Rear sight tool for M&P Shield

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mcrocker

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I need to remove my rear sight to install the Apex USB. I've removed the allen screw. The sight won't budge by tapping it (HARD) while in a vise. What tool would you recommend I use to push the rear site out? The P500 universal sight tool will work (or so I'm told) but it is $150 and sold out @ Brownells. I suppose I could go to a gunsmith but I kinda like doing this stuff myself.

The apex trigger was easy, the rear sight is a bitch.
 
After banging on mine in a vise using a brass pusher, and denting the brass pusher, I resorted to a wide flat head screw driver. It took a whole lot of banging, but it worked. It scratched the read sight a little, but I don't care. Make sure your vise is securely held in place and have at it with a screw driver.

I also tried a universal sight pusher, but no way was that gonna work. You may have better luck though.
 
I banged the hell out of it last night, heated it with a MAPP torch. I think it moved .000001 mm. S&W is 2 miles away from my office. I wonder if I can just drop it off and have them remove it. I was afraid of damaging the slide so I stopped. I haven't even fired a round through the thing yet, don't want to break it just yet.

grumble

The Apex trigger (Trigger spring, seer & seer spring) are really nice. Need to get the USB in to complete the project
 
I had to bang the S$%T out of mine.
the M&P shield was 1000x worse than the M&P 9C.

Ended up using a steel punch (wrapped in electrical tape) + heat gun + vice to get it loose.
Scratched it up a bit, but then touched that up with some paint and it looks fine now.
Before putting the shield rear sight back in, I filed down some of the burrs that caused it to fit so tightly.
 
mcrocker said:
I need to remove my rear sight to install the Apex USB. I've removed the allen screw. The sight won't budge by tapping it (HARD) while in a vise. What tool would you recommend I use to push the rear site out? The P500 universal sight tool will work (or so I'm told) but it is $150 and sold out @ Brownells. I suppose I could go to a gunsmith but I kinda like doing this stuff myself.

The apex trigger was easy, the rear sight is a bitch.
Click to expand...

You know they remove left to right and install right to left correct?

You may just need a bigger hammer [laugh]
 
I find it easier to remember that they always go out towards ejection port. I have a sight tool. PM if interested. Worcester area.
 
ldp82 said:
I have one of these worked like a charm on my shield, under $80:
Universal Hand Gun Sight tool - Home - El Cajon, CA
Click to expand...
That is the same pusher I have. It wouldn't budge the rear sight. Better luck to mcrocker if he gets this pusher. I, like you, waited until I had the apex kit in before even firing it. The stock trigger sucks too bad to waist ammo on it.

If the sight moved even just a little, you're over the worst of it. I would keep going.
 
Sight pushers are great tools, especially for adjusting windage. Unfortunately, they are no substitute for judiciously applied brute force.
 
I think that sight tool will only work on your shield if you heat it up while using it and I'll pass on that, at least for now. I'm going to made a punch out of a 1/2" brass bolt about 3-4" long and tapered it down to about a 1/4" then hammer it down to resemble a screw driver tip. I'm hoping with a good brass punch that's the correct size and shape and a good vise I'll be able to complete mine. My shield has the Apex trigger done but I still need to do the sight like you. I just don't want to say the Shield won.
 
NTMAREMACH said:
I think that sight tool will only work on your shield if you heat it up while using it and I'll pass on that, at least for now. I'm going to made a punch out of a 1/2" brass bolt about 3-4" long and tapered it down to about a 1/4" then hammer it down to resemble a screw driver tip. I'm hoping with a good brass punch that's the correct size and shape and a good vise I'll be able to complete mine. My shield has the Apex trigger done but I still need to do the sight like you. I just don't want to say the Shield won.
Click to expand...

After heating the whole gun, freeze the sight. Try a freeze type wart removal kit available at CVS, Walgreens, etc. Should work in theory.
 
Be careful heating the M&P slide. There may be some plastic parts inside. Punches specially built for this job are available from Brownells and Dawson.
 
