installing Kimber sights?

[Will52100]

I got a set of 3 dot sights for my kimber, and they recomend a sight vise.  I tried to drift the old sights out with a brass punch but there tight enough I was afraid I'd screw up the old sights or the new ones when installing.  I looked up a sight press on brownells and that sucker is 400$!!! 

Any out there any cheaper or do I just wait till I get my shop finished and machine my own sight vise, it's not that complicated, not 400$ complicated anyway.

How much would a gunsmith charge?

Thanks

[Mikey]

A gunsmith should not charge more than $25, plus or minus a bit, just to change out driftable sights.  The sight may be in there nice and tight but it is driftable. 

I have a Williams front sight tool I purchased from Brownells for a few bucks and that looks like it would also work to help move out that sight.  HTH.  Mikey.

[jhm]

And always remember R on L off, sometimes I want to forget that myself.   Jim

[Will52100]

Thanks I'll look it up.

You mean right and left looking down the sight like you would shoot it, not looking down the barrel end?

Worst case I'll mill a sight press, but that'll take some time.

[Will52100]

Got them changed, checked with gander mt.'s gunsmith, he wanted 150$, then came down to 50$ when I informed him I would supply the sights and that it'd take a week or more.  One of these days I will learn not to talk to that idiot.

Wound up having to grind a steel punch just undersize of the dove tail and after some heavy pounding it started to move.  After it moved a little they came rite out.  The replacements weren't as tight, but a little light center punching in the cut and it looks solid.  Will know more after test firing tomorow.

[rbwillnj]

The first Kimber I bought was a Stainless Gold Match.   I decided I wanted to put the three dot sights on it so I took it to a local gunsmith along with the sights I had already purchased.   He put the slide in a vice (with some leather jaw covers) took out a BIG hammer and a punch and whacked the heck out of it until the old sights came out.  Much to my surprise, both the slide and the sights survived. 

I learned a valuable lesson......Boy, even I can do that!!!