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Which Loctite do you use?


AzShooter

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I decided to replace my sights on my GSG 1911 22. I ordered a new sight from CW Accessories and they recommended using Red Loctite. This stuff is permanent.

I miscalculated the sight position and had to move the sight. Well not an easy task. I should have used Blue which can be removed if needed.

Try as I may I couldn't get the Red to budge. I used a heat gun and finally a butain torch to no avail. I burned the fiber optic out of the sight and then figured the only alternative was to push the sight out, order a new size and reinstall.

I'm going to use Blue on the new sight.

What have you used with success?
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Edited by AzShooter
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26 minutes ago, AzShooter said:
I decided to replace my sights on my GSG 1911 22. I ordered a new sight from CW Accessories and they recommended using Red Loctite. This stuff is permanent.

I miscalculated the sight position and had to move the sight. Well not an easy task. I should have used Blue which can be removed if needed.

Try as I may I couldn't get the Red to budge. I used a heat gun and finally a butain torch to no avail. I burned the fiber optic out of the sight and then figured the only alternative was to push the sight out, order a new size and reinstall.

I'm going to use Blue on the new sight.

What have you used with success?
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Sounds like the sight was tight enough without loctite? Fire should have killed the red.

 When I used to swap out Glock sights I always just payed the slide on the garage floor on a towel and pounded them out and back in with Delrin punches.

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After looking into this a few years ago doing some research, I have been using Green #290 THREADLOCKER.  I emphasize that because they also make a green retaining compound.  One is removeable and one is not!!!  The 290has a bit higher strength than blue but will come off with no heat and just regular tools, like a sight pusher.  What is interesting is you can apparently move the sight after it has set and the loctite with "re-glue" itself.  It is also a wicking threadlocker so it can be "fed" into smaller spots.  Hope that helps

 

Adam

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On 8/17/2019 at 12:27 PM, AzShooter said:
I decided to replace my sights on my GSG 1911 22. I ordered a new sight from CW Accessories and they recommended using Red Loctite. This stuff is permanent.

I miscalculated the sight position and had to move the sight. Well not an easy task. I should have used Blue which can be removed if needed.

Try as I may I couldn't get the Red to budge. I used a heat gun and finally a butain torch to no avail. I burned the fiber optic out of the sight and then figured the only alternative was to push the sight out, order a new size and reinstall.

I'm going to use Blue on the new sight.

What have you used with success?
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CW probably recommends red Loctite because the sight will never come loose...  They avoid any future customer support issues.

 

I don't use Loctite on 1911 sights...  I usually fit them myself and make them pretty tight.

 

When I do use Loctite, I usually use Blue 243...  It's an update of the old standard 242 that has more resistance to oils...  Good for guns.

 

I do use red Loctite on some parts of my Open gun...  It seems to shake loose blue Loctite over time...  I usually use Red 262...  It is difficult to remove, but it usually holds for as long as you want...  I used 262 on my dot mount and later decided to change to a different mount...  Had to cut slots in the small hex screws with a cut off disk and use a Micro torch to get them out.

 

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I use purple, blue and red.  Purple is just a tad weaker than blue.  I use it in lieu of removable thread locker.  I use blue for red dot mounting screws and the like.  Red is only for the comps on my Open guns. I don't use Loctite for iron sights, but if I had to it would be purple or blue.

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I use the blue, which I think is the same as the Guntite.  My introduction to red was when I was working on race cars. I was also introduced to torches at that time to undo a mistake with red. 

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Guys, there are so many different formulations of Loctite out there, you can not just go by the color. Blue, green, red, or purple doesn't mean a whole lot most of the time if you're not specifying the number. 

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  • 3 weeks later...

I have had good luck with Blue #242.  Like listed prior on this thread, if the sight is fitted tight enough, then you may not have

to use any, but a micro dot of blue 242 can't hurt.  My local gunsmith likes to use a micro dot of red (not sure of #).  And if you

need to break it loose, the red micro dot will can be loosened.  I always thought that Green Loctite is used to hold on Comp's,

and required heat, but like Youndering said, need the number to be sure.

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1 minute ago, Sparky said:

I have had good luck with Blue #242.  Like listed prior on this thread, if the sight is fitted tight enough, then you may not have

to use any, but a micro dot of blue 242 can't hurt.  My local gunsmith likes to use a micro dot of red (not sure of #).  And if you

need to break it loose, the red micro dot will can be loosened.  I always thought that Green Loctite is used to hold on Comp's,

and required heat, but like Youndering said, need the number to be sure.

