REVIEW: B&J Machine P500 Sight Tool

[alfsauve]

As some may remember I bought two brand new XD's recently (9 & 40) and I wanted the replace the sights with Williams fiber optics.   The local XD gun smith wants $45/ea so I figured why not just invest in the proper tool and do it myself.

I looked at the Maryland Gun Works tool (of Augusta, GA), but they have separate tools for each brand of pistol and their XD tool doesn't work on the Tactical model.  (don't completely understand why, but I did verify it with them.)  My 1911 gunsmith recommended the B&J tool which I got on sale from MidwayUSA for $114.

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=163458



First impression was that it is small compared to what I was expecting.  But after working with it over the weekend, it's just the right size.  Rugged and well built it can handle most any slide from any gun.   I would caution users that if you're not mechanically inclined to just let a gunsmith do the work.  The instructions are brief.  It's not a step-by-step for every potential gun.  You have to have some idea of positioning the gun and aligning the sights and the pusher.   Three different shaped pusher tips are provided.  I think the small square one could be just a tad smaller to fit some dovetails.   I had to use it at an angle to fit in the dovetail of my XD.  

I like is the use of synthetic material to protect the slide while it's clamped.   They include an extra strip of plastic that can be used as a spacer for small slides or, as I used it, to protect the top of the slide from a clamp.    

If you don't know, XDs are some of the most notoriously hard sights to remove.    This tool is quite capable of actually bending the slide if you're not careful or if you are too heavy handed!   I resorted to using a punch and hammer to drive the original sights out.   The B&J tool was invaluable in holding the slide still while I did this.  

One option I did not get, but will order soon, is their  hold down clamp.  I improvised with a c-clamp, but their "hold down" clamp would have worked so much better.   This is especially needed for Springfield Armory and S&W M&Ps.    To completely lock down a slide, you need to also clamp the whole tool in a vise as well.   Fortunately, I didn't need to go to that final step.

They have one other option which you only need if you're an armorer and you're repeating the sight change on a number of the same model guns.    This is their tool stop.   Once you have the slide in place you put the tool stop in and then it helps you align the 2nd and subsequent slides.

Overall, it is a well built tool and I'm glad I bought it.