Hey guys! Recently purchased a 686+ 3" and am looking into replacing the front site. I do not want to replace the adjustable rear sights as of now, although I need suggestions as to how to brighten up the white outline on it.

Why? Well as I compared my 586 no dash I couldn't help but notice the orange ramp was much brighter in terms of color. It was also a cleaner product, better made, where as on my new 686 the angles where they sanded or cut the excess resin off were uneven and kind of just ugly.

So what are your suggestions as far as a front site replacement? I intend to install it myself. Also please give me your experienced opinion, i.e. Please don't suggest a site you haven't used. Please also include any info as far as whether or not your particular upgrade changed where you hold on target, 12 o clock or 6 o clock, etc.

Thanks all, and hopefully this will be a useful thread for others considering the same change in the future.

post a pic of your front sight and you should get some comments

Pic posted

When it comes to sights, I've consistently had stellar results with Dawson Precission's products and services.
Several of my revolvers wear their fiber optic sights.

__________________
Dave

Cylinder and Slide has some options.

Smith and Wesson Sights

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Order Hiviz SW1002R red Front Sight for S&W 317, 66,67,686,696,625,657,629
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Hiviz SW1002R red Front Sight for S&W 317, 66,67,686,696,625,657,629
Hiviz SW1002R red Front Sight for S&W 317, 66,67,686,696,625,657,629
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I use both Dawson and HiViz. Dawson for pinned in sights, HiViz for DX style sights. Dawson has a variety of heights and widths and can do a custom dimensioned sights. If obtaining a sight picture rapidly is a priority, then consider a narrower than stock blade (.100"). More light around the front sight makes for more rapid acquisition, but less precision. If precision is your desire, use a stock width blade (.125"). Measure the height and get the closest to stock height available and if there is a slight variance, use the adjustable rear to re-zero.

Not a big fan of white outline rear sights. Prefer the sight picture afforded by a black rear sight and a FO front.

Adios,

Pizza Bob

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Front sight replacement isn't easy on these pinned ones. I replaced my sight with a hiviz one and it was a learning process along the way.
After you remove the pin( with a .055 punch) , the sight wont just slide off. They're pressed in a little. So, with a pair of vise grips and 2 cut small pieces of brass sheet, you can clamp on pretty hard and wiggle it off!
Now. The hiviz sights dont come drilled. You have to drill it to make a hole so the pin holds it in place. You will need a #54 drill bit or a .055 diameter one. The way I did it- which is probably NOT the correct way is i pressed together both sights in a press and started drilling through the stock one, using it as a pilot! Brilliant huh!
Then you bang the new one in place and slide .055 pin to secure. Im sure if you over drilled and wanted to make sure it held in place, red locktite is your friend.
So after all that- i would still recommend a front FO sight. I like hiviz, its extremely bright. The install was fun. I would do it again to another gun also. I chose green. Looks like a freakin laser when pointing and shooting. They also have red ( and recently learned they have orange )
This was done to my mod 66 but the sight was for my 686. It fits both. So i chose the 66 because at the time i was shooting it more. I still shoot it more...
FO sights make these revolvers less boring, so i have alot of mine with changed sights. ...easier to see in even dim lighting conditions. Excellent for indoor ranges. Very bright outdoors.

XS had big and standard dots for both my 649 and 686+ PC (dove tailed) so they should have something for your 686.

The best sight style is determined by the shooting you plan to do. For hunting or any use in low light conditions, the "glow worm" sights work well but can work too well if there is very little light, such as an end of the day shot at a deer. Then, the sight's glow can obscure the target area on the animal. For quick shots where pinpoint accuracy isn't required, they're okay too.

For bullseye shooting or anytime good accuracy is desired, nothing is better than the old standby, a black Patridge front and a black adjustable rear. It is the sight package that comes on almost every handgun with target shooting as a primary intended use.

Ramp-style front sights sort of do everything well enough but nothing really right. Ramps don't yield the Patridge's sharply-defined edges to align with the sharp edges of your rear sight and the red insert is lower than the top of the blade, so you can wind up shooting a little high if you unintentionally use the insert under a low light condition (or low if you sight in with the insert and then use the top of the blade). Ramps are great for drawing from a holster, however.

All my handguns that don't have integral front sights have black Patridges or, in the case of the one I use for hunting, a Patridge with a white dot or gold bead.

Ed

At this point I'm considering replacing the resin with a brighter color instead of replacing the whole front sight. The primary issue for me is the color, I don't mind the ramp style especially since it's a 3" revolver. The pic makes it look a little brighter than it actually is. If it were a 4" or 6" a partridge sight would be ideal, with a gold bead for me. I'm looking at the mixing kits at brownells.

Your accuracy will improve if you concentrate your vision on the front sight and not the white outlined rear sight?
Steve

Here you go
Sight Insert at Brownells