Drill/Tapping for Jframe adjustable rear site?

arizonaguide

arizonaguide

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I know it's REALLY a close up gun, but I love my S&W442 J-frame .38 special. I would like to put an adjustable rear site on it.
Anyone ever done this on a J-frame? I know I'll probably have to also "build up" the front site (which I'm comfortable with)...BUT:
(currently has a "gutter" rear site).

Can the jframe be drilled/tapped for a rear site as shown withgout compromise to the safety of the weapon?

sitemount442.jpg


I'm even comfortable building a custom rear site myself, as long as I know it's safe to (have a gunsmith?) put ONE small tapped hole there.
In fact I would prefer a custom rear site that mounts with only ONE tapped hole in the center of the gutter...if it's safe to do so.
Or, let's get REALLY crazy...what about a small dovetail?
 
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I see that it is commonly done (both drilled AND dovetailed) on the "factory" steel frame guns, but I don't see it done on any of the alloys (like my 442).
I wonder, can THIS be done on a 442 or 340?
SWsites.jpg
 
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I sent them an email asking if it could be done on the alloy models, and I'll let you know of their response. I also included a link to this site...so if they DO respond, I'm thinking they should send you a logo baseball hat! :cool::D
 
YES, here it is on their site. I just had to dig a bit further!
No. SW04 J-frame high-visibility sight installation Small, tidy, low-mounted rear sight installed and a blade pinned to the barrel. Includes machine work for both sights, parts and sighting with customer's choice of ammo. Rear sights styles include white-outline/square notch or V-notch/white post; front blades are available with white line, dot and tritium dot blades. Best preformed on late-model alloy guns with composite barrels with pinned front sights but available on most an J-frame variant. As so many variations exist, please inquire for an exact quote on your particular job.
Click to expand...
That tells me it CAN be done...now for the price quotes! :eek: I hope they're gentle.
 
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They need to have some pics of completed work so you can "SEE"
If you have it done tell them that your gun can be photographed..
The one modified to fit the 547 sure looks good to me BTW..
Sweet!!
Gary/Hk
 
I did it on this 3" model 36. I bought the sight from Brownell's and then made the front sight to slip over the existing sight and pinned it on.

It is somewhat on the ugly side, but it works just fine.

IM000868.jpg


IM000871.jpg
 
redhawk444 said:
I did it on this 3" model 36. I bought the sight from Brownell's and then made the front sight to slip over the existing sight and pinned it on.

It is somewhat on the ugly side, but it works just fine.
Click to expand...

I don't think it's ugly! NICE job, Redhawk.
So, you drilled and tapped the rear site mounting hole as well?
 
Got on the phone with Bowen today, and nice folks.
They have no problem doing a (fixed) REAR site on an alloy J-frame, whether aluminum, scandium, or whatever.

It's a small fixed site, with a nightsite option, that is mounted in a T-slot that's cut in from the rear, then pinned into position. They do the zeroing during installation based on the ammo that you chose for the zeroing process.

Not the adjustable/single mounting hole I was hoping for, but at least that tells me that the gun is plenty strong (even the alloys) to be machined/milled in that location.

I'm still waiting on a response from S&W themselves on it, and I'll post the response as soon as I get it.
 
Got on the phone with S&W today...:cool:

They said there will be a couple (alloys) on the market soon (no details) with adj. rear sites. They (of course) advised against having it done "aftermarket"...and do not offer the option of adjustable sites added to my Jframe at the "Performance Center". Hmmmm. I wonder if a single drop of JBWeld would hold it on. ;)
 
arizonaguide said:
I don't think it's ugly! NICE job, Redhawk.
So, you drilled and tapped the rear site mounting hole as well?
Click to expand...

Why thank you very much.

Yes, while I had in the milling machine to cut the little notch and the shallow slot on top, I also drilled and tapped it.

I did have to mill off part of the front sight in order to get the new one attached, but it is quite funtional....it reminds me a little of a Blackhawk front sight.
 
