The title pretty much says it.

I've shunned FS revolvers my whole life. I love how much faster they come into alignment, but I need a more visible front.

Also what's the difficulty factor to replace one? Is it pinned?

Thanks!

Bright sight paint and a coat of clear nail polish over it work for me. By far the cheapest, and it really does work well.

Here's what I've been using, at least an older version of the kit shown:

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/928...-green-and-red

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+1 for bright paint. I use a bright orange nail polish - brightest color WalMart had at the time I was shopping for it. I start with a base coat of Testors gloss white model paint, the stuff in the little tiny bottles, which I apply with the tip of a sharpened toothpick. For <$5 I have enough to cover and touch up all the fixed sights I could acquire for the rest of my life.

If you have a stainless gun, it helps if you paint the rear sight flat black. I have another of the tiny bottles of Testors model paint for this. Here again I use a toothpick to pick up a drop and then spread it around the rear sight face, as well as the cutout in the topstrap behind the nothch and the flat sides of the groove going forward from the notch.

Red plastic insert. XS standard or big dot front sight. SDM gold bead. Fiber optic.

Will take some metalwork...

You can usually find some bright gaudy fingernail polish on a markdown rack or bin. It works, and lasts well! Obviously a F.O. front sight is better. Bob

If the sight is pinned I believe you could replace it with a different front sight that would be larger.

If not I have been using a similar method, as described above, of a base coat of white model paint, then a couple coats of the bright color model paint that I want on top of that and then topping it off with clear finger nail polish.

I always put masking tape around the sides of the sight and the area that I don't want to paint to try and avoid seepage. I also buy a set of really small modeler paint brushes from Hobby Lobby to apply it with.

Good luck.

I opted to do this to a couple of my shooters...
S&W Red Ramp - Tips & Pics | The Outdoors Trader

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Thanks.

I've done the nail polish thing on other guns in the past. I've found nowadays I prefer a post-style with a bit more daylight around it than S&W factory sights provide, though I'm not sure I'd want something thinner than the ramp that's already on there.

To answer the OP's question directly..... the model 64-3, as it came from the factory, does NOT have a pinned or replaceable front sight. The front sight is machined as part of the barrel. So, unless you want to do some machine work, or have a gunsmith do so, you are limited to painting the existing front sight.

Actually, there is another alternative. I have fabricated new front sights, in fact I did this on MY 64-3, when I shortened the barrel from 4" to 3". I fabricated the new sight from high strength, reinforced epoxy. The new sight is of a different shape than the original and incorporates a colored dot. Of course, to re-do the front sight would require filing off the old sight. In other words, machine work.

So, unless you are quite mechanically inclined, the only good way to change the front sight is by engaging a gunsmith to machine off the old sight, then fabricate or simply install a new one, which can be installed one of several ways (pinned, screwed, dovetailed, etc.).

The front sight on my S&W 64-3, 3" HB, RB is pinned. The front sight on my S&W 64-2, 4" HB, SB is machined into the barrel.

Pinned from the factory ? Is the sight of the same basic profile as the (machined as part of the barrel type).....or different ? Can't prove it, but I have a feeling that your pinned front sight is an aftermarket job.

On the other hand, I certainly could be wrong. It could be factory, but an aberration. I don't think that was standard for any of the 64's, but as I said, I could be wrong.

So, I guess I should qualify my reply to the OP and say..... IF his 64-3 does NOT have a pinned front sight....then going to a high viz front sight will either require paint or machine work, etc. etc. etc.

"Pinned from the factory?"

I have no idea, I was not there when it was made and I bought it used without a box, just a holster and most of a box of ammo.


" Is the sight of the same basic profile as the (machined as part of the barrel type).....or different ? Can't prove it, but I have a feeling that your pinned front sight is an aftermarket job."

