S&W Model 27 front sight

[messerist]

Anyone have any recommendations for a high visibility front sight for a S&W model 27 revolver? I have matte black sight now and would like to get something with more visibility. Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks

 

[Oro]

Classic first step is to paint the ribbed area of the front sight with a shiny fingernail polish - orange, red, etc. Really helps, and also comes off perfectly with acetone if you don't like it.

 

[messerist]

Good idea Oro. I'll give it a whirl. Thanks

 

[content]

Hello friends and neighbors // I had the five "ladies", 5yrs-68yrs, of the family pick out some bright finger nail polish.(I figured they had seen more varieties than me)

It was also a way to get them more interested/comfortable as a group with handguns in general and front sight importance in a fun way.

Mom won with "Wet Shine Pink with Diamonds", the little sparkles really catch your eye.
I have it on my S&W442 and all other handguns with a black front sight, including bb guns and airsoft. I hope to develop better eye memory and quicker target aquisition this way.

 

[loadedround]

I too use "Wally World" nail polish on all my plain black front sights for all my pistols and revolvers and it's cheap and easy to experiment with various colors. However you still can't beat the target sights on those older blued N-framed Smiths.

 

[TonyT]

I painted the equivalent of ca. 1/8 inch of the front sight height in fluorescent orange model acrylic paint - works well for me.

 

[oldbear]

Model paint or nail polish is a great way to highlight a front sight, but if you have an M-27 I would be VERY careful of making any changes to it. They have become worth to much money. If you can't live with the stock sights at least consider sending it to S&W or one of the few premium gunsmiths and have it done properly.

 

[content]

Yes if the front sight is orange like my S&W 586, I did not paint mine. A little cleaner on a Q-tip might bring it back to life.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

Gold bead? Not factory, of course, but it would be "period correct" as well as practical.

Changing sights will be easier if it is pinned on and not integral to the barrel which would require machining it off.

 

[messerist]

I have a recently made Model 27. It is from S&W new "Classics" line. I requisitioned some of my daughter's fingernail polish and we'll see how it works. I also am considering a gold dot sight I found on Midway. Thanks again for all your help. You are all tops in my book and go-to-guys!

 

[Oro]

While i recommended the polish to begin with, I have to admit the gold dot's (aka "McGivern" front sight) are fun and classic. Another thing that is great is fiber optic posts - I installed one of those on a 1911 I had and wow. In 20 or 30 years when I may be blind, I think I could still put in some V-notch rear blades and a fiber optic front post and still go shoot pretty well! Fast and accurate! If circumstances call for it, go for the solution that works.

But even with a "new" classic 27, I'd try to keep it stock and see if the polish will do it for you. On the older 27's, even the Baughman front sights (milled in standard on most all other S&Ws) were staked in on these models (and 29s) to allow for maximum flexibility to the owner. A nice touch. But still, they were installed before finishing. The front sight insert and pin were so well polished into the barrel, it sometimes takes a flashlight at the right angle to reveal the pin in the bluing and reveal they are not integral to the barrel. The new 27s are about as nice. To un-pin that kind of work is shame! Try the polish, hopefully that will work before true surgery is required.