[Komodo1942]

Well, I used the ATG/Vism sight tool from Amazon to try to swap out the factory sights on my 357 Sig XD to Truglo night sights. I was able to remove and install the rear sight no problem, but I didn't read where it's a REAR SIGHT ONLY tool. I attempted to modify the tool by removing the elevation plate and the slide BARELY fit in. I removed the front sight, and started installing the Truglo front sight. It went smoothly until about halfway in and then I noticed the front sight post starting to turn sideways. I stopped, tried to back it out and the sight post snapped off from the base. I had to tap out the broken base with a punch and hammer in my vise for the next 20 minutes.

This is the tool I used (don't buy it it's a piece of crap):

Amazon.com : Patch and Heavy Duty Universal Pistol Dovetailed Rear Sight Pusher Tool (Rear Sight Tool) : Sports & Outdoors

Amazon.com : Patch and Heavy Duty Universal Pistol Dovetailed Rear Sight Pusher Tool (Rear Sight Tool) : Sports & Outdoors

www.amazon.com

When I attempted to reinstall the original front sight, that snapped too once I hit the halfway mark (there were no burrs or foreign debris in the dovetail slot on the slide either and everything was aligned perfectly).

People aren't joking when they say the XD is the worst gun to replace sights on. I had the sight removal tool inside of my 100lb cast iron vise bolted onto my workbench and had to use a 3/8 breaker bar to turn the screw on the sight tool. It was literally that tight. Impossible to turn by hand. That tool was creaking and making popping sounds the whole time. The OEM sights definitely had a tighter fit than the Truglo's and even the Truglo's were super tight. With a glock, you can probably push the rear sight out with your thumbs if you press hard enough.

Now, I'm stuck with a sightless XD and don't know what to do. Would like to hear people chime in that have done this job themselves sucessfully. What tool did you use? How did you do it?

Don't buy night sights from Amazon either! They are non-returnable. Update: Truglo agreed to take them back for warranty, but no confirmation yet if they will actually send me a new set or replace the front sight.

 

[WVSurveyor]

Vism makes a sight tool designed for both front and rear sight removal. It works well on some and not so well on others, depending on the slide dimensions and configuration. I've had real good luck swapping out sights on certain brands, while others have been a real pain.

 

[WVSurveyor]

Amazon.com : Wheeler Engineering Armorer's Handgun Sight Tool with Heavy-Duty Construction and Reversible Assembly for Handguns, Gunsmithing and Maintenance : Sports & Outdoors

Amazon.com : Wheeler Engineering Armorer's Handgun Sight Tool with Heavy-Duty Construction and Reversible Assembly for Handguns, Gunsmithing and Maintenance : Sports & Outdoors

www.amazon.com

This is probably the sight tool to have if you plan on using it often.

 

[hardybronson954]

Well, I used the ATG/Vism sight tool from Amazon to try to swap out the factory sights on my 357 Sig XD to Truglo night sights. I was able to remove and install the rear sight no problem, but I didn't read where it's a REAR SIGHT ONLY tool. I attempted to modify the tool by removing the elevation plate and the slide BARELY fit in. I removed the front sight, and started installing the Truglo front sight. It went smoothly until about halfway in and then I noticed the front sight post starting to turn sideways. I stopped, tried to back it out and the sight post snapped off from the base. I had to tap out the broken base with a punch and hammer in my vise for the next 20 minutes.

This is the tool I used (don't buy it it's a piece of crap):

Amazon.com : Patch and Heavy Duty Universal Pistol Dovetailed Rear Sight Pusher Tool (Rear Sight Tool) : Sports & Outdoors

Amazon.com : Patch and Heavy Duty Universal Pistol Dovetailed Rear Sight Pusher Tool (Rear Sight Tool) : Sports & Outdoors

www.amazon.com

When I attempted to reinstall the original front sight, that snapped too once I hit the halfway mark (there were no burrs or foreign debris in the dovetail slot on the slide either and everything was aligned perfectly).

People aren't joking when they say the XD is the worst gun to replace sights on. I had the sight removal tool inside of my 100lb cast iron vise bolted onto my workbench and had to use a 3/8 breaker bar to turn the screw on the sight tool. It was literally that tight. Impossible to turn by hand. That tool was creaking and making popping sounds the whole time. The OEM sights definitely had a tighter fit than the Truglo's and even the Truglo's were super tight. With a glock, you can probably push the rear sight out with your thumbs if you press hard enough.

