I know this thread is old, but I know exactly what he is talking about (front sight so tall), I am 60 years old now, but when I was kid (been shooting since I was 6yrs old) my Dad had just such a gun, a tiny S&W 38 snub nose revolver, like an airweight with an exposed hammer, and a very tall front sight. I know all about sight picture, I have been shooting over 50 years, I am an excellent shot with iron sights. I’ve shot in IHMSA competition; shooting iron sighted handguns at 200 meters. And I am telling you that little 38’s front sight was so tall that if you pointed the gun down far enough until the top of the front sight was even with the top of the back sight that you would be shooting into the dirt under the target at 25 yards using standard 158 gr 38 specials. I have searched the internet extensively as to why they made it this way, what the purpose was but have been unable to find anything on it other than this thread. So yes, all these years and still no answer. Maybe someone in their 80's or 90's that used to work for S&W can answer this.