Tip for centering rear sight on slide

[anonymouscuban]

So wondering if there is an expert tip to centering the rear sight on the slide?

What I have been doing is I may a mark with a pencil on the center the sight and the slide. I then push the sight on until the 2 lines are aligned.

Is there a better way? I have a digital caliper by the way.

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[DWARREN]

I use a caliper to measure when I do it. If what you do works I would stay with it.

[1SOW]

JMHO:  Which pistol slide may matter,  but with CZ 75s the lined top riddge on the slide gives a good guide.  No matter what pistol, the final centering needs to be at a range.  The sight needs to be aligned to the bbl in the locking lugs.  The slide  may or may not be perfectly aligned.

[anonymouscuban]

I use a caliper to measure when I do it. If what you do works I would stay with it.

Can you explain how you measure it with your calipers?

JMHO:  Which pistol slide may matter,  but with CZ 75s the lined top riddge on the slide gives a good guide.  No matter what pistol, the final centering needs to be at a range.  The sight needs to be aligned to the bbl in the locking lugs.  The slide  may or may not be perfectly aligned.

Makes sense. I know slides won't be perfectly symmetrical over centered over the barrel or whatever geometry is at work here. Right now, I'm working on my P-01. Has the stock sights. I have shot a few hundred rounds through it on two separate visits to the range. I'm consistently hitting groups slightly to the left of my POA. Maybe 1/2" mean difference. I had one of the RO's shoot it and he also had the same POI for his grouping. I took a measurement of the rear sight in reference to the center of the slide and it seems to be a few mm drifted to the left.

I just ordered a sight pusher because fine tuning sights by tapping them has almost driven me insane in the past. I'm gonna bring the pusher with me to the range but I'd like to try shifting it to center first to get a better starting point.

Does this make sense? I'm no gunsmith. Only been a gun owner for about a year and half. But I always tinker with everything and am pretty good at wrenching on stuff. Which has also taught me to ask people with experience because there is always an easy(ier) way and a hard way. LOL And the easy way isn't always intuitive.

[M1A4ME]

I do it by sight at the table, when installing the new rear sight and then take the sight pusher tool (along with the allen wrench for the rear sight set screw) when I go to the range.  I adjust the sight for where the bullets hit on the target.  The bullets I carry/use.  A different bullet my hit left/right/low/high but that doesn't matter to me.  It's got to be centered for the 115 grain hollow points that will be in the pistol when I carry it.

I have to take the slide off to put it in the sight pusher, but CZ slides are easy to take off the frame.

I don't Loctite the rear sight set screw till I get back to the house.

[DWARREN]

I use the leg that comes out of the end of the slide and read the dial. Basically a depth gauge.

[tdogg]

I use the leg that comes out of the end of the slide and read the dial. Basically a depth gauge.

Yes I do basically the same.   You just have to be careful/ consistent.   I just measure it a bunch until I'm getting the same answer every time.   Once I'm comfortable with the measurement process I will drift it the change I need.

The slide isn't square so make sure you hold it at the same angle and same spot every time.

Cheers,
Toby

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[anonymouscuban]

I use the leg that comes out of the end of the slide and read the dial. Basically a depth gauge.

I'm not sure I understand what you're using on the slide. Do you mean these ridges?



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[NenadG]

I think they mean on nonius (vernier caliper)

It has dial slide and one bar (or leg) in middle you can use to measure depth.

[anonymouscuban]

I think they mean on nonius (vernier caliper)

It has dial slide and one bar (or leg) in middle you can use to measure depth.

Got it. I was confused because they referred to the slide and I thought they meant the pistol slide.

They mean the depth gauge on the caliper.



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[sniperboy]

Please forgive the SIRT trainer, I am not at my bench at the moment.  What I do is take a piece of aluminum or steel and lay it on the side of the slide.  The side of the slide where the cocking serrations are serve as your reference point.  I actually use a piece of L shaped bracket so I not only have the side of the slide bearing on a surface but also the bottom of the slide.  I then measure using calipers (external jaw) the distance between the outside of the steel plate and the inside of the rear notch.

As you can see I am very OCD and this is truly overkill but I simply like to start from a good center reference before I start tapping left or right and second guessing if "is it me?"

TAKE NOTE that CZ slides have a bump at the extractor which messes up your measurements and does not give a completely flat surface on one side.  That messed me up the first time I tried this exercise.  You need to make sure you try not to include that extra thickness at the bulged extractor.

[sniperboy]

Here is a pic of some aluminum L bracket that I use for this endeavour.  Gives me two bearing surfaces, bottom and side for even more power up with your obsessive compulsive super-power (don't use the word disorder please) : )



I bought a long piece from Home Depot after being inspired by Dave Dawson - made some DIY aluminum vice jaw pads.  I had a short piece left over and it was perfect for centering rear sights and front sights where applicable.

[tdogg]

Please forgive the SIRT trainer, I am not at my bench at the moment.  What I do is take a piece of aluminum or steel and lay it on the side of the slide.  The side of the slide where the cocking serrations are serve as your reference point.  I actually use a piece of L shaped bracket so I not only have the side of the slide bearing on a surface but also the bottom of the slide.  I then measure using calipers (external jaw) the distance between the outside of the steel plate and the inside of the rear notch.

As you can see I am very OCD and this is truly overkill but I simply like to start from a good center reference before I start tapping left or right and second guessing if "is it me?"

TAKE NOTE that CZ slides have a bump at the extractor which messes up your measurements and does not give a completely flat surface on one side.  That messed me up the first time I tried this exercise.  You need to make sure you try not to include that extra thickness at the bulged extractor.

I like it!

I think I have some aluminum angle at home!  Next time I adjust a rear I will be using this, Thanks!

Cheers,
Toby

[DWARREN]

Lots of good info coming out here but it comes down to how it shoots for you (POI-POA).