Why precision sighting on a J-frame?

See, the Jframe, with a set of (slightly) larger Hogue grips fits my hand like NO OTHER weapon, and actually the fact that it FITS results in amazing (unbelievable) accuracy out of a 1-7/8" barrel. Enough that I want to "fine tune" it with an adjustable rear site.
Plus lots of hours of training results in it being "second nature" in my hands.

IF I can add a single (tiny) screwhole to mount an adj. rear (similar to the M63 shown above, only of my own small/rounded non-snag design) I will be happy...as I can add material to the existing front site fairly easily, file to zero elevation w/158LSWCHP's, and finish to similar to the existing black (easy) of the 442.

I have a pretty complete machine shop at my disposal, but want to be comfortable with the safety of being able to put a small drilled/tapped mounting hole in that location without compromising the strength of the (alloy) 442. Smith obviously does it (and more with a dovetail) with the steel frame guns, and this outfit (Bowen) installs a fixed rear site with a machined t-slot ...and says the alloy is fine.
http://www.bowenclassicarms.com/NEW/SW_J_FrameSightNotes.htm
Smith also tells me they'll have a couple Alloys with adjustable sites coming out soon (but wouldn't tell me any real details).
So, I guess I'm convinced it's not a problem if I make sure it's plenty rearward...and a tiny dia./shallow mounting hole.
 
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I don't know were you are planning drilling the hole but do know were the firing pin channel is on those J Frames & there's not alot of meat above that area, with the sideplate off you can see exactly what I'm talking about..
I'd think that course threads would be required for the softer aluminum alloy as fine threads would most certainly strip out..
Keep all of us informed of what you end up doing..

And I can hit a clay bird @ 50 yards with my 940 8 out of 10 times if I do my part on the bench, These snubbies are capable of some serious accuracy, My Airweights action isn't as smooth & slick as My 940 but is also very capable with the right loads..
Paper Plates are alot easier to hit at these distances..
Snubbies Rock!!
Gary/Hk

Headknockers Rockin Snubbies
940942.jpg
 
Thanks Gary, will do.
I'll take a look without the cover and see just what's the thickness, etc.
In looking closer at my 442, I realize that the back of the gutter site has a wide area the last 3/16"...that I may be able to use as kind of a T-slot. I need to take a look with my glasses on in some good light.
(sucks to get old).

But, I may be able to use that. I need to make a trip to Cabella's (our best local selection) and take a look at the normal S&W factory sites.

For that matter, I may just try a drop of JBweld and see how long that holds a rear site on...I use it for Golf Club heads...and it stands up to the full swing and impact of a golf head...so maybe that just might be the simple solution. I don't know. I even wondered if I could build up some solder in the gutter and use that. Either of those ideas just requires a good CLEAN bit of "prep" work, and could be easily filed off in the future if necessary. Just trying to think of various possible solutions.

I don't know. I'd like to find a solution that didn't require drilling/tapping if possible. Bowen can do it...but it's around $275, and it's not exactly what I want. I'm surprised that Bowen does fixed (night) sites...but nobody is doing adjustable. It would require the same amount of milling/machine work/material removal. Perhaps the T-slot from the back is the way to go. Still working on it.
 
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Maybe I'll just wait for my upgrade to .357, and just go with a steel frame that already has the dovetail (the 640P). Since the 442 will end up just being the wife's CCW rig anyway. Then, I can custom build an adjustable that fits the existing "factory" dovetail without worrying about it all.

Here's the Bowen design, and I guess it's a cut t-slot (looks like cut into the existing gutter), with a "set screw" rather than a mounting hole.
Something like that may be the "least invasive" route.
jframerearsitebowen.jpg
 
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The Bowen looks like the best of all solutions.

If you can buy that sight, or one like it, any good machinist or tool maker can install it for you.

Do you happen to know what needs to be done with the front sight with this setup from Bowen?
 
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