Help! Replacing Front Sight on S&W M&P .22 Compact?

[druryj]

I kinda buggered my front sight up on this pistol and after some whining and begging, S&W sent me a new one. (Okay, okay...so I bubba'ed the damn thing all to hell and back; it's a long story). Anyway. The front sight on these things is plastic and is just pressed into a dovetail in the slide. There is no screw or anything to hold it. I am not real sure how to go about taking the old, buggered up front sight out and installing the new one. If it was metal, I could just put the slide in a vise and punch/push it out and then punch/push the new one in. But since it's plastic, I am afraid I will bugger the new one up too. Does anyone have any smart suggestions on how to accomplish this relatively simple-seeming task on the M&P .22 Compact?

 

[ronny]

Looking at a diagram, it looks to me as though it pushes out from left to right. I see no reason not to push the old one out like that. You should know then whether or not you can push the new one in from right to left. Looks doable to me. It's on you, though.

 

[ronny]

Or, you could go here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvvSSJg5aJs

 

[druryj]

Thanks Ronny. Kinda what I had in mind; guess I'll get up off my lazy rear and go in there and give it a try. Will post results later.

 

[ronny]

Remember, not my fault! lol

 

[druryj]

Well. That was easy.
I had a sight installation tool in the bottom of the old toolbox from back when I ordered and put on a Dawson rear sight on a pistol some time ago. I put that M&P .22 Compact slide in a vice (padded of course), used the tool and a small nylon hammer, and ever so gently tapped that old thing right out and tapped the new one right in. That tool was a good fit for the M&P front sight. A little blue Loctite to secure it all in place and I am good to go. I guess it being a plastic sight and an aluminum slide had me all nervous, but it tapped out and back in no sweat. Thanks for the help!

 

[ronny]

It's a dynamite little pistol. Shoot 'em up!

 

[druryj]

It's a dynamite little pistol. Shoot 'em up!

Yessir, it sure is. this thing eats any ammo I feed it, is super easy to field strip and clean, and just runs and runs and runs. One of the best pistols for just "fun" I have ever had. S&W made a good one in this .22 Compact. I have a chance to pick up another one that was bought and never shot yet. I think I will just to have it on hand.

 

[Chard]

How is that plastic sight holding up? Loctite does not work well with most plastics.

 

[druryj]

How is that plastic sight holding up? Loctite does not work well with most plastics.

It is fine. There is a small indent in the bottom of the front sight as it sits in the dovetail; looks to me that it is there so one can use Loctite to help secure it. I changed the plastic front sight on my GSG 1911-22 some time back and used Loctite on it too. No problems with it becoming loose after many rounds down it.