Now, I'm stuck with a sightless XD and don't know what to do. Would like to hear people chime in that have done this job themselves sucessfully. What tool did you use? How did you do it?

Don't buy night sights from Amazon either! They are non-returnable, you have to dispute the charge with your credit card company to get your money back. Truglo wont give you your money back or send a replacement either unless you show them documentation from a gunsmith stating that they believe the sights were defective.

Hey. I got you. Ive been through so much pain attempting to remove and install front and rear sights on my springfield xd9 3" subcompact. so i feel you. I went through both a "universal" sight tool from amazon, as well as a Wheeler style tool that got my front sight off barely...but snapped the front sight during install. Reason is those tools allow for the xd slide to cant in a way that strains the tool to its limit. Eventually and after doing tons of homework on xd forums reddit etc...I bought and found the one tool to remove and reinstall sights on my xd . Look for Sight-Tool.com type tool. I got mine on ebay on a whim and Ive never been more satisfied. Below is a pic of the sigjt tool as well as my new rear sights on my xd9 3" subcompact. yes hellcat sights on my xd9 3" subcompact. Accurate. Tried and true when at range this month. Passed top of class of my ccw renewal with these on.

 

[Komodo1942]

Thanks guys. Will probably order the sight-tool above. I did watch a youtube video of some guy who successfully installed night sights on his XD using the wheeler tool but glad to know that it's not perfect as mentioned by hardy above. I'm really trying to avoid breaking another expensive tritium sight.

I might even try to "gunsmith" it in if it's a tight fit and then use loctite to hold it in place. I've heard you can run the base of the sight along a dampened 1000 grit sharpening stone a couple passes to loosen it up a bit.

I might order a set of Trijicons and give the Truglo's to my friend if I ever get a warranty replacement set.

 

[WVSurveyor]

I've heard you can run the base of the sight along a dampened 1000 grit sharpening stone a couple passes to loosen it up a bit.

You definitely want to be able to finger push the new sight into the dovetail close to halfway before trying to install it with a sight pusher. If it won't go in that far you can take some material off the bottom with the stone you suggested or some fine grit sand paper.

 

[hardybronson954]

Thanks guys. Will probably order the sight-tool above. I did watch a youtube video of some guy who successfully installed night sights on his XD using the wheeler tool but glad to know that it's not perfect as mentioned by hardy above. I'm really trying to avoid breaking another expensive tritium sight.

I might even try to "gunsmith" it in if it's a tight fit and then use loctite to hold it in place. I've heard you can run the base of the sight along a dampened 1000 grit sharpening stone a couple passes to loosen it up a bit.

I might order a set of Trijicons and give the Truglo's to my friend if I ever get a warranty replacement set.

Great choice. And if so...there is no need to shave any material off rear sight for installation until you know for sure it wasnt the prior sight tool that made it difficult to install. assuming the aftermarket rear you plan on installing is an identical dovetail to the factory xd sight youre removing it needs to be pushed in. Hammering it in lightly and not halfway, just enough that you cannot remove it by hand is all thats necessary with the sight-tool.com tool. FYI
I removed xd front sight and from right to left (as youre looking down sights when aiming) because its beveled on one end. The rear I believe will go in and out either way because I removed mine from left to right (as youre looking down sights when aiming) also I do not believe loctite is necessary when using recommended tool but may be necessary if you shave rear sight a bit (which i do not recommend as it defeats the purpose of "pressing in" iron sights virtually permanently with said proper tool. Also youll notice when you get the tool that you can take it apart and reverse push block on tool, etc with included allen key, though recommend using a ratchet with same size allen key to make it even more of a breeze to turn push mechanism. Lastly, tool may lightly scuff the top of your slide depending on how tight you secure it to tool so if this is a no-go use something thin but strong to wrap slide with. I was ok with this because scuffs almost rub off and just used some gun blue to make slide look like new again. also im planning on eventually cerakoting slide so this wasnt a big concern for me. Good luck.

