I have a Remington 581S. I drifted the broken sight out and tried to drive in a replacement. The new sight was very difficult to align. I ruined the replacement sight and just ordered another from Numrich. Is there an easy way to install this sight without the need to obtain special tools? I have been using a brass hammer and brass drift punch. Do I need to recruit someone with more patience? Would heating the barrel and cooling the sight help?

I wouldn't heat the barrel. Most gunsmiths have what's called a sight pusher that's designed to install sights into dovetail slots. Might be worth the minimal cost to have him install it. You an also file a little off the sight or widen the dovetail if it's way to tight. You do need it tight enough that it will hold the sight solid once installed.

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Bob from Idaho

When I'm faced with a new sight that is too tight in an old dovetail, I seort to the file -- but remember to always file the cheapest thing to replace! I never file the dovetail. Instead I take a stroke at a time off the bottom of the new sight, trying it in the slot after each stroke. Usually it'll go in after very few strokes.

Thanks guys. I know I should take it to a smith. I CAN afford it but, I wanted to do it myself. I will try filing the base. If that doesn't work for me, I'll probably be frustrated enough to take it to a smith. I just wanted to try one more time. Sorta like learning about the electric fence on your own.

Correct me if I'm wrong (you won't hurt my feelings), but be sure you're inserting the sight into the dovetail from the right side of the barrel as you hold the weapon to fire it. I think it's push it "right" in & push it "right" out...

gawkman I did push it in from the right side. pisgah, as a test, I filed the messed up replacement sight. I didn't have a jig and it didn't work out right for me. I got in in and discovered it was canted a bit. faucetteb, When the new front sight arrives, it and the rifle go to a smith. Thanks to all for your suggestions.

My method is to lay the file flat on a flat, hard surface. The base of the sight is then pushed on the file, keeping it flat all the while. As I said before, I take one stroke at a time and check it. If I am pushing a bit hard on one side or another of the sight, it shows up immediately and is wasily corrected.