Help with changing rear sight blade on a model 60.

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powwowell

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Jan 26, 2007
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I have a Pro Series, model 60. It has the 3" barrel. The rear sight is black and the front sight is supposed to be a Trijicon (or how ever you spell it) night sight. It's practically useless as a night sight. Too small, too dim. I have trouble with these sights. I want to change the rear blade to a white outline blade. What do I need in parts and tools?

If I still have trouble seeing the sights, I want to try a green fiber optic front sight. Do they come pre drilled? Is there a certain height?
 
S&W sells fiber optic front sights on their web site.
They can help you select one that's compatible with your Model 60.
These may or may not already be drilled for the sight pin.

For rear sights you'll need a rear sight blade kit.
The kit includes a new sight blade, a new windage screw, and a new windage screw nut.
Again, S&W will be able to help you select the correct height blade. They come in different heights and with or without white outlines so you need the correct version for your gun.

S&W rear sights can be changed with the sight on the revolver if you're careful.

To change a S&W rear sight blade you'll need the following tools.
A Brownell's Magna-Tip gunsmiths screwdriver bit. A number .210-3 should do it.
DO NOT attempt this with a standard screwdriver or a S&W screwdriver. The S&W drivers are for adjusting sights ONLY not doing the change out.

A pair of tweezers or a S&W sight nut "spanner" tool.

A center punch with a rounded off point, or a nail with a rounded off point.

To change the sight blade.

Use the Magna-Tip driver bit to turn the windage screw COUNTERCLOCKWISE all the way over.

With the blade all the way over, continue forcibly turning the windage screw until it shears into. (The S&W windage screw has a weakened area in the middle that's intended to allow the screw to break in half). This takes a little force which is why you only use a strong Magna-Tip bit to force it.

Once the windage screw is broken, gently tap the rear sight on a bench top until the windage screw head comes out of the base enough to be gripped and pulled all the way out.
DON'T LOOSE THE TINY SPRING AND PLUNGER that are under the head in the base.

Push out the other half of the windage screw and sight blade to the left and unscrew the broken screw from the sight blade then remove the blade from the base.

Clean the sight assembly and base and apply a thin coat of lube to everything.

Thread the new windage screw fully into the new sight blade.

Insert the tiny windage screw spring and plunger into the hole in the sight base.

Depress the spring and plunger slightly and slide the new windage screw and sight blade into the base.

Press the sight blade screw head FIRMLY toward the left side of the base and screw the new windage screw nut onto the end of the screw until it JUST contacts the sight base, then BACK IT OFF 1/4 OF A TURN.
Less than 1/4 of a turn and the sight will be too tight, more than 1/4 and the sight will be loose.
Make sure to keep the windage screw and sight blade firmly pressed to the left while the nut is screwed on.
(The nut is tiny so here's where you use a pair of pointed tweezers or a S&W sight spanner tool to turn the nut).

Rest the head of the windage nut on a bench block padded with a piece of brass and use a rounded off center punch or a rounded off nail to stake the windage screw nut by flaring the hollow end of the windage screw shaft into the nut.
The end of the shaft needs to be flared just enough to prevent the nut from unscrewing.

Crank the windage screw back and forth to check function.
 
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