Yancx
Alpha
The screws that hold the plate to the slide has red loctite. I just need a new sight
Screw Size
- Thread starter Yancx
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- screw size
Bassbob
Emissary
Hmm. You shouldn’t have to use LocTite for anything. And certainly not to attach the plate to the slide. That’s either poor design or hackery. I’ve installed about 40 optics in the last couple years with no LocTite on several handguns, shotguns and ARs. I’ve never had one come loose.
In any case red LocTite will break loose. You may need heat but it will come loose.
Bassbob
Emissary
In that case use a soldering iron on the screw tips to heat them up, then remove them with a well fitting torx driver.
Yancx
Alpha
Any recommendations on a specific Torx driver?
Bassbob
Emissary
I would just get the best set you can afford. Make sure they’re hardened. I got my set at Lowe’s for about $15 and they have never failed me.
Yancx
Alpha
I will check it out. Thanks!
I don’t think that screw broke, thats how it’s supposed to look like. The set screw is a tiny hex head that you should be able to back it all the way out. You are probably not using the right size allen key.
Yancx
Alpha
In the pictures you can see two views. The top and bottom. The top shows the missing piece of the screw. The bottom one shows the remainder of the screw. Do you have the A14B plate? If so, can you send me a picture of the sight from the top view? Thanks
Its not broke the screw is small and deep in the sight, use a long 1/16th allen key shove it in the top of the sight. And turn the set screw like you are tightening and it will fall out. The only way to break it is by stripping the set screw.
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The top of the sight, you will not see the set screw. The set screw has no head, unlike the screws used to attach the plate to the slide, and the optic to the plate. You will not see the set screw because it is buried deep in the tall sight blade.
You need a 1/16th allen key
Look how deep the set screw is in the sight and how far you have to reach in the sight blade
To remove the set screw you need to turn clockwise as if tightening and the screw will come out the bottom. The screw will not come out of the top since it is a blind hole (not threaded all the way through). It makes it impossible to loose the set screw unless you completely remove the rear sight.
You need a 1/16th allen key
Look how deep the set screw is in the sight and how far you have to reach in the sight blade
To remove the set screw you need to turn clockwise as if tightening and the screw will come out the bottom. The screw will not come out of the top since it is a blind hole (not threaded all the way through). It makes it impossible to loose the set screw unless you completely remove the rear sight.
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Yancx
Alpha
XDMan, Thank you so much for your info. As you can see from my picture I was able to remove the screw from the sight just as you instructed. Now my questions are how do I zero the sight and how much torque do I use to keep it in place, if torque is the right word. Hard to believe that this set screw doesn't screw into a hole on the plate only presses against it. Again, thank you so much.
Attachments
The dovetail should do most of the work, the set screw is just an extra back up. If the sight is super loose in the dovetail, I use red locktite and spread it in the dovetail. Then push the sight centered, and cinch the set screw down. Wipe off the excess loctite. No locktite directly on the screw, just in the dovetail. Thats how we install sights at xdman and has worked for 20 something years. Red is non wicking and wont really work its way up the threads unless you put it in the sight blade hole first. Yes it will be removable.
Yancx
Alpha
Again, thanks for the tips. I don't have any red Loctite, only blue, but I will get the red. Thank you!