 

[Deringer Dave]

Well, I used the ATG/Vism sight tool from Amazon to try to swap out the factory sights on my 357 Sig XD to Truglo night sights. I was able to remove and install the rear sight no problem, but I didn't read where it's a REAR SIGHT ONLY tool. I attempted to modify the tool by removing the elevation plate and the slide BARELY fit in. I removed the front sight, and started installing the Truglo front sight. It went smoothly until about halfway in and then I noticed the front sight post starting to turn sideways. I stopped, tried to back it out and the sight post snapped off from the base. I had to tap out the broken base with a punch and hammer in my vise for the next 20 minutes.

This is the tool I used (don't buy it it's a piece of crap):

Amazon.com : Patch and Heavy Duty Universal Pistol Dovetailed Rear Sight Pusher Tool (Rear Sight Tool) : Sports & Outdoors

Amazon.com : Patch and Heavy Duty Universal Pistol Dovetailed Rear Sight Pusher Tool (Rear Sight Tool) : Sports & Outdoors

www.amazon.com

When I attempted to reinstall the original front sight, that snapped too once I hit the halfway mark (there were no burrs or foreign debris in the dovetail slot on the slide either and everything was aligned perfectly).

People aren't joking when they say the XD is the worst gun to replace sights on. I had the sight removal tool inside of my 100lb cast iron vise bolted onto my workbench and had to use a 3/8 breaker bar to turn the screw on the sight tool. It was literally that tight. Impossible to turn by hand. That tool was creaking and making popping sounds the whole time. The OEM sights definitely had a tighter fit than the Truglo's and even the Truglo's were super tight. With a glock, you can probably push the rear sight out with your thumbs if you press hard enough.

Now, I'm stuck with a sightless XD and don't know what to do. Would like to hear people chime in that have done this job themselves sucessfully. What tool did you use? How did you do it?

Don't buy night sights from Amazon either! They are non-returnable. Update: Truglo agreed to take them back for warranty, but no confirmation yet if they will actually send me a new set or replace the front sight.

I agree that Springfield XD sights are a bugger to change out. I use the "XL Sight Tool" by www.sightpusher.com. It works pretty well. For lighter work I use the Wheeler Engineering Armorer's Handgun Sight Tool. Either way, I use copious amounts of gun oil or lubricant in the dovetails during removal and installation.

 

[Pro]

Amazon.com : Wheeler Engineering Armorer's Handgun Sight Tool with Heavy-Duty Construction and Reversible Assembly for Handguns, Gunsmithing and Maintenance : Sports & Outdoors

Amazon.com : Wheeler Engineering Armorer's Handgun Sight Tool with Heavy-Duty Construction and Reversible Assembly for Handguns, Gunsmithing and Maintenance : Sports & Outdoors

www.amazon.com

This is probably the sight tool to have if you plan on using it often.

I have never used a sight pushing tool. I let Slip 2000 soak just a bit around the sight in the dovetail, then tap them out with a piece of brass square bar. Clean up the face of the brass square bar driver with a grinder if needed to keep it square, and adjust the dimension of the square bar with the grinder to get a proper fit into the particular dovetail to drive out the sight. Normally, new sights should tap in with nylon fitted gunsmith hammers until you need the brass square bar to tap it on in and center it. Never lost Tritium sights or damaged any sight removing and installing this way. You can usually find the small brass square bars in different sizes on Amazon.

 

[gc70]

After my unsuccessful efforts using four different sight tools, the gunsmith at my LGS removed the sights with a drill press in a couple of minutes for $15. I installed new sights with no problem.

 

[Pro]

I have never used a sight pushing tool. I let Slip 2000 soak just a bit around the sight in the dovetail, then tap them out with a piece of brass square bar. Clean up the face of the brass square bar driver with a grinder if needed to keep it square, and adjust the dimension of the square bar with the grinder to get a proper fit into the particular dovetail to drive out the sight. Normally, new sights should tap in with nylon fitted gunsmith hammers until you need the brass square bar to tap it on in and center it. Never lost Tritium sights or damaged any sight removing and installing this way. You can usually find the small brass square bars in different sizes on Amazon.

Using this method, I have removed and replaced my XD sights with no problems plus adjusted my other XD factory sights the same way.

 

[Irelander]

If I have sights that are hard to install I fit them by removing material from the bottom of the sight with sandpaper. It usually doesn't take much.