It amazes me how many people are completely unaware of the quick change front sight blade on the DX Classic series of S&W revolvers. The 625JM has this feature as well. In 10 seconds you can swap out the entire front sight on this gun by simply pulling back on the front sight blade and lifting it out.

I wanted to show this quick change feature to a friend by sending him a video of it. I would think such a video would exist on youtube. But it doesn't. I watched and scanned through over dozen review videos of the 625JM and not a single one acknowledged this feature. Though all talked about the Gold Dot front sight, they clearly didn't seem to be aware it can be quickly swapped out by simply pulling back on the front sight blade and lifting it out.

I don't want to make a video of my 625JM, but I do want to send a video to a friend. Anyone have a link to a video that features the quick front sight change capability of the DX series or the 625JM? Thanks!

Sorry HarrishMasher but I don't have a video. The quick change front sight is something I wish S&W would put on more of their revolvers. You don't like a gold bead? Just get something else and put it on yourself. Or have a patridge sight for the range, a ramp for holster carry, and a fiber optic and swap out according to you current need.

Agreed. It is a great system and I have no idea why it is not employed on the majority of revolvers S&W makes.

What continues to surprise me is that even people who own guns with this feature, don't even know it is there! I found it by accident. I had not idea it was a feature myself. Fortunately i figured it out the day i took possession of the gun.

My 629 Classic, non DX, also has this feature.
Jim

The quick change front sight is a great feature for hobbyists, hunters, and target shooters. Buyers of self defense revolvers who choose fixed sights because they are more resistant to damage from being dropped might question them but for me the ease of installing night sights would out weigh that. Ruger also routinely installs quick change front sights on most Redhawks, Super Redhawks and GP-100s.

My 625 JM with Hi-Viz front sight. Could not be easier to change. Bob

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986 has them (but not the 929), as well as the -6 629s as mentioned in Post #4. Not sure what's to Utube, just pull sight to the rear and pivot the front up.

Yep, I really like that feature too. My 629-3 Classic and my 627 Pro both have it too. I've swapped out the red ramp front sights they both came with for the gold bead patridge sight, as I find it easier for me to pick up than the red ramp sights with my old eyes. And I think it should be used more too on the larger revolvers and the "Classic" line too. After all, the "Classic" line really isn't "Classic" as they have the lock and frame mounted firing pins like the rest of the bigger S&W revolvers.

I wanted to send a video to a friend so he could see how the feature works. I couldn't find a video, so I just made one and sent it to him.

Where does one get the replaceable front sights ?

I believe you can buy directly from Smith & Wesson. I just looked on their site and didn't see them listed. Maybe just give them a call.

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The 610-2 has the quick change sight too. Great feature to have.

Midway, Brownells, ebay, Amazon...

do a "DX style quick change sight" search

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I had purchased a "quick-change" fiber optic front sight for my PC 625-8 (about $35 IIRC), I really like it for range use when shooting arrays of steel targets. One day I swapped back to the gold bead for some paper-punching, and (I guess) didn't seat it fully. About halfway through the first cylinder, I realized that my front sight blade had gone missing. Spent the next 20 minutes looking for in the weeds and dirt with no success so I reinstalled the FO and finished my range session with that. Decided that I do really like the gold bead for static paper, but I darn near keeled over when I found out S&W wants $100 for a replacement gold bead sight blade!!! I did find that Brownell's has a "copy" made by SDM for about $50, but I find even that a bit steep.

I'll be taking delivery of a Pro series smith soon, and I was wondering about the quick change sights. So no tools are needed? Any "DX style quick change sight" will work?

Steve, I've bought 2 of the "gold" (actually brass) bead patridge style front sight blades for the quick change sight system from Brownell's in the last year or so. They cost about $21 plus shipping. One went on my 629-3 Classic and the other went on my 627-5 Pro.

I just looked up my last order for that sight and here is a link to the page it is on: LINK to gold bead sight

They are showing as backordered right now but maybe you can call them and get them to email you when they are back in stock or something of that nature.

They are really neat, and I use the set from my 629 DX for all the other guns that have the interchangeable sight system. I usually still prefer the plain black Patridge for almost all shooting though, but sometimes the gold bead shows up better for indoor range use.

Beware holstering one, as the lip of the holster can pop the sight right off with less force than you can exert with your fingers. Yes, it happened to me during a competition. Try shooting a 15 yard stage without a front sight!!!

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Richard Gillespie
FBINA 102

I found out the hard way about the interchangeable front sight a few years ago shooting my 500. After a few rounds I noticed the sight had jumped out. Luckily. I found it and reinserted it. I started looking into it and ended up changing out the sights on my 500 & 629-3 Classic to Hi Viz. I like the idea of the gold bead patridge sight. Just put in an order at Brownell's for whenever they come back in stock. Thanks Mudd!

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Don't You Ever Wash That Thing

Got my Hi-Viz from Optics Planet. S&W3001G. (green, .250") They have red also. Bob

.......should be on every non fixed sight gun.

muddoctor - Thanks for the link, the only problem is they only show the gold bead patridge blade in a 0.226" height - the original on my PC 625 (as well as the Hi-Viz fiber optic one I have) measure 0.250". The 0.250" patridge blade Brownell's lists is plain black. I suppose for less than $25 I could get one of those and "bead" it myself.

Steve, I just pulled one off my 627 Pro and it indeed does measure right at .226-.227 from the top of sight blade to the bottom surface that rests on top the sight base. But I don't see where the height difference makes for a problem as you do have a height adjustment built into your rear sight. And for around $50-60 you can buy the SDM sight blade which uses a true gold dot and comes in .250 height as well as .300 height. I've read here somewhere that the SDM blade is a quality product.