wildmedic

I just purchased a Meprolight front sight for my Ruger SP101 and although not a gunsmith feel comfortable installing it. The instructions from Meprolight indicate the the sight should be secured to the gun with Loctite 609 prior to inserting the roll pin. No one in my area carries Loctite 609, and Grainger has it for around $17.00 per bottle.

The question I have is this: Is there any other bonding agent that I can substitute, or should I make an effort to purchase a bottle?

I hate to spend all that money for a couple drop and probably never use it again, but I also want to do the job right. Any qualified thoughts would be appreciated.

yogiboobooranger

Loctite 609 is merely a thread locker..you can get a very small tube usually from an automotive parts dealer such as NAPA, or Advance Auto etc. Just tell them you need the red container loctite. Hope this helps.

rantingredneck

I have installed two Meprolight sights on two of my SP101's. I did not use any loctite in either, just the drill and roll pin. They've worked perfectly.

shaner

ive installed the gemini custom fiber sight you dont need any loctite in them , if the pin dont hold it , thread locker isnt goin to help

wildmedic

Thanks for the feedback. I ended up deciding to bite the bullet and go to the local Grainger and buy a bottle of the 609. When the clerk brought the bottle up she noted that it expired in November 2008 (who knew that Loctite expired??). She ended up giving it to me for nothing, so I used it. I agree that if the roll pin isn't going to hold it, nothing will.

Thanks again!

powdermonkey

I didn't use any bonding agent when I changed sights on my 101, works fine. Thats the way a roll pin is designed to work, without adhesives. Don't use red lok-tite, unless you plan on never changing the sight again. The blue is what you should use, its a thread locker.

45longcolt

Guys I am fixing to change out my 4" RedHawk front sight that is pinned in. Does anyone know what drill size the hole needs to be in the sight base? Sounds like some of you have done this quite often.

45longcolt

The HiViz sight needed only the lightest filing to fit in the groove. The hole diameter is .063", #52 drill #, and I just happen to have three of those bits. Clamped sight in good, lined up drill with hole in barrel and drilled half way then flipped it over and finished the hole clean through. Roll pin had a good tight fit going back in too, all done and it is so much easier to find and use that front sight now.