Red ramps ............now what?

Red Ramp Alternative....

While I don't share your sentiment concerning the Red Ramp Blade, I can offer a constructive alternative.

Consider these.... Mepro Revolver Sights as seen on my 686 No-Dash.

Front Sight slips into the Red Ramp Slot.

686NDMACM4028002.jpg


Rear Sight involves a new "Blade" Assembly that hold the lanterns.

686NDMACM4028001.jpg


The sight plane....

686NDMACM4028003.jpg


Clean installation, rugged sights, Night Use enhanced, No hassles with Holsters. The gun is not cut or permanently altered. Very clean look.

686NDMACM4028005.jpg


Drew
 
Mepro Front Sight

38-44HD45 said:
Drew, on those Meprolights, did you Loctite the front sight in place, or is it press-fit?
Click to expand...


HD, the front sight was a pretty snug fit, in fact I had to deburr the notch a little with a stone. But just to be sure I used the supplied MMA adhesive. Acts like rear view mirror cement.

Been in place for 10 years without an issue.... this is one of my house guns.

Drew
 
What Drew and 38/44 said.
It's a great way to turn one into a "semi" patridge front.
The really neat thing, is that along with creating a square, black front, the rear notch is wider than OEM. I found that extremely helpful in accurately speeding things up. They didn't include the adhesive in the last one I installed? Over the years, I've used Loctite sleeve and bushing retainer formula. Nice thing is, it'll "wick" into the gap, even when applied at a later date. Every formerly red ramp S&W around here wears one.
 
Love those Meprolights. Just seen they have the blade too for the pinned front sights. I might have to try those.
 
Drew,

Thanks for the picture essay. If I ever saw those before I didn't realize the potential. That looks like a great setup. Bet it would look great on my 66-1 snubby. What is the street price of the sights? Do you have to order the rear blade kit from S&W or does it come with the rear sight?
 
45,
First a picture...
MeproLightNightSights.com: Meprolight Sights & Lasers Meprolight Tru-Dot Sights, 22770, Fits S&W K/L/N, Green

Second, pricing...
MeproLightNightSights.com: Meprolight Sights & Lasers Meprolight Tru-Dot Sights, 22770, Fits S&W K/L/N, Green

You may find them a bit cheaper from time to time at some suppliers?
If you run them on a carry gun, you may want to ever so lightly "break" the had 90 degree edge on the tip of the front insert, then touch lightly with cold blue. I had to do that with one L frame, in order to not claw the leather inside a holster on the draw.
(EDIT)
Sorry? I screwed up on the post of the link.
The picture can be blown up by clicking on the center photo.
The pricing is in the mid $80 range.
 
Last edited:
It depends on the light conditions.
I used to hate red ramps; mainly because at my shooting range you are always facing into the sun and the ramp tends to glow, which makes it indistinct. I tended to replace them with black patridge sights.
One day I was shooting indoors, and realized that against a dark target and in low light the patridge sight disappears while the red ramp is clearly visible.
So my take is that for outdoor shooting, black patridge (or ramp) sights are best. But for combat shooting in varying light conditions, a red ramp is preferable. Another option might be a black ramp with white or red paint on the upper surface. I have tied this for outdoor competition and it works well in most light conditions. There are sight paints available for this purpose. Bright fingernail polish works well also. I like bright red painted over a white underlayer.
 
I never much liked red ramps. I just color over them with a black felt-tipped marker. It comes back off during the cleaning process but is fine for a pleasant day's use at the range.
 
Quoted from Raven6:
That luminous paint is still on that front sight to this day... I have given the same treatment to a couple of other stainless J-frames that I pocket carry.
Click to expand...
Raven6, what kind of luminous paint are you using? I'd done that to a model 10 that I carried in the 70s-80s using luminous paint for archery pins, but the paint was brittle when dry and chipped off real easy. I eventually covered the paint with a clear epoxy and never had a problem after that.
 
Ok, back to the original question.

I don't like red ramps either and I dislike the white outline rear even more.

So what can you do?

First you could replace the red insert with a black one, and that's something you could do yourself with a kit from Midway or Brownells. Hey it works!

Or you could replace the sight blade. If the blade is pinned to the ramp the factory or a competent gunsmith could do it easily. If the blade is integral to the ramp, the blade will have to be milled off and a key cut made to accept the new one. The ramp and sight blade are then dilled and pinned togeather the same way the factory does it. A little more work but imminently doable.

Either way it's feasible and I've had S&W replace a couple of sights of each type (pinned and integral) for me.

As for the main thrust of this thread, I find the words "blow" or "blows" to be much more genteel than the vulgar "suck" or "sucks" while conveying the same meaning.

/c
 
Thanks Sebago Son, that looks like the perfect solution! I'll go shooting later today if the wind stops blowing.
 
Chuck Jones said:
Ok, back to the original question.

I don't like red ramps either and I dislike the white outline rear even more.

If the blade is integral to the ramp, the blade will have to be milled off and a key cut made to accept the new one. The ramp and sight blade are then dilled and pinned together the same way the factory does it. A little more work but imminently doable.

Either way it's feasible and I've had S&W replace a couple of sights of each type (pinned and integral) for me.
Click to expand...

Would you please elaborate on this a bit more? I have never heard/seen where the factory modified the integral front sight... I am looking to do something like this right now, and I would prefer the factory to do the work if that is available...
 
For my action pistol shooting revolvers I prefer either a gold bead front sight or a Patridge front sight which has been painted with fluorescent orange acrylic paint and the standard rear sight. I can use the red ramp front sight but find I can pick up the front sight on the other two a bit faster.
 
I've never heard of it being done by the manufacturer either Rangerone?
I've seen a couple where the owner had the top of the front blade mowed off horizontally on a mill. Then running a ball bit along the newly created horizontal surface. The shallow "trench" created allowed the F/O light pipe to be epoxied in. Possibly with some extremely creative milling operations it could be done to an integral blade. But it'd cost as much as parts for the space shuttle, probably? I'd be tempted to have the front blade mowed completely off, to be replaced by a dovetail type F/O front blade of the correct height?
 
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