Major dovetail fitting ahead…

[AJMD429]

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IMG_6849.jpeg

My goal is to put the Marbles in the rear sight dovetail of my Glock. I have that set up on a 9 mm 1911
(see https://levergunscommunity.org/viewtopic.php?t=92022)
but I wanna see if I like it better on the Glock, and unfortunately the 1911 9 mm I have doesn’t function reliably yet. It probably just needs a slightly lighter recoil spring. Anyway, that’s the plan….

So I gotta file or cut the Marbles from 0.385” to 0.255”, and although I can’t measure them with any tools, it appears the dovetail angles are different.

I would think someone good with a milling machine would just chuck the Marbles sight in with the appropriate bit and with two passes could get the angle right as well as the width.

But I don’t have a milling machine - or the skills of a machinist.

I’m not sure I know any gunsmiths who would have that kind of equipment or use that kind of approach. I’m betting they would scribe the Marbles base and then maybe do a gross cut with a Dremel tool and hand file it to finish it.

I’m also not terribly confident in the quality of gunsmith services I’ve accessed locally. I guess at least in this case if they ruined the Marbles sight, it’s not a huge financial loss.

Anybody here done that much narrowing of a dovetail sight before? If so, did you just patiently file away and keep remeasuring, or if there was that much material to remove did you use a saw or cutting wheel to get a head start..?

Also, other than eyeballing, any thoughts on the best way to get the dovetail angle correct?..?

[GunnyMack]

Doc get yourself a new sharp Barrett file. The edge tapers so it won't cut deep into the site base, just the dovetail.
Stay away from the Dremel!
Take equal cuts from each side, 10 strokes and flip for 10 strokes and repeat until it fits.
Lastly, go SLOW especially as you get close to fitting.
If you get a little small shim stock can be cut to put between the slide and bottom of the sight.
Any questions let me know.

[Pat C]

Pretty much Marble uses only 3/8 x 60 degree dovetail. On barrel sights. You can get a 60 degree dovetail file has two safe edges and one cut edge. Easy to narrow sights. Take your time. Anybody owns a gun needs a dovetail file.
Sights are generally have small lead on entry side so that hand start in dovetail about 1/3 -1/2 way then couple light taps with nylon drift to seat.

[veeman]

File the sight, not the gun. Once the metal is gone, it's gone, and you can't put it back.

[Pat C]

Glock is .250" x 74 degree.