Moving Commander Rear Sight

[Elijah]

This has probably been brought up before but I couldn't find it if it has. My XSE SS Commander shoots about and inch and a half too far to the right. I need to move it left but yo may as well try to move the earth off axis. I tried with a hammer and wooden dowel to no avail. I asked on another fourm and it seems most have recommended putting the slide in a vice and whacking the sight with a brass drift. I'm a little leery of that as I don't want to squeeze the slide in nor mar the sight. Moreover, if the slide slips from not being tight enough in the vice, the minute I hit the sight the slide drops down and onto parts of the vice or floor for a good scratch(s). Is there an easier way? I took the set screw completely out and that did no good as well. The dovetail(looking at the slide from the rear) on the left is somewhat wider than the right side so, you'd think moving it right wouldn't be a problem.

[dfariswheel]

One method is to tape up the entire slide to protect it, and have a buddy hold it firmly in place while you tap the sight.
You can do this on a FIRM, no bounce bench or even on a concrete floor. Put a cloth under the slide to further protect it.
I made my own brass drifts from 1/2"X3/4" brass bar stock. This prevented the drift from bending and this transferes all the force to the sight.

The usual reason sights don't move is because the force is being dissipated by a flexing or bending drift or the slide is bouncing around.

A good sight adjustment tool can be made from a cheap automatic center punch.
Someone once sold these but you can make your own by grinding off the end of the center punch and brazing a blob of brass on the end.
File and shape it to a flat end.
Use the automatic punch adjustment feature and the impact force will usually move the tightest sight.

[Elijah]

The biggest reason it's stuck is that some idiot put it in way too far to the right and wedged it in where it's the most narrow.

[dfariswheel]

Your first move is to loosen the locking screw in the top.

The sight wasn't installed all the way to start with.
If it's really resistant, you could send the bare slide back to Colt and have them correct it. Likely, they'd even pay the small shipping charges both ways.

[Elijah]

Your first move is to loosen the locking screw in the top.

The sight wasn't installed all the way to start with.
If it's really resistant, you could send the bare slide back to Colt and have them correct it. Likely, they'd even pay the small shipping charges both ways.

I realized that. The screw was removed and just put back in there with a few threads to keep from loosing it until I get it moved. The problem is the sight was installed too far to begin with. It goes in from the left to right as can be seen by the larger left side. It's wider that the right side though not as apparent from the photo. They shoved it in too far and that's why it's shooting to the right.

[dfariswheel]

Something is wrong.
Rear sights are installed from RIGHT to LEFT.
Colt machines slide dovetails to the industry standard of the right side being slightly wider and tapered toward the left side.
If it's not, the slide is defective.

If the sight was driven in from LEFT to RIGHT, it's possible the sight or the dovetail have been deformed and that's why it won't move.
I'd suggest sending the slide back to Colt and let them sort it out under warranty.

Any continued efforts to move it may void the warranty.