The Unofficial P64 Resource Forum

In looking at this pistol, a thought came to mind on a new sight installation. Let me run it by you all for some feedback. The drift adjustable rear sight is in itself situated in a larger channel that could suffice for a rear sight. If the rear sight was trimmed to the full width of the rear channel, could the front sight then be filed off, a dovetail cut and an XS Big Dot sight installed? With the existing channel in the rear, and the Big Dot in the front, I think this would be a slick set up!

Now the hard question, I don't want to pay someone to dovetail the front sight, so how difficult would it be to file the dovetail yourself, thus keeping the cost "reasonable"?

As an aside, I installed 1911 sights in a CZ 52 by drilling a hole in place of the front sight & peening the sight in just like they "used to do" and I enlarged the rear sight dovetail to accept the 1911 rear sight. It was this project that got me to thinking about a similar modification to the P-64.

Any thoughts, ideas or opinions?

Staking a front sight is totally different (as you know) than cutting a dovetail. In my opinion, unless you have many years experience and are surgical with a file, you'll never get it right. Sending your slide to get machined and properly cut isn't much money and will save you the heartache of trying to file true and flat. Staked front sights are still common and you could likely get away with it on the P64 - although you'd need to be sure the clearance is there underneath. (I don't have mine handy to look)

Surgical & time consuming is right! I had another thought today...the front sights on Glocks are secured by a small nut on the underneath of the slide. I replaced the beat up plastic sights on my old Gen 1 G17 with metal ones...so my other thought is, how about drilling an appropriate sized hole in the P-64 slide & screwing in a Glock sight?

The larger sight up front would sure help if the P-64 was ever need for a serious social encounter. I might do some tinkering...will keep you posted.

I have another thought on new sights for the P-64. How about a shotgun bead for the front? All you would have to do is file off the nub of sight, drill & tap 6-48 & screw in your choice of bead. Brownell's has everything from real ivory to Trijicon. I could even use a plain brass bead & get the effect of the big dot sight on the cheap. To secure it in the slide, use Loctite & stake it in. Give me some feedback & thoughts please?