Making a new red insert for smith and Wesson

[Pat Riot]

Sorry @shoebox1.1
I didn’t realize the sight blade wasn’t pinned in.

 

[StrawHat]

Two things,

1. I was not aware they stopped pinning the sight blades in place. That is new to me.

2. Do they still make swizzle sticks? I have used those for insert material.

Kevin

 

[shoebox1.1]

That’s a clever idea! Hey, the 686 no dash should be square butt I assume? Thx

 

[Pat Riot]

Two things,

1. I was not aware they stopped pinning the sight blades in place. That is new to me.

2. Do they still make swizzle sticks? I have used those for insert material.

Kevin

How do you make sight inserts with swizzle sticks? Melt them with acetone?

 

[doubleh]

Like already said shiny sights are not your friend. I have even gone as far as masking off the barrel and frame on shiny guns and leaving a strip down the top strap and barrel bare and painting it with flat black spray paint to kill the glare. I am not a fan of colored paint or inserts either and prefer either totally black or dayglow. I just shoot better using those.

My range's pistol bays faces south and the sunlight is a real killer early in the morning and afternoons and I am an early morning person during warm months. We have carport style covers but they do no good at all at those times.

 

[Iggy]

If it is just the plastic insert you are looking to replace, a red tooth brush handle will work.

 

[amd6547]

It’s a timely topic for me. My Model 15-3 has the white outline rear, red insert front. I noticed recently that a chunk is now missing out of the middle of the front insert… probably due to contact with a holster snap.
I haven’t decided what I’m going to do. My basement-bubba gunsmith inclination is to clean the dovetail out, and fill it with JBweld 2-part putty I have. Then paint it.

 

[shoebox1.1]

Whatever I do is going to be as inexpensive as possible due to I need some target smooth stocks and those prices look HIGH lol

 

[v8stang289]

Two things,

1. I was not aware they stopped pinning the sight blades in place. That is new to me.

Kevin

It's not that they stopped pinning sights, several models do still come with pinned sights. Both my later model 69 and 617 have pinned front sights.
It's that many of the models over the years never came with pinned sights, unless they were special ordered as such.
My blued 29-3, stainless 66-2 and stainless 686-4 all have sights that are integral to the barrel with the plastic insert.

 

[chicharrones]

I own two S&W's that came with the red ramp insert- 4" 629-0 and a 66-2 snub. Both have been replaced with front and rear night sights. I really dislike the red ramp insert and find it hard to believe that S&W thought it was a good idea to put a blob of red plastic on their top quality guns. Some more recent Performance Center guns accomplished the same goal using shallow depression on the front sight filled with colored paint. That seems to be a far better option to me.

Fact is the red ramp insert tends to look black in
various lighting conditions other than bright
sunlight. I've found it to be quite useless.

Since the red ramp isn't grooved, it can reflect light to the point of being invisible. I like the look of the red insert on my 66-2 for historical reasons, but I can't stand it for actual shooting.

 

[trackskippy]

I dont like shooting with them either. Anymore, I treat them like I do a plain sight, and give the front sight a coat of white/flo orange nail polish. Doesnt screw with the original sight, and is restored quickly with a little nail polish remover.

 

[StrawHat]

That’s a clever idea! Hey, the 686 no dash should be square butt I assume? Thx

Yes, square butt on mine.


Kevin

 

[StrawHat]

How do you make sight inserts with swizzle sticks? Melt them with acetone?

I just cut them to shape and fit them into the cut. Held by friction.


Kevin

 

[Pat Riot]

I just cut them to shape and fit them into the cut. Held by friction.


Kevin

Ah! So simple. So obvious. I was way overthinking this.
Thank you.

 

[StrawHat]

Ah! So simple. So obvious. I was way overthinking this.
Thank you.

Simple… yep, that’s me.


Kevin

 

[halfmoonclip]

Riomouse, had an early .38 Smith like yours, and replaced the rear sight assembly with a blued one. Know where there is another, minty one, but I haven't talked the guy out of it. Yet.
Lee's Red Ramps made a sight notch kit back in the day; it was a noticeably brighter orange than the Smith originals, and I put in a bunch of them, for me and other people. Lee has gone to his reward, and the alternatives aren't nearly as good.
For the OP, see what that sight picture actually looks like before doing anything drastic...it might actually look good through the sights.
That's a nice 686; the 4" has the nicest balance, and yours is old enough to have the flash chromed, forged action parts.
I traded mine away years ago. Dammit.
Moon

 

[Bill M.]

I have a dash-1 with the orange insert. Is there someone who makes or is there a way to make a tritium sight that fits into the notch for the insert? Or maybe just a sight blade with an undercut fitted in place of the plastic insert?

 

[DR505]

It's probably not pinned.
The 686-5 is the only pre lock variant that had a pinned sight.
Short of having expensive machining done to have a new sight installed, the insert change is your cheapest option.

My 686-3 has a pinned front sight blade...but it is the Classic Hunter variant. Bottom revolver...

 

[shoebox1.1]

I have a dash-1 with the orange insert. Is there someone who makes or is there a way to make a tritium sight that fits into the notch for the insert? Or maybe just a sight blade with an undercut fitted in place of the plastic insert?

This gun has an aftermarket tritium insert see photo

 

[trackskippy]

Midway is good for something it seems.

https://www.midwayusa.com/video?VideoID=352736335