Pin Sights for J-Frame ?

[tws3b2]

Problem is, Too dang old to see the front sight of my S&W 642-1 carry. With SS sights on a SS barrel it's really hard for me to find the sight when practicing. No contrast "or not enough for me" in the sight and barrel. I've tried paint on the sight with long guns and it's never worked much for me. I know the 642 is a point and shoot gun. I know I can find other guns with better sights. But, Me and this old gun has been together for a good many years now. I know it and it knows me. I can reach for it and it will jump into my hand perfectly in place.
Anyway, I come across an add for XS pinned sights for J-frames. Looks to me like they would add contrast and make the front of the gun much easier to find and get that first shot on target a little faster. Maybe.
Anybody have any experience with this type of sight on a J-Frame like the 642? I know it would have to be drilled. Probably by gunsmith.

 

[Pat Riot]

Are these the sights you’re looking at? Or I should say, sight?

https://xssights.com/big-dot-revolver-front-sight-smith-wesson/

I have an S&W 327 Night Guard that has a similar front sight with a white ring and a tritium insert. It works very nicely for me.

Thank you for asking this question otherwise I wouldn’t have known XS made a sight like this for J frames. I have a 442 that I find harder and harder to see that little bitty front sight blade.

 

[tws3b2]

I should have said sight. "Front Sight".
I don't know. The add for the XS said nothing about " Milling Away". But, They seem similar.
Not much fun to get old. Takes a lot of fun out of life.

 

[StrawHat]

Not sure how this would work with stainless steel but it works a treat with blue!





Kevin

 

[Jonesy814]

The 642 front sight is integral to the barrel. Some J frames have a pinned front sight but not the 442/642, 638 or 637.
Your front sight would have to be cut off, then have that semi-circular cut made in the top of the barrel for the sight base, and then would have to be drilled and pinned. The work plus sight would cost what the gun is worth

 

[Slamfire]

Problem is, Too dang old to see the front sight of my S&W 642-1 carry. With SS sights on a SS barrel it's really hard for me to find the sight when practicing. No contrast "or not enough for me" in the sight and barrel. I've tried paint on the sight with long guns and it's never worked much for me. I know the 642 is a point and shoot gun. I know I can find other guns with better sights. But, Me and this old gun has been together for a good many years now. I know it and it knows me. I can reach for it and it will jump into my hand perfectly in place.
Anyway, I come across an add for XS pinned sights for J-frames. Looks to me like they would add contrast and make the front of the gun much easier to find and get that first shot on target a little faster. Maybe.
Anybody have any experience with this type of sight on a J-Frame like the 642? I know it would have to be drilled. Probably by gunsmith.

Sucks getting old, don't it?

How about one of those grips with a lazer beam? I have not tried one yet, I can still, more or less point a M642 in the general direction and jank the trigger. These things are spitting distance guns, not to say they are not accurate out to 25 yards, (they are if you can hold them), but, generally, these are short range pistols.

 

[38riverrat]

If I were going to improve my 442, I would have a bead, either gold or white, installed in the front blade. The blade might have to be slightly re profiled to make
room for the bead, as in post #4. But, first, I would try paint, white in my case. I don't think that not working out on a long gun would necessarily apply to a hand gun.

73,
Rick

 

[Hondo 60]

The work plus sight would cost what the gun is worth

That's what I was thinkin. but it's your ole friend.
So you may think it's worth it.
And that's all that matters

 

[Riomouse911]

I’ve been painting the front sights on my stainless fixed-sight revolvers with Testors model paints for a while. These pop a million times more than stock and can be removed with paint thinner if needed.

I paint it white, let it dry, then blaze orange..

Model 64



In the same light the orange glows better than the Hi viz front sight on my Colt Cobra



Model 642



Ruger LC9






The white/orange treatment may help with guns that don’t have a pinned sight option. It sure helps me .

Good luck finding a solution… and stay safe.

 

[tws3b2]

Well, It turns out the XS sights are Not for the 642s after all. Unless it has 3in. Barrel. That's what I get for not reading the fine print.

 

[nofendertom]

^^^ Me too Riomouse---orange painted front sights work well for me.

 

[tws3b2]

I’ve been painting the front sights on my stainless fixed-sight revolvers with Testors model paints for a while. These pop a million times more than stock and can be removed with paint thinner if needed.

I paint it white, let it dry, then blaze orange..

Model 64

View attachment 1027512

In the same light the orange glows better than the Hi viz front sight on my Colt Cobra

View attachment 1027514

Model 642

View attachment 1027511

Ruger LC9

View attachment 1027513


View attachment 1027509

The white/orange treatment may help with guns that don’t have a pinned sight option. It sure helps me .

