kwesi Posted July 23, 2011 Share Posted July 23, 2011 I was outdoors to chrono several recipes ( will post results in a few days). I'm on the next to last load & NO red FO but the base was intact. I checked the base & it was finger tight so I continued. On the last mag I notice the base is gone too. After crawling on my hands & knees I located the FO but not the base. Nealio told me to Locktite it but I was concerned I would damage the FO rod trying to remove it, it was super tight. Are the FO rods supposed to slide in/out? I have not examined it to see if an end just busted off. Gonna call EA & see if it's a warrantied item (witness LTD). If not warranted is HENNING my only option? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skydiver Posted July 23, 2011 Share Posted July 23, 2011 Remember that metal expands when heated. The dovetail must have expanded just enough to loosen it's grip on the front sight. The fiber optic rod is meant to be replaced. It'll get dirty, beat up, murky. Some gun cleaning solutions will eat at it. The front sight itself should be installed tightly. I followed the directions on Henning's website for the removal/installation: http://www.tanfoglioparts.com/henningsights.html You can adapt the same instructions for the factory sights because the factory sight also uses a set screw. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nealio Posted July 23, 2011 Share Posted July 23, 2011 Loctite AND grind a new setscrew dimple (if you are running the Henning sight). The fiber optics will come out if they were not properly mushroomed on the ends. I use a soldering iron and slowly work the FO until the end is twice the size of the rod. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kwesi Posted July 23, 2011 Author Share Posted July 23, 2011 Unfortunately grinding a new set screw dimple (??) and using the soldering iron are outside the scope of my limitations. I did go to Harbor Freight to check out their Dremel 80 pc rotary tool set on sale for $6.99. Thought maybe I'd attempt some polishing. Two questions: 1. Would it be advisable to pay more and get a Variable Speed dremel? 2. Does polishing only smooth the surface? I'd hate to remove metal and too much at that! BTW: so is Henning the only after market FO option? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skydiver Posted July 24, 2011 Share Posted July 24, 2011 As far as I know, Henning is the only aftermarket fiber optic option for Tanfoglio in the Americas. You can also get OEM fiber optic front sights from EAA. If you want night sights, Trijicon has a list of smiths who can mill and install Trijicon sights into any gun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kwesi Posted July 24, 2011 Author Share Posted July 24, 2011 skydiver: can you share the pro's/con's of Hennings vs the OEM? IIRC Henning offers two choices. A buddy purchased one for his Limited .40S&W and I remember his saying something about he wished he did not purchase the thin tube. I'll go to Hennings site & review the choices. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nealio Posted July 24, 2011 Share Posted July 24, 2011 I like the Henning sight better than the factory because its thinner and has a smaller fiber. That's the big difference Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skydiver Posted July 24, 2011 Share Posted July 24, 2011 Henning's sights come in 2 different widths but both are thinner than the OEM one. They also correspondingly have thinner fibers in them. I think that Henning hit on the right ratio of size of the fiber dot vs. the width of the front sight because I don't get the same "light bloom" effect as I do with the OEM sight. Since the dot is smaller, though, to gather more light to still make the dot bright enough to be very visible, the fiber optic rod is longer. Of course it's all a matter of preference. For some, they like the bloom effect of a big dot so that it is very easy to find the front sight. The big bright dot sure is nice for short distance targets, but for further distances it starts to play optical illusions on whether the top of the front sight is aligned with the top of the rear sights. The smaller dot doesn't play the same optical illusion, but simply by being smaller it's a little harder to pick out. As Nealio mentioned previously, what he does with the Henning sight is make the dot mushroom to twice the fiber's diameter to make the dot bigger. I bet that helps in making it easier to pick out the dot (as well as decrease chance of the fiber slipping out). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kwesi Posted July 24, 2011 Author Share Posted July 24, 2011 Thanks! The large factory Red FO was perfect for my eyes. I usually practice at 7 - 15 yards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zipper046 Posted July 30, 2011 Share Posted July 30, 2011 Bought a used Match 2 on here...GREAT gun! It came with Hennings FO front sight. I was running .215 tall x .115 wide FO's and Trijicon night sights on my Glocks, so first time with a thinner FO sight. Have to say....I LIKE THEM THIN! LOL. For longer shots, can see more of the target and Hennings sight was clear, crisp, and I had no problem seeing it (and I'm 43yrs old). I'd go with Hennings products. He shoot's Tanfo's, knows Tanfo's, and has solid accessories and parts specific to Tanfo's. Yes, a few more dollars, but why cheap out when you have a great pistol??? :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kwesi Posted August 6, 2011 Author Share Posted August 6, 2011 The fiber optic rod is meant to be replaced. It'll get dirty, beat up, murky. EAA does not sell FO replacement tubes only the front sight/tube combo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skydiver Posted August 6, 2011 Share Posted August 6, 2011 Oh, that's too bad. Search online for Fiber Optic. Many vendors sell them by the foot in various colors and diameters. I think I paid more in shipping than I did for actual fiber when I bought 24" of red, green, and yellow FO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kwesi Posted August 7, 2011 Author Share Posted August 7, 2011 Thanks! Nealio uses a soldering gun to heat the ends & mushroom them. Is that your method? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skydiver Posted August 7, 2011 Share Posted August 7, 2011 I wish I had thought of that considering that I had a soldering gun right on the table. I actually scrounged around for a lighter and did it the traditional way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nealio Posted August 7, 2011 Share Posted August 7, 2011 Yeah I found the soldering iron held close (but not touching) creates a very nice and smooth mushroom. My FO seems brighter when I use the soldering iron method as opposed to the lighter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skydiver Posted August 7, 2011 Share Posted August 7, 2011 Yeah I found the soldering iron held close (but not touching) creates a very nice and smooth mushroom. My FO seems brighter when I use the soldering iron method as opposed to the lighter. I used to get the dark FO as well until I watched a video on YouTube. Yeah, YouTube for all gunsmithing techniques . I wonder how many really gunsmiths just cringed... Or heard cash registers going when they heard that. Anyway, if I recall it was Dawson (of Dawson Precision) who was demonstrating the correct technique for using a lighter to install a FO. The point is to just bring the flame near the plastic and not actually touch the plastic with the flame. The light bulb went off and suddenly all the text instructions I'd read in the past made sense. A soldering iron would be so much easier since as I said I've got one right on the bench. For next time... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kwesi Posted August 7, 2011 Author Share Posted August 7, 2011 Yeah I found the soldering iron held close (but not touching) creates a very nice and smooth mushroom. My FO seems brighter when I use the soldering iron method as opposed to the lighter. Thanks for clarifying that. I would have put the flame or end of the soldering iron on the FO...LOL. I'm learning every day! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
junkie Posted August 7, 2011 Share Posted August 7, 2011 The title of this thread really boggles me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tangiltows Posted August 9, 2011 Share Posted August 9, 2011 dawson makes a fo front in a couple different heights for the limited, the smallest width being .100 for around 40-50 $ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now