Gammon said:
Be careful heating the M&P slide. There may be some plastic parts inside. Punches specially built for this job are available from Brownells and Dawson.
Click to expand...
+1 There is a plastic sleeve around the firing pin ( why, i dunno ). Be careful not to melt it. And you can't remove it without removing the striker block, as that is what holds it in place. And you can't remove the striker block without removing the sight ... yay!
 
ldp82 said:
I have one of these worked like a charm on my shield, under $80:
Universal Hand Gun Sight tool - Home - El Cajon, CA
Click to expand...

I have one of those tools. It does front and rear sights well. It might take a little time getting the hang of setting it up and aligning everything but once you learn how it goes fast removing and installing sights. I use thin sheets of cardboard from the back of note pads to shim and protect the metal to metal contact against the slide.

Make sure you remove and install the sights from the correct side. On my M&P looking at the rear of the pistol the sight pushes out from left to right and installs right to left. Also ,there is a spring with a small metal disk under the sight that will fly away if you don't capture it. I put the slide into a gallon size Ziploc bag as I pushed the sight out and the disk and spring didn't get away. I think the Apex kit comes with a small tool to hold that spring and disk in place.
 
I'm hoping this will work with the right punch.
Dragnet%20Mark%20VII%202.jpg
 
Well today I made a punch out of a 5/8" X 7" long brass bolt. I hammered the tip to flatten and flare it and it seems to fit perfect. I've got to mount the vise to the bench and I'll be giving it a whack.
0022-5_zps6d318711.jpg

006-14_zps5ebc2a42.jpg
 
Nice job on the punch. If your sight is as tight as mine, the punch will be destroyed in less than 5 minutes though. Good luck. I hope it works out for you.
 
yanici said:
Nice job on the punch. If your sight is as tight as mine, the punch will be destroyed in less than 5 minutes though. Good luck. I hope it works out for you.
Click to expand...
Thanks, as long as I see it moving I can always turn down a little and make a new tip on the punch. Since I hammered the tip it made it harder than the rest of the punch and hopefully will stand up longer. The size of the punch will have a lot to do with it working and the punch does have some ramming weight.
 
Just finished doing the sight and it was easier than I thought it was going to be. I guess size does matter as the sight moved with the first blow using the punch. Now to clean it and shoot it for the first time. If anyone want to use the punch feel free to send me a PM and I'll either meet or ship if needed.
 
Duderino, there's an old thread about this same problem (I started it). Turns out the design of the rear sights isn't super accurate, according to S&W. In some, the rear sight is too big, and in others there are cross-threads running along the length of the slide (think striker to barrel), which inhibit ease of movement. For those models (like mine), one needs either Herculean strength, or a professional gunsmith.
 
swampy said:
I have one of those tools. It does front and rear sights well. It might take a little time getting the hang of setting it up and aligning everything but once you learn how it goes fast removing and installing sights. I use thin sheets of cardboard from the back of note pads to shim and protect the metal to metal contact against the slide.

Make sure you remove and install the sights from the correct side. On my M&P looking at the rear of the pistol the sight pushes out from left to right and installs right to left. Also ,there is a spring with a small metal disk under the sight that will fly away if you don't capture it. I put the slide into a gallon size Ziploc bag as I pushed the sight out and the disk and spring didn't get away. I think the Apex kit comes with a small tool to hold that spring and disk in place.
Click to expand...

yes the apex kit came with the tool to secure the disk and spring. the pusher worked very well on my shield, i guess i got lucky because we could not move the sight on yanici's shield.
 
ldp82 said:
I have one of these worked like a charm on my shield, under $80:
Universal Hand Gun Sight tool - Home - El Cajon, CA
Click to expand...

The tool arrived today, popped into the vise and cranked the rear sight right out.

I used a bit of cardboard to shim the slide up a bit and protect the sides. Crank,crank,crank and the sight slid right out (left to right).
Swapped out the USB & spring, put the sight back in and tapped it about 1/2 way with a nylon hammer. Reverse the tool and finished the job (right to left).
 
I'm taking my Shield to Lou at Business End Customs to have new sights installed. I'm not trying to move that damn rear sight anymore, myself.
 
Just got back from Peabody and Business End Customs. Lou made it look easy changing out my sights. I couldn't move that rear sucker. He installed some Tru-Glo TFO sights for me. I like the TFOs. Nice and bright for my antique eyes.

Thanks, Lou.
 

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