Discovered #248: Blue in chapstick form, better application control than liquid form.

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@broadus123 Cute pooch!

 

I use 242 most of the time.  I used a drop of red on a comp and it was a difficult piece to remove.  On comps, there is another product called Rockset that gets good press.  Won't break loose because of mild heat (from shooting) but will break loose with normal tools.  My buddy has been using it to good effect.  

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

Dawson recommends green and I've never had a problem using same.  I like the fact that it wicks into the surface after the sight is in place.  I've removed sights several times that were treated with green.

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4 hours ago, RickT said:

Dawson recommends green and I've never had a problem using same.  I like the fact that it wicks into the surface after the sight is in place.  I've removed sights several times that were treated with green.

 

Sounds like maybe you're talking about wicking grade green #290 or something similar.

 

This is the problem with saying "green" or some other color though - there are a bunch of variations in each color and nobody knows which one you really mean if you don't use the number, and yes it does make a big difference.

 

For example, there is a whole line of bearing and sleeve retaining compounds that are green, ranging from medium to permanent strength, and those are completely different than #290 wicking grade green. If a guy takes your advice and uses green #680 to install a rear sight, it'll be a permanent installation and will either need to have the loctite burned out or the sight milled away to remove it. It's also likely to bind up before the sight is fully installed because it's not intended for press fits. 

Edited by Yondering
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On 8/18/2019 at 2:59 PM, RaylanGivens said:

 

CW probably recommends red Loctite because the sight will never come loose...  They avoid any future customer support issues.

 

I don't use Loctite on 1911 sights...  I usually fit them myself and make them pretty tight.

 

When I do use Loctite, I usually use Blue 243...  It's an update of the old standard 242 that has more resistance to oils...  Good for guns.

 

I do use red Loctite on some parts of my Open gun...  It seems to shake loose blue Loctite over time...  I usually use Red 262...  It is difficult to remove, but it usually holds for as long as you want...  I used 262 on my dot mount and later decided to change to a different mount...  Had to cut slots in the small hex screws with a cut off disk and use a Micro torch to get them out.

 

Thanks for that tip. Didn't know about the 243. I've used 242 for several years and I have notice that 242 does break loose when around oil, and especially oil and heat. Most noticeable is the allchin mounts for my CMORE coming loose on 22/45s. I have some red 262 as well. I've used it once on a 1911 front sight that I slightly under fit, it hasn't moved in over 1yr of shooting. And I used the red 262 on open gun optic mount. 

The Green #290 sounds promising as mentioned above.

 

 Blue 242 could be too weak for center fire iron sights, but the OP is using a 22. Less heat and no more than 5 (you hope) shots in steel challenge. It's not like you are hosing a centerfire in USPSA.

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3 hours ago, Yondering said:

 

Sounds like maybe you're talking about wicking grade green #290 or something similar.

 

This is the problem with saying "green" or some other color though - there are a bunch of variations in each color and nobody knows which one you really mean if you don't use the number, and yes it does make a big difference.

 

For example, there is a whole line of bearing and sleeve retaining compounds that are green, ranging from medium to permanent strength, and those are completely different than #290 wicking grade green. If a guy takes your advice and uses green #680 to install a rear sight, it'll be a permanent installation and will either need to have the loctite burned out or the sight milled away to remove it. It's also likely to bind up before the sight is fully installed because it's not intended for press fits. 

 

Ironically, every set of Dawson sights I have installed came with a very small tube of the 680 and says retaining compound right on it.  I just threw it away and used my own supply of 290. 

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1 hour ago, galt11 said:

 

Ironically, every set of Dawson sights I have installed came with a very small tube of the 680 and says retaining compound right on it.  I just threw it away and used my own supply of 290. 

 

Sure it was 680? There are a bunch of green retaining compounds, and the stuff I've gotten from them and other companies is one of the press fit compounds, not 680. I never saw an actual # on the little packets though, it was just a different viscosity than 680 so obviously different. 

 

I'll use 680 on a front Glock sight, but not in a tight dovetail. 

Edited by Yondering
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The difference is you can use 620 in a press fit. I've had 680 cure halfway through pressing a part on because it's designed for slip fits and kicks off fast in a press fit. 

 

With that said, I'd still never use 620 on a rear sight either; they don't need to be locked in place that hard. It works fine to help hold in a Glock front sight, but I keep it out of any dovetails. 

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