Charles Daly (I am an Idiot)

[BRASMAN]

I purchased one of the Charels Daly Hi Powers erlier this year because I saw the frame was made in the states. It has been very reliable and accurate however the front sight keeps drifting to the left. I sent it back to Charles Daly for the warranty work and they did pay for all the shipping and every thing however when I got my pistol back it was obvious they did not touch the front sight and it drifter more when they test fired it. The customer service guy acted like it was not big deal and tried to make me happy buy saying " Hey we did do other stuff to it"  I explained that if the slide had a screwed up dovetail all I had was a fishing weight and that I was not happy. They are going to have me send it back again. If it comes back again untouched I am not sure what I am going to do. Their maint. shop has some lazy hacks in it for sure. The sight problem is the main reason I sent it in and it was written on two sheets of paper one in the box and one in the gun case. It was very obvious that somebody just did not want to have to deal with it so the customer got hosed.

Rant rant rant rant. LOL  
Does any one else here have one of their Hi powers?
I feel like an idiot because I could have gotten a CZ 75B for the same price or cheaper. I wish I would have got the CZ.

[Walt-Sherrill]

Why not fix it yourself?  It can't be too hard to remove the sight, put some dings in the bottom of the dovetail to tighten it up, use some Loc-Tite, and then reinstall...

(Ooops.  Left the "'t" out, above.)

[n-98-Joes]

I couldn't agree with Walt more.  Part of owning fireams is fixing the bleep things yourself.  If everytime I had a glitch with a firearm, I gave up, I wouldn't own a single one.

Figure out what the problem is and fix it.  You'll be so happy after you do.

[BRASMAN]

I am thinking about it and I could but I think I am going to sell it and it would make me feel better if the factory did it however at this point I think I can do better than the factory monkey men. If I keep it it is going to be a project gun that me and my boys have fun with. I just wish I would have got another CZ instead. I am also going to refinish the slide if I keep it so it does not say Charles Daly in huge letters on the slide.

[BRASMAN]

Oooops I forgot to ask which loctite you would use. The blue stuff like you use on scopes or the stuff that is like super glue and is clear? I think I am going to fix it my self and keep it for my blow lots of ammo through it pistol.

[BRASMAN]

WOW! I just took the front sight of my Hi Power and the dove tails were cut so deep that their was a hole because it was so thin on the slide. This is not normal is it? I mean to have the sight grooves cut so deep it goes through the slide?

[jwc007]

Typically, No!  But I would not be happy about it!  Gives you less options for refitting the front sight.  Is this the only thing wrong with it?  If there is anything else you do not like about it, I would seriously consider cutting your losses and trading it off.  Trouble is, Trade In value may be low.  If you cannot fix it yourself or have someone do it reasonably, trading it off may be your only option.

[BRASMAN]

If I can fix it where the front sight would not move I will trade it and take the hit in trade in value. However if I can not fix it I would feel pretty bad dumping it on somebody even a dealer. I think I can fix it though if I ping the front where it is not as thin. I am done with CD I will trade it and get a CZ.

[Walt-Sherrill]

What's not to fix?

Take a pointed center punch and ding the bottom of the dovetail in areas where it won't show when the slide is installed.  If you do it carefully, you can also ding the sides/bottom of the dovetail to create some rough surface that will hold the sight in place.  (The center where the punch hits is pushed down, but the surround area comes up, and it WILL tighten up the sight in the dovetail.)

As for cutting through into the bushing area -- it happens, depending entirely on how deep the dovetail must be cut to accept the new sight.  A shallow dovetail wouldn't do it, but a deep one, which might be necessary, would.

[BRASMAN]

I got you on the ping part Walt but what I was concerned with is acualy making the hole bigger or cracking it because it is so thin. I understand also that I do not want to use a 20lb sledge to ping it with. I am very familiar with working and assembling close tolerance metal parts because I am an aircrft struct mech I just wondered if this was a common thing and if it is safe to proceed if you do it properly and do not Attila Gurilla it. Thanks for the info.

WHICH LOCTITE? BLUE OR CLEAR

[CZ57]

I use Blue, but only on non exposed parts. Haven't used the clear, but would be tempted to on anything exposed other than say a trigger stop. I understand your dilemma with the Hi-Power. Last one I had was .40 and I was taking night courses in machining technology at the time, so I took the slide to school to remove the factory sights and install some Meprolights on it. Problem was, the dovetails were so tight that the instructor and I took turns with a shop hammer and punch until we finally drifted the rear out. Drifted is a kind term because we were having to strike the punch so hard that when the rear sight popped out, it went about ten feet! Tight tolerances are nice, but it made me wonder if the Portugese had to use liquid nitrogen on the sight before they installed it! If you have access to any, you can shrink one part when tolerances are very tight. But, then again, you probably already know that!

I do all of my gunwork and quite a bit for others, so I agree, do whatever you feel comfortable with and keep resale value in mind if you do~!

[Walt-Sherrill]

Sounds as though YOUR HP and many CZs have their sights installed by the same technician.  <Grin>.  I've had a few CZs that required pile-drivers.

I have since bought a relatively inexpensive sight pusher from Brownells -- and its saved me a lot of frustration.  ($90 is only "relativelY" inexpensive when you compare that price to what a typical universal sight pusher costs...)

[weemsf]

When I had Meprolight sights put on my CZ75, I had to have the dovetails peened to hold the sights tightly.  The Charles Daly is etched into the slide.  I am unsure of what kind of finish would cover it completely.  BTW, they are built by Dan Wesson.

[BRASMAN]

I peened the sights and loaded it with loc-tite and I also sold it this weekend. I treated my most lovely wife to some things and put a 10mm witness on layaway. I can not wait to shoot the 10mm.

[jwc007]

Congratulations on your purchase of a 10mm Witness!  May you have much better luck with the Witness, than you had with you CD Hi Power!  You're going to love the Witness!