Armorer's Handgun Sight Tool from Wheeler Engineering

If you’ve read my “Quick Shot” report on S&W’s new M&P M2.0 Compact pistol in this issue, then you know I’m not a fan of its three-dot sight system. As three-dot sights go, the M&P M2.0 Compact’s are well made, but I just don’t care for three-dot sights. I much prefer a two-dot or, even, a one-dot setup. Hence, my other “Quick Shot” in this issue is on XS Sights’s F8 night sights. This brief report is on the Wheeler Engineering Armorer’s Handgun Sight Tool that I used to switch out the S&W factory sights with the XS F8 sights.

I’ve been replacing pistol sights for years by driving the old sights out of their dovetails with a hammer and punch and then sliding in the new sights, also with the hammer and punch. I’ve been successful with that procedure, but I freely admit that occasionally I dinged a new sight and it ended up looking like some unskilled hack did the job instead of a knowledgeable, experienced gunsmith. Well, I finally broke down and bought a sight pusher: the Wheeler Engineering Armorer’s Handgun Sight Tool. I bought mine from Brownells, but you can order it directly from Wheeler Engineering.

This tool makes removing, installing, or adjusting dovetail pistol sights a breeze. It has four independent positioning clamps that secure and support the slide, protecting it from bending, and an additional top clamp provides added security. In addition, a large, four-post drive knob easily pushes the sight. The tool has reference marks for precise adjustments. The sight pusher works on all semiauto pistols, and the sight prong assembly is reversible to accommodate Glock slides.

I followed the directions that came with the tool, and it worked like a charm. Just to be safe, I used masking tape on the side of the pistol’s slide, and I made sure the slide was placed exactly straight in the tool.

MSRP: $192.99, btibrands.com

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