This sight is longer than the sight on my 64-2, 65-3, and 65-5 revolvers. also, the last 1/16" of the ramp sits slightly above the barrel, though I could not get a piece of paper under it for the photo. I can't prove it is factory, but it sure looks normal to me. It is not important enough for me to care to spend $50.00 for a factory letter.

I agree with ColbyBruce . . . machined on the 4" and pinned on the 3". My comparison is based on both 3" and 4" being Model 64-3.

My conclusion is the factory did not forge a 3" heavy barrel but instead cut a 4" barrel to make a 3" barrel and then pinned a nearly identical front sight. If it would be helpful I can take a comparison picture.

Russ

edit to add: I see ColbyBruce already provided a very clear photo while I was typing.

linde, please post a photo. I don't have my 4" 64-2 here to photograph.

I also have a pinned barrel on my 3 inch model 64-3. It came from the factory that way. I have also seen a 3 inch model 10 with a pinned sight and have also seen them with a sight that was machined to the barrel.
I have always wondered why this is. I have been trying to get a blued or black front sight to put on my 64-3. This has been impossible.
I have been afraid to try putting an insert in mine for fear of screwing up and then not being able to find a replacement.

Getting the light just right to highlight the pin on the front sight of the 3" barrel is difficult, but rest assured it is there.




The 3" barrel


The 4" barrel



Russ

Thank you, as I recall my other 64 and both 65's sights look like you 4" photo.

Here are comparison pics of two blued 3" barrels . . . one a Model 13-2 and the other a Model 10-5. As you can hopefully tell from the pictures, the 10-5 (rear) is a "standard" profile barrel and the 13-2 (front) is a "heavy" barrel. Note the heavy barrel . . . like the Model 64-3 in my previous post . . . has a pinned front sight but the standard barrel has an integral forged front sight.



3" heavy barrel


3" standard barrel



So as you look for that replacement front sight, look for one for a heavy profile barrel . . . either a model 10 or model 13 . . . or have someone make you one.

Russ

Interesting. You learn something new, every day.....as they say. My 3" HB model 10-8 has the forged sight (well HAD, I changed it some time ago). My 64-3 WAS a 4" HB/ SB....but I made a 3" RB out of it....so that fits with info provided in this thread.

Anyway, I stand corrected....and I'm glad, as it's always nice to learn new things about my favorite guns ! Thanks everyone !

Thank you linde for the photos and explanation. I thought maybe I was crazy because I have seen the milled and the pinned sights on models 10,64, 65 and 13. Now that you point out the "standard" barrel as opposed to the "heavy barrel", maybe because the heavy barrel has more metal to work with, they could put a pinned sight on it. This brings up the question: Did S&W offer different sight shapes and colors for these guns at the time? Why have a pinned sight if you are not able to replace it?
I have talked to some of the folks at S&W and if you find someone that has been there a long time, they acknowledge the pinned sights. However, these haven't been made in many years{my 64-3 was made in !982 or 83} so parts are not available.

Based on my experience with a couple of examples of special ordered 5" Combat Masterpieces and K-38s, the factory would and did cut barrels, mill a slot and pin a replacement front sight. In the case of the examples above (from the 50s), they also replaced the normal 6" Patridge target sight with a Baughman ramp front sight . . . but they would have had to pin either type based on the special order they were building to.

I suspect this is the case with the 3" barrels with a pinned front sight . . . rather than they simply had more metal to work with. But then again, with S&W, anything is possible.


As mentioned above . . . for special orders back in the good ole days there were front sight choices . . . but I don't believe they offered colored inserts on other than target revolvers. In later years, there were special runs for large Distributors who could and did request special features, including front sights, but I don't believe that was true of standard production guns.

Of course, as soon as I say the factory didn't, someone will come up with an example where they did.

A talented gunsmith can accomplish a changeover just as the factory did . . . mill off the integral sight, mill a slot in the barrel rib, and drill a pin hole. Top notch shops such as Bowen Classic Arms even produce and sell blanks that can be fitted to the individual revolver.

Good luck,

Russ