Rear sight immoveable in dovetail

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Sid

New member
I have a CZ 27 in .32 ACP. I want to move the rear sight to correct the point of impact but it will not move. I have been tapping on it quite hard with brass rods but it remains frozen in place. I have thought about using Kroil in the dovetail to loosen things up. I really don't know if that would help.

Any suggestions would be deeply appreciated. TIA
 
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AustinTX

New member
Didn't people already tell you to get a sight pusher?

You could use Kroil if it seems like some corrosion is inhibiting movement (probably the case with iron sights on an old gun). I'm no expert on changing sights, but at least some guns have dovetails that only permit sights to be drifted out/in in a single direction. Make sure you're doing it in the right direction.
 
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rock185

New member
Sid, I never had a CZ 27, but have removed and installed quite a few dovetailed sights on a variety of pistols over the last couple of decades. Some R and R from the right, some, especially Euro pistols, from the left. I use blue masking tape on the slide to help prevent any marking/marring of the slide, and then secure the slide in a padded vise before trying to drift the sight. I do use lube on the sight dovetail before I try to move the sight. I start with a nylon drift, then to aluminum, brass drifts,etc. if the nylon type will not move the sight. If you have to go to a steel drift, plan on damaging the sight. On occasion, I have encountered sights that I could not move with a sight pusher. On at least one occasion, I had a sight I could not move, even with a steel drift. I ended up milling out the sight. Good luck with your efforts sir, some of those dovetailed sights are real stinkers to move.....ymmv
 
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Sid

New member
I have a vise with nylon inserts for gunsmithing. The slide is locked in this while I am trying to move the rear sight. Tonight I am going to start using Kroil. I will keep this up for a couple of days and then see what happens.
 
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Ralph Allen

New member
Get a sight pusher. $100.00 will get you a decent one, $200.00 will get you the only one you will ever need. Price a slide for your CZ and you will see that the proper tools eliminates the dreaded, what do I do now that I broke my gun.
Ralph
 
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Sweet Shooter

New member
I had the same problem with my 75b. It will eventually move. I made a small witness mark with a pin before starting so that I can track small movements with a magnifying glass. I clamped mine to the kitchen table and gave in to the fact that it's going to be noisy and unpleasant for a while. 15 minutes later I had the drift I wanted to see. You could try carefully warming it up with a soldering iron in case someone put some locker in there. Keep going.
-SS-
 
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madmo44mag

New member
Heat and wax.
More times than I can count the primary cause in an iron sight not wanting to move is rust and crude.
As noted above be sure you are drifting in the right direction because most sight dove tails are tapered. (I have encountered)
Using a hot air gun or a hair dryer melt wax into the sight from one end.
The metal must be very hot to the touch.
A propane torch can also be used but be careful as they heat very quickly.
Once you get the wax on, tap the sight a few times and repeat the heat and wax application.
This may take 4 -5 times but once the bond of the rust and crude is broken the sign will tap right out.

You need enough heat to penetrate the metal all the way through.
Once you have the sight removed allow the metal to cool on it's own.

Side note:
Use a big hammer and short strokes.
Let the weight of the hammer do the work.
Using a light hammer and swinging it hard is a fast way to have the punch slip and scratch your gun.
 
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