pre 29 sight pins??

[Patrick L]

I apologize for not posting pictures, I'm not home so I don't have access to my guns, but perhaps my question is so obvious you guys won't need them.

I am very familiar with pinned in sight blades. Several of my guns have them, and there is a pin going through the ramp that holds the blade in. got it!

However, I have a pre 29 that I always thought had on integral, non removable sight. Recently though, I noticed there are TWO pins that appear to be in the barrel rib itself, under the front sight. I never noticed them before because I believe they were put in and then the gun polished and blued. They almost "disappear" into the finish.

Are you guys familiar with this? What are they? I can only assume they are sight pins since they are under the front sight.

The knowledge base on this forum is so incredible I'm betting someone reading this already knows exactly what I'm asking about. But if nobody has an answer from just my description, I will post pictures later when I get home.

 

[Retired W4]

Sometimes the pins were polished flush. other times they were not. Those are known as proud pins.

 

[Hawg Rider]

I believe that you are correct, those are front sight pins. There are two types of sight pins that we generally see...those that are ground flush, and those that are "proud" (slightly protruding on each side of the base). I think that many of the earlier revolvers (prior to Model numbers in 1957) have the flush pins. I'm sure that some of our Forum gurus will be along shortly to comment. I have a Model 29-2 that I bought with a loose front sight blade and proud pin. I was able to remove the pin, make a slight bend in it, and reinstall the blade and pin with some red Loctite. Haven't had a problem with it since. I also have a Model 27-2 that was missing the pin for the Patridge sight blade. I contacted S&W and they sent me a pin N/C.

 

[Patrick L]

I guess I wasn't clear. I'm not surprised about how well the pins are polished. My question is about the fact that the pins are actually down in the rib, not in the sight base where I'm used to seeing them.

 

[Retired W4]

Here is a K frame with proud pin through the rib.

 

[Patrick L]

Oh wow! OK then, so I would assume that the sight blades for guns that have the pins in the rib must be cut taller, correct? Are blades available for these older guns?

 

[Retired W4]

1936 22 Outdoorsman with blade pinned to integral base.

 

[Retired W4]

Oh wow! OK then, so I would assume that the sight blades for guns that have the pins in the rib must be cut taller, correct? Are blades available for these older guns?

Hopefully someone will respond with an answer because I don't know.

 

[Retired W4]

I just looked at my Model of 1950, 4th ch. from 1954. It has a 6 1/2" barrel with Patridge front sight. The ramp is attached to the rib with two pins and the blade is attached to the base with one pin.

 

[Doc44]

The ramp base was pinned to the barrel with two pins on the 44 Magnum from the beginning. The pins were polished flush to the barrel rib on revolvers finished in bright blue and left unpolished (proud) on revolvers finished in nickel until around 67-68. You can see the pins in the photo of the 44 Magnum shown below that was shipped in November 1956. The ramp base began to be forged with the barrel in the late 1960s and the red ramp pinned to the base with a single pin for revolvers with a 6 1/2-inch barrel. This did not occur for revolvers with a 4-inch or 8 3/8-inch barrel until around 1972. Click on the photo for a better look.

It is very difficult to find one of these sights as I have only seen couple for sale over the years.

Regarding the sights on the 1950 44/45 Targets and the .357 Magnum, the ramp base was pinned to barrel with two pins (like the 44 Magnum) with some being polished flush to the barrel rib and some left proud. The difference is the sight blade is pinned to base with a single pin (again, sometimes polished flush to the base, sometimes not). I think this was done because in the case of the .357 Magnum, it was offered with a choice of front sights (Patridge may have been standard, but red ramp and red post were popular options). You also see quite a few 1950 44 Targets with a 4-inch barrel and a red ramp.

Bill

 

[Patrick L]

So the entire ramp comes off if the two pins are removed? And the blade is integral to the ramp?

 

[Doc44]

Patrick L...You are correct.

Bill

 

[Doc44]

The photo below shows an unused red ramp on a ramp base for a .357 Combat Magnum. I have not seen one for a 44 Magnum, but it would be similar with a red ramp with a higher profile.

Bill

 

[Patrick L]

As usual, the knowledge floating around on this board is just amazing.

Thanks all!