1911 staked front sight (narrow) help / tool to rent, borrow

[Sweet Light Crude]

Hi everyone,

I'm totally new to 1911 - I bought a RIA 3.5 basic GI.

I'm thinking of new nights sights. (Trijicon seems like the only way to go for GI
NARROW STAKED and rear narrow dovetail) to remove a narrow tenon front sight (GI) and stake a new one on a NON dovetail front sight. Happy to rent or borrow (or just learn while watching) the tool and procedure. I'm in Northern Marin.

Or correct me if I'm wrong. Thanks everyone!

[Experimentalist]

My experience removing a front sight (with tenon) from a 1911 consists of exactly one firearm.

I tried the methods of removal described in various 1911 books: Strip down the slide, grind the flared portion of the tenon from the inside of the slide, then pull out the front sight.

I used a Dremel tool to grind the inside of the slide, and never got that front sight loose (this on a Springfield Armory Mil-Spec).

In my case I wanted a dovetail front sight anyways, so I just put the slide in the vise and milled away the sight, then milled the dovetail slot.

In summary my "vast" experience (of a single slide) suggests those sights may not come off as easily as one might hope.

I wish you better luck.

[1911su16b870]

Trijicon used to make a wonderful 1911 front sight staking tool. Worked super well to stake and flush the inside of the slide for the barrel bushing. Some tweaker broke into my truck and stole it long ago...