If you shorten a Model 29 barrel, what are your options for a sight? Is there a way to use the original ramp? Re-blueing involved? Thanks

In general, when a barrel is shortened, the front sight will need to be taller for the same point of impact as before it was shortened. So that must be considered. But I always re-use original sight.

The most factory look, my preference, is using original sight and soldering in place. But that will require re-bluing because for a sight to hold on a 44 mag, you'll want to use silver solder, even the low temp type is about 600 degrees.

You can drill and tap the sight base at the rear base of the blade and use a flat head countersunk screw. No re-bluing needed. You can then get a 40 lines per inch checkering file and cut serrations in the top of the screw after installation to match the existing serrations on the sight base and the screw will barely show. Touch up screw head with OxPho Blue cold blue paste from Brownells.

And for a proper factory quality look, you'll also want to file or mill a flat spot in the barrel rib where the sight will sit.

1. I've shortened barrels and used the original sight where the original sight was close enough to be within reasonable adjustment range of the rear sight.; like from a 6 1/2" or 5 1/2" to 4".
So I would experiment with using your original front sight.

2. If you're changing to a factory length barrel like 4" or something close like a 3", you can buy the taller factory sight for a 4" barrel, and again be within range of your rear sight.

3. Depending on the Model 29 vintage, the front sight and base could be: forged one piece with the barrel,
or sight and base could be one piece and pinned to the barrel,
or sight base is forged integral with barrel and the sight blade is pinned in the base,
or sight base and blade are both separate parts all pinned together.
So you'll have to order parts accordingly if you re-use the original sight/base.

4. I usually cut out the original base with sight attached and re-mount it on the shortened barrel. By leaving some extra height under the base, it will be taller when reinstalled. Or if the blade is pinned in, just remount the base and buy the taller blade.

5. Usually easier to find the length barrel you want and just swap barrels.

Tell us about your project. How does your type of front sight mount?

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Jim
S&WCA #819

I recently changed out a barrel on my model 48-4 because it came to me with a shortened barrel. The front sight was put atop a dovetail in end of barrel and it looked AWFUL! It is very dificult to make a front sight look correct after shortening it. The rib on top is forged on and if you look carefully there is a ramp on top of the rib and the front sight sits atop that ramp on top of the rib. The best way to make it look correct is to just buy a shorter barrel and have a qualified gunsmith replace barrel. The best advice is to just leave your gun alone completely and find another gun with a shorter barrel. There is a lot involved with changing out barrels and one wrong slip will ruin the gun completley. So make sure to verify you have a qualified gunsmith before purchasing another barrel, it is not a do it yourself project. Good luck.

It’s a 29-2, 8 3/8ths barrel length. The gun isn’t in collecting condition so I want to go to 5 1/2, it’s a red insert S&W ramp, which appears to me, to be an integral part of the barrel. I understand your indicating that a height change may be needed but I am still interested in knowing how original ramp sights might be removed and re-installed, if that maneuver isn’t realistic of course a different approach would be needed hence my inquiry for options. Just looking to see what’s doable and don’table. Thanks for any info

It depends a lot on one's level of skill, if one wants to do all the work.

I recently installed an 8 3/8" barrel with integral sight on a Ruger SA 44 Mag. I wanted a 7 1/2" barrel. Since I had to re-thread it anyway and remove the shroud, I took the length off the back of the barrel. Unfortunately, not an option for you.

Front sight options:

1st: If I was doing your gun I'd search for a 5" barrel on this forum in the classifieds and also on eBay and Gunbroker with equal blue wear to your gun. Sell your barrel to recoup some costs.

2nd: Or buy a 5" barrel front sight/base. After milling or filing a flat spot in the rib at the front of the cut barrel, have the location milled with a mortise (slot) for the tenon sticking off the bottom of the new sight, and have it drilled and pinned in place. Use dome ended pins like older Smiths so you don't have to polish them flat and re-blue barrel. Or cut off the tenon and attach with a screw as in #3 below.

3rd: But if you decide to cut out and re-use original sight; saw out the integral base/sight with a power hacksaw, jig saw, carborundum cutoff disc, hand hacksaw, etc.

Cut into the barrel muzzle horizontally under the sight leaving the top 1/3 of the barrel connected to the bottom of the sight for grinding off later so the saw cut doesn't have t be very accurate.
Cut straight down into the barrel at the back of the ramp to meet your first cut.

Now grind or sand a nice flat surface on the bottom of the sight base, leaving some extra height. After milling or filing a flat spot in the rib at the front of the cut barrel, you can tape sight securely to the barrel and test fire for proper height. It'll be too high so remove metal from the bottom of the base until the POI is dead center at the distance you want, with rear sight adjusted to its middle position. Then you'll have some up and down adjustment for different loads and bullet weights.

If you've decided to use a screw instead of soldering to attach the front sight, it's easier. You can screw the sight in place during test firing. Each time you remove metal from the base of the sight, you can shorten the screw slightly to screw the sight back on tightly.

When you get the height right, grind some grooves in the flat spot on the barrel and the underneath sight base, fill with epoxy and screw sight on permanently. Or install a small pin in barrel with hole in sight base, then glue in place and tighten screw. Then serrate screw head.

I'd use a standard side plate screw 5x44.

Hope that helps your project planning.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Thanks Jim, A lot of very useful info!

I apologize if this is unwarranted creep.

I don't know anything about gunsmithing.

I too have a 8" M29-3 in shooter grade. I assume the preferred method to shorten a barrel is replace the barrel, but what are the downsides of simply (professionally) hacksawing the barrel and soldering the old sights on, I see that a crowning tool is sold that I assume can be used while the gun is in a vise. All without removing the barrel.

Thanks.

I have cut off more barrels to get the length I want partly because factory barrels weren't available in the lengths I wanted.

And I also believe far more barrels are cut short than barrels swapped in general due to the usually much lower cost. And more prevalent for gunsmiths to cut barrels than to swap them. Also the ability for individuals to do it themselves extremely satisfactory w/o the cost and the wait for a gunsmith with a lathe to change barrels.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Here's how a professional gunsmith business shortens barrels

4 conversion

My RH I shortened from 5 1/2" to 4 1/2":



It wasn't two weeks later that I saw my first Ruger made 4.2" with its plain pinned front sight! So I wasn't disappointed that I cut mine because I re-used original sight with replaceable blades. Plus I prefer the 4 ½” length over the 4.2”:



This view shows seams. Because the sight was longer than the 1" of barrel removed, I couldn't cut out the front sight base deep enough without cutting into the bore of the first ½” of remaining barrel. So had to use a spacer for proper sight height. You won't have that problem if you’re starting with a 7 1/2" barrel.



Blade removed to show hidden attachment screws; two titanium 2-56 fillister head torx screws:



Very 1st group before rear sight adjustment with my last eight rounds of factory ammo (disregard the stray keyhole shot from the shooter next to me):

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Jim
S&WCA #819