Meprolight usit night sight installation tool - 40440 - Meprolight USIT Universal Sight Installation Tool

This unit would be best for the gun smith or collector seeking a bullet proof bench mounted sight tool. The 40440 Comes set up for rear sights and the Meprolight Kimber sight pusher adapter 40439 is required for most front sights. The best reason to get this tool is for front sights on 1911s especially the Les Baers. Les Baer 1911 front sights are blind hole pinned and this tool has enough tool contact and pushing force to shear the pins. The documented method for removing the pinned front sight is to machine the front sight to seperate the front pinned section from the rear dove tailed section. Once the sight pinned section is machined or cut from the rear dove tail section the pinned section can be easily removed and then the dove tail can be pushed from the slide cut like other dove tail types. You are expected to either drill out the pin or cut or machine the front sight. This tool, with the 40439 adapter installed, has good contact with the extremely small surface area available to push the 1911 front sight. Once the slide with sight is carefully mounted the tool has enough strength to shear the pin and push the sight from the dove tail.
One negative is the single dimension slide vise. I use leather to gain better traction and elevation adjustments. The tool is really solid and well made but a few things would have made it a 5:
1) Better clamping and height adjustment
2) The 40439 should be inculded as it is required for most front sights.
3) Having an easier way to change the pusher from front to rear sight. You are required to drive out the roll pin from the coller on the arbor to change the pusher.

I own quite a few 1911s so I'm happy with the purchase but due to the expense and specific uses it is not the tool for most gun owners. I will review the KimPro sight tool also. I think this tool is probably the best choice for most people.
Pros: rock solid, bench mountable, industrial pushing power
Cons: limited to rear sights unless used with Meprolight Kimber sight pusher adapter 40439, changing the pusher head is cumbersome

This review was written in the old system and had content requirements that are different than reviews written today.