JB weld for a wide front dovetail? Anyone tried this?

Zipper046

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Hey Gents,

So...I am itching to swap out the front sight on my DW CCO (circa 2014). I want to install a Trijicon HD front sight with my Heinie rear, as I've run the Triji's on Glocks and love the sight picture with them.

BUT....they don't make 'em for the Springfield cut, which is .350" wide. They do make them for a Novak cut which is .330 inch wide.

I was thinking I could add a bead of JB Weld along the edges of a front sight from Trijicon and then file it down to fit

Anyone tried this? Y'all think it would hold? Can you even file on JB weld?

I'm about to just pull the trigger and send the damn slide off to Novaks or John Harrison and have them Tig weld the front dovetail and just re-cut it to Novak spec's......
 

Mike Galway

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Hey Gents,

So...I am itching to swap out the front sight on my DW CCO (circa 2014). I want to install a Trijicon HD front sight with my Heinie rear, as I've run the Triji's on Glocks and love the sight picture with them.

BUT....they don't make 'em for the Springfield cut, which is .350" wide. They do make them for a Novak cut which is .330 inch wide.

I was thinking I could add a bead of JB Weld along the edges of a front sight from Trijicon and then file it down to fit

Anyone tried this? Y'all think it would hold? Can you even file on JB weld?

I'm about to just pull the trigger and send the damn slide off to Novaks or John Harrison and have them Tig weld the front dovetail and just re-cut it to Novak spec's......
Big or small , do it right or not at all . Send out the slide .
 

Babboonbobo

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Please do it right and get it welded.

To your other question, yes you can file JB weld and any other process you do with steel, aluminum or any other metal such as drilling, tapping, milling etc.
 

Zipper046

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Big or small , do it right or not at all . Send out the slide .

LOL! I like your alliteration Mike! Yeah...I'm thinking I'm just gonna send the slide out and have it rewelded and cut for Novak's....

APG....right your are! It would be SOOOOO much easier if everyone had Novak cut's....I don't mind a manufacturer having a slightly different dovetail dimension...but when you have 1 dimension for the front dovetail and a separate DIFFERENT dimension for the rear, it's just a big pain in the A$$.
 

Busa Dave

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No way it will hold!

Now if you ever want to and my rifle Smith Speedy Gonzales taught me and I did this when I was allowed to do certain processes involved in building rifles.

Without going into the painful detail about cleaning the parts with brake cleaner, using the torch to make sure they are warm and to eliminate surface moisture, waxing screws and the threads in the action--this is how to glue a 1 pc base to the action which will increase rigidity etc.

Mixed and dyed to the right color Marine Tex apply to the base and the action, mate and then tighten screws to "snug". Immediately use a q tip to remove the excess epoxy oozing running down the inside and the outside of the action.

Fast forward to a couple of wipes the epoxy will be setting NOW dip the q tip in WD40 and go over the edges of the epoxy bead. If done properly it will look like the perfect recessed weld you have ever seen! Will post a pic of one of mine I did in a little while.

Point is no need to grind down something you epoxy!! This is my 338 Slowpoke the epoxy line is Almost invisible. LOT MORE TO DOING THIS than what I posted above this just shows what epoxy can do on a firearm.
4310
4311
 
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Rooster

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I had an issue finding a front site in a gold bead for my dw PM9. I sent it to John Harrison. It was well worth it IMO.

On the other hand, I've used marine tec before for some extreme applications . If you use that , don't plan on ever removing it.

Just mho
 

Busa Dave

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The easy way to remove something you have used Marine Tex is heat. For a screw for example use a soldering iron and put the tip on the screw head, on a scope base for example a iron works well. Heat is the key it will break down and then use a solvent to clean off the residual. Done it more than a few times over the years.
 

Rooster

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The easy way to remove something you have used Marine Tex is heat. For a screw for example use a soldering iron and put the tip on the screw head, on a scope base for example a iron works well. Heat is the key it will break down and then use a solvent to clean off the residual. Done it more than a few times over the years.

If you say so Dave. I've known guys that have used the stuff to repair cracks in engine blocks ... but that prolly ain't as hot as your talkin
 

Zipper046

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Thanks folks for all the input! It was a crazy idea I had to remedy a situation without really fixing the situation.

I'm going to install a Fiber Optic front sight I ordered from John Harrison and try that out....and look at the Tritium sight I ordered from him to see if the white portion is painted or plastic...if plastic, I'll install that one.

This is to try these out...if neither works for me...I'll just send the pistol off to John Harrison or Nighthawk and have the slide re-milled for Novak sights....
 

Busa Dave

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If you say so Dave. I've known guys that have used the stuff to repair cracks in engine blocks ... but that prolly ain't as hot as your talkin

LOL! I don't argue with idiots . :) I have also used it for an emergency repair of a radiator bracket. If you doubt me with your snarky comment call Speedy and ask him LOL! Google him and see who he is so you do not make a complete azz out of yourself first. :)
 
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Rooster

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Dave, I don't see why a guy like you would argue with an idiot or anybody else for that matter. You know everything there is to know already .

I wasn't making a snarky comment. It's absolute truth about repairs on cracked engine blocks. Seen it with my own eyes.

Lighten up Francis
 

Buck Buck

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Would it not be 'best' to modify the sight, and leave the slide stock? And have a pro do it!

There may be a best standards way of doing this; And I'm not a mechanical engineer. It seems like adding .020 weld to the rear of the Trijicon mount and then machining it to fit the slide would be the strongest under recoil, and also move the front sight forward by .020. If that makes sense...?
Please remember, free advice is NOT always good advice, sometimes just 'cheap' talk...
I would not use JB Weld on something that 'explodes' every time it's used. But was in mfg for many years - JB Weld does some amazing repairs; and is also easily shaped after it hardens.
2¢ worth of opinion and,
Best on this mod!
 

Busa Dave

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Dave, I don't see why a guy like you would argue with an idiot or anybody else for that matter. You know everything there is to know already .

I wasn't making a snarky comment. It's absolute truth about repairs on cracked engine blocks. Seen it with my own eyes.

Lighten up Francis

Sorry no idea about engine blocks but I have done what I spoke of many times. Your remark was snarky. Call Speedy and have your head handed to you then report back on this thread. Nevertheless you are on ignore as I said above -- no need to repeat it. :)
 

Zipper046

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thanks for the input guys! Gonna try out a fiber optic from John Harrison made for a Springfield cut dovetail (and look at the Trijicon from him...hopefully it's not painted and has a plastic ring around the tritium vial).

If this doesn't work out, then I'll contact John Harrison...I know he has made some gold bead front sights for Springfield cut dovetails (a few members either here or TOOS had them made)...or see if he suggest Tig welding the slide and re-cutting it to Novak dimensions (a common thing done).....

Or I can just sell it and get a newer CCO with Novak dovetails (and checkering instead of scallops)....LOL.
 

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