Bought the gun back in late January/ early February. Could not get over the "glow in the dark" stock night sights and bought the base model trijicon night sights probably around the end of February. Just got around to installing them tonight and the main purpose of this post is that with a little time and patience, they can be relatively easy to install using regular punches, a vice, and a hammer. I am fully aware from first hand experience that using the proper sight pushing tool will get you much quicker and better results. This is more of a tutorial for those who do not have access to a sight pusher.

Tools I used-
  • Hard plastic mallet
  • 5/32 punch (tip sanded down to a square) (for front sight only)
  • 1/4 punch (for rear only)
  • 3in metal vice with no teeth
  • Wooden vice (for front sight only)
  • Lots of painters tape and rags (to help prevent marring)
  • Lube
  • Stubby ball peen hammer
  • 18oz hammer



After taping the slide in painter tape, and placing a rag inside vice jaws I clamped down on the slight just enough for it to be a little more than snug. Used 1/4 punch covered in painters tape and a cloth to drift out old sight. Once on sight was removed I re lubed the dovetail and lubed the new trijicon rear sight. Lined up rear sight in dove tail perfectly by hand with slide in vice, and tapped with a good medium force to set the rear sight with plastic mallet. Used 1/4 punch (placed as close to the dove tail end of the sight) wrapped in painters tape and covered by a thick rag to prevent marring. The higher end of medium powered blows were necessary to drift the sight. Stopped every two or three hits to put new painters tape on and check for any damage. A few more two to three hit intervals got the sight right smack in the middle without going too far over to the right (dumb luck). Rear sight installed. Patience and using as little force as possible is completely necessary in order to not crack the tritium vials.

The front sight is a royal PITA. A proper vice would have helped immensely but I worked with what I had and made it work. Side had to be placed in the wooden vice at an angle due to the cocking ears that protrude past the slide at the end. More painters tape all around the slide and in the vice she went with the rear of the slide sticking up so the ears would not get mashed and allow maximum vice/ slide coverage. Was able to use a regular 5/32 punch and lube to push from the base of the front sight and work it out with relative ease. Installing the trijicon front sight was hell. I was able to get it started with ease. But soon my 5/32 punch started marring the front sight. Me and a buddy sanded down the 5/32 punch so it was a flat rectangle shape that would be able to strike the sight without marring it(This should be done first.), as well as transfer the energy into the sight much cleaner and efficiently. This took a bit more patience but after about 10 minuets the sight was centered in place with no damage to the tritium vials. Again its all about patience and working slowly, no more than two or three hits before stopping and checking on everything, then starting over each time with new painters tape on punches. Got the front sight centered after multiple attempts.s

I should have pics up tomorrow of the sights on the gun. With the exception of the slight marring on the left of front sight, and a few tiny dings on the rear sight, I'd say you really cant beat it for DYI. Mind you this gun is an edc and will inevitably suffer marring and scratches on the sights no matter how you put them on. Hopefully this helps someone looking to install night sights on their weapon using this method. Yes a quality sight pusher will be much easier and faster, but this way can and will work if you do your part.