Modifying a rear sight dovetail cut on a pistol?

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Modifying a rear sight dovetail cut on a pistol?

Post by jwai86 » 21 Jan 2022, 5:17 pm

I came across a 9mm 1911 pistol on SSAA Gun Sales where the current owner got a gunsmith to attach the front and rear sights from a Ruger .22 pistol. The work also included cutting a new dovetail for the rear sight. How difficult would it be for a gunsmith to rework the cut to fit a different set of sights?
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Re: Modifying a rear sight dovetail cut on a pistol?

Post by bladeracer » 21 Jan 2022, 5:29 pm

jwai86 wrote:I came across a 9mm 1911 pistol on SSAA Gun Sales where the current owner got a gunsmith to attach the front and rear sights from a Ruger .22 pistol. The work also included cutting a new dovetail for the rear sight. How difficult would it be for a gunsmith to rework the cut to fit a different set of sights?


As long as there's still enough metal it shouldn't be difficult at all.
If you can find a rear sight you like that is cut to the same dovetail as Ruger they should slide straight in.
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Re: Modifying a rear sight dovetail cut on a pistol?

Post by No1Mk3 » 22 Jan 2022, 12:14 am

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As bladeracer said, easy as. Cutting dovetails is dead simple even a 1st year apprentice could do it if the existing slot was narrower, the cost comes when the existing slot is wider than the sight to be fitted. At that point the slot must be welded and re-cut to suit, still quick and easy but a bit more work.
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Re: Modifying a rear sight dovetail cut on a pistol?

Post by ob1 » 22 Jan 2022, 12:19 am

Or just buy one of the many different sets of sights that fit Ruger. Lots of options out there.
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Re: Modifying a rear sight dovetail cut on a pistol?

Post by jwai86 » 31 Jan 2022, 7:45 pm

No1Mk3 wrote:As bladeracer said, easy as. Cutting dovetails is dead simple even a 1st year apprentice could do it if the existing slot was narrower, the cost comes when the existing slot is wider than the sight to be fitted. At that point the slot must be welded and re-cut to suit, still quick and easy but a bit more work.


That apprentice might have to sacrifice some cutting bits however. I've been told that Norinco uses ridiculously hard steel to make its firearms.

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Re: Modifying a rear sight dovetail cut on a pistol?

Post by jwai86 » 07 Mar 2022, 9:16 pm

This evening, I followed up with the person selling the Norinco 1911 in question. He said that he got the sights from a Ruger Mark I pistol, and got a gunsmith to use those to replace the stock sights. I'm interested in buying the pistol despite the ghetto sight job because the seller is only asking for $500 for it, and it might be good enough for club usage.

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Re: Modifying a rear sight dovetail cut on a pistol?

Post by No1Mk3 » 07 Mar 2022, 9:44 pm

No, Norinco does not use ridiculously harder steels to make it's firearms, that comes from some ignoramus with no knowledge of either guns or metallurgy. Colt makes there 1911 out of EN25, Norinco uses EN35, both of which are very easy to machine even though EN35 is a little tougher. Both metals are like butter compared to machining full duplex cast stainless or old Hadfield metal, not to mention Stellite which can be challenging to say the least. No firearm ever made is beyond machining due to the nature of the material properties needed to make a firearm. If you want something please don't be put off by someone saying it can't be machined, Cheers.
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