBC already makes my favorite thumb safety....smoothly surfaced on the flange and a perfect ledge.

My advice is to give LBC a call and order one through them.

 

I am not a gunsmith, I've replaced sights on production guns. A man has to know his limitations. There is a thread on here about drilling it out with a specific bit, can't find it. The Goal is to use the existing sight as a drill guide drilling through the slide. Sounds easy... I took mine to trained professionals at Nighthawk when visiting in May. I expected to leave it. It went home with me. There's a guy in back that is gifted. He has to be, doing hundreds per day....likely in his sleep.

Lil Baer with Ed Brown Trijicon HD and 10-8 rear. The Dovetail's are Novak cut.

 

I am not gunsmith, I've replaced sights on production guns. A man has to know his limitations. There is a thread on here about drilling it out with a specific bit, can't find it. The Goal is to use the existing sight as a drill guide drilling through the slide. Sounds easy... I took mine to trained professionals at Nighthawk when visiting in May. I expected to leave it. It went home with me. There's guy in back that is gifted. He has to be, doing hundreds per day....likely in his sleep.

Lil Baer with Ed Brown Trijicon HD and 10-8 rear. The Dovetail's are Novak cut.
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Thank you, I've done alot of drilling etc. And have a fair bit of experience doing such things. But, **** happens and id rather not cause unnecessary damage. Honest wear and tear is one thing. A slipped drill bit gouge in the slide is another. I'll probably order a set of either HD's or big dots novak cut. I'm a big fan of the xs big dots. I have them on everything else. But on this gun almost seems sacrilegious

 

Baer UTC with ed brown orange hd xr front, Ed brown tactical unotch rear. Love these sights!!!

 

I removed the Baer front sight from a Monolith side for re-blueing the pistol. Used a dremel tool to cut the front leg of the sight (the pin leg) and pulled the pined leg with now problem. After refinishing, I installed a new Baer fiber optic sight and found the pin hole in the new Baer sight did not line up with pin hole in the slide. The new Baer fiber optic is now installed with no pin and using a tight friction fit.

 

If you don’t know how, rather than damaging it, get some help. I really like the bigger dot which also lets me hit what I want to hit when shooting suppressed.

 

Big dots set front and rear? Or just up front?

 

Just replaced one last night. I used a #52 drill bit(.063) and started by drilling very lightly by hand with the bit in a pin vise then finished using a drill press. I could tell by feel when I was through the roll pin. Someone else said they used an easy out to remove the roll pin.
Remove the sight right to left and install new sight left to right. Used a sight pusher and small aluminum square stock to aid removal and installation.

 

These are old Thunder Ranch grips from their onsite store. Maybe 12 years ago or som thing like that.

 

Ok thank you! I recently got a TR special and want some grips