Broken Fs Screws

[kevin c]

Same thing happened. Same sight (a Dawson), different gun. Broken FS screw. This time the gun didn't lock up, but now I'm thinking of switching out sights (trying to put baby on a diet to get to max two oz over factory wt.). Problem is, I can't get a grip w/ the FS hex tool with only half the screw head left - just tears up the soft aluminum.

Two options I see here. First, get a steel FS tool and try that. Being impatient and a cheap SOB, I'm tempted to try option two - take a punch and tap the sight out from inside, breaking the rest of the screw head off.

Anybody see any downside to the brute force approach? Anybody want to buy a couple sets of Dawsons (I'll get a replacement screw)?

Edited January 24, 2007 by kevin c

[Joe D]

I assume FS means front sight. I use a nut driver to install and remove the FS on Glocks. Are you saying there is just half of the hex head left? If you can't get a grip with a nut driver then just drive it through with a punch. Second option would be a small chisel to cut the head off. Third option, if you don't mind damaging the sight, is to grab it with Vise Grips and yank it off.

[HSMITH]

Are you overtightening the screws? I haven't had any of the screws break even with some BIG front sights, and I don't know anybody else that has problems with them breaking. I have had them come loose....

[Flexmoney]

Kevin,

[slight drift]

Ever notice if those FS screws had rub marks on the bottom (head) ?

Or, rub marks on the top of your barrel ?

[kevin c]

Hsmith:

I thought that might be the problem the first time around. The failure was within the first dozen rounds Second time, I took extra care to not overtighten the screw, using loctite to keep it snug. It went a few hundred rounds before I noticed the second time, though, since the sight was still retained and I had no malfs, I could have just missed an early break.

Each time about half the screw head breaks off. Too brittle, maybe?

Flex:

Great thought, but I dunno. I'll look tonight.

Kevin C

[Nik Habicht]

FWIW, I broke onw or two Dawson front sights when I had the G21. Only front sight I ever had trouble with....

[kevin c]

Same problem - the screws?

And, before somebody asks, no, I didn't whack the sight against anything while shooting though a port, though I certainly have been guilty of that other times.

[Nik Habicht]

Same problem - the screws?

And, before somebody asks, no, I didn't whack the sight against anything while shooting though a port, though I certainly have been guilty of that other times.

The one that I remember clearly flew off the gun ---- and the screw was nowhere to be found when I pulled the gun apart.....

[kevin c]

OK, punched the sight out, breaking what remained of the screw head. Reassembling what I could find, no signs of bbl contact with the head as far as I could see.

Warren Tactical sights (fixed) w/ a FO front, short tungsten guide rod from THE, EricW's fine product, and I am comfortably kosher (less than 2 oz over factory weight) for Production.

Never really adjusted my adjustables once sighted in. The Dawsons will be up for sale in the classifieds really soon.

[boo radley]

I have never liked the Dawson FO screws and sight tool, though I like the sight itself, reasonably well.

Just put one on my G24 -- to my dismay, the access hole in the frame is much smaller than 3rd gen guns (true of all 2nd gen?), and the stupid aluminum tool wouldn't fit. So I chucked it in a drill, and "turned" it down with a file and sandpaper. Naturally as soon as I started to put any torque on the screw, the tool stripped, and my sight is now held in place mostly by red Locktite, I'm afraid. <sigh>

We'll see. Have you tried a Sevigny non-fiber front? It's my sight of choice, but I had the Dawson handy. The screw used with that sight can be tightened with a nut-driver, too -- never could find one that would fit the Dawson.

[kevin c]

...Have you tried a Sevigny non-fiber front?...

Assuming I like shooting this coming weekend what I just put on my G35 last night, I'll be getting more WT or Sevigny sights for my other Glocks, including a serrated non FO FS.

I can shoot either plain or FO. The first is a bit more precise, the second is a bit faster. I usually pull the back end of the fiber into the channel, so that it isn't a big mushroom. This way I can still see the bright dot, but also can use the clearly visible top edge and corners of the post for more precise aiming if needed.

The WT FS is ramped and serrated. Low drag and low glare, but with the FO in, there is barely any visible top to the post, even with the fiber pulled into the channel.

I shot the stock sights fine. So it's tritium for my personal guns, and either a plain post or mebbe the FO for competition.

[Joe D]

Kevin, you might want to look at the Ameriglo FO front if you like a thin front. The dot is too small for me. The new HiViz front has a "hooded" FO rod. The top and sides of the sight are visible.