Just picked up a beautiful 5903 with box and papers and four mags. It is dated 1995 and has dead night sights. Can I paint these sights or should I replace with 3 dots ? Don't care about night sights. Appreciate any opinions .

SS/ alloy are greatest guns of all SW line. I’ve carried a 6906 daily since 1994. I’ll replace it when something better comes along. Congrats. Joe

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Wisdom chases me; I'm faster

I would send the sights to Trijicon to be relamped. It’s only about $75 and they come back looking like new, with new white circles and fresh tritium.

Yup!

Have 'em relamped (if Trijicon) or buy new 3-dot S&W orig. sights from Midway for about $22.50 for both.

John

I did not know that. That is why I posted here. Thanks

How hard to put the Midway sights on ?

Drive the old ones off (left to right from the rear).

Drive the new ones on (right to left from the rear).

It's as easy or difficult as it sounds.

John

What about the front sight ?

Smith & Wesson Front Sight S&W 4003TSW 4006TSW 4046TSW 5903TSW 5906TSW

Front sight replacement is the same as rear.

John

Front sight just taps out ?

Yessir!

Drive it out left to right.

Drive the new one in right to left.

John

Trijicon just charged me $57 including shipping back to me to re-lamp the dead sights. Just send them the slide UPS. Removing the sights is a giant pain and I can’t imagine putting them in is any easier. I’m not about to whack away at them with a hammer. Let the professionals handle it. I couldn’t budge mine with a brass punch and whacking it very hard with a hammer.

I would not use a hammer and punch on tritium sights, you really need a sight pusher and then there are the springs and plungers hidden beneath the rear sight. If you do not have the right tools, you need to have a gunsmith perform the swap. You might do just as well to have Trijicon relamp the existing sights.

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VCDL, GOA, NRA

Let Trijicon take care of you on this.....send the slide and they will send it back all done for you.

Have done this with 4-5 of my 3rd Gen Smiths that had dead or nearly dead nite sites.

Very satisfied in ALL regards!

Randy

Me too. Professionally done and not a mark on it. When I do decide to put night sights on any other guns I have, I'm going Trijicon. Buy from them and the install is free and they do it right. Only issue I had this last time is they said I would have to sign for my package from UPS, which is what I wanted, and the UPS guy left it on my steps while I was home, but that's not on Trijicon. The driver used the COVID 19 excuse to not ring the bell. With all the porch pirates going around that annoyed me. He never rang the bell, and I have a Ring video doorbell to prove it.

I too sent a slide back to Trijicon for relamping. In addition to the free return shipping, they apply a new 12 warranty on the lamps. Pretty hard to beat the value.

I called them and they said 6-8 week turn around .

The last sights I sent to Trijicon for the re-lamp service were received by them on 6/10 and I got them back on 7/9.

I did that with a few guns to include the 4506 I bought from a retired LAPD copper. On a off note I will never part with my 5903 or Colt Trooper Mark V because my late dad gifted both of them to me when I graduated the academy

Me too. It was about 4 weeks. And no big deal waiting a bit longer if you want it done right. Unless the OP can’t be without the gun for some reason.

If one has LE credentials and sends a copy, Trijicon will move the repair further up in line.

I have a set of factory three dot I'm thinking of putting on or having someone do it.