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S&W-Smithing Maintenance, Repair, and Enhancement of Smith & Wesson and Other Firearms.


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Old 08-24-2017, 09:21 PM
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Default New old style sights

I like the sight picture of the "U" notch rear and Paine front sight. Does anyone make them for the post war guns. Anyone know what sights that can be modified to work on the newer guns. Some of the M&P Target guns had this combination and the sight picture works for me. Can a taller rear sight blade be filed down and a U notch be filed in the center? Any idea for the front? Larry
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Old 08-25-2017, 08:08 AM
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When I shot Bullseye, I modified the sights on my K22 to a U rear sight and a Bead front. I just liked them better than the large post and notch for more precise placement. It helped to have better eyesight and nerves at the time too!

I took the rear sight blade out of the sight assembly and soft soldered a piece of thin sheet stock on the rear face of the blade. I kept the new face high enough to allow the blade to be reinserted into the base and able to transverse for windage but it still covered the old square notch.
Trimmed it to the outline of the orig blade then cut the U notch in the center which of course goes right on thru the old square notch.
IIRC I matted the new rear surface carefully w/grit paper and light hammer taps. This must be done very carefully so as not to damage the blade. A quick shot w/a bead blaster is a better bet, or a few strokes accross w/a liner graver will do it.,,Or leave it as is, just nicely polished for reblue.
Reblued w/ a decent cold blue like Oxpho blue or go the route and rust blue the tiny part.

For the front sight, I left the blade right in the base and mounted on the gun.
I notched the rear face of the blade w/a file just enough to accept a short section of brass rod. The dia of the rod was the dia of the bead I wanted.
I soft soldered that section of rod into the notch. I most likely left the rod extra long for something to hang onto while soldering and then simply cut it off afterwards.
Soldering can be done with a simple electric soldering gun. No need for a flame.
Once the new 'bead' is in place,,tape up the surrounding bbl, sight base, ect and then with files carfully shape the sight blade under and around the bead to a nice smooth tapered profile up from the base to the bottom side of the bead leaving the steel behind the bead extending forward as the same dia and round shape.
If you don't want the brass bead,,just omit and shape the blade the same way leaving the top portion in the bead shape w/the tapered support area underneath.
Polish & blue when done as above. No need to matte the surfaces other than the front of the sight under the bead is a nice touch if it's under cut just a bit.

Well that's what I did. Not exactly making any dollars and sense most likely in this day and age if you went out and tried to do that work for a profit. But that's the type of things gunsmiths/tinkerers do or at least they used to.
Files and careful handwork can accomplish a lot.

The work could all be undone if you wanted to. The rear sight piece unsoldered and the blade cleaned up and reblued. The orig square notch is never altered.
The front sight blade is altered, but being replaceable a new one can be installed if you wanted to.
I left mine the way it was. The person who bought it though it was just right for him too.
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