Good luck finding a solution… and stay safe.

Thanks. I think I will try the Testors paint. Used Testors on many model cars when I was young.
Getting old takes all the fun out of life.

 

[DR505]

Getting old may take the fun out of life, but for me it beats the alternative.

The hi-vis paint sometimes works well for me; 1st year S&W Model 67 with stainless front and rear sights can be a challenge.

 

[tws3b2]

Sucks getting old, don't it?

How about one of those grips with a lazer beam? I have not tried one yet, I can still, more or less point a M642 in the general direction and jank the trigger. These things are spitting distance guns, not to say they are not accurate out to 25 yards, (they are if you can hold them), but, generally, these are short range pistols.

Yeah, You are right. They are point and shoot guns. I've found that 20 ft. and under point and shoot works fine for me. But for me anything over 20 ft. I need a little something more. I'm a firm believer in First shot on target counts for All. If a little paint or whatever helpS me . So be it.

 

[fireman 9731]

I have used Traffic Cone orange nail polish on the front sights of several of my carry guns. 2 or 3 coats of orange then a coat of clear. Works great and easy to remove if needed.

 

[Jim Watson]

If I haven't put a fibre optic, tritium, or hybrid sight on it, I have painted the plain front blade.
I started out with Model Master fluorescent red - kind of orangey - over white.
I have since gone to nail polish which is cheap in non fashionable colors and does not settle out as bad as model paint.

 

[Riomouse911]

Getting old may take the fun out of life, but for me it beats the alternative.

The hi-vis paint sometimes works well for me; 1st year S&W Model 67 with stainless front and rear sights can be a challenge.

My eyes faded from great to so-so pretty quickly once I hit 40. They’ve settled down over the past 5 years or so to just a minor prescription tweak every year or two.

I also have one of those no-dash Model 67’s. If it wasn’t such a rarity, and if I didn’t shoot it well with the stainless sights, I would paint the sights, too.



Stay safe.

 

[DR505]

My eyes faded from great to so-so pretty quickly once I hit 40. They’ve settled down over the past 5 years or so to just a minor prescription tweak every year or two.

I also have one of those no-dash Model 67’s. If it wasn’t such a rarity, and if I didn’t shoot it well with the stainless sights, I would paint the sights, too.

View attachment 1027599 View attachment 1027600 View attachment 1027601

Stay safe.

Looks just like mine...if I am shooting at a dark background these sights work great. On a lighter target they can become more difficult to get in focus.

 

[Old_Grouch]

I know this is a bit controversial, but...........................
Most self defense situations occur at very short distances, i.e. feet, not yards. If, in a typical SD situation, you take the time to use the sights you've wasted valuable time.
My formal training was such that at the 7 yard course the use of sights was not allowed. The gun could not be raised above shoulder level. 21 feet is well beyond the statistical average distance for a SD engagement.
If you practice point shooting, instinct shooting, sight color and configuration is a non-issue.

 

[Jim Watson]

I only know one guy who had occasion to shoot a man at close range. He said he could clearly see his sights aligned on the assailant's shirt.

On the other hand, my Dad's boss had occasion to shoot a holdup artist and it was just a matter of level gun, pull trigger, repeat, repeat. Recoil gave him "The Zipper" with hits in belly, chest, and head.

 

[Waveski]

Thanks. I think I will try the Testors paint. Used Testors on many model cars when I was young.

Consider applying a base layer of white , then the bright colored paint - it will make that color pop all the more.
Using a brush usually results in a mess. I use a wooden toothpick ; get a tiny drop of paint on the toothpick then poke it endwise onto the sight surface. I get real good detail that way.

 

[J-Bar]

My missus and I have Crimson Trace red laser grips on our carry J-frames. The dot is easily visible in daytime or on a lighted range. I can see the dot on my back fence 20 yards away when I shine it through the kitchen window in the daytime and it is dramatic at night. When practicing with the revolver at the range, I no longer attempt to use the fixed sight. Instead I watch the dot on the target and concentrate on trigger pull. I have never had to use it in a defensive situation but I have confidence in it.

 

[Anchorite]

Sucks getting old, don't it?

How about one of those grips with a lazer beam? I have not tried one yet, I can still, more or less point a M642 in the general direction and jank the trigger. These things are spitting distance guns, not to say they are not accurate out to 25 yards, (they are if you can hold them), but, generally, these are short range pistols.

Hah! I have a Crimson Trace laser beam grip on my S&W air lite (lighter than an air weight) 357 J frame … and all it’s done for me is show how bad a shot I am with that 357!