Does anyone know, if the 686 that was made 15 or so years ago, which had a manual adjustable front sight that was designed for long distant silhouette shooting; is there available a fiber optic sight that can replace the adjustable sight on this handgun? These fancy adjustable front sights were placed on the 8 3/8" and 6 inch models. Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

I am pretty sure nothing has been produced to retrofit that sight with a fiber insert. It is possible to machine your existing front sight and install a fiber rod.

Smith and Wesson could do this job. Any suggestions for a smith West of the Mississippi? Or any other Ideas you might have? The front sight blurs out for my 65 year old eyes. Thanks a lot for your reply.

My thoughts exactly.

Would guess it would be a job for a good gunsmith or machinist. (Machinist if you can remove and replace the sight blade yourself.)


(The sight in question)

If there's enough meat (depth), someone like magnaport could mill the sight of and a pocket for a pinned blade. Then you could put any blade on you wanted, I like the c more's that they offer.

Probably not a great option without shortening the barrel, due to the "dial-a-setting" wheel cutout under the sight base.

Seems to me that adding a fiberoptic channel into the sight blade would be a great EDM job, though.

I measured the "base" of the floating front sight and it is .195" (on my 6" 29-3). I think that might be thick enough for a really good machinist to mill off the blade, then groove it to accept a new front sight and drill and pin it in. You might want to first find out if you can get a replacement (or use the replacement) part before you ruin the original.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244