Jump to content
Brian Enos's Forums... Maku mozo!

G34 rear sight keeps drifting left


1eyedfatman

Recommended Posts

Anybody have a rear sight keep drifting/shifting on them? Mine keeps moving left on my G34 gen4 with standard Dawson competition rear sight. I noticed this a few months ago and had about 4-5 adjustments to it by various gun smiths. First couple of times I thought they just didn't adjust it enough, but this last time, it was adjusted so much it was actually hugging the right ridge line, but tonight at the range (after I had shot it a few times since the last adjustment), I noticed it was now hugging the left ridge line of the slide again! I'm wondering if there is maybe a dimple/groove that formed and the tightening pin is shifting into it from the recoil. Tomorrow I'm going back to a gun smith again and explain to them its not just off center, but it moves after adjustment and see if there is something extra they need to do like Loctite or torque down on it. Its starting to mess with me on small steel shots.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Factory sights? They have always been tight on my Glocks. Same with aftermarket sights that need sanded a little to fit. You want them tight enough to need pounding to get them all the way in. No way will they move on their own if done properly

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sounds like the fitting may have been a little over done. A dab of 262 Loctite will keep it from ever moving again if this is the case. As Sarge said, a properly fitted rear sight should not move even without Loctite. I might add that I have seen some Glocks that came with HD night sights from the factory, the type with the large yellow or orange dot on the front sight and the rounded bottom in the rear sight notch, where the slide dovetail was actually cut oversized. If this is the case on yours Loctite is the answer.

Edited by bowenbuilt
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I took it to a gunsmith this evening who fixed it up while I waited. He said the rear sight was in there snug and not easy to move, but the lock srew had worked its way loose. So maybe with the screw loose, the recoil cause it to shift left. He took it off, cleaned it all up, put loctite all in there, centered it and put it all back. He said let it set for 24 hours and I should be good to go. We'll see. I'll check if after each match to look for signs of movement.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Those set screws loosen sometimes. Just had mine come loose and I had plenty of red loctite on it. Loctite doesnt seem to hold small screws too well. Next time it happens just heat it up and take the screw out then clean it up with alcohol and loctite it back in.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have installed over 200 Glock front and rear sights and never, ever, used Locktite thread lockers. They are torque rated and most shooters use the highest torque product. Not meant for impact, only static lock down. None of the sights I have installed ever moved from the original installation. I use Permatex #2 gasket sealer. It never fully cures, It simply keeps the set screw from backing out. And if you ever need to change it, just back it out. You dont have to burn it out. Set screws only need a few ounce inches of torque, nothing more.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If the rear sight is fitted right you shouldn't need the set screw.

True, but when you switch sights from Glock to Glock it never presses in just right. I have drilled and tapped many early Heines so they would stay put.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Anybody have a rear sight keep drifting/shifting on them? Mine keeps moving left on my G34 gen4 with standard Dawson competition rear sight. I noticed this a few months ago and had about 4-5 adjustments to it by various gun smiths. First couple of times I thought they just didn't adjust it enough, but this last time, it was adjusted so much it was actually hugging the right ridge line, but tonight at the range (after I had shot it a few times since the last adjustment), I noticed it was now hugging the left ridge line of the slide again! I'm wondering if there is maybe a dimple/groove that formed and the tightening pin is shifting into it from the recoil. Tomorrow I'm going back to a gun smith again and explain to them its not just off center, but it moves after adjustment and see if there is something extra they need to do like Loctite or torque down on it. Its starting to mess with me on small steel shots.

My adjustable factory rear drifted left in my first match. I ordered new sights that Monday (Dawson adjustable) and haven't had a problem since I installed them. Sounds like your sight was improperly fitted, they really shouldn't need the set screw to stay put.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Yeah, I had that too. I had used loctite on the set screw and when I went to remove the sight to put on a new one, I found that it was wiggly loose. Now, loctite all over it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 years later...

I also had a very similar problem just recently. My "fixed" Dawson rear sight drifted off to the left on a Gen4 Glock 17. Two times actually. The first time it was within about 10.000 rounds. The second time about .024" within 5k rounds (9x19, power factor 135).

 

I hardly removed any material during installation. I'm able to get in the sight about halfway by hand until I need a hammer and vise to keep going. During installation the aluminium tool mushroomed just a slight bit at the tip. Complete removal was harder though.

The screw was loctited and actually stayed put. So nothing really came loose.

Maybe it was too tight of a fit, and inner stress (and shock during firing) caused it slowly to move towards a more stress free position.

 

A stock Glock is a pretty tough platform to work on mastering trigger control to begin with, but with a drifting sight and POI it ramps up that challenge even more...

 

Next thing I'm going to fit to that platform is a Trijicon's RMR adapter plate for POD. I hope this turns out better. At least a drifting reddot mount won't cause a nearly as huge impact shift as a drifting rear sight notch does, since it's parallel shifting instead of creating huge angles. It would still be annoying though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

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 account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...